§ 1602. VIOLATION OF CHARTER AND ORDINANCES.

The violation of, or the failure to comply with, any provision of this Charter or of any City ordinance or of any provision of any code adopted by reference by the Modesto Municipal Code, shall be unlawful. Except as otherwise provided, such violation or failure to comply shall be deemed a misdemeanor, unless the City Attorney shall elect to charge the offense as an infraction, so long as any such election shall not adversely affect the citizen appeal process existing under this Charter.

Any such violation may be prosecuted by the authorities of the City in the name of the people of the State of California, or may be redressed by civil action, at the option of said authorities. The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor upon conviction for the violation of, or failure to comply with, any provision of this Charter, or of any ordinance of the City, or of any provisions of any law adopted by reference by this code, shall be a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or imprisonment for a term not exceeding one (1) year or both such fine and imprisonment. The maximum penalty for any infraction upon conviction shall be by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00), and there shall be no imprisonment.

(As amended November 2, 1976, and November 7, 1989)