[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Warrington as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Tickets for certain offenses — See Ch. 38, Art. II.
Animals — See Ch. 97.
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 229.
Off-road vehicles — See Ch. 337.
[Adopted 3-12-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-O-04 (Ch. 16, Part 1, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances)]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Part 1, Park and Playground Rules and Regulations, adopted 10-15-1996 by Ord. No. 96-5, as amended, was superseded 3-12-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-O-04.
Except where the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms used in this article shall have the following meanings:
AMENITY
A natural or created feature or structure that enhances the aesthetic quality, visual appeal or makes more attractive a particular property, place or area for the enjoyment of the public using open space, parks and recreational facilities.
FACILITY
Refers to areas and amenities within the open space, parks and recreational boundaries which are available for public use.
FACILITY USE PERMIT
Refers to the written authorization issued by the Township of Warrington for the use of a requested facility or activity within open space, parks and recreational areas.
OPEN SPACE
Any parcel or area of land or water improved or essentially unimproved and set aside, dedicated, designated or reserved for public use.
OPEN SPACE, GREEN
An open space area not occupied by any structures or impervious surfaces.
OPEN SPACE, PUBLIC
Open space owned and maintained by Warrington Township for the use and enjoyment of the general public.
PARK
A tract of land designated and used by the public for active and passive recreation.
PERSON
Any individual, corporation, partnership, association, unincorporated association or any other group who may apply for a facility use permit.
PLAYGROUND
An active recreational area with a variety of facilities, including equipment for younger children as well as court and field games.
RECREATION FACILITY
A place or structure designed and equipped for the conduct of sports and leisure-time activities.
RECREATION, ACTIVE
Leisure-time activities usually of a formal nature and often performed with others, requiring equipment and taking place at prescribed places, sites or fields.
RECREATION, PASSIVE
Activities that involve relatively inactive or less-energetic activities, such as walking, sitting, picnicking and table games.
TOBACCO PRODUCT
[Added 1-10-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-O-1]
A. 
Any product containing, made, or derived from tobacco or nicotine that is intended for human consumption, whether smoked, heated, chewed, absorbed, dissolved, inhaled, snorted, sniffed, or ingested by any other means, including, but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff; and
B. 
Any electronic device that delivers nicotine or other substances to the person inhaling from the device, including, but not limited to an electronic cigarette, cigar, pipe, or hookah.
C. 
Notwithstanding any provision of Subsection A and B to the contrary, "tobacco product" includes any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product, whether or not sold separately. "Tobacco product" does not include any product that has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for sale as a tobacco cessation product or for other therapeutic purposes where such product is marketed and sold for such an approved purpose.
A. 
All Township open space, parks, trails and recreational areas and other Township-owned parcels shall be operated and maintained under the general supervision of the Board of Supervisors and the Warrington Township Parks and Recreation Board. The Parks and Recreation Board shall recommend adoption of the rules governing the open space, parks and recreational areas to the Board of Supervisors.
B. 
All trails traversing public open space, parks and recreational areas will be supervised by the Parks and Recreation Board.
C. 
It shall be the duty of the Parks and Recreation Board, assisted by the Warrington Township Police Department, to enforce the provisions of this article.
A. 
The parks and playgrounds shall be open between the hours of sunrise and sunset. At sunset all activities in the parks and playgrounds shall cease and all persons in the parks and playgrounds shall leave as soon as possible.
B. 
The use of parks, playgrounds and active recreational areas beyond sunset and before sunrise can continue in accordance with a facility use permit or by authorization by the Parks and Recreation Board. No person shall enter or leave a park or playground except by the entrances provided for that purpose.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A. 
The reserved use of Township open space, parks, recreational areas and/or facilities, such as recreation fields and other facilities, by organized groups or individuals shall be scheduled at the discretion of the Parks and Recreation Board or its designee, and a facility use permit shall be issued specifying the date, time and location of the use, and such use shall be subject to any conditions that may be imposed under this article.
B. 
Application for a facility use permit shall be made upon the official forms designated by the Township and shall be accompanied by the required fee(s). An applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Applications for a facility use permit are available at the Township Building.
C. 
Persons or organizations to whom facility use permits are issued will be held responsible for the actions and conduct of all those associated with the authorized facility use. Groups or persons in receipt of a facility use permit may not prevent other park system users from making use of available facilities.
D. 
The Township reserves the right to revoke permits for any seasonal dates and times requested and not used.
E. 
All groups using the facilities with a facility use permit must provide appropriate insurance to the Township as per the application.
F. 
No gathering or meeting of any kind assembled through advertisement shall be permitted in any open space, parks or recreational areas without the prior written permission of the Parks and Recreation Board.
A. 
No person shall improperly conduct him or herself within the open space, parks and recreational areas so as to annoy any other person using the facility.
B. 
No person or group shall possess or consume any drugs or alcoholic and/or intoxicating beverages in the open space, parks or recreational areas. No intoxicated person shall be permitted.
C. 
No gambling or obscene or indecent act shall be permitted in any open space, parks and recreational areas.
D. 
No abusive, indecent or threatening language nor any conduct that may annoy others shall be permitted.
E. 
No person shall damage, deface, graffiti, destroy or remove any park property, including, but not limited to, signs, structures, equipment, natural growth or other amenities.
F. 
No person shall climb any tree or break, cut down or remove or in any manner injure or deface any ornamental tree, plant, shrub, fern, flower, flower bed or turf in any open space, park or recreational areas; nor shall any person remove, disturb, interfere with or take any of the blossoms or fruit growing upon any tree, shrub or bush in the open space, parks or recreational areas.
G. 
No person shall enter a lavatory in a park or playground set apart for the opposite sex.
A. 
All waste, animal waste and garbage shall be disposed of in receptacles designated for such purpose. The burning of trash or garbage is prohibited. It is unlawful to transport trash, garbage or any other disposal matter to any park for the purpose of disposal.
B. 
There shall be no littering in any open space, park or recreational areas, including along the public trails.
A. 
No person shall operate, stop or park any motor vehicle except on park roads, parking areas or other areas so designated for such use; nor shall any person operate any motor vehicle, including, but not limited to, an automobile, motorcycle or mini-bike, in a reckless or negligent manner in excess of the posted speed limit or in such a manner as to become a nuisance to other recreational users.
B. 
The speed limit in all Township open space, parks and recreational areas shall be 15 miles per hour.
[Amended 1-13-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-O-01]
A. 
Damaging, destroying or removal of any nest or habitat of any birds or animals in any Township open space, parks or recreational area is strictly prohibited.
B. 
No person shall disturb the water fowl in the streams, pools or ponds or birds, nests or eggs or fish (other than by fishing in areas where fishing is permitted) in any part of the open space, parks and recreational areas.
C. 
The discharging of any firearm within the limits of any Township-owned park, open space or recreation area is prohibited.
[Added 11-10-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-O-10]
D. 
Hunting, shooting, trapping, injuring, killing or otherwise disturbing of any birds or animals in any Township-owned park, open space or recreation area and the damaging, destroying or removal of any nest or habit is strictly prohibited. This subsection shall not apply to any scheduled or sanctioned hunt approved in writing by the Board of Supervisors.
[Added 11-10-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-O-10]
No person shall set or maintain any fire in the open space, parks or recreational areas except in grills or fireplaces maintained for that purpose and located by authority of the Parks and Recreation Board.
A. 
Dogs and other domestic animals are allowed only in designated areas and must be tethered on leash no longer than six feet. Dogs and other domestic animals are strictly prohibited in all play areas, including, but not limited to, ball fields, tennis courts, basketball courts and playgrounds within any open space, park or recreational area.
B. 
All animal droppings shall be immediately removed from the open space, park and recreational areas by the person in ownership or control of the animal.
No person shall deface or destroy any notice or sign posted at any place within the open space, park or recreational areas by authority of the Parks and Recreation Board, nor shall any person post any notice or placard at any place within the open space, parks and recreational areas other than by authority of the Parks and Recreation Board or the Board of Supervisors.
No person shall use javelins, arrows, discuses, lawn darts or similar athletic equipment dangerous in character unless the use has been expressly permitted by the Parks and Recreation Board.
No person shall use any sound-amplification equipment in the open space, parks and recreational areas except by special permission from the Parks and Recreation Board.
A. 
No person shall have in his or her possession or ignite any fireworks, as defined in the International Fire Code.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
The discharge or possession of any rocket, firecracker or other fireworks or any explosive substance within the park system is prohibited unless authorized by a permit.
The playing or practicing of golf is prohibited except in areas specifically designated for that purpose by the Parks and Recreation Board.
The use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) is prohibited in all open space, parks and recreational areas.
Skateboarding is prohibited in all open space, parks and recreational areas.
No person or business shall set up any booth, table, stand or vehicle for the sale of any article, merchandize or food whatsoever within the limits of the open space, parks and recreational areas without the consent of the Board of Supervisors, which shall have the authority to refuse such consent in the instance upon the recommendation of the Parks and Recreation Board. All requests must be in writing to the Parks and Recreation Board. The police will be notified of any permits or authorities.
Solicitation is prohibited and enforced by the Warrington Township Police Department.
[Amended 1-10-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-O-1]
A. 
Designated tobacco-free areas: The areas of parks and playgrounds where children may be present, including: Alou Tot Lot, Barness Park, Dapple Tot Lot, Docter Adams® Community Park, IPW Memorial Field, High Grove Manor Tot Lot, King Park, John Paul Park at Lower Nike, Lions Pride Park, Palomino Park, Penns Wood Tot Lot, Shank Tot Lot, Special Equestrian Center, Upper Nike Park, Valley Glen Park, Warrington Village Tot Lot, and Warrington's Mary Barness Community Pool in the Township of Warrington are hereby designated tobacco-free and the use of any tobacco product or electronic cigarette, in any form, shall be prohibited hereafter.
B. 
Appropriate signage will be posted delineating the tobacco-free areas.
C. 
The Board hereby authorizes its elected and appointed officials to take whatever steps are necessary for full participation in and compliance with the Young Lungs at Play Program and/or other such programs of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
[Added 1-10-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-O-1[1]]
Any person, firm, association or corporation who shall violate any provision of this article, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues or each section of this article which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. This article may be enforced initially by violation ticket (citation); see Chapter 38, Ordinance Enforcement Procedures, Article II, Tickets for Certain Offenses.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 223-21, Park names, was renumbered as § 223-22 pursuant to this ordinance.
[Adopted 5-13-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-O-11 (Ch. 16, Part 2, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances)]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Part 2, Park and Open Space Rules and Regulations, adopted 6-25-2009 by Ord. No. 2009-O-08, was superseded 3-12-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-O-04.
The following is a list of the Warrington Township parks and their respective names:
Warrington Township Parks
Alou Tot Lot: 1800 Triumphe Way, Warrington, PA 18976
Barness Park: 2750 Bristol Road, Warrington, PA 18976
Dapple Tot Lot: 2025 Dapple Drive, Warrington, PA 18976
Igoe Porter Wellings Memorial Field: 3095 Bradley Road, Chalfont, PA, 18914
King Park: 1597 Turk Road, Warrington, PA 18976
John Paul Park at Lower Nike, 301 Folly Road, Chalfont, PA 18914
Palomino Park: 2100 Palomino Drive, Warrington, PA 18976
Penns Wood Tot Lot: 351 Kansas Road, Warrington, PA 18976
Shank Tot Lot: 615 Philadelphia Avenue, Warrington, PA 18976
Mary Barness Tennis and Swim Club: 2501 Freedoms Way, Warrington, PA 18976
The Special Equestrian Center: 2800 Street Road, Warrington, PA 18976
Twin Oaks Day Camp: 3129 Bradley Road, Chalfont, PA 18914
Upper Nike Park: 300 Folly Road, Chalfont, PA 18914
Valley Glen Park: 1851 Appaloosa Road, Warrington, PA 18976
Warrington Village Tot Lot: 990 Continental Drive, Warrington, PA 18976
Willow Knoll Park: 2235 Pileggi Drive, Warrington, PA 18976