DATE: November 17, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Nathan Magsig, Supervisor, District 5
John Zanoni, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator
Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Second Hearing to Amendment to Ordinance Code Section 13.16.040 Regarding Camping-Reservations-Fee
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Conduct second hearing to amend and adopt Fresno County Ordinance code, Section 13.16.040 of Chapter 13.16 of Title 13 - Roads, Parks, Other Public Places, relating to the allowable number of consecutive camping days at County-maintained parks and update the container fire pit rules, and waive reading of the proposed Ordinance in its entirety.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The proposed amendment to Section 13.16.040 of the Ordinance Code would revise the maximum number of consecutive camping days from fourteen days in any calendar month down to a maximum of seven days, with a 30-day waiting period before campers can return to camping at County-maintained parks. Approval of the recommended action will update a provision of the ordinance that had previously allowed campers to burn trash in the campground fire pits and requires that all garbage be placed in provided garbage containers. The proposed changes to the Ordinance Code shall become effective thirty days after passage of this item. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board may choose not to approve the recommended action, which would result in the existing ordinance language remaining unchanged, allowing fourteen consecutive camping days in any calendar month and campers will continue to be allowed to burn trash in designated campground fire pits.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions.
DISCUSSION:
On November 3, 2026, your Board conducted the first hearing for the amendments to Section 13.16.040 of the Ordinance Code.
On October 1, 2002, your Board adopted amendments to section 13.16.040 Camping-Reservation-Fees, relating to parks and recreation areas. Those amendments designated responsibilities to the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning for the oversight of County managed parks facilities and campgrounds.
Section 13.16.040 Camping-Reservation-Fees, requires individuals to obtain a written camping permit from the Director of Public Works and Planning before camping in any County-maintained park or recreation area. Camping is only allowed in designated campsites listed on the permit. Permits cannot exceed 14 days in a single calendar month unless the director (or a designee) approves a longer stay due to low campground occupancy.
County staff have observed a growing pattern of “park hopping,” where campers move from one available campsite to another in order to bypass the 14-day stay limit. Additionally, the current ordinance does not address whether a camper may obtain a 14-day permit at the end of one calendar month and immediately secure another 14-day permit at the start of the next month. This gap in the ordinance creates ambiguity and allows individuals to effectively extend their stays beyond the intended limit.
Approval of the recommended action will amend the ordinance to reduce the maximum allowable consecutive camping days from fourteen days per calendar month to a maximum of seven consecutive days. After completing a seven-day stay, campers would be required to wait 30 days before becoming eligible to camp again at any County-maintained park. These changes will ensure that County campgrounds are available to all users.
The recommended action will also remove a provision of the ordinance that had previously allowed campers to burn trash in the campground fire pits and requires that all garbage be placed in provided garbage containers.
A summary of the Ordinance amendment was published timely in the Business Journal.
If adopted by your Board, the recommended changes to the Ordinance Code will take effect on December 17, 2026.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #7, November 3, 2026
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
Ordinance
CAO ANALYST:
George Uc