Council File: 99-1442
Title
PROHIBIT URINATING OR DEFECATING IN PUBLIC
Subject
Motion - Disturbingly, the City is experiencing more and more instances of people urinating in public; on streets, on others' private property and in our parks and other open spaces. At a time when we are celebrating our premier position as a world class city, host to thousands of tourists and numerous conventions we cannot permit this practice to proliferate. It is not only a public decency issue but a very serious public health problem.
The Police Department has advised that it cannot enforce the law against urinating in public simply because the relevant Penal Code section no longer exists or any provisions in the Los Angeles Municipal Code which might be applicable are not realistically enforceable.
Action is needed to request the City Attorney to provide a report on what is the status of various legal provisions, if any, which could be used to prohibit the practice of urinating in public, and to draft the necessary ordinance which would allow the Police Department to issue citations to people who urinate in public.
THEREFORE MOVE that the City Attorney be requested to provide a report on what is the status of various legal provisions, if any, which could be used to prohibit the practice of urinating in public, and to draft the necessary ordinance which would allow the Police Department to issue citations to people who urinate in public.
Date Received / Introduced
08/03/1999
Last Changed Date
07/20/2004
Mover
HAL BERNSON
Second
LAURA CHICK
File History
8-3-99 - This day's Council session
8-3-99 - File to Calendar Clerk for placement on next available Council agenda
8-20-99 - File to City Attorney per Public Safety Committee Clerk
10-7-99 - City Attorney R99-0314 report received relative to draft of ordinance adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
11-22-99 - File to the Board of Police Commissioners per Public Safety Committee Clerk letter
11-30-99 - File to Public Safety Committee Clerk
2-23-00 - For ref - City Attorney R00-0064 - Req Council approval of ordinance adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public.
2-24-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Committee Clerk
3-15-00 - CONTINUED TO March 22, 2000
3-22-00 - CONTINUED TO May 12, 2000
4-10-00 - Transmittal from the Director, United Coalition East Prevention Project relative to Public Urination.
4-10-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
5-12-00 - CONTINUED TO June 6, 2000
5-18-00 - For ref - Transmittal from Bureau of Street Services relative to urinating and defecating in public, options and costs for public toilets.
5-19-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
6-6-00 - CONTINUED TO August 8, 2000
8-8-00 - CONTINUED TO November 1, 2000
11-1-00 - CONTINUED TO February 2, 2001
2-2-01 - No Quorum
2-6-01 - CONTINUED TO April 6, 2001
4-6-01 - CONTINUED TO October 9, 2001
10-9-01 - CONTINUED TO April 9, 2002
4-9-02 - CONTINUED TO August 9, 2002
8-9-02 - REFERRED TO Public Works Committee
8-20-02 - File to Public Works Committee Clerk
10-24-03 - Public Safety and Public Works Committees' report ADOPTED *AS AMENDED (see attached motion), subject to the approval of the Mayor to:
1. PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public except in approved locations.
2. INSTRUCT the Department of Public Works to report back to the Public Safety Committee within 45 days regarding options and costs for public toilets and strategic locations. The Department should include Business Improvement Districts, Metropolitan Transit Authority and other interested groups in the discussion and development of recommendations.
3. RECEIVE and FILE the Public Safety Committee report dated February 28, 2000, inasmuch as this report supersedes that report - Ordinance ADOPTED.
10-24-03 - *Verbal Motion - Miscikowski Mover 2003 / Garcetti - HEREBY MOVE that Council ADOPT the additional recommendation (Item No. 1, Council File 99-1442) relative to prohibiting urinating and defecating in public except in approved locations:
REQUEST the Los Angeles Police Department with the assistance of the City Attorney, to report back to the Public Safety Committee on standards for defining what are safe and clean public toilets and guidelines to be used for enforcing the new ordinance.
10-28-03 - File to Mayor for signature
11-7-03 - File to Calendar Clerk
11-14-03 - File to Public Safety Committee Clerk OK
11-18-03 - File in files
8-3-99 - File to Calendar Clerk for placement on next available Council agenda
8-20-99 - File to City Attorney per Public Safety Committee Clerk
10-7-99 - City Attorney R99-0314 report received relative to draft of ordinance adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
11-22-99 - File to the Board of Police Commissioners per Public Safety Committee Clerk letter
11-30-99 - File to Public Safety Committee Clerk
2-23-00 - For ref - City Attorney R00-0064 - Req Council approval of ordinance adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public.
2-24-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Committee Clerk
3-15-00 - CONTINUED TO March 22, 2000
3-22-00 - CONTINUED TO May 12, 2000
4-10-00 - Transmittal from the Director, United Coalition East Prevention Project relative to Public Urination.
4-10-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
5-12-00 - CONTINUED TO June 6, 2000
5-18-00 - For ref - Transmittal from Bureau of Street Services relative to urinating and defecating in public, options and costs for public toilets.
5-19-00 - Ref to Public Safety Committee - to Public Safety Committee Clerk
6-6-00 - CONTINUED TO August 8, 2000
8-8-00 - CONTINUED TO November 1, 2000
11-1-00 - CONTINUED TO February 2, 2001
2-2-01 - No Quorum
2-6-01 - CONTINUED TO April 6, 2001
4-6-01 - CONTINUED TO October 9, 2001
10-9-01 - CONTINUED TO April 9, 2002
4-9-02 - CONTINUED TO August 9, 2002
8-9-02 - REFERRED TO Public Works Committee
8-20-02 - File to Public Works Committee Clerk
10-24-03 - Public Safety and Public Works Committees' report ADOPTED *AS AMENDED (see attached motion), subject to the approval of the Mayor to:
1. PRESENT and ADOPT the accompanying ORDINANCE adding Section 41.47.2 to the Los Angeles Municipal Code to prohibit urinating or defecating in public except in approved locations.
2. INSTRUCT the Department of Public Works to report back to the Public Safety Committee within 45 days regarding options and costs for public toilets and strategic locations. The Department should include Business Improvement Districts, Metropolitan Transit Authority and other interested groups in the discussion and development of recommendations.
3. RECEIVE and FILE the Public Safety Committee report dated February 28, 2000, inasmuch as this report supersedes that report - Ordinance ADOPTED.
10-24-03 - *Verbal Motion - Miscikowski Mover 2003 / Garcetti - HEREBY MOVE that Council ADOPT the additional recommendation (Item No. 1, Council File 99-1442) relative to prohibiting urinating and defecating in public except in approved locations:
REQUEST the Los Angeles Police Department with the assistance of the City Attorney, to report back to the Public Safety Committee on standards for defining what are safe and clean public toilets and guidelines to be used for enforcing the new ordinance.
10-28-03 - File to Mayor for signature
11-7-03 - File to Calendar Clerk
11-14-03 - File to Public Safety Committee Clerk OK
11-18-03 - File in files
Online Documents (Doc)
| Title | Doc Date |
|---|
| Final Ordinance No. 175626 | 12/16/2003 |
| Complete Council File | 01/01/1999 |
Council Vote Information
| Council Vote Information |
| Meeting Date: | 10/24/2003 |
| Meeting Type: | Regular |
| Vote Action: | to Adopt as Amended |
| Vote Given: | (12 - 0 - 3) |
| Member Name | CD | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| TONY CARDENAS | 6 | YES |
| ERIC GARCETTI | 13 | YES |
| WENDY GREUEL | 2 | ABSENT |
| JANICE HAHN | 15 | YES |
| TOM LABONGE | 4 | YES |
| MARTIN LUDLOW | 10 | YES |
| CINDY MISCIKOWSKI | 11 | YES |
| ALEX PADILLA | 7 | YES |
| BERNARD C PARKS | 8 | YES |
| JAN PERRY | 9 | YES |
| ED REYES | 1 | ABSENT |
| GREIG SMITH | 12 | ABSENT |
| ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA | 14 | YES |
| JACK WEISS | 5 | YES |
| DENNIS ZINE | 3 | YES |