[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of
Stratford 4-12-1988 as Title 4, Ch. 5 of the 1988 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
Purpose and definition. In order to protect the parks, parkways,
recreational facilities and conservancy areas within the Village from
injury, damage or desecration, these regulations are enacted. The
term "park" as hereinafter used in this chapter shall include all
grounds, structures and watercourses which are or may be located within
any area dedicated to the public use as a park, parkway, recreation
facility or conservancy district in the Village.
B.
Specific regulations.
(1)
Littering prohibited. No person shall litter, dump or deposit any
rubbish, refuse, earth or other material in any park.
(2)
Pets. No person shall permit any dog, cat or other pet owned by him
to run at large in any park.
(3)
Bill posting. No person shall post, paste, fasten, paint or attach
any placard, bill, notice, sign or advertising matter upon any tree
or other natural object in any park, except park regulations and other
signs authorized by the Village Board.
(4)
Throwing stones and missiles prohibited. No person shall throw stones
or other missiles in or into any park.
(5)
Removal of park equipment prohibited. No person shall remove benches,
seats, tables or other park equipment from any park.
(6)
Trapping. No person shall trap in any park unless specific written
authority is first obtained from the Village Board.
(7)
Making of fires. No person shall start, tend or maintain a fire except
in personal grills or designated fireplaces. Personal grills shall
be used only in designated picnic areas. The use of personal grills
is permitted provided that lawns and vegetation are not endangered.
Unburned fuel and ashes shall be disposed of in such a manner as to
prevent fire or damage to any park property.
(8)
Protection of park property. No person shall kill, injure or disturb
or attempt to injure or disturb waterfowl, birds or animals, wild
or domestic, within any park, except as permitted by this chapter.
No person shall climb any tree or remove flowers or fruit, wild or
cultivated, or break, cut down, trample upon, remove or in any manner
injure, deface, write upon or ill use any tree, shrub, flower, flowerbed,
turf, soil, sand, fountain, ornament, building, structure, apparatus,
bench, table, official notice, sign or other property within any park.
(9)
Motorized vehicles. Except for authorized maintenance vehicles, no
person shall operate an unlicensed or licensed motorized vehicle outside
of areas specifically designated as parking areas or areas where the
operation of such vehicles is specifically permitted. Motor vehicles
are restricted to the roads and drives and parking areas. No motor
vehicles of any nature may be used on the seeded areas except vehicles
which have a Village Board authorization for shows, rides or exhibits
and then only for the purpose of loading and unloading.
(10)
Snowmobiles. No person shall operate a snowmobile in a Village
park except in designated areas.
(11)
Speed limit. No person shall operate any vehicle in a Village
park in excess of 15 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.
(12)
Glass beverage bottles in parks prohibited. No person shall
bring into, carry onto or possess while in any public park glass bottles
or glass containers, including those containing or normally used for
containing soda water, fermented malt beverages or alcohol.
(13)
Reckless driving in parks prohibited. No person shall operate
a motor vehicle in a reckless manner in any of the public parks of
the Village.
(14)
Parking in parks. No person shall park any motor vehicle in
any park in the Village except in a designated parking area.
(15)
Horse and carriages. No person shall ride a horse or drive a
horse-driven vehicle in any park, except on roads or designated bridle
paths, except when approval of the Village Board is first obtained.
It shall be unlawful for any person to ride a horse or drive a horse-driven
vehicle in a careless, negligent or reckless manner which may endanger
the safety and well-being of others. Horseback riding shall be allowed
only during the daylight hours. No person shall ride a horse which
cannot be held under such control that it may be easily turned or
stopped. No horse shall be ridden in a reckless manner. Pedestrians
shall have the right-of-way when crossing a bridle path, and whenever
groups of people are visible within 300 feet, horses shall be ridden
at slow gait.
(16)
Removing tree protectors. No person shall remove any device
for the protection of trees or shrubs.
(17)
Golfing and sporting activities. No golfing or practicing golf
in Village parks or recreation areas shall be allowed except with
the use of a whiffle ball. All sporting activities must be held in
areas so designated for that purpose.
(18)
Arrows. No person shall use or shoot any bow and arrow in any
Village park, except in authorized areas.
(19)
Fees and charges. The Village Board shall have the authority
to establish such fees as deemed necessary for use of any park facility,
shelter or land area. It shall be unlawful to use such areas without
payment of such fee or charge when required.
(20)
Firearms. Possessing or discharging of any firearm or weapon
of any kind is prohibited in all Village parks.
(21)
Fish cleaning. Cleaning of fish in shelters, toilet facilities
or picnic areas is prohibited in all Village parks.
(23)
Utility installation and construction. Any private construction
which may in any manner encroach upon or affect the parks and parkways
shall be under the direction and jurisdiction of the Village Board,
and no such installation, repair or construction shall commence without
written permission therefor from the Board. All public works, including
construction and installation of power lines, hydrants, sewers and
the like, shall be commenced only after notice to the Board. Where
practicable, such construction and installation shall be performed
pursuant to recommendations by the Board.[2]
No person shall fly a radio-controlled model airplane or helicopter
in any park in the Village except in areas specifically designated
and posted for such purpose.
Except as authorized by the Village Board, no person shall dig
into the turf of any Village-owned property for any purpose whatsoever
or remove any trees or flowers. Absent authorization by the Village
Board, the use of metal detectors and digging for buried objects on
Village property, except beaches where no vegetation is present, are
prohibited.
A.
Park hours. Subject to certain exceptions listed below, all Village
of Stratford parks shall be closed from 1:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. the
following day or as posted.
[Amended 10-12-1993]
B.
Exceptions to closing hours. A person driving through a park on a
public road shall not be subject to the closing hours; however, stopping
shall not be permitted within a park. The Village Board may modify
closing hours for particular events.[1]
C.
Park closing and opening dates. The Chief of Police will have full
authority to open and close any park, beach, facility or area because
of season, condition, or construction or when, in the interest of
public safety, it is deemed necessary.
A.
Policy on reservation. The Village-owned parks and park facilities
and shelter areas are primarily for the nonexclusive use of the residents
and visitors of the Village. However, under proper circumstances,
exclusive use of the same or parts thereof may be permitted. This
section is intended to regulate exclusive use of municipally owned
parks, park facilities, park shelters or parts thereof in the Village
to the end that the general welfare of the Village is protected.
B.
Reservation of park space. A person or group, firm, organization,
partnership or corporation may reserve the use of a park facility
or a park shelter by registering on a first come, first served basis
with the Village Clerk for exclusive use of the same. However, the
Village Board shall issue permits for the exclusive use of all of
a Village park. Park facilities are reserved on a first requested,
first reserved basis.
C.
Application. Applications shall be filed with the Clerk at least
14 days prior to the date on which the exclusive use of the entire
park is requested or registered on a first come, first served basis
when a park shelter or a portion of a park is to be used. Applications
for the exclusive use of an entire park shall set forth the following
information regarding the proposed exclusive use:
(1)
The name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
(2)
If the exclusive use is proposed for a group, firm, organization,
partnership or corporation, the name, address and telephone number
of the headquarters of the same and the responsible and authorized
heads or partners of the same.
(3)
The name, address and telephone number of the person who will be
responsible for the use of the said park, area or facility.
(4)
The date when the exclusive use is requested and the hours of the
proposed exclusive date.
(5)
The anticipated number of persons to use said park, area or facility.
(6)
Any additional information which the Village Board or Clerk finds
reasonably necessary to a fair determination as to whether a permit
should be issued.
D.
Action on application. The Village Board or appropriate committee
thereof shall act promptly on all applications for permits for exclusive
park use (not shelter use) after consulting with the applicant if
necessary.
E.
Reasons for denial. An application may be denied for any of the following
reasons:
(1)
It is for a use which would involve a violation of federal or state
law or any provision of this Code.
(2)
The granting of the permit would conflict with another permit already
granted or for which application is already pending.
(4)
The application is made less than the required days in advance of
the scheduled exclusive use.
(5)
It is for a use of the park or park facility at a date and time when,
in addition to the proposed use, anticipated nonexclusive use by others
of the park or park facility is expected and would be seriously adversely
affected.
(6)
The law enforcement requirements of the exclusive use will require
so large a number of persons as to prevent adequate law enforcement
to the park, park facility or shelter area involved or of the rest
of the Village.
(7)
The exclusive use will reasonably create a substantial risk of injury
to persons or damage to property.
(8)
The exclusive use is so poorly organized that participants are likely
to engage in aggressive or destructive activity.
F.
Indemnification. Prior to granting any permit for exclusive use of
the park, the Village may require the permittee to file evidence of
good and sufficient sureties, insurance in force or other evidence
of adequate financial responsibility, running to the Village and such
other third parties as may be injured or damaged, in an amount depending
upon the likelihood of injury or damage as a direct and proximate
result of the exclusive use sufficient to indemnify the Village and
such third parties as may be injured or damaged thereby, caused by
the permittee, its agents or participants.
G.
Permit not required for Village activity. A permit is not required
for exclusive use of the park or a park facility sponsored by the
Village.
H.
Permit revocation. The Village Board and/or Chief of Police after
granting a permit may revoke a permit already issued if it is deemed
that such action is justified by an actual or potential emergency
due to weather, fire, riot, other catastrophe or likelihood of a breach
of the peace or by a major change in the conditions forming the basis
of the issuance of the permit.
I.
Form of permit. Each permit shall be in a form prescribed by the
Village Board and shall designate the park, park facility or shelter
area involved, the date, hours of the exclusive use, purpose of the
exclusive use and the name of the person, group, firm, organization,
partnership or corporation to which the permit is issued.
J.
Class "B" fermented malt beverage licenses. When fermented malt beverages are sold at any event authorized by this section, a valid fermented malt beverage license shall be obtained and the provisions of Chapter 326 of this Code shall be fully complied with. Said license must be held by the person who filed the original license and shall be presented to any law enforcement officer upon request.
