Illegal Dumping & Graffiti Removal
Maintaining Welcoming Spaces
Illegal dumping, litter, vehicle abandonment, and graffiti create unwelcome public environments that can become unsafe for the residents and visitors of St. Pete.
Illegal Dumping
It is illegal to dump trash, construction debris, furniture, or appliances in St. Pete alleys. There is a minimum $500 fine for illegal dumping. Violators can be reported to the St. Petersburg Police Tip Line at 727-892-5000, 24 hours a day. Call 727-893-7398 to schedule free pickup of old furniture and appliances (up to four pieces).
City Ordinances
7-94 Abandoned Vessels/Water Craft
Class IV - $118 fine
Vessels and Water Craft abandoned in the City may be removed by the City. If ownership can be determined, the owner shall be given written notice requiring removal within 10 days. Any owner who has failed to remove an abandoned or sunken vessel or water craft shall be liable to the City for all costs incurred by its removal.
8-198 Disposal of Garbage
Class III - $143 fine
Each owner or occupant of a dwelling unit shall dispose of all garbage and any other organic waste, including animal excreta, from the dwelling unit in a clean and sanitary manner.
8-199 Disposal of Rubbish
Class III - $143 fine
Each owner or occupant of a dwelling or dwelling unit shall dispose of all rubbish from the dwelling unit in a clean and sanitary manner.
21-42 Discarding of Refuse
Class IV - $93 fine
- Discarding of refuse except in the containers provided for such purpose is prohibited.
- Discarding of refuse in a container provided on park property is prohibited except for refuse resulting from the use of the park.
- Each discard of refuse on park property not within an appropriate container shall be considered a separate violation.
27-465 Unlawful Disposal of Refuse
Class IV - $500 fine
- It shall be unlawful to deposit garbage, industrial waste, garden trash, tree trimmings, non combustibles or rubbish on the premises of another or upon any street, alley, park, or other public property, or in any canal, water, waterway, rock pit, pool or lake within the City, or in any garbage or rubbish container which another person shall have paid the collection fee. Tenants of multiple dwellings, commercial businesses, or institutional establishments may deposit in the containers with the owner shall have paid the collection fee provided the owner had authorized the tenants to use such containers.
- Notwithstanding the foregoing, garbage and rubbish from residences serviced by alley collection sharing containers with other residences may deposit in other residential containers in the same city block provided it's a multi use container and the fee shall have been paid by the residence generating such garbage or rubbish.
27-498 Unlawful Practices
It is unlawful and a violation of this article for any person to do or permit to be done any act which is in violation of this article. Such a prohibited act is punishable by a fine of $500.00 per incident. An incident is deemed the removal of materials from a single place.
It shall be unlawful for any person to deposit any garden trash upon any lot or premises belonging to another, whether vacant or improved, occupied or unoccupied, public or private, or in the waters within the City.
Statutes
403.413 Florida Litter Law
(6a) Any person who dumps litter in violation of subsection 4 the amount not exceeding 15 lbs in weight or 27 cubic feet in volume and not for commercial purposes is guilty of a non criminal infraction punishable by a civil penalty of $50.00. In addition the court may require the violator to pick up litter or perform other labor commensurate with the offense committed.
(6b) Any person who dumps litter in violation of subsection 4 in an amount exceeding 15 lbs in weight or 27 cubic feet in volume, but not exceeding 500 lbs in weight or 100 cubic feet in volume and not for commercial purposes is guilty of a Misdemeanor of the first degree. In addition, the court shall require the violator to pick up litter or perform another service commensurate with the offense committed. Further, if the violation involves the use of a vehicle, upon a finding of guilt, whether or not adjudication is withheld or an imposition of sentence is withheld, deferred, or suspended, the court shall forward a record of finding to DHSMV which shall record a penalty of 3 points on the violators drivers license.
(6c) Any person who dumps litter in violation of subsection 4 in the amount exceeding 500 lbs in weight or 100 cubic feet in volume or in any quantity of commercial purposes, or dumps litter that is hazardous waste defines by 403.703, is guilty of a 3rd degree Felony. In addition the court may order the violator to:
- remove or render harmless the litter they dumped.
- repair or restore property damaged by, or pay damages for any damage arising from their dumping litter.
- perform a public service relating to the removal of litter dumped, or restoration of an area polluted by dumping of litter.
(6d) A motor vehicle, vessel, aircraft, container, crane, winch, or machine used to dump litter that exceeds 500 pounds in weight or 100 cubic feet in volume is declared contraband and is subject to forfeiture in the same manner as provided in ss.932.703 and 932.704.
823.11 Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
(1) It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to store or leave any vessel as defined by maritime law in a wrecked, junked, or substantially dismantled condition or abandoned upon or in any public water or at any port in this state without the consent of the agency having jurisdiction thereof, or docked at any private property without the consent of the property owner.
(2) The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is designated as the agency of the state empowered to remove or cause to be removed any abandoned or derelict vessel from public waters in any instance when the same obstructs or threatens to obstruct navigation or in any way constitutes a danger to the environment. Any costs, shall be recoverable against the owner of the property. The commission may delegate its authority to the county or municipality to cause the removal of the abandoned or derelict vessel from the public waters within the municipality or county.
Graffiti Removal
The City, in partnership with City Codes Enforcement and the St. Petersburg Police Department, is committed to effectively preventing and removing graffiti. Placing graffiti on public or private property is a crime. The City photographs and documents all graffiti cases in a database, which is shared with the SPPD for arrest or/and restitution action. If graffiti is seen in the public right of way or on private property, the City has four points of contact for reporting graffiti in the following order:
- Report an Issue through SeeClickFix or by calling 727-893-7111
- Graffiti Abatement at 727-893-7394
- Sanitation Department Customer Service at 727-893-7398
- Code Enforcement at 727-893-7373
Responsibilities of Property Owners
Per Ordinance, Sec. 19-65, property owners are responsible for removing graffiti. It shall be unlawful for any person owning property, acting as manager or agent for the owner of the property, or in possession or control of property to fail to remove or effectively obscure any graffiti upon such property.
Per Ordinance, Sec. 19-66, whenever the City becomes aware of the existence of graffiti on any property, the POD is authorized to remove the graffiti as set forth in this section after giving, or causing to be given, written notice to remove or effectively obscure such graffiti to the property owner, such property owners agent or manager, or any other person in possession or control of the property.
If a property owner chooses not to comply with the written notice, the City may exercise its lawful right to remove the graffiti. Any associated costs for graffiti removal will be assessed to the property owner.