City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Daniel Sauer, Chief of Police
Date: 08/11/2026
Subject: Chapter 6.12 Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally RECOMMENDED ACTION:
This ordinance amends Chapter 6.12 " Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally " in the Ripon Municipal Code declaring a public nuisance for feeding animals on any public property.
BACKGROUND:
Chapter 6.12 "Animal Ownership, Care and Treatment Generally" of the Municipal Code establishes general rules and regulations governing animal ownership, care and treatment.
Chapter 6.12 also declares certain public nuisances regarding animal ownership.
Staff has observed a growing number of abandoned cats in local parks and neighborhoods, often sustained by residents feeding them in public spaces. Because the City lacks the shelter capacity and staffing required to house and adopt out these animals, many remain unmanaged. Left unvaccinated and unsterilized, these stray populations pose disease risks to other domestic animals and drive ongoing overpopulation.
DISCUSSION:
Pursuant to direction from the City Council during the Strategic Planning Meeting, This ordinance updates Chapter 6.12.110 "Public Nuisance Declared" in the Ripon Municipal Code to add subsection E, declaring a public nuisance for feeding animals on any public property that reads as follows:
6.12.110 Public Nuisance Declared
E. It is unlawful for any person to feed, cause to be fed, offer food to any animal, or to scatter food, seed or other forms of matter edible to animals (collectively referred to as “feed” or “feeding”) on any public property (which includes, but is not limited to, public buildings, streets, street rights-of-way, sidewalks, driveways, parks, public facilities or any other public property).
This section shall not apply to feeding activities conducted as part of a trap program conducted by a City Animal Control Officer.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed changes will not have a fiscal impact.
ORDINANCE NO. 939
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
RIPON AMENDS A PORTION OF CHAPTER 6.12 "ANIMAL
OWNERSHIP, CARE AND TREATMENT GENERALLY" OF
THE RIPON MUNICIPAL CODE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RIPON AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. AMENDMENT OF CHAPTER. Chapter 6.12.110 of the Ripon Municipal Code is hereby amended to add subsection E, to read as follows:
6.12.110 Public Nuisance Declared
E. It is unlawful for any person to feed, cause to be fed, offer food to any animal, or to scatter food, seed or other forms of matter edible to animals (collectively referred to as “feed” or “feeding”) on any public property (which includes, but is not limited to, public buildings, streets, street rights-of-way, sidewalks, driveways, parks, public facilities or any other public property). This section shall not apply to feeding activities conducted as part of a trap program conducted by a City Animal Control Officer.
SECTION 2. CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA). The City Council hereby finds that the adoption of this Ordinance does not constitute the approval of a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to section 15060(c)(2) and (3), 15061(b)(3), 15262, and 15378 of the State of California CEQA Guidelines.
Specifically, this Ordinance will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment because it does not authorize the construction of any new structures or other physical changes to the environment.
SECTION 3. NO MANDATORY DUTY OF CARE. This Ordinance is not intended to, and shall not be construed or given effect in a manner that imposes upon the City or any officer, agent, employee or volunteer, thereof a mandatory duty of care towards persons and property, so as to provide a basis of civil liability for damages, except as otherwise imposed by law.
SECTION 4. SEVERABILITY. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Chapter is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional by a decision of any court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Chapter. The City Council hereby declares that it would have passed the ordinance codified in this Chapter, and each and every section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase not declared invalid or unconstitutional without regard to whether any portion of this Chapter would be subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE AND PUBLICATION. This ordinance shall go into effect 30 days after its adoption and a summary of this ordinance shall be published five (5) days prior to and within fifteen (15) days following its adoption in the Manteca Bulletin, the official paper of the City of Ripon.
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Ripon this 11th day of August, 2026, by the following vote:
RESULT: FIRST READING [UNANIMOUS] Next: 9/8/2026 6:00 PM MOVER: Daniel de Graaf, Council Member
SECONDER:Michael Restuccia, Council Member
AYES: Barton, Uecker, Restuccia, Zuber, de Graaf
THE CITY OF RIPON,
A Municipal Corporation
By _______________________________
GARY BARTON, Mayor
ATTEST:
By: ___________________________
LISA ROOS, City Clerk