Anaheim Municipal Code Ch. 13.08 Public Parks

The rules and regulations hereinafter prescribed shall govern the public parks of the City of Anaheim. "Public parks" for the purpose of this chapter shall include all dedicated parks and all planted parkways, triangles and traffic circles maintained by the City of Anaheim, except the parkway strips between curb and sidewalk along the several streets and highways of said City. (Ord. 569 § 1; August 9, 1932.)

Within the limits of any of said parks, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to do any of the acts hereinafter specified, to wit:

.010 To bring, leave, hitch, fasten, lead, drive or turn loose or allow to go free any animal or fowl of any kind; provided that this shall not apply to dogs held on a leash, chain or other restraint not more than six feet long, nor to dogs within a Dog Park as further defined under Chapter 13.14 hereof, nor to any horse when hitched, fastened or led within any City of Anaheim park that links with the County of Orange EMA Harbors, Beaches and Parks Master Plan of Trail Systems (“Special Use Parks”);

.020 To ride or drive any horse or other animal, or to propel any vehicle, cycle or automobile; except that such prohibition shall not apply to equestrians and bicyclists (non-motorized) in Special Use Parks.

.030 To carry or discharge any firearms, firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes or any other fireworks, or airguns or slingshots;

.040 To cut, break, injure, deface or disturb any tree, shrub, plant, rock, building, cage, pen, monument, fence, bench or other structure, apparatus or property; or to pluck, pull up, cut, take or remove any shrub, bush, plant or flower; or to mark or write upon, paint or deface in any manner, any building, monument, fence, bench or other structure;

.050 To cut or remove any wood, turf, grass, soil, rock, sand, gravel or fertilizer;

.060 To swim, fish, bathe or wade in, or to pollute the water of any fountain, pond, lake or stream;

.070 To make or kindle a fire except in picnic stoves, braziers or fire pits provided for that purpose;

.080 To camp therein. “Camp” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.10.020 of Chapter 11.10 of Title 11 of this Code;

.085 To sleep or lie down on or under a public transit/bus bench, or a bench, table, playground equipment, or similar fixture or structure, as further defined in Chapter 11.11 of this Code;

.090 To cook, prepare, serve or barbecue food or food items, except at the places provided therefor;

.100 To wash dishes or to empty salt water or other waste liquids elsewhere than in the sinks provided for such purposes; provided, however, that nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the dumping or disposal of any waste which is otherwise prohibited by any other law;

.110 To leave garbage, cans, bottles, papers or other refuse elsewhere than in the receptacles provided therefor;

.120 To play, or engage in any game, excepting at such place as shall be especially set apart for that purpose;

.130 To play or bet at or against any game which is played, conducted, dealt or carried on with cards, dice or other device, for money, chips, shells, credit or any other representative of value, or to maintain or exhibit any gambling table or other instrument of gambling or gaming;

.140 To indulge in riotous, boisterous, threatening or indecent conduct, or abusive, threatening, profane or indecent language;

.150 To disturb in any manner any picnic, meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition;

.160 To post or erect any bill, notice, paper, circular or advertising or display device of any kind, except as approved in conjunction with an event for which a permit has been approved pursuant to this chapter;

.170 To sell or offer for sale any merchandise, article or thing, whatsoever, without first obtaining permission from the City Council or a permit from the Community Services Department so to do unless authorized to engage in the business of being a Sidewalk Vendor pursuant to a valid Sidewalk Vendor Permit issued by the City of Anaheim pursuant to Chapter 4.52 of this Code. A Stationary Sidewalk Vendor, as that term is defined in Chapter 4.52, is prohibited from vending in a Public park that is subject to a concessions agreement that exclusively permits the sale of food or merchandise in that Public Park.

.180 To practice, carry on or conduct any trade, occupation, business or profession; provided this subsection shall not apply to any activity occurring as an integral part of an event for which a permit has been approved pursuant to this chapter;

.190 To remain, stay or loiter in any public park between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day;

.200 To possess or consume any alcoholic beverage in any public park, without first obtaining the permission of the City Council or a permit from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. “Alcoholic beverage” is defined as any beverage defined as an “alcoholic beverage” by the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of the State of California;

.205 To smoke, as further defined in Chapter 6.30 of this Code;

.210 To play or engage in the game of golf, or to hit any golf ball with a golf club;

.215 To repair or sell bicycles or bicycle parts, as further defined in Chapter 11.13 of this Code.

.220 A violation of subsections .030, .040, .070, .080, .130, .190, .200, .205 or .215 may be filed as an infraction or a misdemeanor at the discretion of the City Attorney. Except as otherwise provided in the immediately preceding sentence for violations of subsections .030, .040, .070, .080, .130, .190, .200, .205 or .215 of this section, any person violating any of the other provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a criminal infraction and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine as set forth in Section 36900 of the Government Code, or any successor provision thereto.

.230 A violation of subsection .170 by a person engaged in the business of being a Sidewalk Vendor pursuant to a valid Sidewalk Vendor Permit shall be enforced in accordance with the procedures set forth in Chapter 1.20 (Civil Citations) of this code, relating to the issuance of citations, imposing of administrative fines, right to appeal, and the right to an administrative hearing. Each person who violates subsection .170 shall be subject to the imposition and payment of administrative fine(s) as provided below:

.240 Notwithstanding any other provision in this Code, a violation of subsection.085 may be enforced alternatively as follows: (a) A violation of this Chapter may be punishable as a misdemeanor or an infraction at the discretion of the City Attorney; or (b) The City Attorney may institute an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to restrain, enjoin or abate the condition(s) found to be in violation of the provisions of this Chapter, as provided by law.

Any individual charged with violation of subsection .085, in lieu of being taken to jail, may, at the election of the citing police officer and with the consent of the individual, be taken to a facility providing social services related to mental health, housing, and/or substance abuse.

(Ord. 569 § 2; Ord. 1413; November 10, 1959: Ord. 3225 § 1; November 6, 1973: Ord. 3963 § 1; February 6, 1979: Ord. 4656 § 1; October 15, 1986: Ord. 4823 § 1; April 21, 1987: Ord. 5396 § 2; October 5, 1993: Ord. 5473 § 2; December 20, 1994: Ord. 5504 § 2 (part); June 27, 1995: Ord. 5842 § 1; November 5, 2002: Ord. 5919 7; June 8, 2004: Ord. 6290 § 2; November 5, 2013: Ord. 6314 § 3; February 3, 2015: Ord. 6348, § 1; November 17, 2015: Ord. 6370 § 2; April 12, 2016: Ord. 6449 §§ 5, 6; November 20, 2018: Ord. 6599 § 1; November 19, 2024.)

In and adjacent to any auditorium or open-air theater within any public park, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to do any of the acts hereinafter specified, to-wit:

.010 To hold any meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition without first obtaining permission from the City Council so to do;

.020 To charge any admission fee or to take up any collection at any such meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition without first obtaining permission from the City Council so to do;

.030 To loiter in the approaches or walks adjacent to any such auditorium or open-air theater during the progress of any meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition, or to disturb in any manner whatsoever any such program while the same is in progress.(Ord. 569 § 3; August 9, 1932: Ord. 5919 § 8; June 8, 2004.)

No company, society or organization of more than twenty-five persons shall hold or conduct any picnic, celebration, parade, service or exercise in any public park, without first obtaining permission from the City Council or a permit from the Director of Community Services, and it shall be unlawful for any person to take part in any picnic, celebration, parade, service or exercise held or conducted contrary to the provisions hereof. (Ord. 569 § 4; August 9, 1932: Ord. 5919 9; June 8, 2004.)

Any person not having a permit for the use of a recreational facility, using any recreational facility of any park and school district property where so designated for scheduling by the Parks, Recreation and the Arts Department in the City of Anaheim, shall surrender or turn over possession of said recreational facility to any person having possession of a permit for the use of said facility from the Parks, Recreation and the Arts Department of the City of Anaheim.

It shall be unlawful for any person not having a permit from the Parks, Recreation and the Arts Department to refuse or fail to surrender the use of any recreational facility to any person who has a permit for the use of said facility from the Parks, Recreation and the Arts Department of the City of Anaheim. (Ord. 3472 § 1; October 14, 1975.)

No male person over eight years of age, shall enter or use any toilet, restroom, dressing room or other facility in any public park designated by signs or other distinctive means for the exclusive use by persons of the opposite gender. (Ord. 569 § 5 as amended by Ord. 1413; November 10, 1959: Ord. 5919 § 10; June 8, 2004.)

It shall be unlawful for any persons to assemble, collect or gather together in any walk, passageway or pathway in any park or in any other place set apart for the travel of persons in or through any park or to occupy the same so that the free passage or use thereof by persons passing along the same shall be obstructed in any manner. (Ord. 569 § 6; August 9, 1932.)

Unless engaged in Sidewalk Vending pursuant to a valid Sidewalk Vendor Permit issued by the City of Anaheim pursuant to Chapter 4.52 of this Code, it shall be unlawful for any person or persons to sell, expose for sale or offer to sell in or along any public street, lane or thoroughfare adjoining or approaching any public park in the City of Anaheim within two hundred feet of said park, any goods, wares or merchandise of any kind whatsoever (Ord. 569 § 7; August 9, 1932: Ord. 6449 § 6; November 20, 2018.)

It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to stand, keep or expose for hire any wagon, carriage, automobile or other vehicle, in or along any public street, lane or thoroughfare, adjoining or approaching any public park in said City, within two hundred feet of any entrance to such park. (Ord. 569 § 8; August 9, 1932.)

It shall be unlawful for any person to enter any swimming pool maintained or operated by the City of Anaheim, without first having a shower bath and otherwise complying with all the safety rules and regulations prescribed by the State of California and the County of Orange; and it shall be unlawful for any person, after being in such swimming pool, to leave the same and re-enter without first taking a shower bath; it shall be unlawful for any person having a communicable disease or infectious disease of any kind, or suffering from cough, cold, fever, sores or wearing bandages to enter any such swimming pool. (Ord. 569 § 10; August 9, 1932: Ord. 5919 § 11; June 8, 2004.)

.010 All public parks within and under the jurisdiction of the City of Anaheim, including adjacent public parking lots and sidewalks, are hereby designated "drug-free zones" within the meaning of California Health & Safety Code Section 11380.5." (Ord. 5591 § 2; March 11, 1997.)

.020 For purposes of this section, "public parks" shall include public swimming pools and public youth centers." (Ord.5658, December 1, 1998.)

The rules and regulations hereinafter prescribed shall govern bicycle (non-motorized) operations within Special Use Parks, as defined in subsection .010 of Section 13.08.020. With the exception of use by police and park rangers, bicycles are not allowed in any other park within the City of Anaheim.

.010 Rules and Regulations for Bicycle Use.

.0101 Motorized bicycles are prohibited.

.0102 Operation of bicycles is restricted to paved and unpaved roads with a minimum width of eight feet.

.0103 Specific facility paved and unpaved roads may be excluded from use for bicycles by written determination of the Director of Community Services, or his or her designee. Such determinations will be based upon public safety and the potential impact on natural resources. Such prohibition shall be effective upon the posting of signs at or near each entrance to such road specifying that bicycles are prohibited therefrom.

.0104 Bicycles shall be operated at a safe speed and in a reasonable manner.

.0105 Bicyclists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians (walkers, hikers and/or joggers) and equestrians.

.0106 Bicycles are permitted on designated roads and trails only.

.0107 Bicycles are prohibited in designated "closed" areas.

.0108 Bicycle-designated roads and trails will be posted at each park.

.0109 Operation of bicycles is prohibited on unpaved roads and areas during wet or muddy conditions. (Ord. 5919 § 12; June 8, 2004.)

.0110 Trail and road closures are to be determined by the Director of Community Services, or his or her designee.

.0111 Exceptions to any of the restrictions require the approval of the Director of Community Services, or his or her designee.

.020 Violation of any rule or regulation specified in this section shall be punishable as an infraction. (Ord. 5842 § 2; November 5, 2002.)