KNOW THE LAW, MOST ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER ONES MINOR VIOLATION, MAJOR HEADACHE.

Byline: Judy O'Rourke Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Jail time is unlikely for offenders, but people who consider themselves law-abiding citizens may want to bone up on some of the town's lesser-known laws regulating wild animals, gambling, trash cans and roosters.

For example, under Santa Clarita law, it's illegal to feed ground squirrels, coyotes, raccoons, foxes or opossums unless you own them and they are kept under a valid certificate or permit issued by the State Department of Fish and Game.

People who are determined to feed nondomesticated rodents and predators may do so if the animals are trapped, injured or unweaned - in the window of time between the animal control agency being notified and when the animal is picked up.

While no official statistics are kept on them, the city's bingo and bunco players likely outnumber wild animal feeders. Game players might want to consider this: Feeding furry foragers may invite a visit from animal control officers, but the knock on gamblers' doors might be from sheriff's deputies.

``We had one inquiry from a resident about a year ago,'' said Curtis Williams, senior community preservation officer. The caller wanted to report a neighbor hosting a well-attended bingo game. ``A lot of parking issues resulted from it.''

Williams said the complaint was the only one of its kind - people gambling in a home - in the past six years.

A common culprit, maybe even a serial offender, is the guy who lets his trash can sit on the curb beyond the legal time. Trash bins must be hidden from view except around pickup time. It is OK to leave them out for 12 hours before and 12 hours afterward, but notices and escalating citations of up $100 can be issued to violators.

Sometimes illegal noises are the problem. The city averages a couple of complaints a month from neighbors roused in the middle of the night by roosters - illegal at most homes in city limits. Residents must live on at least an acre to keep a pet rooster, Williams said.

``A lot of people think they already have a couple of chickens, why not have a rooster as well,'' he said. The irate neighbors wail ``my neighbor's rooster is going off at three o'clock in the morning!'' Williams suspects the poultry could be cued to eastern or central time.

Williams has worked for the city for 15 years, the past six in community preservation. The department enforces the city's codes.

He has gotten a number of calls from irate people whose views have been blocked by neighbors' trees. He said many people believe there is a view ordinance. There are no height-limit rules for trees, and the only time the city would intervene is if the trees could topple over and cause damage. Other no-nos are wiring burglar alarms to direct-dial the sheriff's department, setting off more than two false burglary alarms a year and randomly plastering commercial flyers on windshields.

The law says leaflet distributors must obtain the property owners' permission before sticking fliers on cars parked on private property, shopping center parking lots included. Still, they cannot just list a phone number; a name must be indicated, too. Religious and political fliers would be protected under the First Amendment.

The city's code book, which is three inches thick, gets revised every year. County code revisions may trickle down to the city, especially those that require enforcement by county personnel, like animal control or law enforcement. Williams said sometimes people call and ask if there is a code for some issue that bothers them. The greatest number of complaints are about construction without permits, such as reroofing, room additions and garage conversions.