[Ord. 171, 11/17/1981, § 1; as amended by Ord.
301, 9/15/1993; and by Ord. 335, 2/5/1997]
The following are the rules and regulations which shall be observed
by all persons using any of the facilities in Township parks:
A.
General Rules.
(1)
Littering is absolutely prohibited. Violators will be prosecuted
and subject to a fine.
(2)
Picnics will be allowed only in locations provided for that
purpose. Persons holding picnics shall clean up and place all wastepaper
and other refuse in receptacles provided for that purpose. Permits
for use of buildings and recreation facilities may be obtained from
the Township office.
(3)
Grass areas must not be used for roadways, parking, or for other
purposes which may injure or destroy the turf or landscaping.
(4)
Trees, shrubs, hedges, berries, wildflowers or other flowers
must not be picked, cut, broken, or injured in any way whatsoever.
(5)
Buildings, fences, fountains, statuary, benches, signs, or other
structures must not be injured or defaced in any way.
(6)
Games, contests, or sports are permitted only in areas designed
for such use and in no case shall use be permitted in areas where
lawns or planting may be injured or where such games or contests may
be in conflict with park regulations.
(7)
Fires are not permitted anywhere in the park other than in stoves
or fireplaces provided for that purpose. No person shall throw away
or discard any lighted match, cigar, or cigarette in any park.
(8)
Activities of a special nature prohibited by these regulations
may be engaged in only by special permit of the Supervisors or Township
Secretary upon written application and under conditions as specified
in the said special permit.
(9)
Defacing, littering, or making unsanitary any restrooms, washrooms,
etc., or preventing the proper drainage of any toilet, pipe, or drain
is prohibited.
(10)
Moving of picnic tables or other park equipment is prohibited.
(11)
Any person using a Township park, whether with or without a
permit, shall be fully and financially responsible for any damages
they may inflict upon park property and equipment.
B.
Prohibited Substances.
(1)
Bottled beverages are prohibited in all Township parks, except
where wine is being served as permitted by application and granted
permit to be dispensed as part of a permitted use at the barn. Bottled
wine brought onto the premises must be restricted within a small service
area in the barn and be dispensed by a server into plastic or other
unbreakable glasses or containers.
(2)
All alcoholic beverages are prohibited in Township parks, except
where malt beverages and/or wine are permitted by application and
granted permit to be dispensed as part of a permitted use at the barn.
(3)
Illegal drugs and narcotics are prohibited in all Township parks.
C.
Conduct.
(1)
No person shall conduct herself or himself in any manner which
causes harm to the health, safety, morals, or general welfare of any
person within the parks.
(2)
Lotteries or other gambling or games of chance are prohibited.
(3)
Drunkenness, disorderly, or indecent conduct and profane or
offensive language are forbidden.
D.
Automobiles and Vehicular Use.
(1)
No person shall in any park clean, polish, grease, lubricate,
or make repairs to any vehicle except those of a minor nature and
then only in cases of emergency.
(2)
The Park and Recreation Board shall advise on speed, traffic
control, and vehicular regulations on and about any roads, driveways,
parking areas or other areas within any of the Township's parks. Such
regulations will be prominently posted in the parks and will be strictly
enforced by Township police.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. AO)]
(3)
Motorized vehicles of any sort are permitted only on roadways
and designated parking areas.
E.
Pets and Domestic Animals.
(1)
Dogs are permitted, only when held in leash, on nature trails
and similar areas. Dogs are not permitted on ballfields or any play
areas. Any other domestic animals brought into the parks must be appropriately
confined.
(2)
Horses shall be permitted on the park roadways, trails, and
non-playground grassy areas only. Horses are not permitted on any
ballfields or in picnic areas.
(3)
It shall be the responsibility of the person bringing the animal
to the park to clean up after that animal.
F.
Weapons and Firearms. No firearms, airguns, pistols, rifles or weapons
of any nature shall be used or carried within the limits of the park,
excepting archery equipment which may be used only at designated areas
and under proper adult supervision.
G.
Solicitation. Peddlers, picnic parties or any other person or persons
whatsoever may not sell or offer for sale any service for hire, article,
or substance within the limits of the park, or set up any stand or
booth for such purposes, or distribute or display handbills, cards,
or advertisements of any nature whatsoever unless duly authorized
to do so by the Township Secretary.
H.
Amplification and Sound Systems. When amplification or sound systems
are used, the time permitted shall be limited to a maximum of four
hours, and they may only be used between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to
8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Sunday.
Noise levels which disturb the peace are not permitted, except that
the use of the barn under granted permit will extend the hours of
use of such systems until the term permitted on the barn use permit.
I.
Hours.
(1)
Park hours shall be from sunrise to sunset throughout the year
and it shall be a violation of this Part to be present in the park
except during those hours unless a permit for such presence is obtained
from the Township Secretary, except that the park hours of use of
the barn and the area in the immediate vicinity of the barn will be
extended until the time permitted on the barn use permit.
(2)
Where ice skating or other winter sports are available, parks
may remain open until 10:00 p.m.
(3)
The Township Secretary or a designated representative shall
have the right to close any park if it is in the best interest of
the public's health and safety.
J.
Geocaching/Letterboxing.
[Added by Res. 9-2014, 8/20/2014]
(1)
Terminology.
(a)
Geocaching is a recreational activity involving the use of a
hand-held GPS (global positioning system). Participants navigate to
a specific set of GPS coordinates (a waypoint) and then attempt to
find the "cache" (container) hidden at that location. The most common
form of geocaching involves individuals placing caches and sharing
the locations of these caches on the Internet (www.geocaching.com).
Participants use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once
found, participants sign the logbook found in the cache container.
They also post their "find" on the on-line logbook. They may also
place or remove appropriate items from the cache.
(b)
Letterboxing (www.letterboxing.org) is similar but involves
using only clues to find a hidden container.
(2)
Permits.
(a)
A cache may not be placed in a Township park or in land owned
by the Township before securing a signed and dated geocaching permit
from the Township Manager or his/her designee. Each cache requires
its own permit. In addition to a geocaching permit, groups who want
to conduct a short-term, sponsored event are required to obtain a
special use permit for the event.
(b)
Persons applying for a permit must provide a copy of their driver's
license, telephone number, e-mail address, and the web site address
on which the cache will be posted.
(c)
A permit is valid for a period of three years from the date
of issue. Upon expiration of the permit, the geocache or letterbox
must be either repermitted or removed.
(3)
Cache Placement and Information.
(a)
Cache Placement/Removal.
[1]
Cache locations must be preapproved by the Township, whose main
concern will be public safety and the prevention of undesirable impacts
to the natural environment and park resources.
[2]
Caches must be placed at locations where they do not negatively
impact natural/cultural resources, visitor safety, or other users.
Caches may not be buried, and the surrounding environment may not
be altered to conceal the cache. Caches may not be attached to live
trees or structures of any kind.
[3]
Caches may not be placed in locations that may lead to the creation
of spur trails.
[4]
Caches may not be buried, nor may vegetation, rocks or other
natural or cultural features be moved, marked or damaged in the process
of placing, accessing or maintaining the cache.
[5]
Richland Township retains the right to remove a nonpermitted
or permitted cache which it believes is in an inappropriate location,
is causing undue impact on park resources or for other reasons deemed
inconsistent with the mission and statutes of Richland Township.
[6]
Upon the expiration of a permit, the permit holder is responsible
for removing the cache and for removing cache information from all
web sites and any information source. If the permit holder fails to
remove the cache, it will be removed by Township staff and held for
10 days, after which the staff will dispose of the cache.
(b)
Caches.
[1]
Cache containers must be nonbreakable, waterproof, with closing
mechanisms to prohibit exposure to wildlife. The use of PVC pipes,
ammo cans or any other military-style containers which may cause alarm
to unsuspecting persons is prohibited.
[2]
The maximum size of cache containers is eight inches by 12 inches
by four inches. Containers larger than these dimensions need to be
noted on the application and specifically approved by the Township
Manager or his/her designee.
[4]
Geocache and letterbox contents must be suitable for all ages.
Food, alcohol, tobacco, weapons or other dangerous items, prescription
or illicit drugs and adult items may not be placed in the cache.
[5]
Caches are subject to random inspection by the Township. Township
staff has the authority to immediately remove any item held in a cache
deemed unacceptable.
(c)
Compliance.
[1]
The use of metal detectors in cache searches is expressly prohibited.
[2]
If geocaching activities as a whole are found to have a negative
impact on park resources or if safety becomes an issue in geocache
searches, the Township Manager or his/her designee may ban geocaching
from certain areas or from the entire park.
[3]
Failure to comply with park guidelines will result in the revocation
of effective geocaching permits. Continued failure to comply with
these guidelines will prevent the issuance of any further geocaching
permits to the noncompliant group or individual.
[Ord. 171, 11/17/1981, § 2; as amended by Ord.
278, 9/18/1991; and by Ord. 335, 2/5/1997]
The following permits and fees shall be required, and applications
for a specific use shall be filed with the Township Secretary.
A.
Shelter Applications.
(1)
Application to be secured from Township Secretary or designated
representative who will issue a shelter permit upon payment of proper
fee and deposits. Applications from Township residents or Township
groups shall be considered first in granting permits.
(2)
When several applications are received for the same shelter
on the same day, permits will be issued to resident applicants or
Township groups first in order received.
(3)
All applicants, whether Township residents or not, must state on the application whether or not they represent a group or organization. All nonresident groups, nonresident organizations, and all businesses shall pay the nonresident fees. The Township Secretary, or designee, shall have the right to revoke any permit which is obtained in violation of this § 16-102; and any applicant guilty of misrepresenting his/her affiliation under this § 16-102 shall be subject to the penalties in § 16-103.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. AO)]
(4)
Shelter fees shall be in amounts as established from time to
time by resolution.
(5)
Prior to the issuance of the shelter permit, the applicant must
deposit with the Township Secretary a refundable deposit, in an amount
as established from time to time by resolution. This deposit and a
self-addressed, stamped envelope must be received by the Township
at least one week prior to use of the shelter. This deposit will be
promptly refunded in full if the shelter is left in a clean and undamaged
condition following use.
(6)
Exceptions from Fees. Fees may be waived by the Township Secretary
on shelter applications for use between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday. Fees are required for Saturday, Sunday and holiday
applications. Nonprofit organizations will be charged the resident
applicant fee. The Township Secretary or designee may waive fees for
nonprofit organizations.
(7)
Deposit requirements will not be waived.
B.
Ballfield Applications.
(1)
It is the general policy of the Township of Richland that recreation
facilities are for the general use of the residents for nonorganized
activities at no cost to the users on Monday through Friday, 9:00
a.m. - 4:00 p.m., exclusive of holidays.
(2)
Applications for ballfield permits for use of the ballfields
for organized activities, including leagues, must be secured from
the Township Secretary, or designated representative, who will issue
the ballfield permit upon payment of the proper fee and deposits.
(3)
Ballfield fees shall be in amounts as established from time
to time by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
(4)
Season use by leagues and organized groups shall be scheduled
on an equitable basis giving first consideration to resident applications.
All applications for ballfields must be in writing. The Township Secretary
shall have the exclusive right to determine whether or not to schedule
an organized use of the ballfield for any particular day or time or
whether to leave the field open for nonorganized resident use.
C.
Permit Fee Refunds. Refunds of fees will be made if adequate notice
is given so that facility may be rented to others. Adequate notice
is considered to be seven days. Refunds will only be given if the
previously rented facility can be rerented.
D.
Malt Beverage and/or Wine Applications.
(1)
An application is to be secured from Township Secretary or designated
representative who will issue a malt beverage and/or wine permit upon
payment of proper fee and deposits. Applications from Township residents
or Township groups shall be considered first in granting permits.
(2)
When several applications are received for a malt beverage and/or
wine permit on the same day, permits will be issued to resident applicants
or Township groups first in order received.
(3)
All applicants, whether Township residents or not, must state
on the application whether or not they represent a group or organization.
All nonresident groups, nonresident organizations and all businesses
shall pay the nonresident fees. The Township Secretary, or designee,
shall have the right to revoke any permit which is obtained in violation
of this section, and any applicant guilty of misrepresenting his/her
affiliation under this section shall be subject to forfeiture of the
application fee and deposit.
(4)
Malt beverage and/or wine permit fees shall be in amounts as
established from time to time by resolution.
(5)
At the time of application for issuance of a shelter permit
to use the barn and the malt beverage and/or wine permit, the applicant
must deposit with the Township Secretary a refundable deposit, in
an amount as established from time to time by resolution. This deposit
will be promptly refunded, in full, if the shelter is left in a broom-clean
and undamaged condition following use. The deposit is not to be considered
as a limit of the applicant's liability. In the event of damage or
cleaning costs in excess of the deposited amount, the applicant shall
be personally liable for such excess.
(6)
Application fee and deposit requirements will not be waived.
(7)
All applicants/users of any permit issued under this subsection
will abide by the rules and regulations specific to the use of malt
beverages and/or wine as published as part of the application form.
Failure to abide by said rules and regulations shall cause a forfeiture
of the application fee and deposit and shall be an immediate revocation
of the right of use of the barn and/or dispensing of malt beverages
and/or wine on order of the Township Secretary or Township police
officer.
[Ord. 171, 11/17/1981, § 3; as amended by Ord.
278, 9/18/1991; by Ord. 325, 7/3/1996; and by Ord. 336, 2/5/1997]
1.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this Part shall,
upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a Magisterial
District Judge under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure,
be guilty of a summary offense and shall be punishable by a fine of
not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment
thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term
not exceeding 90 days. Each day or portion thereof that such violation
continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate
offense, and each section of this Part that is violated shall also
constitute a separate offense.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. AO)]
2.
All applicants for park permits shall be required to sign the following
statement as part of the application:
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"I hereby acknowledge receipt of a copy of the Richland Township
Parks Ordinance No. 171 and intend to be fully and legally bound by
its terms and provisions. Further, I understand that as the applicant
for a Richland Township parks permit, I will be judged to be the responsible
party in the event of any damages to park facilities or violation
of park rules by any members or guests of my organization or group;
and I accept this responsibility and legal obligation."
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3.
The Township Secretary or designee shall have the right to revoke
a permit for any violation of this Part.
[Ord. 171, 11/17/1981, § 4; as added by Ord. 335,
2/5/1997]
The rules and regulations contained in § 16-101 and § 16-102D(7) may, from time to time, be amended by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.
