City of Washington, PA Park Regulations

Disfiguration and removal. No person in a park shall wilfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with, or displace or remove any building, bridges, benches, fireplaces, railings, paving or paving material; waterlines or other public utilities or parts or appurtenances thereof; signs, notices or placards, whether temporary or permanent; monuments, stakes, posts or other boundary markers; or other structures or equipment, facilities or park property or appurtenances whatsoever, either real or personal.

Restrooms and washrooms. No person in a park shall fail to cooperate in maintaining restrooms and washrooms in a neat and sanitary condition. No person over the age of six years shall use the restrooms and washrooms designated for the opposite sex.

Removal of natural resources. No person in a park shall dig or remove any beach sand, whether submerged or not, or any soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs or plants, down timber or other wood or materials, or make excavation by tool, equipment, blasting, or other means or agency.

Erection of structures. No person in a park shall construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary in character, or run or string any public service utility into, upon or across such lands, except on special written permit issued hereunder.

Trees, shrubbery, lawns.

Injury and removal. No person in a park shall damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant, or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant. Nor shall any person attach any rope, wire or other contrivance to any tree or plant. A person shall not dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area.

Climbing trees, etc. No person in a park shall climb any tree or walk, stand or sit upon monuments, vases, fountains, railing, fences or gun-carriages or upon any other property not designated or customarily used for such purposes.

Hitching of animals. No person in a park shall tie or hitch a horse or other animal to any tree or plant.

Wild animals, birds, etc.

Hunting. No person in a park shall hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, chase, tease, shoot or throw missiles at any animal, reptile or bird, nor shall he remove or have in his possession the young of any wild animal or the eggs or nest or young of any reptile or bird; nor shall he collect, remove, have in his possession, give away, sell or offer to sell, or buy or offer to buy, or accept as a gift any specimen, alive or dead, of any of the group of tree snails. Exception to the foregoing is made in that snakes known to be deadly poisonous, such as rattlesnakes, moccasins, coral snakes, or other deadly reptiles, may be killed on sight.

Feeding. No person in a park shall give or offer or attempt to give to any animal or bird any tobacco, alcohol or other known noxious substances.

§ 234-41 Sanitation.

Pollution of waters. No person in a park shall throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream, bay or other body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer, or drain flowing into such waters, any substance, matter or thing, liquid or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of said waters.

Refuse and trash. No person in a park shall have brought in or shall dump, deposit or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste, garbage or refuse or other trash. No such refuse or trash shall be placed in any waters in or contiguous to any park, or left anywhere on the grounds thereof, but shall be placed in the proper receptacles, where these are provided; where receptacles are not so provided, all such rubbish or waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence and properly disposed of elsewhere.

§ 234-42 Traffic.

State motor vehicle laws apply. No person in a park shall fail to comply with all applicable provisions of the state motor vehicle traffic laws in regard to equipment and operation of vehicles, together with such regulations as are contained in this and other ordinances.

Enforcement of traffic regulations. No person in a park shall fail to obey all traffic officers and park employees, such persons being hereby authorized and instructed to direct traffic whenever and wherever needed in the parks and on the highways, streets or roads immediately adjacent thereto in accordance with the provisions of these regulations and such supplementary regulations as may be issued subsequently by the Director.

Obey traffic signs. No person in a park shall fail to observe carefully all traffic signs indicating speed, direction, caution, stopping or parking, and all others posted for proper control and to safeguard life and property.

Speed of vehicles. No person in a park shall ride or drive a vehicle at a rate of speed exceeding 15 miles an hour, except upon such roads as the Director may designate by posted signs for speedier travel.

Operation confined to roads. No person in a park shall drive 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 Director.

Two-wheel power-driven vehicles. No person in a park shall operate any two-wheel power-driven vehicle, except to and from parking areas for access to and from the park only; nor shall any person in a park operate a two-wheel power-driven vehicle for recreational purposes on park property.

Parking.

Designated areas. No person in a park shall park a vehicle in other than an established or designated parking area, and such use shall be in accordance with the posted directions thereat and with the instructions of any attendant who may be present.

Full-parking. No person in a park shall full-park on the road or driveway at any time. In order to enjoy some special natural scenic feature, vehicles may be parked with the two left wheels near the right edge of the paving for not more than 15 minutes. No stopping or parking is permitted even briefly on the left-hand side of any road or driveway.

Immovable vehicles. No person in a park shall leave any vehicle anywhere in the park with one or more wheels chained, or with motor set in gear and doors locked, or in any manner fixed or arranged so that such vehicle cannot readily be moved by hand.

Night parking. No person in a park shall leave a vehicle standing or parked at night without lights clearly visible from both front and rear on any driveway or road area except legally established parking areas.

Emergency procedure. No person in a park shall fail to immediately notify an attendant of an emergency in the nature of a breakdown requiring the assistance of a tow truck, mechanic or other person.

(6)

Double-parking. No person in a park shall double-park any vehicle on any road or parkway unless directed by a park official.

(7)

Muffler required. No person in a park shall fail to use a muffler adequate to deaden the sound of the engine in a motor vehicle.

Bicycles.

Confined to roads. No person in a park shall ride a bicycle on other than a paved vehicular road or path designated for that purpose. A bicyclist shall be permitted to wheel or push a bicycle by hand over any grassy area or wooded trail or any paved area reserved for pedestrian use.

Operation. No person in a park shall ride a bicycle other than on the right-hand side of the road paving as close as conditions permit, and bicycles shall be kept in single file when two or more are operating as a group. Bicyclists shall at all times operate their machines with reasonable regard to the safety of others, signal all turns, pass to the left of any vehicle they are overtaking, and pass to the right of any vehicles they may be meeting.

Riders. No person in a park shall ride any other person on a bicycle unless there is a carrier attached to the same for carrying a small child or unless it is bicycle built for two.

Designated racks. No person in a park shall leave a bicycle in a place other than a bicycle rack, when such is provided and there is a space available.

Immobile. No person in a park shall leave a bicycle lying on the ground or paving or set against trees or in any place or position where other persons may trip over to be injured by it.

(6)

Night operation. No person in a park shall ride a bicycle on any road after sunset or before sunrise without plainly visible lights in both the front and rear.

§ 234-43 Recreational activities.

Bathing and swimming.

Designated areas. No person in a park shall swim, bathe or wade in any waters or waterways in or adjacent to any park, except in such waters and at such places as are provided therefor and in compliance with such regulations as are herein set forth or may be hereafter adopted. Nor shall any person frequent any waters or places customarily designated for the purpose of swimming or bathing or congregate thereat when such activity is prohibited by the Director upon a finding that such use of the water would be dangerous or otherwise inadvisable.

Certain hours. No person in a park shall frequent any waters or places designated for the purpose of swimming or bathing or congregate thereat except between such hours of the day as shall be designated by the Director for such purposes for each individual area.

Structure on beach. No person in a park shall erect, maintain, use or occupy on or in any beach or bathing area any tent, shelter or structure of any kind unless there shall be an unobstructed view into said tent, shelter or structure from at least two sides; nor shall any guy wire, rope or extension or exterior brace or support be connected or fastened from any such structure to any other structure, stake, rock or other object outside thereof.

Costume. No person in a park shall allow himself to be so covered with a bathing suit as to indecently expose his person or call forth merited criticism. No person shall appear in bathing costume at any time in the parks except within the limits of designated bathing places or areas, and all bathing costumes shall conform to commonly accepted standards.

Bathhouses. No person in a park shall dress or undress on any beach, or in any vehicle, toilet or other place, except in such bathing houses or structures as may be provided for that purpose.

Boating.

Designated areas. No person in a park shall bring into or operate any boat, raft or other watercraft, whether motor-powered or not, upon any waters, except at places designated for boating by the Director. Such activity shall be in accordance with applicable regulations as are now or may hereafter be adopted.

Public docks. No person in a park shall use the public docks for dockage or other purpose without first making arrangements for such accommodation with the Director, who shall assign space and collect reasonable rental charges in conformity with established regulations and rates.

Operation of boats. No person in a park shall navigate, direct or handle any boat in such a manner as to unjustifiably or unnecessarily annoy or frighten or endanger the occupants of any other boat.

Prohibition during closing hours. No person in a park shall launch, dock or operate any boat of any kind on any waters between the closing hour of the park at night and opening hour the following morning, nor shall any person be on or remain in any boat during the said closed hours of the park.

Fishing.

Commerce prohibited. No person in a park shall engage in commercial fishing or the buying or selling of fish caught in any waters.

General prohibition. No person in a park shall fish in any waters, whether by the use of hook-and-line, net, trap or other device, except in waters designated by the Director for that use and under such regulations and restrictions as have been or may be prescribed by the Director.

Hunting and firearms. No person in a park shall hunt, trap or pursue wildlife at any time. No person shall use, carry or possess firearms of any description, or air-rifles, spring guns, bow-and-arrows, slings or any other form of weapon potentially inimical to wildlife and dangerous to human safety, or any that can be loaded with and fire blank cartridges, or any kind of trapping device. Shooting into park areas from beyond park boundaries is forbidden.

Picnic areas and use.

Regulated. No person in a park shall picnic or lunch 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.

Availability. No person in a park shall violate the regulation that use of the individual fireplaces together with table and benches follows generally the rule of "first-come, first-served."

Nonexclusive. No person in a park shall use any portion of the picnic areas or of any of the buildings or structures therein for the purpose of holding picnics to the exclusion of other persons, nor shall any person use such area and facilities for an unreasonable time if the facilities are crowded.

Duty of picnicker. No person in a park shall leave a picnic area before the fire is completely extinguished and before all trash in the nature of boxes, papers, cans, bottles, garbage 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.

Camping. No person in a park shall camp in other than permanent cabins for organized camping provided by the Director and used by groups of persons under adequate supervision. No person shall set up tents, shacks or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping, nor shall any person leave in a park after closing hours any movable structure or special vehicle to be used or that could be used for such purpose, such as house-trailer, camp-trailer, camp-wagon, or the like.

Games. No person in a park shall take part in or abet the playing of any games involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins or model airplanes, except in areas set apart for such forms of recreation. The playing of rough or comparatively dangerous games such as football, baseball and quoits is prohibited except on the fields and courts or areas provided therefor. Roller-skating shall be confined to those areas specifically designated for such pastime.

Horseback riding. No person in a park shall ride a horse except on designated bridle trails. Where permitted, horses shall be thoroughly broken and properly restrained and ridden with due care and shall not be allowed to graze or go unattended, nor shall they be hitched to any rock, tree or shrub.

§ 234-44 Behavior.

[Amended 4-24-1986 by Ord. No. 1356]

Intoxicating beverages.

Prohibition. No person in a park shall have brought alcoholic beverages, nor shall any person drink alcoholic beverages at any time in the park.

Exceptions. At certain specifically designated recreation centers where meals or lunches are served under concession privileges, the sale of alcoholic beverages by such concessionaire will be permitted under the strict regulation and control of the Director. Sales of alcoholic beverages shall be made only in individual drinks (not in original packages or otherwise in bulk) and shall be served for consumption on the immediate premises of the concession.

Drunkenness. No person in a park shall have entered or be under the influence of intoxicating liquor.

Fireworks and explosives. No person in a park shall have brought or have in his possession or set off or otherwise cause to explode or discharge or burn any firecrackers, torpedo, rocket or other fireworks or explosives of inflammable material, or discharge them or throw 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 substances or compound, would be dangerous from any of the foregoing standpoints.

Domestic animals. No person in a park shall have been responsible for the entry of a dog or other domestic animal into areas other than automobile parking concourses and walks immediately adjacent thereto and in such other areas as may be clearly marked by signs bearing the words "Domestic Animals Permitted in This Area." Nothing herein shall be construed as permitting the running of dogs at large. All dogs in those areas where such animals are permitted shall be restrained at all times on adequate leashes not greater than six feet in length.

Reservation of facilities. No person in a park shall occupy any seat or bench or enter into or loiter or remain in any pavilion or other park structure or section thereof which may be reserved and designated by the Director for the use of the opposite sex.

Dress. No person in the park shall appear at any place other than in proper clothing. With the exception of the restricted bathing areas, "properly clothed" shall be construed to prohibit the wearing of trunks or clothing that does not cover portion of the body.

Alms. No person in a park shall solicit alms or contributions for any purpose, whether public or private.

Fires. No person in a park shall build or attempt to build a fire except in such areas and under such regulations as may be designated by the Director. No person shall drop, throw or otherwise scatter lighted matches, burning cigarettes or cigars, tobacco paper or other inflammable material within any park area or on any highway, road or street abutting or contiguous thereto.

Closed areas. No person in a park shall enter an area posted as "Closed to the Public" nor shall any person use or abet the use of any area in violation of posted notices.

Games of chance. No person in a park shall gamble or participate in or abet any game of chance.

Going onto ice. No person in a park shall go onto the ice on any of the waters except such areas as are designated as skating fields, and provided a safety signal is displayed.

Loitering and boisterousness. No person in a park shall sleep or protractedly lounge on the seats or benches or other areas, or engage in loud, boisterous, threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent language, or engage in any disorderly conduct or behavior tending to a breach of the public peace.

Exhibit permits. No person in a park shall fail to produce and exhibit any permit from the Director he claims to have upon request of any authorized persons who shall desire to inspect the same for the purpose of enforcing compliance with any ordinance or rule.

Interference with permittees. No person in a park shall disturb or interfere unreasonably with any person or party occupying the area or participating in any activity under the authority of a permit.

§ 234-45 Merchandising, advertising and signs.

Vending and peddling. No person in a park shall expose or offer for sale any article or thing, nor shall he station or place any stand, cart or vehicle for the transportation, sale or display of any such article or thing. Exception is here made as to any regularly licensed concessionaire acting by and under the authority and regulation of the Director.

Advertising. No person in a park shall announce, advertise or call the public attention in any way to any article or service for sale or hire.

Signs. No person in a park shall paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any sign, placard, advertisement or inscription whatever, nor shall any person erect or cause to be erected any sign whatever on any public lands or highways or roads adjacent to a park.

§ 234-46 Park operating policy.

Hours. Except for unusual and unforeseen emergencies, parks shall be open to the public every day of the year during designated hours. Between April 1 and September 30, the hours of operation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.; between October 1 and March 31, the hours of operation will be from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. The opening and closing hours shall be posted therein for public information.

Closed areas. Any section or part of any park may be declared closed to the public by the Director at any time and for any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular and stated intervals (daily and otherwise) and either entirely or merely to certain uses, as the Director shall find reasonably necessary.

Lost and found articles. The finding of lost articles by park attendants shall be reported to the Director, who shall make every reasonable effort to locate the owners. The Director shall make every reasonable effort to find articles reported as lost.

Permit. A permit shall be obtained from the appropriate Director for use of any specific park facility by any group.

Application. A person seeking issuance of a permit hereunder shall file an application with the appropriate Director. The application shall state:

(a)

The name and address of the applicant;

(b)

The name and address of the person, corporation or association sponsoring the activity, if any;

(c)

The day and hours for which the permit is desired;

(d)

The park or portion thereof for which such permit is desired;

(e)

An estimate of the anticipated attendance; and

(f)

Any other information which the Director shall find reasonably necessary to be a fair determination as to whether a permit should issue hereunder.

Standards for issuance. The Director shall issue a permit hereunder when he finds:

(a)

That the proposed activity or use of the park will not unreasonably interfere with or detract from the general public's enjoyment of the park;

(b)

That the proposed activity and use will not unreasonably interfere with or detract from the promotion of public health, welfare, safety and recreation;

(c)

That the proposed activity will not entail unusual, extraordinary or burdensome expense or police operation by the City;

(d)

That the proposed activity or use is not reasonably anticipated to incite violence, crime or disorderly conduct; and

(e)

That the facilities desired have not been reserved for other use at the day and hour required in the application.

Appeal. Within three days after receipt of an application, the Director shall apprise an applicant in writing of his reasons for refusing a permit, and any aggrieved person shall have the right to appeal in writing within three days to the Park Commission, which shall consider the application under the standards set forth in Subsection D(2) hereof and sustain or overrule the Director's decision within three days. The decision of the Park Commission shall be final.

Effect of permit. A permittee shall be bound by all park rules and regulations and all applicable ordinances fully as though the same were inserted in said permits.