[Adopted 3-11-1981; amended in its entirety 4-8-1996 by Ord. No.
96-08]
For the purposes of this article, "recreational
areas" include all Town parks, beaches, ponds, forests and other areas
used for recreational purposes, including playgrounds, ballfields
and docks; and also vehicle parking facilities adjacent to recreational
areas.
[Amended 2-11-2019 by Ord. No. 18-16]
Except as otherwise posted, all recreational areas shall be
open to the general public from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. The Birdseye
Street and Broad Street launching areas shall be open on a twenty-four-hour
basis for the actual launching and retrieving of vessels by those
exhibiting valid launching permits. Bonds Dock and the adjacent parking
area shall be open on a twenty-four-hour basis for the purpose of
fishing by those exhibiting valid fishing licenses, but shall only
be open from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. for all other purposes.
No person shall possess or drink alcoholic beverages,
including the use of beer in kegs, in any of the following areas:
ballfields, athletic fields, boat-launching ramps, tot-lots, school
grounds, the Lordship Sea Wall and all parks and beaches, including
parking lots, but excluding those areas designated "picnic areas."
A.
Glass bottles. No person shall bring any glass bottles
or glass containers into a recreational area, nor shall any person
use, leave or discard such bottles or containers therein.
B.
Rubbish. No person shall cast, deposit or leave any
glass bottles, pottery, tin or other metals, nails, boards, organic
matter, oil, rubbish, refuse or waste of any description whatsoever
in any recreational area, except in receptacles provided for such
rubbish.
C.
Contamination of waters. No person shall cast, deposit
or leave in any stream or pond or otherwise contaminate any stream,
pond or waterway through the deposit of oil, bottles, cans or other
debris of any sort whatsoever.
A.
Injury in general. No person shall deface, remove,
destroy or otherwise injure, in any manner whatsoever, any structure,
building, tree, flower, shrub, fern, moss or ornamental lawn within
any recreational area.
B.
Injury to birds. No person shall at any time molest
or disturb birds, birds' eggs, birds' nests or any other wildlife.
C.
Injury to trees. No person shall drive nails, ice
picks, knives or other foreign objects into trees or buildings in
recreational areas.
No person shall perform or participate directly
in the performance of any conduct in a recreational area which would
endanger the safety of any person who is present at or using the recreational
area.
No person shall engage in boisterous conduct
annoying to others, play music excessively loud so as to be annoying
to others, threaten others, become intoxicated or otherwise engage
in conduct which unreasonably interferes with the ability of others
to use the recreational area.
No person shall carry or discharge any firearm,
air rifle, gas weapon, slingshot, bow and arrow, crossbow, firecracker,
fireworks or any other weapon in any recreational area, except pursuant
to a valid permit issued by the governmental authority having jurisdiction.
A.
No person shall hunt, fish or trap in any recreational
area, except at such places and at such times as may be designated
by the Town.
B.
Brewster Pond.
(1)
Brewster Pond is a posted and regulated area for children
under the age of 16, disabled people and senior citizens over the
age of 62. All others are forbidden to fish posted areas.
(2)
Fines shall not be less than $25 for fishing in the
area and an additional fine of not less than $10 per fish in possession.
No person shall golf in any recreational area
unless designated for that purpose.
No child under the age of eight shall use any
recreational area unless under the supervision of an adult, an instructor
or counselor approved by the Town or a person at least 12 years of
age designated by the child's parent or guardian.
[Amended 2-14-2011 by Ord. No. 11-02]
A.
Restricted areas. No person shall bring any animal, including any dog, onto a beach or beach parking area, nor shall any person permit such an animal subject to his ownership or control to be at such an area, except during periods of time when beach recreation is out of season, as established by the Department of Recreation, and where, during such out-of-season periods, such dog or other animal is under the control of a leash in accordance with Subsection B below and § 83-15 of the Stratford Town Code. No person shall bring such an animal to or permit such an animal subject to his ownership or control to be in any other recreational area in which the Town has posted a sign prohibiting animals.
B.
Nonrestricted
areas. Dogs and other similar pets are permitted in nonrestricted
areas of recreational areas only on leashes and under the control
of their owners or other persons responsible for their supervision.
No leash shall exceed seven feet in length.
C.
Drinking
water faucets. No person shall use a drinking water faucet for the
watering of pets or animals.
D.
Persons accompanying dogs or other pets into public recreational areas or other areas where such animals are permitted shall be responsible for the removal and disposal of all litter produced by said pets. The failure to remove such litter shall result in the owner, keeper or person then walking or otherwise in charge of said animal being assessed with a fine in accordance with § 83-15 of the Stratford Town Code. For purposes of this subsection only, any person accompanying the animal shall be considered a keeper of the animal.
E.
Exception.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to a guide dog accompanying
any blind person.
A.
Location. No person shall picnic in any portion of
a recreational area unless it has been designated for that purpose.
B.
Lighting of fires. No person shall light, kindle or
use any fire in any portion of a recreational area, except in areas
designated by the Town or in receptacles installed by the Town. No
person shall light or maintain a ground fire.
C.
Extinguishing of fires. All fires shall be properly
extinguished before departure, and no fire shall be left unattended.
A.
Location. No person shall bathe or swim in any recreational
area other than a designated swimming area.
B.
Washing. No person shall use a drinking water faucet
for any washing purpose.
C.
Fishing. No person shall fish or engage in the cleaning
of fish in any Town-designated swimming area.
D.
Town docks. No person shall swim or dive from a Town
dock, a float or a boat docked as a float.
A.
Location. No person shall camp in any portion of a
recreational area other than one designated by the Town for camping.
B.
Permits. No person shall camp in a forest camping
area without a permit. Camping permits shall only be issued by the
forest ranger or other designated person. No camping permit will be
issued after camp closing time. No permit may be issued to a minor.
When a camping party includes one or more minors, the camping permit
shall be issued to an adult who accepts responsibility for the conduct
of such minor or minors who are members of the party.
C.
Hours. The camp day shall extend from the time of
arrival until 12:00 noon of the last day covered by the permit. Campers
shall observe quiet between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Campers shall extinguish all lights other than those needed for safety
after 11:00 p.m.
D.
Visitors. All visitors shall be required to register
with the forest ranger or manager in charge of the particular camping
or recreational area. No visitor shall be allowed to drive or park
within a campground without first registering. All persons obtaining
camping permits shall provide the names and addresses of all campers
and visitors to the forest ranger or his designee at the time the
camping permit is requested. Unauthorized visitors shall provide their
names and addresses to the ranger or manager on duty upon request.
Visitors, whether authorized or not, shall not be permitted to remain
within a campground after posted closing hours.
E.
Trespassing. No person shall trespass onto a camp
lot leased to another person.
[Added 3-13-2017 by Ord.
No. 17-01]
A.
Location. No person shall camp in any portion of a recreational area
other than one designated by the Town for camping.
B.
Permits. No person shall camp at the Youth Campground at Short Beach
unless part of an officially recognized Stratford youth organization
with proof of insurance and with adult leaders who have completed
the necessary youth protection training for the requesting organization.
Camping permits shall only be issued by the Department of Public Works
or other designated person. No camping permit will be issued after
camp closing time. No permit may be issued to a minor. When a camping
party includes one or more minors, the camping permit shall be issued
to an adult who accepts responsibility for the conduct of such minor
or minors who are members of the party.
C.
Hours. The camp day shall extend from the time of arrival until 12:00
noon of the last day covered by the permit. Campers shall observe
quiet between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Campers shall
extinguish all lights other than those needed for safety after 11:00
p.m.
D.
Visitors. All visitors obtaining camping permits shall provide the
names and addresses of all campers and visitors to the Department
of Public Works or designated person at the time the camping permit
is requested. Unauthorized visitors shall provide their names and
addresses to the ranger or manager on duty upon request. Visitors,
whether authorized or not, shall not be permitted to remain within
a campground after posted closing hours.
E.
Trespassing. No person shall trespass onto a camp lot leased to another
person.
F.
All youth organizations shall abide by the nondiscriminatory policies
set forth by the Town of Stratford.
A.
Commercial vehicles. No person shall operate a commercial
vehicle in any recreational area, except by permit.
B.
Closed roads. No person shall walk or operate a motor
vehicle, including a motorcycle, on any road, trail or path that is
designated as being closed.
C.
Speeding. No person shall operate a motor vehicle
in a recreational area at a rate exceeding 15 miles per hour.
D.
Designated vehicle areas. No person shall operate
a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, minibike, snowmobile or trailer,
in any area not designated for motor vehicle traffic.
E.
Parking. No person shall park any vehicle in any location
except one which a posted sign designates as authorized for parking.
No person shall park a vehicle along any road, trail, path or fire
road in a recreational area. No person shall park a vehicle or permit
a vehicle to remain parked except during hours posted as authorized
for parking.
F.
Washing of vehicles. No person shall wash, clean,
paint or repair any motor vehicles in a recreational area.
A.
Bathing. No person shall bathe on a beach except in
beach areas designated for that purpose during hours that the beach
area is officially open to the public.
B.
Undressing. No person shall dress or undress on a
beach area, except in a designated facility. No person shall dress
or undress in a motor vehicle. For the purposes of this section, the
removal of outer garments placed over proper swimming attire shall
not be considered to be a form of undressing.
C.
Nudity. No person shall bathe naked on a Town beach.
No person shall operate a vessel or personal
watercraft, including one towing a skier or being used for fishing,
within 300 feet waterward of any Town-designated swimming area. No
person shall moor a boat within 300 feet waterward of any such area.
Any lifeguard employed by the Town shall, while
on duty, have the power to enforce the provisions of this article
concerning beaches and public bathing areas.
Any person who violates any provision of this
article shall be fined not less than $25 and not more than $100.
A.
Fishing. Fishing shall be permitted in a manner consistent
with the safety of others occupying the facility.
B.
Cleaning of fish shall not be permitted on any dock
or area adjacent to such dock which is open to the public, except
in specially designated areas.
C.
All docks, piers, wharves, floats and any ramp or
other access areas which are for the primary purpose of facilitating
the loading or unloading of passengers, goods or equipment from vessels
shall not be used for fishing.
D.
The foregoing rules shall be enforced by any police
officer, peace officer of the State of Connecticut, Town of Stratford,
the Harbor Master of the Town of Stratford or his deputy.
