Chico Municipal Code § 12.18.190 Destruction, injury, cutting, alteration or removal of public property or any…

No person shall destroy, injure, cut, alter or remove any park facility or infrastructure, historical or archeological feature, including, but not limited to, tables, fencing, signs, parking lots, walls, restrooms, or play structures, or natural condition of the landscape, including, but not limited to, flowers, shrubbery, plants, vines, trees, grass, wood, or rocks, in or from any city park or playground except with written permission of the director.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall possess any glass container in any park or playground within the city except that the sponsor of an organized public event may obtain permission from the director to possess glass containers, provided that the containers remain under the sponsor's control and are not distributed to participants of the event.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

Equestrian use shall be permitted on all roads and trails within city parks except that equestrian use is prohibited in any city playground, in the One-Mile Recreation Area, on turf areas in any city park, on the Yahi Trail in Bidwell Park, and on accessible trails in any city park. No equestrian use shall be permitted on the trails whenever the director determines that damage is likely due to wet weather condition and closes the trails or portions thereof. Roads closed, permanently or temporarily, to motor vehicles are trails for the purpose of this section. Equestrians shall cross creeks flowing through city parks only at regularly established trail or vehicular crossings. Equestrians shall not tie or hitch any horse within 100 feet of any established swimming pool, picnic ground, or picnic table. Equestrians shall not ride in a reckless or unsafe manner within a city park, whether on- or off-road or trail.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

Except as otherwise provided under Article IV of this Chapter as related specifically to dogs, no person shall bring any wild or domesticated animal into any park or playground in the city unless the animal is penned, caged or kept and maintained on a leash under the effective control of the owner or handler and restrained by a leash not exceeding six (6) feet in length.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

A. Except as herein otherwise provided, it is unlawful to make any fire at any point in any park, greenway, or open space, in the city, except at regularly established places for such purposes. "Regularly Established Places" are defined to be masonry, concrete or metal constructed fireplaces, pits or grills in designated city parks. Only charcoal briquettes from manufactured sources shall be used in Regularly Established Places. The use of portable propane barbecue devices is also allowed in Regularly Established Places only.

B. Fires at the Campfire Council Ring in Bidwell Park may be authorized by a permit issued by the director, who shall notify the fire department of each permit issued. Such permitted fires shall not be left unattended and must be completely extinguished prior to the permittee's departure.

C. No fires in BBQs or the Council Ring shall be allowed between 7:00 p.m. and sunrise during the months of October through March, between 9:00 p.m. and sunrise during the months of April through September, during designated Red Flag Fire Warning Days, or other times necessary for public safety.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall discard or discharge any solid or liquid substance into the waters of any fountain in any park in the city.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall throw, dump or otherwise place or cause to be placed, or leave, either directly or indirectly, any rubbish, garbage, sewage or waste matter, or any trash or refuse of any kind or character, in any public park or playground of the city, other than in receptacles established and maintained for such purposes. No person shall bring, or cause to be brought, any rubbish, garbage, sewage, waste matter, trash or refuse of any kind into any public park or playground of the city for the purpose of disposing of same therein either in the receptacles described herein or at any other place.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

A. Except as provided in subsection B, below, no person shall feed or cause the feeding of any wild or domestic animals within Bidwell Park. No person shall leave food or containers of food for the purpose of feeding any animals within Bidwell Park.

B. Unless otherwise prohibited by this chapter, feeding of fowl at Horseshoe Lake and the Deer Pen, and feeding of a domestic animal by its owner or handler, while under the owner or handler's control, is permitted.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall cause a loud or excessive noise within a city park or playground which unreasonably disturbs the peace and quiet of any neighborhood, the quiet enjoyment of property, or any reasonable person of normal sensitivity residing or working in the area, unless such noise is emanating from a public event for which a permit has been issued by the director or Bidwell Park and Playground Commission, in which case the conditions of such permit as to noise shall apply.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

A. No person shall post a sign in a city park or playground or leave a sign unattended in a city park or playground unless the sign is posted or placed in the park or playground as part of a public event authorized by a permit issued pursuant to Chapter 12R.08 of Title 12R. However, with prior approval of the director, unattended signs which are not part of such a public event may be placed in a city park or playground by a public agency for the purpose of informing the public of a public event sponsored by that agency. Such sign shall not remain in a park or playground for a duration exceeding seven days.

B. This section shall not preclude a person from bringing a sign into a city park or playground for purposes of displaying the sign to members of the general public provided the sign is continually maintained in such person's immediate custody and control and is not affixed to any tree, building, or other vegetative growth or structure within the park or playground.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall display or post any commercial advertising in any city park or playground unless such advertising is posted or displayed as part of a public event authorized by a permit issued pursuant to Chapter 12R.08 of Title 12R or unless such advertising has been approved by the Bidwell Park and Playground Commission.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall hunt, injure, harass or take any wildlife including, but not limited to, wild game, animals, birds, or eggs in any city park or playground except with written permission of the director, which permission shall be given solely for the protection of life or property or the preservation of wildlife. All applicable federal, state, or municipal statutes, regulations, or ordinances including, but not limited to, any park rule or regulation now or hereafter adopted by the city, shall have full force and effect in city parks and playgrounds.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

A. No person shall take or discharge any firearm or other projectile weapon upon, through, across, or within any city park or playground except by special permission from the director.

B. All applicable federal, state, or municipal statutes, regulations, or ordinances related to firearms or other projectile weapons including, but not limited to, any park rule or regulation now or hereafter adopted by the city shall have full force and effect in city parks and playgrounds.

C. Notwithstanding the above, a person may take a firearm or other projectile weapon in Upper Bidwell Park while going to or coming from the Chico Rod and Gun Club facility. Such persons may only discharge a firearm or other projectile weapon in Upper Bidwell Park within the Chico Rod and Gun Club facility.

D. For the purposes of this section, "firearm or other projectile weapon" includes, but is not limited to, any pistol, revolver, rifle, gun, flare gun, paint ball gun, zip gun, spring gun, air gun, BB or pellet gun, rocket, rocket launcher, rocket propelled projectile launcher, slingshot, wrist rocket, bow and arrow, or crossbow or compound bow designed to propel an arrow.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall light or carry any lighted cigar, pipe, cigarette or other smoking device within any city-owned park, greenway, open space or preserve, or on the sidewalks adjacent to and surrounding City Plaza. This section shall not apply to the Bidwell Park Municipal Golf Course.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall possess or discharge any fireworks in any city park or playground.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

A. Hang-gliding. No person shall participate in the sport of hang-gliding within the boundaries of any city park or playground.

B. Para-gliding. Para-gliding in Bidwell Park is permitted as follows:

i. No person shall para-glide in Bidwell Park without first obtaining a permit from the director. Permit applications shall be filed in the office of the director. The director shall issue permits only to pilots who provide evidence of current membership in the United States Hang Gliding and Para-gliding Association (USHPA) and possess, at a minimum, a USHPA intermediate rating of Para 3. A permit may also be issued to a pilot who is a member of USHPA and has a beginner rating of Para 2, subject to the condition that a pilot with a Para 2 rating may only para-glide in Bidwell Park when accompanied by another pilot who possesses a rating of Para 3 or greater and who has also been issued a permit by the director. An applicant for a para-gliding permit must agree in writing to comply with the permit conditions set forth in paragraph 2., below, prior to issuance of a permit. A permit shall be valid for a period of one year from the date of issuance.

ii. All para-gliding permits shall be subject to the following conditions:

1. All pilots shall fly with a reserve parachute.

2. Para-gliding shall occur only from those designated launching and landing locations delineated in Exhibit "L" of this chapter.

3. Only one pilot launching and one pilot setting up shall be permitted on each launch site at any one time.

4. Pilots shall make every effort to minimize their effect on the launch site by not digging, removing or moving rocks, or removing any vegetation.

• 5. Motorized para-gliding is prohibited.
• 6. Para-gliding acrobatics are prohibited.
• 7. Pilots shall avoid flying over or around horses.

8. All pilots with a Para 2 rating must be accompanied by a pilot with a Para 3, or greater, rating who also has a permit issued by the director.

9. The director may apply additional conditions if necessary to protect the natural resources of Bidwell Park.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

No person shall enter into or use a designated restoration area which has been appropriately signed and fenced as such within the boundaries of any city park or playground. For the purposes of this section, "designated restoration area" means an area within a city park or playground requiring special renovation or reconstruction in order to protect and/or restore the animal or plant life within it, or to refurbish its natural terrain features, and which requires the exclusion of public use for an appropriate and necessary time period to accomplish such end.

(Ord. 2556; Ord. 2557)

(Repealed by Ord. 2606 § 4, dated 11/5/2024)