CHAPTER 21
PARKS

Sections:

21.1    Definitions.

21.2    Persons prohibited between ten p.m. and daylight.

21.3    Livestock prohibited; exceptions.

21.4    Permit required.

21.5    Possession of firearms and fireworks.

21.6    Campfires and barbecues.

21.7    Removal of trees, turf, etc.

21.8    Swimming, wading, etc., in fountains and ponds.

21.9    Fishing.

21.10    Overnight camping.

21.11    Animals and vehicles to be ridden on roads.

21.12    Trucks, wagons and commercial hauling prohibited.

21.13    Speed limit.

21.14    Parking vehicles on bridle paths of Arroyo Park.

21.15    Golf in Arroyo Park.

21.16    Sales.

21.17    Deposit of trash.

21.18    Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages.

21.19    Use of mechanical toy or model airplane.

21.20    Use of toilets designated for opposite sex.

21.21    Injury to buildings and equipment.

21.22    Special provisions relative to tennis courts.

21.23    Dogs in city parks.

21.24    Playing baseball or football.

21.25    Carnival devices.

21.1 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(a)    “Activity” means a parade or public meeting or assembly;

(b)    “Funeral procession” means a single direct movement from a mortuary or church to the place of burial of a human body, under direction of an authorized funeral director;

(c)    “Parade” means a march or procession of any kind;

(d)    “Park” means any park owned, operated or maintained by the city;

(e)    “Public meeting or assembly” means a planned or organized gathering of a group of persons, or any ceremony, show, exhibition or pageant which may reasonably be expected to result in the gathering of a group of persons, upon any public street, park or other public grounds. (Ord. No. 1983, § 54.)

21.2 Persons prohibited between ten p.m. and daylight.

It is unlawful for any person to loiter or remain in any public park between the hours of ten p.m. and five a.m. of the following morning without first obtaining written permission from the city manager or the director of parks and recreation. (Ord. No. 729, § 4; Ord. No. 1524, § 2.)

21.3 Livestock prohibited; exceptions.

It is unlawful for any person to lead or let loose any cattle, horse, mule, goat, sheep or swine in a park, excepting those which may be brought into a park for the purpose of exhibit or moving pictures and for which a special permit has first been secured from the city manager or the director of parks and recreation. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.4 Permit required.

It is unlawful for any person to hold, manage, conduct, aid, participate in, form, start or carry on any parade or public meeting or assembly, as defined in this chapter, in any park in the city unless and until a permit to conduct such meeting, assembly or parade has been obtained in compliance with the provisions of this chapter, except as herein provided. (Ord. No. 729, § 2; Ord. No. 1983, § 54.)

21.5 Possession of firearms and fireworks.

It is unlawful for any person to carry or bring into any park any firearms or fireworks without the written consent of the city manager. (Ord. No. 729, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 55.)

21.6 Campfires and barbecues.

It is unlawful for any person to make any campfire or hold any barbecue in any other place in a park than in stoves or pits provided by the park department. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.7 Removal of trees, turf, etc.

It is unlawful for any person to cut or remove any tree, wood, turf, rock, sand, gravel or earth, or to pick any flowers in any park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 55.)

21.8 Swimming, wading, etc., in fountains and ponds.

No person shall swim, bathe or wade in or pollute the waters of any fountain or fish pond in a park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.9 Fishing.

No person shall fish or catch with nets or attempt to catch with nets any fish from any fish pond in a park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.10 Overnight camping.

No person shall camp or lodge in any park overnight without written permission first obtained from the city manager and then only under such conditions and restrictions as may be fixed by him. A deposit of ten dollars shall be made. (Ord. No. 729, § 1; Ord. No. 1401, § 1.)

21.11 Animals and vehicles to be ridden on roads.

No person shall ride any horse or other animal or propel any vehicle, cycle or automobile on any footpath or elsewhere than on roads or drives provided for such purposes in any park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.12 Trucks, wagons and commercial hauling prohibited.

It is unlawful for any person to drive any truck or wagon or do any commercial hauling on any road or drive in any park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.13 Speed limit.

No person shall drive or operate any motor vehicle in excess of fifteen miles per hour in any park. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.14 Parking vehicles on bridle paths of Arroyo Park.

It is unlawful for any person to park or stand automobiles or other vehicles at any time on the bridle paths in Arroyo Park. The city manager is authorized and directed to erect and maintain appropriate signs directing that the parking and standing of vehicles is prohibited. (Ord. No. 932, § 1.)

21.15 Golf in Arroyo Park.

It is unlawful for any person to play golf, or to drive or propel any golf ball in Arroyo Park, except within that area allocated to the South Pasadena Golf Course. (Ord. No. 1227, § 1.)

21.16 Sales.

No person shall sell or offer for sale any food, merchandise, article, or thing whatsoever in any park without the written consent of the city manager or a sidewalk vending permit issued under Article VII of Chapter 18 SPMC. (Ord. No. 729, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 55; Ord. No. 2327, § 3, 2019.)

21.17 Deposit of trash.

No person shall throw or deposit any bottles, tin cans, broken glass, paper, rubbish, refuse or waste material of any kind any place at a park except in containers for such purpose. (Ord. No. 729, § 1.)

21.18 Consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages.

It is unlawful for any person to consume or possess alcoholic beverages of any kind in, on or upon any park property. There shall be excepted from this section, however, the possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages in any building, leased by the city provided such possession or consumption is conducted in strict accordance with the provisions of such lease. (Ord. No. 1131, § 1; Ord. No. 1638, § 1; Ord. No. 1647, § 1.)

21.19 Use of mechanical toy or model airplane.

No person shall use, operate, maneuver or fly at any time, day or night, in any park any toy or model airplane powered by mechanical means. (Ord. No. 1193, § 1.)

21.20 Use of toilets designated for opposite sex.

It is unlawful for any male person over eight years of age to enter or use any toilet designated for women or for any female over eight years of age to enter or use any toilet designated for men, in any park. (Ord. No. 729, § 2.)

21.21 Injury to buildings and equipment.

It is unlawful for any person to disfigure the walls of any public building, deface or injure any benches or seats, or any other equipment in any public park. (Ord. No. 729, § 5.)

21.22 Special provisions relative to tennis courts.

It is unlawful for any person to violate any of hereinafter specified rules for the use of tennis courts in any park:

(a)    City of South Pasadena sponsored tennis programs and events have priority over any other use.

(b)    Tennis shoes are required to play upon any tennis court.

(c)    The use of roller skates, roller blades, skateboards, bikes, roller/hockey, or any other wheel toys prohibited on the tennis courts.

(d)    Unauthorized professional instruction is prohibited unless authorization is obtained from the community services director and posted at tennis courts. South Pasadena public tennis courts may not be used for private tennis lessons without authorization.

(e)    Tennis courts are available on first-come, first-served basis, at all times regardless of age of participants.

(f)    Pets are not allowed on the tennis courts.

(g)    It is unlawful to cut, break, deface or disturb nets, fencing or any park related equipment.

(h)    When all courts are occupied and there are individuals who are waiting to use the courts, the following rules apply for relinquishment of the courts:

(1)    An individual using the backboard, serving alone, or using a ball machine may play for one half hour.

(2)    Singles or doubles may play for one hour or one set, whichever is the shortest time.

(3)    Warm-up before a set shall not exceed five minutes.

(4)    A court cannot be held.

(i)    Use for Special Events. To use any tennis court for tennis tournaments or other special events of any kind, a permit must first be obtained from the community services director. (Ord. No. 2206, § 2, 2010.)

21.23 Dogs in city parks.

Except for guide dogs and other similar dogs that assist individuals with disabilities, or as otherwise permitted by state and federal laws, a person shall not be permitted to have a dog in a city park, unless that person complies with all the following requirements:

(a)    Each dog shall be kept on a leash of not more than six feet in length;

(b)    Each leash shall be held by a person capable of controlling the dog;

(c)    No leash shall be connected to a post, bench, tree or other stationary object;

(d)    No dog shall be permitted on any playground, tennis court, volleyball court, basketball court, skate area, batting area or city-established picnic area;

(e)    Excrement shall be removed within five minutes of having been deposited by a dog, in accordance with Section 5.42 of this code; and

(f)    No dog shall be permitted in an area of a park during a city-sponsored community event at that park, as identified by city council resolution. (Ord. No. 1247, § 1; Ord. No. 1931, § 1; Ord. No. 2124 § 1.)

21.24 Playing baseball or football.

(a)    It shall be unlawful for any person to play baseball, with hardballs, in any city park except in Arroyo Park and then only in areas approved by the recreation director; however, simply playing catch with any type of hardball is permitted in any city park.

(b)    Baseball players with a softball of a minimum size of twelve inches in circumference is permitted in any city park but only in areas approved by the recreation director.

(c)    It shall be unlawful for any person to play football involving bodily contact (tackling) in any city park except that organized groups are hereby permitted to use Arroyo Park for such activity with the approval of the recreation director. (Ord. No. 1417, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 57.)

21.25 Carnival devices.

(a)    Except as otherwise provided, it is unlawful for any person to use, maintain, or operate the following devices within any public park:

(1)    Dunk tanks, booths, or machines which generally consist of a large tank of water over which a seat is suspended.

(2)    Inflatable recreational structures including, without limitation, inflatable, interactive structures or equipment commonly used for jumping, bouncing, sliding, riding, or as an apparatus for sports and recreational activities.

(3)    Other similar temporary attractions including, without limitation, structures containing live animals; petting zoos; climbing walls; and slides.

(b)    The community services director, or designee, may allow the use of the attractions otherwise prohibited by this section for city purposes including, without limitation, the city’s own recreation programming. (Ord. No. 2296, § 2, 2016.)