Laguna Hills City Zoning Code

This chapter generally describes the violations and penalties for the city’s available remedies to enforce the rules, regulations, and requirements of the development code.

A violation of the development code is a misdemeanor, unless specified herein as an infraction, and a criminal action may be instituted as described in Section 1-32.010 of this code. A violation of the development code can also constitute a public nuisance that may be abated administratively under the authority of the municipal code, or state law, and may also be subject to abatement by a civil action.

Each and every officer of the city so designated to perform abatement, compliance, or enforcement of the adopted codes of the city shall have the right of access and entry to any property within the corporate limits of the city for the purposes of inspecting, investigating, and ascertaining the validity of any alleged violations when sufficient cause is determined to exist. When access is denied, responsible city personnel shall obtain entry through acquisition of an appropriate warrant.

It shall be the policy of the city to seek the rapid resolution and correction of all violations of this code. Prosecution of offenses does not require immediate preparation and filing of charges but should be preceded by voluntary and cooperative efforts at compliance prior to the need to seek judicial remedy.

Penalties for violations of this development code shall be those prescribed by state law and the city’s bail schedule for infractions and misdemeanors, plus other penalties specified herein, and by the municipal code for assessing the costs of abating public nuisances.