a.The Monterey City Council finds that the presence of graffiti on public and private property within the City can cause the aesthetic deterioration of neighborhoods and commercial areas, creates blight and, if not promptly abated, may lead to further placement of graffiti and the aesthetic deterioration of areas within the City of Monterey.

b.The Monterey City Council finds and determines that graffiti is obnoxious and a public nuisance, and must be eliminated by means of prevention, education, and abatement to avoid the detrimental impact of such graffiti on the City and its residents, and to prevent the further spread of graffiti. Prompt removal is a disincentive to graffiti and minimizes the blight created by graffiti.

c.The purpose of this article is to promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the community by creating an aesthetically pleasing environment in which graffiti is declared a nuisance which must be promptly abated by property owners and imposing penalties on vandals. (Ord. 3481 § 2, 2013)