As part of his “Clean SD” initiative to keep neighborhoods clean and safe, Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer recently announced increased fines of up to $1,000 for any individuals found illegally dumping trash and other waste.
The new penalty structure went into effect March 6 and a dozen citations have already been issued for illegal dumping, which is one of the most reported complaints through the City’s “Get It Done” application. The “Clean SD” initiative is a citywide cleanup effort focused on removing trash and debris from neighborhood hotspots and the San Diego River.
Launched in May 2017, the “Clean SD” initiative includes City and Urban Corps crews that remove litter in nine hotspots in Ocean Beach, City Heights, San Ysidro, Logan Heights, Paradise Hills, Webster and Mount Hope, Mission and Pacific beaches, Point Loma and South Bay – neighborhoods with a historically high level of illegal dumping activity
“Everyone deserves to live in a clean and beautiful neighborhood and that’s why we’re focusing on removing trash dumped in public areas,” Faulconer said. “We will not allow people to trash our neighborhoods and this new fine structure will deliver stiff penalties to anybody who thinks dumping their garbage on the street corner is acceptable behavior.”
The San Diego Municipal Code authorizes enforcement officials to issue administrative citations for violations, using their discretion based on a newly revised Penalty Matrix. Citations range from a warning to fines of between $100 and $1,000, and penalties can be issued multiple times for new or ongoing prior violations at the same property.
The previous process relied on pages of charts for Code Compliance Officers to interpret, and consisted of one or two Notices of Violation before assessing Administrative Fines. It often resulted in inconsistencies and delays in penalizing violators.
“The City’s Environmental Services Department is stepping up our code enforcement citations in support of the Mayor’s new initiative,” said Environmental Services director Mario X. Sierra. “By taking a more aggressive approach to eliminate illegal dumping in San Diego neighborhoods and rights-of-way, this will support our efforts to keep San Diego streets clean and free of unwanted debris.”
In addition to increased fines, the San Diego Police Department has stepped up its patrols around known hotspots for illegal dumping. They have also installed cameras at two of the hotspots to help catch violators and are evaluating other locations.
“The Police Department works closely with other city departments as well as the community to help keep San Diego clean,” said Police Chief David Nisleit. “Officers will increase enforcement of illegal dumping areas based on complaints from the community. If you are caught illegally dumping, you will be held accountable for your actions.”
The “Clean SD” initiative conducts regular cleanups of problem areas, including three two-person crews from the Urban Corps that respond to reports of trash and other debris in public areas via the City’s “Get It Done” application. The City often receives reports of abandoned shopping carts, furniture left in an alley and tires along roadways.
Crews have already removed more than 950 tons of debris, including:
· 470 tires;
· 2890 mattresses and box springs;
· 1120 shopping carts;
· 150 appliances.
Other “Clean SD” efforts include:
· Increased street sweeping in the East Village neighborhood;
· Sanitizing sidewalks in downtown and other neighborhoods;
· Prioritizing graffiti removal requests;
· Organizing curbside cleanups that collected more than 100 tons of waste and debris from San Diego neighborhoods in 2017;
· Holding the City’s annual cleanup event at SDCCU Stadium earlier this month – with more than 140 tons of waste and recyclables collected in a single day.
