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City of Schenectady, NY
Schenectady County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (3) Index Notes (14)
It shall be unlawful to engage in rioting or rout or to commit any assault and battery or fighting.
[Amended 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986]
It shall be unlawful to be engaged in any disorderly assemblage.
[Added 9-17-1990 by Ord. No. 90-68; amended 9-28-1992 by Ord. No. 92-47; 8-1-1994 by Ord. No. 94-23]
A. 
Findings. The City of Schenectady finds that unsupervised minors have recently been creating neighborhood problems, including gambling, drug dealing, vandalism, noise, intoxication, physical assaults, thefts, prostitution and other detrimental activities, and that it is in the best interest of its people to preserve public health, safety and welfare of the community in adopting a curfew directed toward youth within its City limits under the age of 16 to protect minors from each other, to protect others and their property and to reduce juvenile crime. It is found that the following curfew legislation is reasonable in relation to the ends sought to be achieved and does not infringe on the fundamental rights of juveniles. Therefore:
(1) 
It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of 16 to be in or remain upon any public building, street, highway, park, vacant lot or other public place during the following hours: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. and Friday and Saturday between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(2) 
The following shall constitute valid exceptions to the operation of the curfew:
(a) 
At any time, if the minor is accompanied by his or her parent, legal guardian, custodian or other legally responsible person who is over the age of 21 and approved by the minor's parent, legal guardian or custodian.
(b) 
At any time, if the minor is on an emergency errand as directed by his or her parent, legal guardian or custodian.
(c) 
If the minor is legally employed, for the period from one-half hour before to one-half hour after work, while going directly between his or her home and place of employment. This exception shall also apply if the minor is in a public place during curfew hours in the course of his or her employment. To come under this exception, the minor must be carrying a written statement from the employer attesting to the place and hours of employment.
(d) 
Until the hour of 12:30 a.m., if the minor is on the property of or the sidewalk directly adjacent to the building in which he or she resides or the buildings immediately adjacent thereto.
(e) 
If the minor is coming directly home from a community, school or religious event or place of public entertainment, such as a movie, play or sporting event. This exception will apply for one-half hour after the completion of such event, but in no case beyond 12:30 a.m. If the event is not commercial in nature or does not have a fixed publicly known time at which it will end, the sponsoring organization must register the event with the Police Department at least 24 hours in advance, informing it of the time such event is scheduled to begin, the place at which it shall be held, the time at which it will end and the name of the sponsoring organization.
B. 
A police officer who has probable cause to believe that a minor is in violation of this section shall ascertain the name and address and proof of age of said minor and inform the minor that he or she is in violation of curfew. A record shall be kept for future reference, and the officer shall take or direct such minor to the minor's parent, guardian or custodian and, if there is no parent, guardian or custodian available, then to the police station where an immediate attempt shall be made to notify the minor's parent, guardian or custodian that the minor is in police custody and that they can come to the police station to take the minor home. If no parent, guardian or custodian has arrived at the police station within two hours after the minor's arrival at the police station, the minor shall be turned over to the custody of the City Police Department Youth Aide Bureau and be held in a shelter run by a licensed Division for Youth facility until a parent, guardian or custodian can take custody of him or her. If the minor refuses to inform the officer of his or her parent, guardian or custodian, name and address, the minor may be taken to the police station and be turned over to the custody of the City Police Department Youth Aide Bureau to be dealt with in accordance with appropriate law and procedure.
C. 
At the time the Police Officer takes the minor to his or her parent, guardian or custodian, the officer shall provide the parent, guardian or custodian with a copy of this section and inform them that a proceeding may be instituted in Family Court under Article 7 of the New York State Family Court Act to determine whether the minor is a person in need of supervision.
D. 
Names of absent parents are to be reported to the Schenectady County Department of Social Services for investigation of possible child neglect.
E. 
Whenever the owner or person in charge or control of any place of amusement, entertainment, refreshment or other place of business shall find any person under the age of 16 years in or about such place in violation of Subsection A, he or she shall immediately order such minor or minors to leave, and if such minor or minors refuse to leave, the owner or person in charge shall immediately inform the Police Department of the violation. Failure of the owner or person in charge of said business establishment to obey this subsection shall be subject to a fine not to be in excess of $250.
F. 
Any City citizen may request an opinion from the office of the Mayor as to what is permissible activity, and, in appropriate cases, permits will be issued.
[Added 4-16-1990 by Ord. No. 90-25[1]]
A. 
A "cemetery" is a place for burial of the dead and shall include a mausoleum, vault, grave, columbarium or other receptacle.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to wantonly or willfully destroy, break, injure, deface, disfigure or remove any gravestone, monument, ornament or decoration at a grave or in a cemetery.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the renumbering of former § 192-3, Disorderly assemblies, as § 192-2.
It shall be unlawful for any person, other than the owner thereof, to wantonly or willfully destroy, break, injure, deface or remove any lamppost, lamp, tree, fence, gate, sign, awning, window or other construction or erection or useful or ornamental work or any part thereof or to willfully or wantonly daub or besmear with any mixture or substance whatever any culvert, bridge, building, monument, lamppost, lamp, tree, fence, gate, sign, awning or other construction or erection or useful or ornamental work of any party thereof or to aid or abet therein.
It shall be unlawful to willfully or wantonly destroy, injure, break or deface any culvert, bridge or building or any part thereof attached to, connected with or making part of any such culvert, bridge or building.
It shall be unlawful to willfully or wantonly destroy, injure, break or impair the usefulness or deface, conceal or remove any fire engine, hose cart, hook and ladder truck or any part thereof or any fire hose or any implement or apparatus or any part thereof belonging, attaching or appertaining to any such fire engine, fire hose, hose cart or hook and ladder company organized within this City, and no person shall aid, abet or be an accessory to any violation of this section.
Every person who shall give or cause to be given a false fire alarm with intent to deceive shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
It shall be unlawful for any person to:
A. 
Transfer, meddle or interfere with any fire alarm or police box, or any part thereof.
B. 
Cut, break, injure, deface, destroy or remove any City fire alarm or police box or the wires, insulators, cables, poles, materials or property of the fire alarm or police telegraph, telephone or signal lines, or any part thereof.
C. 
Make any connection or communication with said telegraph, telephone or signal lines, or any part thereof.
D. 
Injure, break, destroy or remove any fixtures, apparatus or machinery connected with such telegraph, telephone or signal lines, or any part thereof.
E. 
Affix or cause to be affixed to or upon any of the poles, boxes or apparatus of or connected with such telegraph, telephone or signal lines any words, characters, devices or advertisements, or any notice whatever.
No City building shall be used or occupied by any person or persons for the purpose of drinking, carousing, gaming, prostitution or other vice or immorality.
No person shall fire or assist in firing any gun, cannon or pistol or explosive combustibles in the streets, public squares or pleasure grounds within this City unless permission so to do shall have been obtained from the Mayor, provided that such permission shall not be given by the Mayor to apply to any hour between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
[Amended 8-5-1991 by Ord. No. 91-35]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or discharge any air gun or pistol, spring gun or pistol, pellet gun or pistol, any BB gun or pistol which propels a single globular projectile not exceeding 0.18 inch in diameter or other similar instrument in which the propelling force is a spring or compressed air or other gas in any park, building, street or other public place.
B. 
Violations of this section are punishable by a fine not to exceed $25 for the first offense, $50 for the second offense and $75 for each offense thereafter.
[Amended 9-4-1990 by Ord. No. 90-67]
A. 
Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
LOITERING
Remaining idle in essentially one location, and includes the concept of spending time idly, to be dilatory, to linger, to stay, to saunter, to delay and to stand around and also includes the colloquial expression "hanging around."
PUBLIC PLACE
Any place to which the general public has access and a right to resort for business, entertainment or other lawful purpose, but does not necessarily mean a place devoted solely to the uses of the public. It shall also include the front or immediate area of any store, shop, restaurant, tavern or other place of business and also public grounds, areas or parks.
B. 
Loitering; police order to disperse. It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter, loaf, wander, stand or remain idle, either alone and/or in consort with others, in a public place in such a manner so as to:
(1) 
Obstruct any public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building by hindering or impeding or tending to hinder or impede the free and uninterrupted passage of vehicles, traffic or pedestrians.
(2) 
Commit in or upon any public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building any act or thing which is an obstruction or interference to the free and uninterrupted use of property or with any business lawfully conducted by anyone in or upon or facing or fronting on any such public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building, all of which prevents the free and uninterrupted ingress, egress, and regress therein, thereon and thereto.
C. 
Penalties for offenses.
(1) 
When any person causes or commits any of the conditions enumerated herein, a police officer or any law enforcement officer shall order that person to stop causing or committing such conditions and to move on or disperse. Any person who fails or refuses to obey such orders shall be guilty of a violation of this section.
(2) 
A violation of this section of the Schenectady Code shall be a violation, and the violation shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both. Any such violation shall constitute a separate offense on each successive day continued.
[Amended 12-21-1992 by Ord. No. 92-56]
A. 
No person shall keep or assist in keeping a disorderly house or house of prostitution or house of assignation or entertain or assist in entertaining lewd women for the purpose of prostitution nor procure nor assist in procuring lewd women for that purpose.
B. 
No owner or lessee of a house or tenement shall permit any occupant thereof who has been convicted of any violation of Subsection A to continue in the occupation thereof for more than 20 days after having received written notice of such conviction.
C. 
The presence of any person, male or female, in a gambling house or in a room or place where gambling is being carried on or in a room or place where gambling instruments or apparatus are used shall be presumptive evidence that such person is a gambler, and the presence of any female in a house of prostitution shall be presumptive evidence that such female is a prostitute.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (a) of this section, which immediately preceded this subsection, relating to the soliciting of alms or subscriptions, was omitted 6-2-1986 by L.L. No. 3-1986.
No person shall, in any manner, interfere with any City officer or employee or any contractor with the City while acting pursuant to any law or ordinance or resolution of the City Council.
A. 
No person shall throw, deposit, strew or litter on any street, sidewalk, square, park or other public place in the City, or cause to be thrown, deposited, strewn or littered thereon, any paper, advertisements, cardboard, handbills, paper boxes or other similar waste material.
B. 
Penalties. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of an offense and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $250 for the first offense and a fine up to but not exceeding $500 for each subsequent offense and/or a sentence of eight hours of court-imposed community service.
[Added 9-30-1991 by Ord. No. 91-39]
Any person or persons who shall use or occupy any of the streets, alleys or vacant ground belonging to the City may be removed from such occupancy by the direction of the Mayor of the City or by a resolution of the City Council, and the person or persons refusing or neglecting to comply with such order or resolution shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
It shall be unlawful to make, draw, paint or post any indecent or obscene drawing, figure, picture, bill or writing, or write, print or paint any indecent or obscene words exposed to view on any culvert, bridge, building, lamppost, tree, fence, gate, sign, awning or other construction or erection.
It shall be unlawful to publicly use indecent language.
It shall be unlawful to make an indecent exposure of the person.
It shall be unlawful for any person to swim or bathe in any canal, river, pond or outdoor swimming pool within the City at any time except with a proper bathing suit.
It shall be unlawful to promote an indecent exhibition or aid or abet in any way thereto.
It shall be unlawful for any person to pretend to read character within the City unless such person is a physician, duly authorized to practice medicine within the State of New York, or a psychologist who is a graduate of a duly accredited college or university and who has majored in the field of psychology; but this section shall not be construed to interfere with the belief, practices or usages of an incorporated ecclesiastical governing body or the duly licensed teachers or ministers thereof acting in good faith and without personal fee, nor shall it be construed to prohibit or prevent any show, trick, feat, display or other act or exhibition performed by a magician or mentalist for purposes of amusement or entertainment and without personal fee.
A. 
Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
BUS
A motor vehicle operated for the use and convenience of the public, usually along the same route or between stated terminals, or on a fixed or stated schedule, carrying passengers for hire. It does not include what is commonly known as a "taxicab."
FLASH PAPER
Any paper, paper product or material which has been coated, treated or impregnated with nitrocellulose.
KNOWINGLY
A person acts "knowingly" with respect to conduct or to a circumstance described in the definition of "offense" in this section when he is aware that his conduct is of such nature or that such circumstance exists. The term "knowingly" shall apply to every element of the offense defined in this subsection.
OFFENSE
A person is guilty of a misdemeanor when:
(1) 
He knowingly possesses flash paper.
(2) 
Having substantial proprietary or other authoritative control of any room, dwelling, structure or vehicle, or any part thereof, he knowingly permits flash paper to be brought into, kept or stored in such room, dwelling, structure or vehicle, or any part thereof.
PERSON
Includes the singular and the plural, and shall also include any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
POSSESS
To have physical possession or otherwise to exercise dominion or control of.
B. 
Presumption. Proof of possession of any flash paper is presumptive evidence of possession thereof with knowledge that it is flash paper.
C. 
Penalty. Conviction of an offense, as defined in this section, is punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 60 days or by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.
No person shall, while in a bus being operated within the City, light or smoke any cigarette, pipe tobacco, cigar or tobacco in any form which gives off smoke, fumes, aroma or tobacco odor. Every person carrying a lighted cigarette, pipe or cigar, upon entering a bus, shall extinguish the same before entering.
[Added 12-12-2016 by Ord. No. 2016-24]
A. 
Smoking shall not be permitted and no person shall smoke within a motor vehicle, as defined by the Vehicle and Transportation Law, where a minor under 16 years of age is a passenger in any such vehicle.
B. 
A person who holds an electronic cigarette or electronic smoking device or a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or any other matter or substance which contains tobacco or any other plant or matter that can be smoked to or in the immediate proximity of his or her mouth while in such vehicle is presumed to be engaging in smoking within the meaning of this section. The presumption established by this subsection is rebuttable by evidence showing that the person was not smoking a lighted cigar, cigarette, pipe or other matter or substance which contains tobacco or any other plant or matter that can be smoked.
C. 
Penalties.
(1) 
Any person who violates this section shall, upon conviction thereof, receive a fine of $50 for a first offense within a one-year period.
(2) 
For a second offense within a one-year period, the fine shall be $100.
(3) 
For a third offense within a one-year period, the fine shall be $150.
[Added 10-19-1987 by Ord. No. 87-67]
A. 
No person shall intentionally throw, deposit, strew or litter on any street, sidewalk, square, park or other public place in the City or upon private property without the permission of the owner or intentionally cause to be thrown, deposited, strewn or littered thereon, any wood, concrete, building materials, debris, junk or similar garbage of any quantity or any paper, advertisements, cardboard, handbills, paper boxes or other similar paper waste material or other offensive material, weighing in excess of 1/2 pound.
B. 
Penalty. Conviction of an offense, as defined in this section, is punishable by imprisonment for a period not to exceed 60 days or by a fine not to exceed $1,000, or by both such imprisonment and fine.
[Added 10-19-1987 by Ord. No. 87-67]
Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of an offense and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $250 or by a civil penalty of not more than $500 to be recovered by the City in a civil action.
[Added 12-21-1992 by L.L. No. 6-1992]
All hunting, use of firearms and bows and arrows within the Woodlawn Drainage Area and all public areas of the City of Schenectady are at all times prohibited.
[Added 12-21-1992 by Ord. No. 92-55]
A violation of § 192-27 shall be a violation, and the violation shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding 15 days, or both.
[Added 4-10-1995 by Ord. No. 95-10]
There is hereby established a Center for Nonviolence Board. The Board shall consist of no less than three persons to be appointed by the Mayor without confirmation by City Council. Terms of office are to be determined by the Mayor at the time of appointment. One member shall be chosen as Chairperson, who shall call meetings.
[Added 5-22-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-05; amended 6-25-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-05]
Pursuant to § 405.00 of the Penal Law of New York, a permit for the public display of fireworks by municipalities, fair associations, amusement parks, organizations, or by individuals shall be required from the Office of Consumer Protection prior to any such display in accordance with the terms of § 405.00 of the Penal Law of New York. All such permits must be approved by the head of the Police and Fire Departments of the City of Schenectady. There shall be no fee for such permit if the applicant provides acceptable proof that the fireworks display is for the benefit of a charitable organization, not-for-profit organization or municipality; the fee for all other permits shall be $50.
A. 
A "public display of fireworks" shall be defined using fireworks in any way which allows for someone on public property to view their launch or their explosion after being launched.
B. 
If any person shall violate the provisions of this section, they shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $250. Each individual launch of fireworks shall constitute a separate offense.
C. 
When there is probable cause to believe that a violation of this section has occurred, the party responsible shall be subject to confiscation and evidentiary seizure of the offending source of fireworks and any firework launching paraphernalia and subject to forfeiture upon conviction after trial.
[Added 3-24-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-13]
A. 
All tobacco products shall be sold in the manufacturer's packages, which shall be of such construction as will securely contain the products therein and maintain all marks or stamps as required by local, state, or federal law. No person may offer for sale any tobacco products that are not in the manufacturer's packages bearing the marks, labels, and notices as required by local, state, or federal law.