[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Morris 12-19-2012 by Ord. No. 18-12 (Ch. 61A of the 1969 Code). Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The following rules and regulations are hereby adopted for the
use of the public parks, playgrounds and other public places in the
Township of Morris:
A.
Such places shall be opened for the use of the public from sunrise
to sunset and shall not be used by any person or persons between sunset
and sunrise, unless written permission for such use is given by the
Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee of the Township of Morris
or the Township Committee.[1]
B.
Prohibitions. It shall be unlawful for any person in a public park,
playground, recreation area or other public place in the Township
of Morris to:
(1)
Willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with or displace
or remove any buildings, bridges, tables, benches, fireplaces, railings,
paving or paving materials, 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.
(2)
Fail to cooperate in maintaining restrooms and washrooms in a neat
and sanitary condition.
(3)
Dig or remove any soil, rock, sand, stones, trees, shrubs or plants
or other wood or materials or make any excavation by tool, equipment,
blasting or other means or agency or to bore holes in, alter or deface
any asphalt, concrete or other impervious surface.
(4)
Construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether
permanent or temporary, or run or string any public service utility
into, upon or across such lands, except on special written permit
issued hereunder.
(5)
Damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant or injure
the bark or pick flowers or seeds of any tree or plant, dig in or
otherwise disturb grassed areas, introduce any noxious or invasive
insect or plant species, or in any other way injure the natural beauty
or usefulness of any area.
(6)
Climb any tree or walk, stand or sit upon monuments, vases, planters,
fountains, railings, fences or upon any other property not designated
or customarily used for such purposes.
(7)
Tie or hitch any animal to any tree or plant or to otherwise ride,
walk or bring onto these premises for any purpose any animal, whether
domestic or wild, unless such property is specifically posted so as
to permit such use. Walking of dogs under leash and in full control
shall be permitted in parks, except that no dogs shall be walked in
playgrounds, on paved court areas, or on athletic fields. Dog walkers
are required to clean up and properly dispose of fecal matter produced
by their pets.
(8)
Hunt, molest, kill, wound, trap, abuse, shoot, pursue or throw missiles
at or remove or have in his or her possession an animal, reptile or
bird found within any park, playground or recreation area, or disturb
the habitat or the nest of any such animal, bird or reptile. The Township
may undertake control of nuisance animals in parks per current state
and federal regulations.
(9)
Throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the
waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream or other body of water
in any park or any tributary stream, storm sewer or drain flowing
into such water any substance, matter or thing, liquid or solid, which
will or may result in the pollution of said waters.
(10)
Have brought in or dump in, 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 any park or recreation area or left anywhere on the
grounds thereof, but it shall be placed in the proper receptacles
where these are provided. Where receptacles are not 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.
(11)
Drive or park any vehicle on any area except the paved park
roads or parking areas or such areas as may on occasion be specifically
designated. In addition, there shall be no skateboarding, roller-skating,
in-line skating, hockey or other such activity unless an area is specifically
posted for such use by the Parks and Recreation Department.
(12)
Leave a vehicle standing or parked at night in designated parking
areas or elsewhere unless permitted by the Department of Parks and
Recreation.
(13)
Ride a bicycle without due care and circumspection and without
reasonable regard to the safety of the operator or others.
(14)
Leave a bicycle lying on the ground or paving or set against
trees or in any place or position where a person may trip over or
be injured by it.
(15)
Swim, bathe, wade or ice skate in any waters or waterways in
any park or recreation area 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 hereinafter adopted; nor shall any
person frequent any waters or places customarily designated for the
purpose of swimming or bathing or congregate thereat when such activities
are prohibited by the Township of Morris upon a finding that such
use of the water would be dangerous or otherwise inadvisable.
(16)
Bring into or operate any boat, raft or other watercraft, whether
motor-powered or not, upon any waters, except that kayaks, canoes
and rowboats may be permitted on state waters adjacent to Township
parklands and on waters specifically designated by the Department
of Parks and Recreation.
(17)
Fish in any area where bathing is permitted.
(18)
Shoot into any of the areas regulated by this chapter from beyond
the boundaries of such areas. No person shall carry or possess firearms
or discharge firearms of any description, including air rifles, spring
guns, bow and arrows, slings or any other form of weapons, in the
public park, playground or recreational areas to which this chapter
relates.
(19)
Annoy another person or utter any profane, threatening, indecent
or abusive language or act in a disorderly manner.
(20)
Use any portion of any park, recreation area or public place
or picnic area or any of the buildings or structures thereon to the
exclusion of other persons; nor shall any person use such areas and
facilities for any unreasonable time or in any unreasonable manner.
(21)
Leave a picnic area before all trash is placed in the disposal
receptacles where provided. If no such trash receptacles are available,
then trash shall be carried away from the area by the picnicker to
be properly disposed of elsewhere.
(22)
Take part in or abet the playing of any games involving thrown
or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins
and horseshoes except in those areas set apart for such forms of recreation
and appropriately marked as such. The playing of team games such as
soccer, football, rugby, cricket, ultimate frisbee, baseball and lacrosse
is prohibited except on the fields and courts of areas provided therefor
and as regulated herein.
(23)
Use any field, park or playground which has been posted as "closed."
(24)
Use any field, park or playground for a use for which such premises
is not intended or is otherwise prohibited by a posted notice of the
Parks and Recreation Department.
C.
Prohibition of discrimination. It shall be the policy of the Township of Morris that no individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of the goods, service, facilities, privileges, advantages or accommodations of any place of public accommodation. To that end, the Township of Morris does hereby determine to afford all services, facilities, privileges, advantages and accommodations to an individual with a disability in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of the individual. Any person who believes that he or she has been discriminated against in the full enjoyment of programs and places may avail himself or herself of the grievance procedures established in Chapter 15, Personnel Policies, § 15-10.
No person or persons shall cause damage to the grounds or fixtures
thereon, or contribute to the damage of the grounds or fixtures thereon,
or remove any fixtures.
[Amended 8-18-2021 by Ord. No. 24-21]
A.
No alcoholic beverages, cannabis, cannabis-related products, smoking
tobacco, vaping products, or narcotics shall be brought upon, used,
taken, smoked, vaped, or drunk on public parks, playgrounds, swim
pools and other public places in the Township of Morris, at any time,
and no person under the influence of any alcoholic beverages, cannabis
or narcotics shall be upon such public premises.
B.
The Township Committee of Morris may, by resolution, from time to
time and for specific purposes, waive the prohibition concerning alcoholic
beverages and may permit the use of alcoholic beverages in the public
parks, playgrounds, swim pools and other public places in the Township
of Morris.
[Amended 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 29-22[1]]
The Township Committee of the Township of Morris may, from time
to time, make, adopt, amend and repeal, by resolution, rules and regulations
for the operation and use of the tennis courts, ball fields, picnic
areas, parks and playgrounds, pickleball courts and other public places
of the Township of Morris. Such resolution adopting said rules and
regulations shall be on file in the office of the Clerk of the Township
of Morris and in the office of the Parks and Recreation Department
of the Township of Morris.
[Amended 6-17-2015 by Ord. No. 20-15; 12-21-2022 by Ord. No. 29-22]
A.
All industrial,
commercial and retail establishments or groups desiring to use a public
park or playground of the Township of Morris shall pay the following
fees:
(1)
Morris Township industrial, commercial, retail and not-for-profit
establishments or groups located in Morris Township using a facility
or sponsoring a team shall pay a use fee of $60 per three-hour event
and a use fee of $300 for up to 17 three-hour events during a continuous
120-day period.
(2)
Non-Morris-Township industrial, commercial, retail and not-for-profit
establishments or groups using a facility or sponsoring a team shall
pay a use fee of $100 per three-hour event and a use fee of $500 for
up to 17 three-hour events during a continuous 120-day period.
(3)
Individual Morris Township residents may reserve a facility at a
Township park for a single-day family event up to 50 people for a
fee of $25 for a five-hour permit period.
(4)
Use fees may be waived for not-for-profit groups and associations
serving Morris Township area residents and providing recreational,
educational and cultural programming.
(5)
Security fees.
(a)
Industrial, commercial, retail and not-for-profit applicants
may be required to post a security fee with the Department of Parks
and Recreation in the following amounts:
|
Participants
|
Fee
| |
|---|---|---|
|
1 to 100
|
$100
| |
|
101 to 250
|
$200
| |
|
251 to 500
|
$300
| |
|
501 to 1,000
|
$500
| |
|
1,001 plus
|
$1,000
|
(b)
Security fees shall be returned only after inspection of the
facilities for damages by representatives of the Parks and Recreation
Department. Security fees may be retained in whole or in part to offset
the costs of labor and materials to make repair of damages.
B.
Any person
wishing to use any Township pickleball court shall be required to
first register and obtain an annual pickleball pass or be playing
as a guest of a registered player with a valid guest pass. The fees
for an annual pickleball pass are as follows:
(1)
Resident
fee for a pickleball annual pass shall be $25 per person per year
(includes an annual guest pass).
(2)
Nonresident
fee for a pickleball annual pass shall be $175 per person per year.
(3)
All
pickleball fees shall be for the calendar year and shall not be pro-rated.
(4)
Resident
fees required under this subsection shall be waived for any Township
resident receiving public assistance. For the purposes of this section,
public assistance shall include participation in the following: welfare
assistance, subsidized housing, federal school lunch program, food
stamps, or other forms of public assistance.
A.
Field, playground, recreation area and court permits. Permits shall
be required in the use of a Morris Township field, playground or court
under any of the following circumstances:
(1)
Except as otherwise determined by the Director of the Parks and Recreation
Department, when there are more than 15 participants per activity
and/or spectators in attendance. The Director shall evaluate each
park and playground to determine the appropriate maximum number of
participants and/or spectators for purposes of requiring a recreational
field or playground permit.
(2)
Any equipment is needed to be installed temporarily on the field,
playground or court, including but not limited to soccer and lacrosse
goals, volleyball nets and the lining of any field. No permanent installations
of equipment may be installed.
(3)
Any field, playground or court will be used for any sport purpose
other than for which it was specifically created, unless permitted
by the Department of Parks and Recreation.
(4)
The field, playground or court will be used for organized games.
Games will be considered organized where there is a referee, umpire
or other official; teams are part of a league; teams have uniforms;
there is a charge to any team or player for participating; there are
trophies, medals or other prizes offered to individuals or teams;
or spectators are invited.
(5)
The game or event is sponsored by a business or organization.
(6)
A person or group elects to reserve the field for exclusive use for
a period of time.
B.
Procedure to obtain a permit. Permits for use of the field, playground
or court shall be obtained by an application in writing to the Parks
and Recreation Department in accordance with the following procedures:
(1)
The person or group of persons seeking issuance of the permit shall
file an application in writing with the Parks and Recreation Department,
stating the name and address of the applicant; the name and address
of the person, persons, corporation or association sponsoring the
activity, if any; the day and the hours for which the permit is desired;
a reasonable estimate of the anticipated attendance; the type of game
or activity for which the permit is desired; the anticipated age group
of the expected participants; such other information as may be reasonably
required.
(2)
The permittee shall provide a certificate of liability insurance
in an amount not less than $1,000,000, combined single limit, naming
the Township of Morris as an additional insured. The certificate of
insurance requirement may be waived for Morris Township Neighborhood
Association and individual resident applications for single-day events.
(3)
All permit holders shall be responsible for ensuring that all participants
and spectators adhere to park rules and for summoning the police if
individuals fail to do so; ensuring that the field or court is in
a safe condition prior to allowing players to proceed and for reporting
unsafe conditions to the Parks and Recreation Department not later
than one business day after its use; ensuring that, upon conclusion
of the use, the field, playground or court is left in the same condition
in which it was found, including removal of any equipment and cleanup
and proper disposal of any litter; and compliance with any special
conditions imposed on the permit by the Parks and Recreation Director.
(4)
The Parks and Recreation Director may refuse to issue a permit where
the applicant has violated the conditions of a permit issued on a
previous occasion and may also rescind a permit which has been issued
for a material misrepresentation of fact on the application.
(5)
Denial of permit.
(a)
Within five days after receipt of a written application for
a permit herein, the Director (or the issuing officer) shall advise
the applicant, in writing, of the reasons for refusing a permit, and
any aggrieved person or group of persons shall have the right to appeal,
in writing, within 10 days to the Township Committee, which shall
consider the application under the standards and procedures set forth
herein and sustain or overrule the decision of the Director within
20 days from the date of filing of the appeal with the Township Clerk.
(b)
If the decision of the Director is sustained on appeal, the
reasons for the refusal of the permit shall be set forth in writing.
If the decision of the Director is overruled and a permit granted,
the Committee may attach reasonable conditions to the issuance of
such permit, consistent with this chapter.
Any person or persons, firm or corporation who or which violates any of the provisions of this chapter or any of the rules and regulations adopted by the Township Committee pursuant to this chapter shall, if found guilty of a violation thereof, be punishable as provided in § 1-3, General penalty, of this Code, at the discretion of the court imposing such penalty.
