DATE: September 13, 2016
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Supervisor Andreas Borgeas
SUBJECT: Prohibiting Scavenging Ordinance 8.24.060 - Pilot Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Conduct First Hearing and Adopt Ordinance Adding Section 8.24.060 - Prohibiting Scavenging in the Fig Garden Policing District - As a One-Year Anti-Scavenging Pilot Program.
REPORT
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
The Board of Supervisors could modify or decline to adopt the one-year pilot program.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Fig Garden Policing District will assume costs associated with enforcement of the pilot program.
DISCUSSION:
Scavenging may generally be defined as the unauthorized foraging or removal of items from a designated trash receptacle. Increasingly scavenging has become a problem in Fresno County's unincorporated areas, particularly in Fig Garden, and it presents a number of community concerns. Scavenging, for example, attracts non-residents to neighborhoods often leading to increased property crimes; scavengers often leave significant litter about after sorting through trash receptacles; and scavengers collect personal information from discarded mail, pharmaceuticals and other materials that lead to identity theft.
Scavenging has been on the rise since 2007 when the economy took a downturn and recyclable payments increased. Last year the Sherriff's Office received 97 calls for service on scavenging and 504 calls for identity theft. A significant number of those calls involved individuals with a criminal history. Fresno County has a unique opportunity to initiate a localized pilot program to help protect the public health and safety of our residents. Statewide, numerous jurisdictions have adopted anti-scavenging ordinances that define the event as a violation along with assessed penalties. For instance, the City of Clovis' anti-scavenging program includes the issuance of misdemeanor citations.
Old Fig Garden is a unique test case for this proposed pilot program for ...
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