AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA, AMENDING THE CODE OF ORDINANCES OF THE COUNTY OF VOLUSIA BY AMENDING CHAPTER 78 OFFENSES AND MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS BY CREATING SECTION 78-3 TO PROHIBIT POSSESSION OF CANNABIS AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY; BY AMENDING CHAPTER 20 BEACH CODE, ARTICLE IV CONDUCT, TO CREATE SECTION 20-128 PROHIBITING POSSESSION OF CANNABIS AND DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ON THE ATLANTIC OCEAN BEACH; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; BY PROVIDING FOR CONFLICTING ORDINANCES; AUTHORIZING INCLUSION IN CODE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE
SECTION I: Chapter 78 of the Code of Ordinances, County of Volusia is amended to read as follows: Section 78-3. Possession of Cannabis and Drug Paraphernalia. {a) Prohibitions. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess 20 grams or less of cannabis as defined in F.S §893.02(3). or its successor. or drug paraphernalia as defined_.in.F.S .. §893.145, or its successor. (b) Jurisdiction. This section shall be applicable only within the unincorporated areas of the county and_ as provided in Chapter 20 of this code. ( c) Penalty. Violations of this section are punishable as provided in section 1-7. SECTION II: Chapter 20, article IV, section 20-128, of the Code of Ordinances, County of Volusia is amended to read as follows: Ordinance 2016-06 Page 1 of 2 Section 20-128. Possession of Cannabis and Cannabis Paraphernalia. It shall be unlawful for any_ person_ to _possess 20 grams or less of cannabis as_ defined_ in F .S §893.02(3), or its successor, or drug paraphernalia as defined in F.S. §893.145, or its successor. SECTION III: AUTHORIZING INCLUSION IN CODE - The provisions of this ordinance shall be included and incorporated into the Code of Ordinances of the County of Volusia, a.S additions or amendments thereto, and shall be appropriately renumbered to conform to the uniform numbering system of the code. SECTION IV: SEVERABILITY - Should any word, phrase, sentence, subsection or section be held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, void, unenforceable, or unconstitutional, then that word, phrase, sentence, subsection or section so held shall be severed from this ordinance and all other words, phrases, sentences, subsections, or sections shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION V: CONFLICTING ORDINANCES - All ordinances, or part thereof, in conflict herewith are, to the extent of such conflict, repealed.
SECTION VI: EFFECTIVE DATE-This Ordinance shall take effect April 1, 2016. ADOPTED BY THE COUNTY COUNCIL OF VOLUSIA COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN OPEN MEETING DULY ASSEMBLED IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CHAMBERS AT THE THOMAS C. KELLY ADMINISTRATION CENTER, 123 WEST INDIANA AVENUE, DELAND, FLORIDA, THIS 3RD DAY OF MARCH A.D., 2016.
Sec. 1-7. - General penalty; continuing violations.
In this section, the phrase "violation of this Code" means any of the following:
(1)
Doing an act that is prohibited or made or declared unlawful, an offense or a misdemeanor by ordinance or by rule or regulation authorized by ordinance.
(2)
Failure to perform an act that is required to be performed by ordinance or by rule or regulation authorized by ordinance.
(3)
Failure to perform an act if the failure is declared a misdemeanor or an offense or unlawful by ordinance or by rule or regulation authorized by ordinance.
(b)
In this section, the phrase "violation of this Code" does not include the failure of a county officer or county employee to perform an official duty unless the context requires otherwise.
(c)
Except as otherwise provided, a person convicted of a violation of this Code shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $500.00, by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 60 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. For violations of this Code that are continuous with respect to time, each day the violation continues is a separate offense in the absence of provisions to the contrary.
(d)
The imposition of a penalty does not prevent revocation or suspension of a license, permit or franchise, the imposition of civil penalties or other administrative actions.
(e)
Violations of this Code may be abated by injunctive or other equitable or civil relief, and no bond shall be required, nor proof of intent or scienter. The imposition of a penalty does not prevent equitable relief. Violations of this Code are also subject to remedies prescribed in article VII of chapter 2.
(f)
In any litigation commenced by the county to enforce the provisions or to enjoin a violation of this Code, the county shall be entitled to reasonable attorney's fees incurred in such litigation. For the purpose of this Code, a reasonable attorney's fee shall not be limited to the actual salary paid to an attorney employed by the county, but shall be computed in the manner otherwise applicable under law.
(Ord. No. 99-28, § XIII, 11-4-99; Ord. No. 2009-20, § I, 8-20-09)
