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Parma Overview
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF PARMA
CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE CITY OF PARMA OHIO
CITY OF PARMA ROSTER OF OFFICIALS (2024)
PRELIMINARY UNIT
PART ONE - ADMINISTRATIVE CODE
PART THREE - TRAFFIC CODE
PART SIX - GENERAL OFFENSES CODE
PART SEVEN - BUSINESS REGULATION CODE
PART NINE - STREETS AND PUBLIC SERVICES CODE
PART ELEVEN - PLANNING AND ZONING CODE
PART THIRTEEN- FIRE PREVENTION CODE
PART FIFTEEN - BUILDING CODE
PART SEVENTEEN - PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE
PART NINETEEN - INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM
PART TWENTY-ONE - PUBLIC HOUSING PROGRAM CODE
PART TWENTY-THREE - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION REGULATIONS
CHAPTER 961
Parks and Recreation Facilities
961.01   Use of parks generally.
961.02   Park property.
961.03   Sanitation in parks.
961.04   Traffic in parks.
961.05   Recreational activities in parks.
961.06   General behavior in parks.
961.07   Merchandising, advertising and signs in parks and recreation facilities.
961.08   Park operating policy generally.
961.09   Enforcement of park regulations.
961.10   City swimming pools.
961.11   City tennis courts. (Repealed)
961.12   Boxing and wrestling.
961.13   Skating rinks.
961.14   Athletes under suspension.
961.15   Use of off-duty police to guard facilities.
961.16   Golden agers. (Repealed)
961.17   Motorized golf carts; permit; fee. (Repealed)
961.18   Snowmobiles; permit; fee. (Repealed)
961.19   Public gatherings in parks and recreation facilities.
961.20   Private instruction at City facilities.
961.21   Rental of Schaff Building. (Repealed)
961.22   Veterans Memorial Park; Veterans Memorial Special Revenue Fund.
961.23   Captain James A. Lovell, Jr. Park.
961.24   James W. Day Park.
961.25   John Petruska Park.
961.99   Penalty.
   CROSS REFERENCES
   Land appropriation for parks - see Ohio R.C. 715.21, 719.01
   Parks and playgrounds - see Ohio R.C. Ch. 755
   Division of Recreation and Parks - see ADM. Ch. 161 
   Speed in Cleveland Metropolitan park - see TRAF. 333.08 
   Animals and dogs running at large - see GEN. OFF. 618.05
   Unlawful congregation in parks - see GEN. OFF. 648.04(a)(4)
   Public picnics - see BUS. REG. Ch. 763 
   Destruction of trees and shrubs - see S. & P.S. 911.21 
   Commercial outdoor recreational facilities - see P. & Z. 1183.07 
961.01   USE OF PARKS GENERALLY.
   Parks in this City are constructed and maintained for the use of the public at large and shall be open daily to all citizens on absolutely equal terms and none shall be given special privileges therein or be permitted to make use of them for any purpose not practically common to all and in consonance with the proper use of the park.
(Ord. 196-57. Passed 7-29-57.)
961.02   PARK PROPERTY.
   (a)   Buildings and Other Property.
      (1)   Disfiguration and removal. No person shall willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with, displace or remove any buildings, bridges, tables, benches, fireplaces, railings, paving or paving material, water lines or other public utilities or parts or appurtenances thereof, signs, notices or placards, whether temporary or permanent, monuments, stakes, posts or other boundary markers or other structures or equipment, facilities or park property or appurtenances whatsoever, either real or personal.
      (2)   Restrooms and washrooms. No person shall fail to cooperate in maintaining restrooms and washrooms in a neat and sanitary condition. No person over the age of six years shall use the restrooms and washrooms designated for the opposite sex.
      (3)   Removal of natural resources. No person shall dig or remove any beach sand, whether submerged or not, or any soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs, plants, down-timber or other wood or materials, or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting or other means or agency.
      (4)   Erection of structures. No person shall construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary in character, or run or string any public service utility into, upon or across such lands, except on special written permit issued hereunder.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
      (5)   Notice of rules and regulations. No person shall injure, deface or destroy any notice of the rules and regulations for the government of the parks which has been posted or permanently fixed by order or permission of the Director of Public Service.
(Ord. 196-57. Passed 7-29-57.)
   (b)   Trees, Shrubbery, Lawns.
      (1)   Injury and removal. No person shall damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant. Nor shall any person attach any rope, wire or other contrivance to any tree or plant. No person shall dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas, or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area.
      (2)   Hitching of animals. No person shall tie or hitch a horse or other animal to any tree or plant.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
      (3)   Bringing into parks. No person, other than an employee of the parks, shall bring into any of the parks, or have in his possession while therein, any tree, shrub or plant or any newly plucked branch or leaf of a tree, shrub or plant, except with the written permission of the Director.
(Ord. 196-57. Passed 7-29-57.)
   (c)   Wild Animals, Birds, Etc.
      (1)   Hunting. Subject to the below exception, no person shall hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, chase, tease, shoot or throw missiles at any animal, reptile or bird, nor shall any person remove or have in his possession the young or any wild animal or the eggs, nest or young of any reptile or bird, nor shall any person collect, remove, have in his possession, give away, sell or buy or offer to sell or buy, or accept as a gift, any specimen, alive or dead, of any of the group of tree snails. However, snakes known to be deadly poisonous, such as rattlesnakes, moccasins, coral snakes or other deadly reptiles, may be killed on sight.
         Exception: the limited hunting of white-tailed deer by crossbow or long bow may be permitted within the City under the following terms and conditions:
         A.   The Police Chief or his designated representative may, in his sole discretion, issue a municipal deer control permit to a qualified archer applicant (engaged to assist property owners aggrieved by deer damage);
         B.   As a corollary to and following the issuance by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources of its own deer damage control permit or license to allow only bow-hunting (long bow and crossbow) of white-tailed deer;
         C.   In areas of not less than three contiguous acres by a qualified archer, on such forms and subject to such rules and regulations as the Chief may prescribe;
         D.   Hunting shall be conducted from an elevated platform only;
         E.   Written permission from the property owner(s) has been obtained;
         F.   “Qualified archer” shall be defined as an individual having obtained an approval/certification from approved archery proficiency test site, valid Ohio hunting license, if applicable, and all other State requirements;
         G.   Compliance with all laws, rules and regulations of the City and State;
         H.   All applicants shall agree, in writing, to defend and indemnify the City for any negligent acts committed by the applicant;
         I.   Any other requirements as deemed necessary to preserve and protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents as determined solely by the Chief of Police.
         J.   Chief of Police is hereby authorized to promulgate any and all rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provision of this section and all other rules and regulation necessary to insure public health and safety.
         K.   Whoever violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree and shall be subject to the penalty provided in Section 698.02.
      (2)   Feeding. No person shall give or offer or attempt to give to any animal or bird any tobacco, alcohol or other known noxious substance.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58; Ord. 73-16. Passed 6-20-16; Ord. 112-18. Passed 7-2-18.)
961.03   SANITATION IN PARKS.
   (a)   Pollution of Waters. No person shall throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream, bay or other body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer or drain flowing into such waters, any substance, matter or thing, liquid or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of such waters.
    (b)   Refuse and Trash. No person shall bring in or have brought in or dump, deposit or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste, garbage, or refuse or other trash. No such refuse or trash shall be placed in any waters in or contiguous to any park or left anywhere on the grounds thereof, but shall be placed in the proper receptacles where these are provided. Where receptacles are not so provided, all such rubbish or waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence and properly disposed of elsewhere.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
961.04   TRAFFIC IN PARKS.
   (a)   City and State Motor Vehicle Laws. No person shall fail to comply with all applicable provisions of the Traffic Code and of State traffic laws in regard to equipment and operation of vehicles, together with such regulations as are contained in this and other ordinances.
   (b)   Enforcement of Traffic Regulations. No person shall fail to obey all traffic officers and park employees, such persons being hereby authorized and instructed to direct traffic whenever and wherever needed in the parks and on the highways, streets or roads immediately adjacent thereto in accordance with the provisions of these regulations and such supplementary regulations as may be issued subsequently by the Director of Public Service.
   (c)   Obedience to Traffic Signs. No person shall fail to observe carefully all traffic signs indicating speed, direction, caution, stopping or parking, and all others posted for proper control and to safeguard life and property.
   (d)   Speed of Vehicles. No person shall ride or drive a vehicle at a rate of speed exceeding twenty miles per hour, except upon such roads as the Director may designate by posted signs for speedier travel.
   (e)   Operation Confined to Roads. No person shall drive any vehicle on any area except the paved park roads or parking areas or such other areas as may on occasion by specifically designated as temporary parking areas by the Director.
   (f)   Parking.
      (1)   Designated areas. No person shall park a vehicle in other than an established or designated parking area, and such use shall be in accordance with the posted directions thereat and with the instructions of any attendant who may be present.
      (2)   Full-parking. No person shall full-park on a road or driveway at any time. In order to enjoy some special natural scenic feature, vehicles may be parked with the two left wheels near the right edge of the paving for not more than thirty minutes. No stopping or parking is permitted, even briefly, on the left-hand side of any road or driveway.
      (3)   Immovable vehicles. No person shall leave any vehicle anywhere in the park with one or more wheels chained or with the transmission engaged and the doors locked, or in any other manner fixed or arranged so that such vehicle cannot readily be moved by hand.
      (4)   Night parking. No person shall leave a vehicle standing or parked at night without lights clearly visible for at least 200 feet from both front and rear on any driveway or road area except legally established parking areas.
      (5)   Emergency procedure. No person shall fail to immediately notify an attendant of an emergency in the nature of a breakdown requiring the assistance of a tow-truck or a mechanic or other person.
      (6)   Double parking. No person shall double park any vehicle on any road or parkway unless directed by a park official.
      (7)   Muffler required. No person shall fail to use a muffler adequate to deaden the sound of the engine in a motor vehicle.
   (g)   Bicycles.
      (1)   Confined to roads. No person shall ride a bicycle on other than a paved vehicular road or path designated for that purpose. A bicyclist shall be permitted to wheel or push a bicycle by hand over any grassy area or wooded trail or on any paved area reserved for pedestrian use.
      (2)   Operation. No person shall ride a bicycle other than on the right-hand side of the road paving as close as conditions permit, and bicycles shall be kept in single file when two or more are operating as a group. Bicyclists shall at all times operate their machines with reasonable regard for the safety of others, signal all turns, pass to the right of any vehicle they are overtaking and pass to the right of any vehicles they may be meeting.
      (3)   Rider prohibited. No person shall ride any other person on a bicycle.
      (4)   Designated racks. No person shall leave a bicycle in a place other than a bicycle rack when such is provided and there is a space available.
      (5)   Immobile. No person shall leave a bicycle lying on the ground or paving, or set against trees, or in any place or position where other persons may trip or be injured by it.
      (6)   Night operation. No person shall ride a bicycle on any road between thirty minutes after sunset and thirty minutes before sunrise without an attached headlight plainly visible at least 200 feet in front of, and without a red taillight or red reflector plainly visible from at least 200 feet from the rear of, such bicycle.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
   (h)   Commercial and Heavy Vehicles. All commercial and heavy vehicles, as such terms are used in the Traffic Code, are prohibited from using park roads or driveways for through traffic, except as follows:
      (1)   When carrying materials to building sites within such park.
      (2)   When used for transporting passengers attending park events or recreational programs.
      (3)   When the Director determines that no other public roadways are accessible or passable. In such cases, the Director is authorized to grant permission for the use of park driveways or roadways to the extent determined by such Director.
961.05   RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN PARKS.
   (a)   Bathing and Swimming.
      (1)   Designated areas. No person shall swim, bathe or wade in any waters or waterways in or adjacent to any park, except in such waters and at such places as are provided therefor, and in compliance with such regulations as are herein set forth or may be hereafter adopted; nor shall any person frequent any waters or places customarily designated for the purpose of swimming or bathing, or congregate thereat, when such activity is prohibited by the Director of Public Service upon a finding that such use of the water would be dangerous or otherwise inadvisable.
      (2)   Hours. No person shall frequent any waters or places designated for the purpose of swimming or bathing, or congregate thereat, except between such hours of the day as shall be designated by the Director for such purposes for each individual area.
      (3)   Structures on beach. No person shall erect, maintain, use or occupy on or in any beach or bathing area any tent, shelter or structure of any kind unless there is an unobstructed view into such tent, shelter or structure from at least two sides; nor shall any guy wire, rope or extension or exterior brace or support be connected or fastened from any such structure to any other structure, stake, rock or other object outside thereof.
      (4)   Costumes. No person shall allow himself to be so covered with a bathing suit as to indecently expose his person or call forth merited criticism. No person shall appear in bathing costume at any place in the parks except within the limits of designated bathing places or areas, and all bathing costumes shall conform to commonly accepted standards.
       (5)   Bath houses. No person shall dress or undress on any beach or in any vehicle, toilet or other place, except in such bath houses or structures as may be provided for that purpose.
   (b)   Boating.
      (1)   Designated areas. No person shall bring into or operate any boat, raft or other water craft, whether motor-powered or not, upon any waters, except at places designated for boating by the Director. Such activity shall be in accordance with applicable regulations as are now or may hereafter be adopted.
      (2)   Public docks. No person shall use the public docks for dockage or other purposes without first making arrangements for such accommodation with the Director, who shall assign space and collect reasonable rental charges in conformity with established regulations and rates.
      (3)   Operation of boats. No person shall navigate, direct or handle any boat in such a manner as to unjustifiably or unnecessarily annoy, frighten or endanger the occupants of any other boat.
      (4)   Prohibition during closing hours. No person shall launch, dock or operate any boat of any kind on any waters between the closing hour of the park at night and the opening hour the following morning; nor shall any person be on or remain on or in any boat during the closed hours of the park.
   (c)   Fishing.
      (1)   Commercial Fishing. No person shall engage in commercial fishing or the buying or selling of fish caught in any waters.
      (2)   General prohibition. No person shall fish in any waters, whether by the use of hook and line, net, trap or other device, except in waters designated by the Director for that use and under such regulations and restrictions as have been or may be prescribed by the Director.
      (3)   Off-shore. No person shall fish off-shore from the beaches except from such portions as are designated or set aside therefor; nor shall any person at my time fish in any area where bathing is permitted.
   (d)   Hunting and Firearms. No person shall hunt, trap or pursue wildlife at any time. No person shall use firearms of any description, or air-rifles, spring-guns, bows and arrows, slings or any other weapons potentially inimical to wildlife and dangerous to human safety, or any instrument that can be loaded with and fire blank cartridges, or any kind of trapping device. Shooting into park areas from beyond park boundaries is prohibited except in designated archery ranges.
   (e)   Picnic Areas and Use.
      (1)   General regulation. No person shall picnic or lunch in a place other than those designated for that purpose. Attendants shall have the authority to regulate the activities in such areas when necessary to prevent congestion and to secure the maximum use for the comfort and convenience of all. Visitors shall comply with any directions given to achieve this end.
      (2)   Availability. No person shall violate the regulation that use of the individual fireplace together with tables and benches follows generally the rule of "first come, first served".
      (3)   Nonexclusive. No person shall use any portion of the picnic areas or of the buildings or structures therein for the purpose of holding picnics to the exclusion of other persons, nor shall any person use such area and facilities for an unreasonable time if the facilities are crowded.
      (4)   Duty of picnickers. No person shall leave a picnic area before the fire is completely extinguished and before all trash in the nature of boxes, papers, cans, bottles, garbage and other refuse is placed in the disposal receptacles where provided. If no such trash receptacles are available, then refuse and trash shall be carried away from the park area by the picnicker to be properly disposed of elsewhere.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
   (f)   Camping. No person shall camp in any area of the City unless authorization is granted by the Director of Public Service. No person shall set up tents shacks or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping; nor shall any person leave in a park after closing hours any movable structure or special vehicle to be used or that could be used for such purpose, such as a house trailer, camp trailer, camp wagon or the like.
(Ord. 10-96. Passed 3-18-96.)
   (g)   Games. No person shall take part in or abet the playing of any games involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins or model airplanes, except in areas set apart for such forms of recreation. The playing of rough or comparatively dangerous games such as football, baseball and quoits is prohibited except on the fields and courts or areas provided therefor. Skating shall be confined to those areas specifically designated for such pastime.
   (h)   Horseback Riding. No person shall ride a horse except on designated bridle trails. Where permitted, horses shall be thoroughly broken, properly restrained and ridden with due care. They shall not be allowed to graze or go unattended, nor shall they be hitched to any rock, tree or shrub.
(Ord. 217-58. Passed 7-21-58.)
   (i)   (EDITOR'S NOTE: Section 961.05(i) was repealed by Ordinance 154-79, passed July 30, 1979.)
(Ord. 228-13. Passed 10-7-13.)
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