Village of Siren, WI Chapter 396 Parks and Recreation

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of Siren 1-8-1988 as Title 4, Ch. 5 of the 1988 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Animals — See Ch. 200.

Bicycles and play vehicles — See Ch. 212.

Public entertainment — See Ch. 280.

Fireworks — See Ch. 298.

Intoxicating liquor and fermented malt beverages — See Ch. 330.

Peace and good order — See Ch. 407.

Snowmobiles — See Ch. 451.

All-terrain vehicles — See Ch. 507.

§ 396-1 Park regulations.

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) Sound devices. No person shall operate or play any amplifying system unless specific authority is first obtained from the Village Board.

(3) Pets. No person shall permit any dog, cat or other pet owned by him to run at large in any park.

(4) Bill posting. No person shall post, paste, fasten, paint or attach any placard, bill, notice, sign or advertising matter upon any structure, tree or other natural object in any park, except park regulations and other signs authorized by the Village Board.

(5) Throwing stones and missiles prohibited. No person shall throw stones or other missiles in or into any park.

(6) Removal of park equipment prohibited. No person shall remove benches, seats, tables or other park equipment from any park.

(7) Trapping. No person shall trap in any park unless specific written authority is first obtained from the Village Board.

(8) 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.

(9) 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.

(10) 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. No person shall operate any gas-powered vehicle within the boundaries of the Village park located on Crooked Lake in Government Lot 3, Section 8, Township 38 North, Range 16 West, Burnett County, Wisconsin, except in those areas established and maintained by the Village's roadways and parking areas. Authorized Village vehicles on official business shall be excepted from the provisions of this subsection. Snowmobiles shall be excepted from the provisions of this subsection regulating vehicles in Crooked Lake Park, provided that there is adequate snow cover. "Adequate snow cover" shall be defined as being snow sufficient to protect the vegetation in the park, a minimum of three inches of snow.

(11) Snowmobiles. No person shall operate a snowmobile in a Village park except in designated areas and as provided for in Subsection B(10) above.

(12) Speed limit. No person shall operate any vehicle in a Village park in excess of 15 miles per hour unless otherwise posted.

(13) 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.

(14) 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.

(15) Parking in parks. No person shall park any motor vehicle in any park in the Village except in a designated parking area.

(16) Horses 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.

(17) Removing tree protectors. No person shall remove any device for the protection of trees or shrubs.

(18) 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.

(19) Arrows. No person shall use or shoot any bow and arrow in any Village park, except in authorized areas.

(20) 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.

(21) Firearms; hunting. Possessing or discharging of any firearm or weapon of any kind is prohibited in all Village parks.

(22) Fish cleaning. Cleaning of fish in shelters, toilet facilities or picnic areas is prohibited in all Village parks.

(23) Controlled substances. Possessing, using or dispensing of a controlled substance in violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act[1] is prohibited in all Village parks.

[1] Editor's Note: See Ch. 961, Wis. Stats.

(24) Camping. Overnight camping is not permitted in any Village park.

(25) 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 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 public notice of the Village's intention so to do. Where practicable, such construction and installation shall be performed pursuant to recommendations by the Board.[2]

[2] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

§ 396-2 Radio-controlled model airplanes.

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.

§ 396-3 Turf protection; removal of trees or flowers; use of metal detectors.

Except as authorized by the Village Board, no person shall dig into the turf of any Village-owned property for any purposes 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.

§ 396-4 Park hours; authority to open and close parks.

A. Park hours. Subject to certain exceptions listed below, all Village parks shall be closed from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following day. Persons launching or transporting watercraft from park property may do so only within park hours.

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 Buildings, Grounds and Parks Committee may modify closing hours for particular events.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. II).

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.