Chapter 12.32
PARKS

Sections:

12.32.010    Municipal park defined.

12.32.020    Hours.

12.32.030    Prohibited activities.

12.32.040    Possession, consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages in parks.

12.32.050    Closing parks.

12.32.060    No permits.

12.32.010 Municipal park defined.

“Municipal park” means any park, building, swimming pool, playground or other area owned by the city and devoted to active or passive recreation. (Prior code § 10A.1)

12.32.020 Hours.

Municipal parks shall be open for use during the hours of six a.m. to ten p.m. of any day and shall be closed for use during the hours of ten p.m. to six a.m. of any day with the exception of Meily Park on Pope Street which shall close at nine p.m. Based on the determination by the recreation director that a requested use would not unreasonably disturb the peace and quiet of nearby residents, he or she may approve the use of a park for a specific use beyond the closing time, but in no case will such use extend beyond twelve midnight. (Ord. 05-2: prior code § 10A.2)

12.32.030 Prohibited activities.

The following activities are prohibited in any municipal park:

A.    Boisterous, threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent conduct so as to annoy the public in a manner which breaches the public peace and enjoyment of the municipal park;

B.    Commercial activities provided that the city council may approve and allow:

1.    Nonprofit organizations which are exempt from California income taxes to sell merchandise for not more than two successive days each calendar year, and

2.    The operation of a certified farmers’ market and its constituent activities, under such terms and conditions as the council may see fit;

C.    The persistent maintenance or emission of any noise or sound produced by human or mechanical means which by means of its raucous or nerve-racking nature shall disturb the peace and enjoyment of the municipal park;

D.    Operation of any radio, electrically powered or amplified musical instrument, or other sound reproducing equipment, excepting personal radios or players not audible from a distance of sixty (60) feet;

E.    Kindling of fires excepting in places expressly designated by the city for that purpose;

F.    Wilfully defacing, disfiguring, injuring or removing any building, structure, equipment, facilities or park property or appurtenance, either real or personal;

G.    Using restrooms and washrooms designated for the opposite sex by persons over the age of five years;

H.    Constructing or erecting any building or structure, except by order of the city council;

I.    Going upon any lawn, play area or recreation facility where such prohibition is indicated by proper and legible signs;

J.    Hunting, molesting, killing, teasing or throwing objects at any living creature;

K.    Placing, by any means, any substance which will or may result in the pollution of waters within park areas;

L.    Dumping any refuse or trash, but shall place it in the proper receptacles. Where receptacles are not provided, waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence, and disposed of elsewhere;

M.    Failing to comply with all applicable provisions of the Vehicle Code of the state in regard to equipment and operating of vehicles together with such regulations as are contained in this chapter and ordinances of the city regulating traffic;

N.    Riding or driving a vehicle at a rate of speed exceeding fifteen (15) miles an hour;

O.    Driving any vehicle on any area except the paved park roads or parking areas, or such other areas as may on occasion be specifically designated as temporary parking areas by the recreation director;

P.    Riding a bicycle on other than a paved vehicular road or path designated for that purpose. A bicyclist may wheel or push a bicycle by hand over the grassy area or wooded trail or on any paved area reserved for pedestrian use;

Q.    Leaving a bicycle in a place other than a bicycle rack when such is provided and there is space available;

R.    Driving, putting or in any other fashion playing or practicing golf or using golf balls or golf clubs on park facilities except in areas set aside for those specific activities;

S.    Swimming, bathing, wading in or polluting the water of any lake or stream, except that wading and swimming shall be permitted in pools provided for these purposes;

T.    Picnicking 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. Individual fireplaces or tables and benches shall be used on the basis of first-come, first-served;

U.    Leaving a picnic area before his or her fire is completely extinguished and before all trash 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;

V.    Setting off or otherwise causing to explode or discharge or burn, any firecrackers, torpedo, rocket, or other fireworks or explosives or inflammable material, or discharging them or throwing them into any such area from land or highway adjacent thereto. This prohibition includes any substance, compound, mixture or article that in conjunction with any other substance or compound would be dangerous from any of the foregoing standpoints;

W.    Permitting a dog to enter or remain in a park unless it be led by leash;

X.    Entering an area posted as “Closed to the Public” or using any area in violation of posted notices;

Y.    Camping.

(Prior code § 10A.3)

12.32.040 Possession, consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages in parks.

A.    No person shall possess, consume, sell, give or deliver possession of any alcoholic beverage to any other person other than beer or wine in any public park.

B.    No person shall possess, consume, sell, give or deliver possession of any alcoholic beverage to any other person between the hours of eight p.m. through six a.m. of any day while in the public park commonly known as Lyman Park located in the city.

C.    No person shall possess, consume, sell, give or deliver possession of any alcoholic beverage to any other person while in the public park commonly known as Lewis Station located in the city. (Ord. 00-3 § 1: prior code § 10A.3.5)

12.32.050 Closing parks.

Any park or section or part of any park, may be declared closed to the public by the recreation director, police chief, public works director, or city manager at any time and for any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular and stated intervals (daily or otherwise) and either entirely or merely to certain uses, as he or she shall find reasonably necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, and welfare and the protection of public property. (Prior code § 10A.4)

12.32.060 No permits.

A.    No permits shall be issued for exclusive use of all or any part of a municipal park, excepting that the recreation director may issue permits for exclusive use of the two designated picnic areas, tennis courts or other areas of Crane Park developed and designated for competitive sports, in accordance with any rules and regulations adopted by the parks and recreation commission. This prohibition against exclusive use does not prohibit the exclusive use of the baseball facilities at Crane Park by the Little League under the terms of its lease with the city.

B.    The recreation director may issue permits for the use of electrical musical instruments and sound amplifying equipment audible at distances greater than sixty (60) feet when such use is for an event of community-wide interest. (Prior code § 10A.5)