City of Spokane

Spokane Municipal Code

***Note: Many local criminal codes can now be located under Chapter 10.60 SMC while others are now cited under the Revised Code of Washington (RCW), which was incorporated into the municipal code in 2022. (See SMC 10.58.010). Code Enforcement, including Noise Control and Animal Regulations are located in Chapters 10.62 through 10.74.

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Title 10
Chapter 10.63
Section 10.63.070
 

Title 10 Regulation of Activities

Division V. Code Enforcement and Animal Regulations

Chapter 10.63 Property Maintenance and Use Standards

Section 10.63.070 Removal of Graffiti on Private Property

 

  1. No person owning or in control of any property may allow the property to be used as a location for graffiti or fail or refuse to remove, cover, or grant permission to City personnel, or City’s designee, to remove or cover the graffiti from the property when so directed by a duly authorized City employee or its designee.
  1. Failure to remove the graffiti within ten days (absent exigent circumstances, i.e., inclement weather, insurance delays, disability, etc.) after receipt of notification is a civil infraction. Each day of a continuing violation is a separate offense.
  1. Notification by deposit in first class mail to the owner shall include the following:
    1. The street address and legal description of the property sufficient for identification of the property, or where there is no postal address, a legal description or parcel number.
    1. A statement that the property suffers from nuisance activity resulting from graffiti, with a concise description of the conditions leading to the finding.
    1. A statement that the graffiti must be removed within ten days after the receipt of the notice and that if the graffiti is not abated within that time the person owning or responsible for the property shall be subject to a civil infraction.
    1. Notification shall include any graffiti removal assistance programs that may be available.
  1. The City may charge the property owner or the person in possession of the property the cost to the City for the removal or covering of the graffiti when the removal or covering is performed by City personnel or the City’s designee. Any owner or other person in possession who fails to comply with the City or the City designee's effort to remove or cover the graffiti violates this section.
  1. Nothing in this section shall affect the right of any person to maintain a civil action arising out of graffiti damage to property.
  1. Revenue generated to the City pursuant to the civil infractions in this section shall be used to fund graffiti abatement efforts by the Spokane Police Department.

 

Date Passed: Monday, July 14, 2025

Effective Date: Wednesday, August 20, 2025

ORD C36701 Section 1