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RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF THOUSAND OAKS APPROVING AND ADOPTING
ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTIES FOR WATER THEFT
PURSUANT TO CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE
SECTION 53069.45 AND THOUSAND OAKS
MUNICIPAL CODE SECTION 10-2.514(d)
WHEREAS, the City of Thousand Oaks owns and operates a municipal water system that provides potable water service to residential, commercial, and industrial customers within the City’s service area; and WHEREAS, unauthorized use, diversion, tampering, or reconnection of the City’s water system constitutes water theft, as defined under California Penal Code Section 498; and
WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 53069.45 authorizes local agencies that own or operate utilities to impose administrative fines for utility theft and related tampering; and
WHEREAS, the City of Thousand Oaks Municipal Code Section 10-2.514 Presumptions and Penalties Involving Theft of Water Services currently prohibits the unauthorized diversion, tampering, or reconnection of water services, consistent with California Penal Code Section 498; and
WHEREAS, to strengthen enforcement and improve administrative efficiency, the City desires to supplement existing criminal and civil remedies for water theft by establishing an administrative penalty process, consistent with California Government Code Section 53069.45 and California Penal Code Section 498, and is adopting Section 10-2.514(d) of the Thousand Oaks Municipal Code concurrently with this Resolution to authorize and implement such penalties; and WHEREAS, the City Council further desires to establish specific administrative penalty amounts for violations of Section 10-2.514(d), effective January 5, 2026, which shall remain in effect unless or until subsequently incorporated into the User Fee Manual or other fee schedule adopted by resolution of the City Council; and
WHEREAS, the proposed administrative penalties for water theft were publicly noticed and presented for consideration at the regular meeting of the City Council on November 4, 2025, providing an opportunity for public comment prior to adoption.
ATTACHMENT #4
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF THOUSAND OAKS AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Administrative penalties for violations of Thousand Oaks Municipal Code Section 10-2.514(d), consistent with California Government Code Section 53069.45, shall be as follows:
1. Meter Tampering:
First violation: $130
Second violation within one year: $700
Third and subsequent violations within one year: $1,300 each
2. All Other Forms of Water Theft:
First violation: $1,000
Second violation within one year: $2,000
Third and subsequent violations within one year: $3,000 each Section 2. The City Manager or designee shall establish administrative procedures for issuance, enforcement, collection, and review of penalties imposed under this Resolution and Ordinance. Each day a violation continues may constitute a separate offense.
Section 3. This Resolution shall take effect as of January 5, 2026, and shall remain in effect unless or until subsequently incorporated into the User Fee Manual or other fee schedule adopted by resolution of the City Council.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 4th day of November 2025, by the following vote:
Ayes:
Noes:
Absent:
_______________________________
David Newman, Mayor
City of Thousand Oaks, California
ATTEST/CERTIFY:
_____________________________
Laura B. Maguire, City Clerk
Date Attested:_________________
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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_____________________________
Tracy Friedl, Assistant City Attorney
APPROVED AS TO ADMINISTRATION:
______________________________
Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
The presence of electronic signature certifies that the foregoing is a true and correct copy as approved by the City of Thousand Oaks City Council on the date cited above.