Chapter 9.30 — CONDUCT IN PUBLIC PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all town parks on public property and the town community center and any other temporary or permanent recreation facilities.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

(a)

Park Hours. The parks shall be open for public use from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., except as may be otherwise posted by order of the town manager at the entrance to the park or by written permission of the town manager or their designee.

(b)

Community Center Hours. The community center is open during regular business hours, except as may be authorized by written permission of the town manager or their designee.

(c)

Closures. The town reserves the right to close the parks and community center to the public for the purpose of protecting the environmental quality of the area, during periods of extreme fire hazard, or other such conditions deemed hazardous to persons or property.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

The town manager or their designee may establish rules for use of the community center and other recreation facilities.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following in town parks, the community center, and any other recreation facilities:

(a)

Amplified Sound. Use amplified sound, without a valid permit issued by the town manager or their designee.

(b)

Destruction of property. Willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, displace, or remove any railing, bench, paving, paving material, water line, signs, notices, or placards (whether temporary or permanent), monuments, stakes, posts, or other boundary markers, wall or rock border, structures, equipment, facilities, or public property of any kind.

(c)

Damage or Remove Natural Resources. Damage, cut, carve, burn, or remove any tree or plant or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant or remove sand, soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs, or plants.

(d)

Dumping. Dump, deposit, or leave any bottles, broken glass, paper, boxes, cans, garden trimmings, rubbish, waste or garbage, or other trash except those items which are incidental to the use of park facilities which items must be deposited in the receptacles provided. Where refuse receptacles are not provided or are full, the person responsible for the presence of refuse shall move such refuse from the park or building and properly dispose of it elsewhere.

(e)

Erection of Structures. Construct or erect any building of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary in character, any tent, fly or windbreak, or run or string any rope, cord, or wire into, upon, or across, any public property without an encroachment permit. Bounce houses are permitted only with a valid permit.

(f)

Fires and Barbeques. Kindle or maintain in any park, for any purpose, any fire except a fire for cooking in the barbecue grills provided by the town is permitted. No person may dispose of any used coals in the park or park receptacles.

(g)

Loitering. Sleep or protractedly lounge on seats, benches, sidewalks, curbs, planters, walls, or other areas in such a manner as will interfere with the rights of others to use the areas for which they were intended.

(h)

Personal Services. No person shall use any of the facilities or areas of any park for the purpose of providing athletic instruction or training for compensation without a lawful permit.

(i)

Posting of Signs. Post or affix to any tree, shrub, plant, fence, building, monument, wall, post, vehicle, or other physical object in any park any written or printed material, including, but not limited to, signs, notices, handbills, circulars and pamphlets. Any person who has scheduled an event in any park pursuant to a permit from the town may erect or post signs on the day that the event is scheduled if permitted by permit.

(j)

Selling and Vending. Selling or offering for sale any service, merchandise, article, or anything whatever, nor station or place any stand, cart, or vehicle for the transportation, sale or display of any such article or thing, in any park, or the community center or other recreation facilities except by permit issued by the town manager or their designee and subject to all other provisions of this code. Any vendor must possess a valid Corte Madera Business License.

(k)

Bathing. No person shall swim, bathe, wade in or pollute the water of any fountain, pond, lake, or stream, except that wading or swimming shall be permitted in facilities provided for these purposes, subject to rules and regulations for their proper operation.

(l)

No group of persons numbering thirty-five or more individuals in any group shall hold or conduct any picnic, celebration, parade, service or exercise, or any other organized activity in any park or other recreation facility except in accordance with the rules and regulations for group use of town park and recreation facilities.

(m)

No person shall drive, putt, or in any other fashion play or practice golf or use golf balls or clubs in any park and recreation area.

(n)

No person shall fly model airplanes or other such model craft of any description including drones in town parks. For the purposes of this subsection, a model airplane or other such model craft is defined as gasoline or fuel powered.

(o)

No person shall possess any glass container in any park.

(p)

Wheeled Recreational Vehicles.

(1)

No person shall operate, drive, ride upon or use any bicycle, unicycle, or other wheeled vehicle, other than skates, in-line skates and skateboards within the fenced area of the Town Park Skatepark.

(2)

No person shall ride upon any motor vehicle, as defined in California Vehicle Code section 415, bicycle, electric bicycle, unicycle, skateboard, or roller skates in town parks other than on established paved pathways.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

(a)

Town Park Skate Park—Skateboards and Skating Permitted. The fenced area of the town park skate park is hereby designated a public recreational park in which skateboarding, in-line skating and skating are permitted.

(b)

Helmet, Elbow and Knee Pads Required. No person shall ride a skateboard, in-line skates or skates at the town park skatepark where skateboarding, in-line skating or skating is permitted, without wearing a helmet, elbow pads and knee pads. The town manager shall cause signs to be posted that state that a rider must wear a helmet, elbow pads, and knee pads.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

Parents or guardians of minor children shall be held accountable for the acts of their children. Damage or vandalism to public property and facilities or equipment by children shall be the responsibility of the parent having custody or control of the minor.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

(a)

Members of the Central Marin Police Authority, citation officers, as defined in Section 9.05.030 of this code, and parks and recreation department employees, are authorized to order any person to leave and remain out of any park, the community center, or any other recreation facilities when such officers and employees have reasonable cause to conclude that the person is:

(1)

Using any drug or controlled substance, as defined above, any combination of any intoxicating liquor, drug, or controlled substance, or in a state of intoxication;

(2)

Disobeying any rule or regulation governing such area or facility after being warned not to do so by a parks and recreation department employee when the employee has reasonable cause to conclude that such behavior damages or risks damage to park property or interferes with the use and enjoyment of such area or facility by other persons;

(3)

Taking any action in violation of this chapter of this code.

(b)

Refusal to obey a lawful order pursuant to this section constitutes a misdemeanor.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

The provisions of this chapter may be enforced by any peace officer or citation officer as defined in Section 9.05.030 of this code.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)

Any person violating Section 9. 80.020 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be subject to administrative citation pursuant to Chapter 9.05 of this code.

(Ord. No. 1041, § 2, 9-17-2024)