| City living, unfortunately, may bring
with it an occasional nuisance that affects
your quality of life. If a chronic nuisance
affecting you is caused by an adjacent
neighbor or business, you may be able to
remedy the problem using diplomacy. Contact
the offending party first, either verbally
or in writing, and tell them that you are
affected by their actions. They may be
unaware! |
| If you feel a conversation between you and the offending party may become emotional, consider writing them a letter. Seek the help of neighbors who are also affected by this nuisance by asking them to accompany you when you approach the offending party, or to co-sign a letter. If applicable, work with the apartment owner and manager to come to a resolution with the offender. |
| During your efforts to solve a chronic
nuisance, be sure to keep track of any
conversations or correspondence with the
offender or calls that you make to the
police. This will help document the history
of the problem should mediation or legal
measures become necessary. |
Below is a brief summary of how to seek
enforcement of a variety of frequently
reported nuisances: |
| NOISE |
| State penal code 415(2) prohibits any person from "maliciously and willfully" disturbing another with loud and unreasonable noise. To report an acute disturbance that will not subside, call the Police Department at (310) 458-8491. You may request the handling officer to contact you to inform you of the outcome of your complaint. Normally, the officer will advise the offending party to cease the disturbance, such as in the case of a loud party. For ongoing disturbances which cannot be mitigated through diplomacy, you may consider filing an official police report for “disturbing the peace”, a criminal misdemeanor. Advise the Police Department of your specific intent to do so. You can assist the officer by providing documentation as to prior efforts made to resolve the problem. |
By filing a report, you must be willing, if necessary, to proceed with a private person’s arrest and testify in court against the offender.
|
| CONSTRUCTION NOISES |
| The law concerning prohibited construction noise is governed by Santa Monica Municipal Code 4.12.140 as follows: |
(a) No person shall engage in any construction activity during the following times
anywhere in the City: |
- (1) Before eight a.m. or after six p.m. on Monday through Friday, except that construction activities conducted by employees of the City of Santa Monica or public utilities shall not occur before seven a.m. or after six p.m. on Monday through Friday;
- (2) Before nine a.m. or after five p.m. on Saturday;
- (3) All day on Sunday;
All day on New Year's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, as those days have been established by the United States of America.
|
| Violations may be reported by calling the Code Compliance Office at (310) 458-4984, or the Police Department at (310) 458-8491 |
| There are exceptions to this ordinance, which may be reviewed at the below listed website: |
http://www.codemanage.com/santamonica/index.php?topic=4-4_12-4_12_140.
|
| ABANDONED VEHICLES |
| 22651(k) CVC: Vehicles may not be parked
for a period exceeding 72 hours on a public
street. To report an abandoned car that has
been in one spot for more than three days,
call (310) 458-8466. A parking checker will
post a warning notice on the vehicle and
have it towed if it has not moved after a
three day period. |
| PARKING VIOLATIONS |
| Parking on the front lawn / 3.12.1050 SMMC / No vehicle shall be parked or left standing on the front one-half of any lot in a residential district except on an approved driveway. Call (310) 458-8466 to report violators. |
|
Blocking an Alley
/ 3.12.820 SMMC / No vehicle
shall be stopped or parked
in any alley in a manner
which blocks the passage of
another vehicle lawfully
using the alley. Call (310)
458-8466 to report a
violation.
|
|
Parking Where
Prohibited /
3.12.270 SMMC / To report a
vehicle parked in a public
roadway in violation of
posted signs, call (310)
458-8466.
|
|
Vehicle Occupancy
Restrictions /
3.12.670 SMMC / No vehicle
occupied by any person for
more than 30 minutes between
the hours of 12:00 a.m. and
5:00 a.m. shall be parked on
any street in a residential
district after any occupant
of such vehicle has been
ordered by a peace officer
to move such vehicle. To
report an occupied vehicle
that is parking overnight in
your neighborhood, call
458-8491 while the violator
is present or before going
to bed if it's a repeated
occurrence.
|
| PREMISES, CLEANLINESS |
|
5.08.080 SMMC / No person
owning, leasing, acting as
an agent for or occupying
any premises shall permit
any accumulation of
offensive matter [rubbish]
of any kind to be or remain
upon such premises. Call the
Code Enforcement Officer at
(310) 458-8503 to report
someone who refuses to keep
their premises in a clean
and wholesome condition.
|
| ABANDONED BUILDINGS |
|
The Fire Department
responds to complaints of
unsafe vacant buildings. If
you are aware of an
abandoned building in a
condition that poses a
safety or fire hazard to you
and your neighbors, call
(310) 458-8669.
|
| RESIDENTIAL DISTRICT REGULATIONS |
|
The City Planning
Division investigates
reported violations of use
of property in residential
districts. To report
suspected violations or
inquire about legal uses in
residential zones, call
(310) 458-8341.
|
|
For more information,
call the
Community Relations Unit
of the Santa Monica Police
Department at (310)
458-8474. |
