Chapter 12.24
TURTLE ROCK PARK

Sections:

12.24.010    Purpose.

12.24.020    Objective.

12.24.030    Turtle Rock Park described.

12.24.040    Definitions.

12.24.050    Failure to dispose of garbage.

12.24.060    Draining or dumping sewage.

12.24.070    Destroying or defacing.

12.24.080    Building a fire.

12.24.090    Camping.

12.24.100    Failure to maintain quiet.

12.24.110    Violation of posted orders.

12.24.120    Vehicles.

12.24.130    Allowing pets to run loose.

12.24.140    Refusing to pay.

12.24.150    Check-out.

12.24.160    Dumping—Public or private road or property—Private owners, fine—Picking up waste.

12.24.170    Food.

12.24.180    Violation—Penalty.

12.24.010 Purpose.

The purpose of this chapter is to set forth rules of conduct for the protection of the county’s Turtle Rock Park lands, resources and facilities; and for the protection, safety, comfort and well-being of the public in its use of said park area. (Ord. 587 § 1, 1996)

12.24.020 Objective.

The objective of this chapter is to insure that the Turtle Rock Park lands and all related facilities can be used by the maximum number of people with minimum impact or damage to the park, its facilities and resources. (Ord. 587 § 2, 1996)

12.24.030 Turtle Rock Park described.

This chapter shall apply to all lands, facilities and resources within the area known as Turtle Rock Park being more particularly described as:

In Section 8, T10N, R20E, MDB&M being the SE 1/4 of the SW 1/4; NW 1/4 of the SE 1/4; SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4; and SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4.

In Section 17, T10N, R20E, MDB&M being the NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of the NE 1/4. (Ord. 587 § 3, 1996)

12.24.040 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

“Campground host/hostess” means the person(s) designated by the county as its representatives to oversee the day-to-day maintenance and operation of the Turtle Rock Park Campground.

“County” means the county of Alpine, state of California, and its officers, employees and designated representatives.

“Person” means and includes natural persons, firms, copartnerships, corporations, clubs, and all associations or combinations of persons whenever acting for themselves or by an agent, servant or employee.

“Unit” means a site or location designated by the county for the purpose of camping and/or picnicking and shall normally contain one vehicle parking space, a table and a campfire/cooking area.

“Vehicle” means any device by which any person or property may be propelled, moved or drawn upon a highway, roadway and/or across natural terrain. The term “vehicle” includes bicycles, all-terrain vehicles, snowmobiles and other similar apparatus. (Ord. 587 § 4, 1996)

12.24.050 Failure to dispose of garbage.

No person shall leave, deposit, drop or scatter bottles, broken glass, ashes, wastepaper, cans or other litter in a unit, or any other portion of Turtle Rock Park, except in a receptacle designated for that purpose, and no person shall import any litter, or import and deposit any litter into or in any unit or other portion of Turtle Rock Park from other places. (Ord. 587 § 5, 1996)

12.24.060 Draining or dumping sewage.

A. No person shall deposit waste, water, sewage or effluent from sinks, portable toilets, or other plumbing fixtures directly upon or into the surface of the ground or the water of Turtle Rock Park.

B. No person shall deposit any body waste in or on any portion of any comfort station or other structure except into fixtures provided for that purpose.

C. No person shall place any bottle, can, cloth, rag, metal, wood, paper or stone substances in any plumbing fixture in such a manner as to interfere with the normal operation of such fixture.

D. All persons using a comfort station shall leave the comfort station in a clean, sanitary and orderly manner.

E. Urinating or defecating, other than in the fixtures provided, is prohibited.

F. No person shall clean fish, game, other food, clothing or household articles at any outdoor hydrant, pump, faucet or fountain, or restroom water faucet.

G. Sewage or effluent from holding tanks on recreational vehicles may only be discharged in the facilities provided and only in the manner as prescribed and posted at the facility.

H. No person shall discharge any hazardous waste to the soil, water or sewage system of the park. (Ord. 587 § 6, 1996)

12.24.070 Destroying or defacing.

A. No person shall wilfully or negligently pick, dig up, cut, mutilate or destroy, injure, disturb, move, molest, burn or carry away any tree or plant or portion thereof, including but not limited to leaf mold, flowers, foliage, berries, fruit, grass, turf, humus, shrubs, cones and dead wood.

B. No person shall deface or remove any building, sign, marker, facility or other structure.

C. No person shall disturb or deface any archaeological or historic site; and no person shall gather or collect any prehistoric or historic artifacts. (Ord. 587 § 7, 1996)

12.24.080 Building a fire.

A. No person shall light, build, use, maintain or kindle a fire within a unit, campsite or other portion of Turtle Rock Park except in a fireplace, fire ring or cooking grill provided and maintained by the county for such purpose. Fires shall at all times be maintained in a safe condition (not to exceed two feet in diameter or height) that does not threaten any person, natural feature, improvement or property.

B. Lanterns, portable grills and portable stoves using gas, kerosene, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed within a unit, designated campsites and other areas as approved by the county. Unless otherwise restricted, charcoal grills may also be used in a unit, designated campsites or other areas as approved by the county.

C. Upon a finding of extreme fire hazard by the county, no person shall smoke or build fires in portions of units other than those designated by the county for such purposes. Under extreme fire danger conditions, the county may restrict/prohibit all fires and use of certain outdoor cooking devices. This section does not apply to firefighters or county employees carrying out fire suppression or resource management activities approved by the county. (Ord. 731 § 1, 2019: Ord. 587 § 8, 1996)

12.24.090 Camping.

A. No person shall camp in any unit except in areas designated for that purpose. “Camping” is defined as erecting a tent or shelter or arranging bedding, or both, for purposes of, or in such a way as will permit, remaining overnight. Exceptions may be granted by the county for emergency response personnel and for camping associated with special events.

B. Use of any parked or standing vehicle for the purpose of sleeping during nighttime hours is further defined as camping.

C. With the exception of up to two units or campsites occupied by the official campground host(s), occupancy of any unit, campsite or other camping area shall be limited to fourteen consecutive days without first having terminated occupancy within the campground for a minimum of ten days within a thirty-one-day period. Termination of occupancy requires removal of all vehicles, camping equipment and personal property from the Turtle Rock Park facility. Exceptions may be granted by the county for emergency response personnel.

D. Additional rules for campground use that are not inconsistent with this chapter may be established by the community development director. (Ord. 731 § 2, 2019: Ord. 587 § 9, 1996)

12.24.100 Failure to maintain quiet.

To insure peace and adequate rest for visitors:

A. No person shall disturb others who are located in sleeping quarters or who are located in campgrounds between the hours of ten p.m. and six a.m. daily.

B. No person shall, at any time, use outside machinery or electronic equipment including electrical speakers, radios, phonographs, televisions or other devices, at a volume which is, or is likely to be, disturbing to others without specific permission of the county.

C. No person shall operate an engine-driven electric generator which emits sound which is, or is likely to be, disturbing to others between the hours of eight p.m. and ten a.m. without permission of the county. (Ord. 587 § 10, 1996)

12.24.110 Violation of posted orders.

No person shall violate any provision of an order posted, or violate any provision or restriction of a special event or collection permit issued pursuant to these regulations. (Ord. 587 § 11, 1996)

12.24.120 Vehicles.

A. No person shall operate any vehicle, motor vehicle, off-highway vehicle or bicycle negligently or wilfully in such a manner as to pursue, harass, endanger or injure any person or animal.

B. No person shall operate, drive, use, leave, place, park or stop a vehicle, except on a road or a parking area in the park; nor shall any person operate or park a vehicle in violation of the conditions, limitations or restrictions upon such road; nor operate, park or leave a vehicle in a portion of Turtle Rock Park subject to, and in violation of closing hours.

C. All individuals operating vehicles in the park shall be properly licensed to operate such vehicles in accordance with the California Vehicle Code.

D. No person shall drive a vehicle in violation of the basic speed law California Vehicle Code Section 22350; provided, however, that in no event shall any vehicle be driven at a speed greater than the posted speed being twenty-five miles per hour on the entrance road and ten miles per hour within the campground/picnic area.

E. Unless otherwise authorized, no motor vehicle shall be driven within developed recreation sites or areas except on roads or places provided for this purpose. (Ord. 587 § 12, 1996)

12.24.130 Allowing pets to run loose.

A. No person shall bring a dog into, permit a dog to enter or remain, or possess a dog in units under control of county unless the dog is on leash of no more than six feet in length and under the immediate control of a person or confined in a well-ventilated vehicle.

B. No person shall permit a dog or a cat to remain outside a tent, camper, or enclosed vehicle during the night hours of ten p.m. to seven a.m.

C. No person shall permit a dog to run loose, or turn loose a dog or any animal in any portion of a unit, except upon a finding of benefit to the county, or upon written authorization, or by the buildings and grounds supervisor.

D. No person shall keep an animal in any unit except under his/her immediate control.

E. No person shall keep a noisy, vicious or dangerous dog or animal or one which is disturbing to other persons in any unit and remain therein after he/she has been asked by a peace officer, campground host/hostess, or the buildings and grounds supervisor to leave.

F. It is the responsibility and duty of all persons with pets to immediately remove and clean up all animal waste from their pets.

G. The provisions of this section shall not apply to trained “seeing eye,” “signal” or “service” dogs used to guide a physically impaired person there present; provided, that such dogs shall remain under the immediate control of such person. (Ord. 587 § 13, 1996)

12.24.140 Refusing to pay.

Fees for the use of camping facilities are due and payable daily. The fee covers use of camping facilities until the vacating time of twelve p.m. of the following day. (Ord. 587 § 14, 1996)

12.24.150 Check-out.

Occupants shall vacate the campsite by removing their person, vehicles and property therefrom prior to twelve p.m. if applicable use fee has not been paid or if time limit for occupancy has expired. (Ord. 587 § 15, 1996)

12.24.160 Dumping—Public or private road or property—Private owners, fine—Picking up waste.

A. It is unlawful to dump or cause to be dumped any waste matter in or upon any public or private highway or road, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof, or in or upon any private property into or upon which the public is admitted by easement or license, or upon any private property without the consent of the owner, or in or upon any public park or other public property other than property designated or set aside for that purpose by the governing board or body having charge of that property.

B. A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be punished by a mandatory fine of not less than one hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars upon a first conviction, by a mandatory fine of not less than five hundred dollars nor more than one thousand dollars upon a second conviction, and by a mandatory fine of not less than seven hundred fifty nor more than one thousand dollars upon a third or subsequent conviction. If the court finds that the waste matter placed, deposited or dumped was used tires, the fine prescribed in this subsection shall be doubled. (Ord. 587 § 16, 1996)

12.24.170 Food.

A. All food and containers with food in them shall be secured in a vehicle or trailer when not being used for food preparation or eating.

B. All persons shall maintain a clean campsite area, free of food waste, garbage, dirty cooking utensils, cigarette butts, animal waste, and all other like substances. (Ord. 587 § 17, 1996)

12.24.180 Violation—Penalty.

Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction(s) thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (Ord. 587 § 19, 1996)