(A) The following shall be the rules and regulations of all of the recreational facilities of the town and shall be strictly enforced.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person in any park, playground, ballfield, tennis court or any other recreational facilities thereof, owned and controlled by the town, to disregard the following:
(1) Park hours of operation.
(a) Fletcher Community Park. Monday through Sunday dawn to dusk.
(b) Kate’s Park. Monday through Saturday 7:30 a.m. to dusk; Sunday 1:00 p.m. to dusk (or unless extended by the Parks and Recreation Department).
(Am. Ord. passed 9-11-2000)
(2) Trespassers entering the park before or after park hours will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
(3) Littering is expressly prohibited. All trash must be placed in provided trash receptacles. Under no circumstances will household garbage or waste generated outside the park be permitted to be disposed of in the park facilities or on park grounds.
(4) Abusive language/disorderly conduct/fighting will not be tolerated. This is a family park.
(5) The holding of any exhibition, ceremony or making of any speech without permission from the Parks and Recreation Department will not be allowed.
(6) Firearms and concealed weapons are prohibited.
(7) Alcohol beverages and illegal drugs are not allowed on park grounds. The selling, delivering or attempting to sell or deliver any alcoholic beverage or illegal substance is prohibited.
(8) Tobacco products of any kind are prohibited.
(9) Obey all traffic signs. All vehicles, including motorcycles, must be parked in parking spaces provided. Service roads and walking paths are for pedestrians and town vehicles only. It shall also be unlawful for failure to obey all traffic officers or the persons being authorized and instructed to direct traffic whenever and wherever needed in the park.
(10) Vehicles left unattended for more than 24 hours on park property will be towed away at the owner’s expense.
(11) Defacing or intentionally damaging any town-owned facility or monument is prohibited.
(12) Soliciting of any kind on park property is prohibited. This includes the distribution of any handbills or circulars, or posting, placing or erecting any bills, notices, paper or advertising devices not authorized by the Parks and Recreation Department.
(13) Vendors are prohibited from any type of selling without prior approval by Parks and Recreation Department.
(14) Cutting, picking, pulling or damaging trees, flowers, plants or other vegetation is strictly prohibited.
(15) Dogs must be leashed at all times and no more than 4 feet from owner. Dogs are not allowed in the children’s playground areas. Users are asked to be considerate of others and owners must pick up dog’s excrement on park grounds. All animal fecal matter must be removed by the owner and not left on trails, fields or in other public areas.
(16) Walking trails will be used primarily by pedestrians. However, persons on skateboards, skates and bicycles are welcome, but must use proper precautions, travel at a safe speed, and stay on walking trails at all times. All other motorized-type vehicles must be parked in parking spaces provided. Motorized handicapped wheelchair (or similar accessory vehicles not to exceed 1,000 pounds) are allowed on walking trails. Driving or operating ATVs, motorbikes or other motor vehicles on trails or park grounds is prohibited.
(17) Park grills are designed for charcoal only. It is unlawful to gather and burn wood on town property or discharge fireworks, unless approved by the town’s Fire Marshal. Personal grills in good operating conditions may be used in designated picnic areas only. No open fires or campfires will be permitted. Erecting tents, canopies or nailing decorations to park structures is not allowed without permission from Parks and Recreation Department.
(18) Swimming in the park pond is prohibited.
(19) Fishing from the banks of Cane Creek is allowed with proper North Carolina license.
(20) Hunting of any kind is prohibited.
(21) Hitting golf balls is prohibited.
(22) Flying model airplanes on park property is prohibited, unless at an event approved by the Parks and Recreation Department.
(23) Flying of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or "drones") on or above park property is prohibited. Approval may only be granted by the Parks and Recreation Department and must be in accordance with North Carolina Department of Transportation regulations, North Carolina General Statutes and Federal Aviation Administration guidelines.
(24) Fairground activities, flea market, garage sales and the like are not allowed without proper approval and permit from Parks and Recreation Department.
(25) Loitering, indecent conduct or any behavior which interferes with visitors will not be tolerated.
(26) Use of park areas and facilities is at the user’s own risk. The town assumes no responsibility or liability for misuse of park or of its facilities.
(27) The Parks and Recreation Director or any town employee designated by the Town Manager shall have the authority to eject from any facility any person acting in violation of the rules and regulations posted for Fletcher Community Park. If a person is ejected from any facility, this shall be done verbally by an authorized town employee. The interfering with or hindering in any manner any town employee or contracted individual from performing their official duties is prohibited.
(28) Audio and musical devices should be operated at a volume not to disturb other visitors, with the exception of Parks and Recreation activities and authorized events.
(29) Benches, picnic tables and the like shall be “first come, first served” unless otherwise designated by the Parks and Recreation Department.
(30) No rock or other projectile throwing is allowed. This includes rockets fired or launched from the ground, with the exception of fireworks displays approved by the town.
(31) Use of a site closed to public or facility already reserved to other individuals.
(32) The using of any area or facility for commercial purposes are prohibited, without prior approval by the Parks and Recreation Department.
(33) Horseback riding is not permitted unless authorized by the Parks and Recreation Director (See Rule 14, above).
(34) Alterations, modifications and/or additions to parks and facilities are not permitted without prior approval from the Parks and Recreation Director.
(35) Temporary housing (i.e. motor homes, RVs, tents, house trailers) may not be parked overnight with occupants inside. Only at the discretion of the Town Council may overnight camping be permitted.
(36) The throwing of rocks, bottles and the like or climbing on equipment not designated for such climbing will be prohibited.
(Ord. O-98-12, passed 12-14-1998)
(37) Effective July 1, 2005, registered sex offenders shall be prohibited from entering all of the town’s public parks.
(a) It shall constitute a general offense against the regulations of the Town of Fletcher for any person or persons registered with the State of North Carolina and or any other state or federal agency to enter knowingly into or on any public park owned, operated or maintained by the town.
(b) The Town Manager shall be charged with posting this regulation at the main entrance of each park within 30 days of the passage of this division.
(Am. Ord. passed 6-13-2005; Am. Ord. passed 5-8-2017)
Penalty, see § 92.99
Cross-reference:
Alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs prohibited, see Chapter 130 of this code of ordinances
Gathering and burning wood; discharge of fireworks prohibited, see Chapter 93
Prohibition of firearms and concealed weapons, see Chapter 131
Unattended vehicles towed at owner’s expense, see Chapter 94
Volume of audio and musical devices, see Chapter 90
Statutory reference:
Abusive language, disorderly conduct or fighting, see G.S. § 14-132
Cutting, picking, pulling or damaging vegetation, see G.S. § 14-128
Defacing or intentionally damaging town facility or monument, see G.S. § 14-32
Littering, see G.S. § 14-399
Trespassing before or after hours, see G.S. § 14-159.13
Use of walking trails; motorized vehicles restricted, see G.S. § 20-175