A. Alcoholic Beverages, Drugs, Or Gambling: The sale, consumption or possession of intoxicating liquors or beverages and dangerous or narcotic drugs, or gambling of any kind, is prohibited in any and all parks and recreation facilities and areas. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the sale, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages may be permitted at public recreation facilities and areas where permitted by a valid beer and/or alcohol license issued by the city council and state agency.
B. Animal Control: Animals are prohibited in all public parks and public squares except in public parks expressly designated for that purpose or expressly permitted by the city. Dogs or cats are allowed in groomed public parks, public squares, playgrounds, paved and unpaved trails and paths, athletic fields, basketball or tennis courts, pedestrian or bicycle paths, open space, and wilderness areas if the dog or cat is on a leash no more than six feet (6') in length and under the control of a person. Dogs are allowed off-leash in a park designated as a dog park. The person in control of the dog or cat is responsible for the removal of the animal's waste.
C. Athletic Games; Permit Required: Permits for playing league or team organized sports on athletic fields or courts may be secured on a priority-based system from Washington City. A valid permit shall be displayed upon request in order to avoid conflicts in the use of facilities. Persons failing to honor a valid permit may be denied future permits to use the facilities.
D. Camping Or Sleeping Overnight: Camping or sleeping overnight in city parks is prohibited without a special event permit from Washington City.
E. Destruction; Dumping: In any park owned or operated by the city, it shall be unlawful to cut, break, move, take, or otherwise injure, destroy or deface any trees, shrubs, plants, turf, rock or any building, fence, bridge, sign or other structure, or foul any spring or stream or leave waste items or rubbish of any kind. No person shall dump any earth, rubbish or other substance or material in or upon any park without written permission from Washington City.
F. Encroachment: No person or persons shall willingly encroach upon lands administered by the leisure services department.
G. Entertainment And Similar Activities: No entertainment, demonstration, exhibition, meeting, concert or tournament, whether public or private, shall be given in any park without having obtained the proper permit from Washington City.
H. Fireworks And Explosives: No person shall discharge or set off in parks or recreation facilities any firecrackers, rockets, or any other fireworks or explosives without advance written consent of Washington City.
I. Golf And Archery: Practicing, playing or using park areas for golf and archery is prohibited.
J. Group Usage: No commercial group or group of two hundred (200) or more persons shall use a park area without first obtaining a special event permit from Washington City. Group usage shall be limited to designated areas. Permission shall be obtained no less than forty-five (45) days prior to usage. No person shall use loudspeakers, amplifiers or public address systems in a park without a special event permit from Washington City.
K. Motor Vehicles; Speed Limit: No person shall ride in or drive any motor vehicle which is self-propelled upon any park land except upon the roads. It is prohibited for any person to commit any act, by use or operation of any motor vehicle on any park land, which if committed upon a public highway or street in the state, would be prohibited and unlawful. Speed limits within all parks shall be fifteen (15) miles per hour unless otherwise posted. No one shall test or repair any vehicle or mechanical device in any park. There shall be no parking at any time except in areas designated for such purposes. Abandoned vehicles shall be towed at the owner's expense.
L. Nighttime Use: No persons are permitted in any park between the hours of ten o'clock (10:00) P.M. and six o'clock (6:00) A.M. the following morning except in those areas designated for extended use activities, or unless a special event permit is obtained from Washington City for after-dark programs. The city shall reserve the right to lock any gate, chain any door, offering access to any park, facility or building in order to restrict nighttime usage thereof.
M. Nuisances: It shall be unlawful for any person to use threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent language; to commit any obscene or indecent act; to fight; or to create a public disturbance or nuisance in any park. Any person who loiters in a park under the influence of alcohol or drugs or who otherwise disturbs the peace of park users by begging, soliciting, or engaging in disruptive activities shall be deemed to create a nuisance.
N. Open Fires: No person shall make or kindle any open fire except in fireplaces and grills provided for this purpose or in private portable commercially manufactured grills or grills approved safe by Washington City. Grills provided for public use shall be on a first come, first served basis, unless reserved in advance at a fee through Washington City.
O. Personal Profit Or Financial Gain: No person or group may utilize any park area or facility for personal for personal profit or financial gain without a proper permit from Washington City. The sale of anything or the solicitation of funds or donations within any park is forbidden, except upon receiving proper permitting from Washington City.
P. Skating: Roller Skating, rollerblading and skateboarding within or on the public parks of the city is prohibited, except in parks specifically designated for their use. City trails, whether located within park boundaries or elsewhere, are exempted from the prohibition detailed in this subsection.
Q. Signs And Advertising: No person shall, without a proper permit from Washington City, erect, paint, paste, or otherwise affix or distribute any signs, advertisements or circulars on park property.
R. Swimming: Swimming is prohibited in all parks except in facilities expressly designated for that purpose, such as The Boilers - A Natural Spring and Conservation Garden park, which permits swimming in the swimming hole without a lifeguard. Swimming is permitted only during park hours with lifeguard services provided by Washington City. Authorized lifeguards shall have the authority to enforce all posted swimming pool rules and regulations and shall expel any or all person(s) violating any safety rules. Animals within any swimming areas are prohibited.
S. Temporary Closure: The city manager or his designee may temporarily close or curtail activities upon any lands or waters, or any portions thereof, when it has been deemed to be in the best interest of public safety, conduct, health or order.
T. Trapping Or Injuring Animals: No person shall, in any park, set a trap or snare, or shoot, injure, annoy, disturb or poison any wild animal or bird, or injure or destroy any nest.
U. Weapons: While in a park, no person shall discharge a firearm nor brandish or cause a menacing display of any weapon in a manner that is likely to cause public alarm or risk of personal or public injury.
V. Weddings, Ceremonies, Receptions, Etc.: Permits for weddings, ceremonies, receptions, etc., may be secured from Washington City after the fee is paid in full for use at Nisson Park, Highland Park, and Veteran's Park only. Permits will be only for specific areas, and the park will remain open to the general public for use during the event.
W. Vendor Sub-License: Should any event or rental licensee provide an opportunity for other sub-licensees to participate in an activity by way of contracting, encouraging, or requesting the participation of sub-licensees who will be conducting business-related activities, the event or rental licensee shall be responsible for making sure all city, state, and federal regulations are followed. The event or rental licensee must also submit for each sub-licensee a payment which can be found on the Master Fee Schedule. (Ord. 2012-03, 3-14-2012; amd. Ord. 2019-10, 4-24-2019; Ord. 2022-33, 6-8-2022; Ord. 2024-07, 3-13-2024)