The following rules are hereby adopted as the regulations governing the property use and protection of park property and are in addition to all local, Federal and State laws. "Park" as used herein, includes “playground”.
(a) Alcoholic Beverages and Drugs.
(1) No person shall possess any alcoholic beverage, narcotic drug or opiate in any public park, or upon any public grounds.
(2) No person under the influence of alcohol, narcotic drugs or opiates shall be allowed to enter or remain within any park or public grounds.
(3) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Director of Public Service may permit the use of alcoholic beverages in the Shirley L. McGuire Community Center building only for approved events.
(b) Animals. No animal of any kind, including horses, cattle, goats, swine and fowl are allowed within park property without the consent of the Director of Public Service. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prohibit dogs from being in a public park subject to the limitations set forth in Chapter 618 of the Codified Ordinances.
(c) Concerts. No person or musical group shall hold any form of musical entertainment on park property without the consent of the Director of Public Service.
(d) Conduct Generally. No person shall remain within a park who does not abide by the rules and regulations of the Director of Public Service, as recommended by the Parks and Recreation Board of the City. Any person violating the rules and regulations who is directed to leave a park shall do so promptly and peaceably.
(1) Advertising. No person shall distribute or place any sign, advertisement or circular, or display any banner, emblem or design, within a park, without a mitten permit issued therefor by the Director of Public Service.
(2) Disorderly conduct. Loud, boisterous, threatening, insulting or indecent language or disorderly conduct or behavior, or any act tending to cause a breach of the public peace or the annoyance of the public is prohibited on or within park property.
(3) Camping. Camps and campfires are prohibited in parks unless a permit is issued therefor by the Director of Public Service.
(4) Fires. A campfire for warming purposes may be used in designated areas only. Cooking of food is permitted only in designated areas provided with park stoves. Only charcoal is permitted in park stoves and the person shall be responsible for properly extinguishing the charcoal coals following their use. Home barbecues may be used near park stoves only. Gasoline and other portable burner stoves are not permitted in parks unless approved for special activities by the Director of Public Service.
(5) Notices. No person shall deface or destroy any notice of the rules and regulations for the government of parks, which have been posted or permanently fixed by order or permission of the Director of Public Service.
(6) Selling; charge for admission. No person shall advertise, sell, expose or offer for sale any article, thing, privilege or service within park property or on any sidewalk bounding such property, unless authorized by the Director of Public Service. No person shall charge admission or sell tickets for any event taking place in a park, unless authorized by the Director of Public Service.
(7) Swimming. No person shall bathe, swim or fish in, or send or throw anything whatsoever into, any of the lakes, pools, streams or fountains, nor in any manner disturb the water fowl, birds or animals, within park property.
(8) Trespassing. No person shall enter any park or recreation facility, or any building, enclosure or place within any park, where or upon which the words “No Admittance” are displayed or posted by sign, placard or otherwise, without the consent of the Director of Public Service. No person shall enter a restroom set apart for the opposite sex.
(e) Damaging Property. No person shall cause or create a substantial risk of physical harm to any property within any park. Whoever violates this division is guilty of physical harm to park property, a misdemeanor of the second degree. If violation of this division creates a risk of physical harm to any person, physical harm to park property is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(f) Facilities. The use of park facilities shall follow the general rule of "first come, first served", but a person must be aware that others may wish to use or share the same facilities. No person shall use any portion of the picnic areas or any of the buildings or structures for the purpose of holding gatherings and picnics to the exclusion of another person without reserving such facilities in advance. Park facilities may be reserved with written permission of the Director of Public Service and by paying the set fee for the reservation. Any person desiring to hold any public meeting, debate or other gathering in excess often persons, shall request a permit from the Director of Public Service so proper arrangements can be made. Family parties or small groups of picnickers over ten persons shall not be required to obtain such written permission.
(g) Firearms, Fireworks and Hunting Prohibited.
(1) No person shall possess an explosive device or incendiary device in any public park. The possession of firearms in a public park shall be governed by the law of the State of Ohio.
(2) No person shall possess fireworks in any park. Fireworks may be permitted for a public display with the written consent of the Director of Public Service.
(3) No person shall possess an air gun, bow and arrow or slingshot in any public park.
(4) Hunting, pursuing, trapping or molesting any wild bird or animal within a park is prohibited.
(5) Whoever violates any provision of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(h) Gambling. No person shall operate, gamble or play at any game of change for stakes within park property without the written consent of the Director of Public Service. Whoever violates any provision of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(i) Games.
(1) Game areas, including tennis, shuffleboard and basketball courts, are open to the public unless reserved. No person is permitted to wear hard sole shoes on any game area.
(2) Organized ball games, including baseball, softball, football and soccer are permitted in designated areas only.
(3) No person shall throw or bat a hard ball, or drive, putt or play with a golf ball, except at such places as are set aside therefor by the Director of Public Service.
(4) Each person loaning or renting equipment from the City is personally liable for damage to or destruction of the same and shall pay the cost of repair or replacement.
(j) Traffic Control. The Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to make and enforce traffic regulations within the parks and to erect traffic control devices to regulate traffic and promote public safety therein.
(1) Speed. No person shall drive upon any park road at a rate of speed exceeding ten miles per hour or the posted speed.
(2) Signs. No person shall fail to obey any such traffic regulations or devices, including, without limitation, traffic control signals, signs or markers, crosswalks or marks or lines upon the surface of a roadway.
(3) Parking. No person shall park or permit to remain parked an automobile or other vehicle within or on park property after dusk or 11:00 p.m. near a lighted facility. All vehicles shall be parked in designated areas. No person shall park or store any motor vehicle, bicycle or wagon on park property unless authorized by the Director of Public Service.
(4) Night lights. No person shall drive or take any vehicle into park property at night unless head and tail lights are lighted, nor stop any vehicle within park property at night unless a tail light is lighted, except that tail lights need not be lighted if the vehicle is parked and unoccupied while the passengers are using park facilities or viewing a game or authorized show.
(5) Motorcycles. Motorcycles and motorbikes shall be permitted in park property only as a means of convenience to and from park property. Riding shall be restricted to main thoroughfares only. Off-road or hill climbing is prohibited.
(6) Repairing and washing vehicles. No person shall give, receive or participate in automobile driver training, nor repair, wash or clean any motor vehicle in or upon any park.
(k) Trash and Garbage. No person shall bring into or shall dispose of rubbish, ashes, leaves, cans, bottles, wire, paper, cartons, boxes, oil, glass or anything else of an unsightly or unsanitary nature upon park grounds. Garbage or other waste material shall be deposited in proper receptacles provided for such purpose. Whoever violates any provision of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(1) Trees and Structures.
(1) Climbing. No person shall climb any tree or walk, stand or sit upon any building, monument, fountain, wall, fence or coping.
(2) Defacing. No person shall write, paint or deface walls in restrooms or buildings, other structures, equipment, tables, benches, fences, posts, signs or other park facilities or property.
(3) Equipment. No person shall erect any equipment within a park area without the due authorization of the Director of Public Service.
(m) Waters.
(1) No person shall place or use any boat, skiff or vessel on the waters of park property, except by permission of the Director of Public Service.
(2) No person shall walk, skate or coast on the ice until the Director of Public Service has ascertained the condition of the same and given permission.
(3) No person shall sled or coast anywhere on or within park property except where areas have been designated for such use and declared safe.
(n) Permits.
(1) Permits for the use of any park and/or recreation facility, building or picnic grounds must be approved by the Director of Public Service and may be subject to a fee.
(2) All permits issued by the Director of Public Service shall be subject to these rules and regulations and the person to whom such permit is issued shall be bound by these rules and regulations as fully as if the same were set forth in such permits and shall be liable for any loss, damage or injury caused within park property.
(3) Permits are issued to adults only. Adult supervision of children's groups is required at all times. The person signing the permit shall assume personal responsibility for the breakage, destruction or removal of park and recreation property by any member of the group.
(4) Permits must be signed by a responsible individual not later than one week and not earlier than 90 days prior to the scheduled event.
(5) It shall be the duty of every person claiming to have a permit from the Director of Public Service to produce and exhibit such permit upon the request of any authorized person who desires to inspect the same.
(Ord. 109-2004. Passed 10-12-04; Ord. 81-2016. Passed 10-24-16; Ord. 104-2018. Passed 11-5-18.)