The following Rules shall be and are hereby adopted as the Rules and Regulations governing the proper use and protection of Village Park property. These Rules, or a summary of these Rules, shall be posted in the Park and shall be made available with any reservation of Park property.
(a) Park Hours. Village Parks are open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM daily to the public unless all or a portion of the Park has been properly reserved as set forth herein, or if hours are extended by order of the Mayor, the Village Administrator, or the Chief of Police. Additionally, a Village Park, or any portion of a Village Park may be closed upon the order of the Village Administrator or the Chief of Police if poor weather conditions warrant such actions.
(b) Reservation of Park. All or a portion of any Village Park may be exclusively reserved through the Office of the Village Administrator. Such reservations must be made in advance consistent with the Schedule of Fees to be recommended and adopted periodically by Village Council. Village residents, or businesses sited within the Village, may reserve the Park or an area of the Park up to Six ( 6) months in advance of the proposed event date. All other persons or organizations may reserve the Park up to Thirty (30) days in advance. Persons or organizations reserving the Park property shall be responsible for the setup and takedown of any equipment permitted as a part of their use, they shall be responsible for any damage to Park property, and they shall be responsible to properly clean-up and dispose of any refuse or litter within the Park at the conclusion of their reserved event. A park reservation may be cancelled, or the reserved use of the park may be terminated for violation of these Rules or upon order of the Village Administrator or Chief of Police if poor weather conditions warrant such actions.
(c) Alcoholic Beverages. No persons shall possess or consume alcoholic beverages within the Park except when a prior Liquor Authorization has been issued through the Office of the Village Administrator with the approval of the Chief of Police, or his/her designee. A Liquor Authorization Application Form is available through the Office of the Village Administrator and/or through the Village website.
Alcoholic beverages cannot be sold at an event, nor may there be a charge for admission at an event if alcoholic beverages are provided at no additional cost, without an appropriate license issued by the State of Ohio, in addition to Authorization from the Village. Applicants are responsible to secure and present a Liquor Permit issued by the State of Ohio, Department of Commerce, Division of Liquor Control, if admission is charged or if alcoholic beverages are sold at the event. It is the Applicant's responsibility to contact the Division of Liquor Control to determine their eligibility for a permit and to follow their Rules and Regulations in securing an appropriate permit. Applicants selling alcoholic beverages at an event or which charge admission to an event serving alcoholic beverages must also secure appropriate Host Liquor Liability coverage and if requested present a copy of such coverage to the Village prior to approval of an event.
(d) Structures. Structures such as tents, pop-up tents, pop-up portable shade, recreational equipment or blow-up recreational equipment may not be erected in the Park unless authorized in advance as part of a Park reservation/permit.
(e) Fires and Grilling. Fires and cooking fires are not permitted in the Park without the advance·writlen consent of the Village Administrator. Persons who are approved for cooking fires are responsible for damage caused by the cooking fire, the responsible use of the cooking fire, and any hot coals or other fire debris must be completely extinguished before the user leaves the park and must be appropriately secured and disposed of offsite.
(f) Motor Vehicles. No motor vehicles or motor-assisted vehicles shall be operated within a Park area not specifically designated, nor designed for vehicular use, without permission from the Village Administrator in writing. Consistent with ADA Guidelines governing accessibility, an exception will be recognized to this Rule for persons with disabilities.
(g) Fireworks/ Firearms. No person shall carry or discharge firearms, air rifles, arrows, or other missiles upon public Park property. No person, except with advanced written permission from the Office of the Village Administrator and the Chief of Police shall discharge or display any fireworks within the Park property.
(h) Athletic Fields. All sport activity areas, when not otherwise reserved for scheduled league play, shall be used on a first come, first served basis. Athletic fields may be closed when poor weather conditions warrant. No person shall be permitted to play adult hardball, nor adult softball within the Park.
(i) Destruction of Park Property. No person shall damage, deface or contaminate any land, structure of fixture within a Village Park, nor shall any animal, tree, flower, shrub, rock or other mineral be removed, injured or destroyed.
(j) Noise Regulations. Persons using the Parks must conduct themselves in such a way as to not disturb the peace and quiet of the neighborhood. No person shall play a radio or other sound amplification device so loud as to be an annoyance to other people in the Park or to nearby residents. Any noise, sound, music, etc. generated in the Park may be heard outside the distance of Two Hundred (200) feet from its source.
(k) Litter/Refuse. Persons using parks are expected to exercise reasonable care of the park property and to cleanup the area before leaving and dispose of any trash. No person shall deposit any garbage, sewage, refuse or any other waste material other than in the receptacles provided for such purposes. Hot ashes from authorized fires or cooking fires must be extinguished and be removed from the park property for disposal.
(l) Signs/Publications. No person shall expose, distribute or place signs, advertisements, circulars, notices or statements, or display banners, emblems or designs within the Park without the advance written consent of the Office of the Village Administrator.
(m) Animals. No person shall take any animal into the Park except on a leash, and such animal must be secured on a leash throughout the time they are within the Park property.
(n) Non-Discrimination Policy. Those persons or entities using Village Parks, or reserving Village Parks, must act consistent with the Village policy to combat discrimination and to guarantee equality and inclusion as detailed in Ordinance 2019-10.
(o) Village Exemption. Village sponsored events that are open to the public are exempt from these Park Rules. Permission, a license, or a permit issued by the Village does not equate to Village sponsorship of an event. Consistent with ADA Guidelines governing accessibility, any exception will be recognized to these Rules and Regulations for persons with disabilities.
(Ord. 2023-1. Passed 2-13-23.)