The following rules and regulations govern the use of City-owned parks and park property and are in addition to all local, state, and federal laws:
(a) Alcohol. No person shall bring into or onto park property, or otherwise have in his or her possession, any kind of intoxicating liquor, wine, or beer. This prohibition does not apply to alcohol sold at a special event for which permission has been granted as a part of the special event permit, as provided in Section 1040.06
of this Chapter.
(b) Animals.
(1) Domestic pets are permitted on park property if they are leashed (on a leash no more than eight feet (8') long) and properly controlled at all times, except that dogs may be permitted off-leash in designated areas.
(2) Nondomestic animals including, but not limited to, horses, cattle, goats, swine, and fowl are not permitted within or on park property.
(3) No person shall release any domestic, wild, or exotic animal within the confines of a park, or release any fish into water without the permission of the City.
(4) No person shall molest, pursue or in any way harm or otherwise disturb any deer, bird, waterfowl, squirrel, or other wildlife within a park or on park property.
(c) Boating or Use of Floatation Devices. No person shall place or use any boat, skiff or other vessel, or use any flotation device in the waters of any park except in designated areas or when such use is approved as a part of a special event permit issued pursuant to Section 1040.06 of this Chapter. This provision does not apply to battery-operated or remote-controlled boats or similar-type toys.
(d) Camping. No person shall camp or otherwise establish or maintain temporary lodging or sleeping places within a park except when such camping is secondary to a special event for which a permit has been issued pursuant to Section 1040.06
of this Chapter and such camping has been approved by the City Manager as a part of the permit. In no case shall camping or temporary lodging be permitted for more than two (2) consecutive days.
(e) Concerts. No person or musical group shall hold any form of musical entertainment within or on park property without a special event permit, as provided in Section 1040.06
of this Chapter. This provision does not apply to concerts or musical entertainment sponsored by the City.
(f) Curfew. No person shall be permitted to be in any public park after closing time, unless he or she is participating in an activity authorized by the City pursuant to a special event permit or at a City-sponsored event. Further, no juvenile shall be permitted in any park at any time that would violate any juvenile curfew established by the City, unless the juvenile is participating in an activity authorized by the City pursuant to a special event permit or at a City-sponsored event.
(g) Disorderly Conduct. Loud, boisterous, threatening, insulting, or indecent language or other disorderly conduct or behavior, or any act tending to cause a breach of the public peace or annoyance or alarm to the public, is prohibited on or within park property.
(h) Fires. No person shall light, make, or use any fire within or on any park property; except that barbecue and charcoal grilling shall be permitted in designated areas. No person shall dump hot ashes from grilling onto the ground or in any trash receptacle.
(i) Fishing.
(1) Rod fishing is permitted in park waters only where posted that fishing is permitted.
(2) In all instances fishing by the use of hooks left unattended, traps, spears, gigs, nets, firearms, bows and arrows, weapons, or any device other than a fishing rod is prohibited.
(3) The City Manager is hereby authorized to close the waters in any City park to fishing when such closure is deemed to be necessary by the City Manager, in his or her sole discretion.
(j) Flags, Banners or Other Signs. No person, except during an event for which a special event permit has been issued in accordance with Section 1040.06
of this Chapter, shall display any banner, flag, sign or other device advertising any goods or services for sale on or within any park property.
(k) Firearms, Archery Equipment, and Explosives.
(1) No person, except authorized law enforcement officials, shall discharge any firearm of any description, air or gas gun, or any other missile or projectile-throwing device, or the ammunition therefor, within or on park property without the express written consent of the Public Safety Director.
(2) No person shall release an arrow or any other projectile from any bow, crossbow, longbow, or other device within or on park property.
(3) No person shall employ or cause to be discharged any tear gas device, stink bomb, smoke generator or other device releasing a substance which is harmful or offensive to persons, animals, wildlife or plants, or which tends to interfere with the use or enjoyment of others on or within any park property.
(l) Fireworks. No person shall possess, use, or discharge any fireworks or explosives on or within park property. This prohibition does not apply to fireworks displays sponsored by the City or that have been authorized by a special event permit in accordance with Section 1040.06 of this Chapter.
(m) Hours of Operation.
(1) The operating hours of all City parks, unless posted otherwise, shall be from sunrise to sunset. No person shall be in any park before sunrise or after sunset, except when attending a City-sponsored event or other event or activity which has been authorized by a special event permit in accordance with Section 1040.06 of this Chapter.
(2) The City Manager is hereby authorized to close any park, or part thereof, when necessary for public safety, to protect park property, or when an emergency requires the same.
(n) Hunting; Trapping; Gigging.
(1) No person shall hunt, pursue with dogs, trap, harm, or in any other way molest any bird, waterfowl, or animal, whether wild or domestic, found within or adjacent to the park, nor tamper with or molest any bird or waterfowl nest, nor tamper with or take the eggs or fledglings of any bird or waterfowl in, upon or within the confines of any park or park property.
(2) No person shall set or place any trap upon any park property that poses a risk to or the possibility of entrapping any bird, waterfowl, or animal, whether wild or domestic, entering or leaving the park.
(3) No person shall engage in frog gigging within or upon any park property or the waters within any park.
(o) Littering or Dumping.
(1) No person shall dump, place, drop, or leave in any park or on any park property any trash, debris, refuse, or other litter other than in receptacles provided for that purpose.
(2) No person shall dump, release, or spill any hazardous material or dangerous chemical onto any park property or the water in any park.
(3) No person shall bring any trash, refuse, junk, sewage, or any noxious substance for the purpose of dumping or discarding the same within the park.
(p) Radios; Noise-Making Devices.
(1) Radios, stereos and the like shall not be operated in any park at a volume that is excessively loud or disturbing to other park users, except when such radio, stereo or the like is being played during a City-sponsored event or other event or activity for which a special event permit has been issued, in accordance with Section 1040.06 of this Chapter.
(2) Toy sirens, bull horns, air horns, or other noise-making devices are prohibited in all parks.
(q) Sales. No person shall sell or display anything for sale within or on park property, or on any sidewalk bounding a park. This prohibition does not apply to sales or concessions being done during a City-sponsored event or other event or activity for which a special event permit has been issued, in accordance with Section 1040.06
of this Chapter.
(r) Signs. Signs posted by the City for specific purposes within or on any park property shall be considered a park rule or regulation, and any violation of any prohibition on such signs shall be subject to the penalties provided in Section 1040.99
of this Chapter. Only signs posted by the City shall be permitted in the City's parks.
(s) Skating and Sledding. No person shall walk, skate, coast or glide on the ice on any water within a park unless there is posted signage permitting such activity. Sledding is permitted on park property unless otherwise posted. Skating or sledding within or on any park property is done at the person's own risk, and the City makes no guarantee or promise that such activity is inherently safe or without risk.
(t) Swimming and Wading. Swimming and/or wading in the waters of any park is prohibited.
(Ord. 91-14. Adopted 03/14/91; Ord. 2019-22. Adopted 11/26/19; Ord. 2023-33. Adopted 11/21/23; Em. Ord. 2024-01. Adopted 02/08/24; Ord. 2024-02. Adopted 02/22/24)