Fresno County Municipal Code Ch. 13.16 Parks and Recreation Areas

Footnotes:

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State Law reference— For statutory provisions regarding the establishment and maintenance of parks by counties, see Gov. Code § 25210.60 et seq.

The terms public park or recreation area as used herein shall include all land, lakes, rivers and roadside rests, together with the improvements and facilities provided thereon which are owned or operated by the county as a public park or public recreation area and the provisions of this chapter shall apply thereto; provided, however, that it shall not apply to the Courthouse Park.

(Prior code, § 212)

It is unlawful for any person in any public park or recreation area to pick or damage any flowers, foliage or fruit, or to break, dig up or in any way mutilate or damage any tree, shrub, plant, grass, railing, wall, seat, fence or other structure or to cut, carve, write, paint or otherwise make any mark thereon or to fasten to any tree, stone, fence, wall, monument or other structure any sign, notice, advertisement or other inscription. No person shall dig up or remove any dirt, stones, rock, or other thing whatever, make any excavation, lay or set off any blast or otherwise alter the natural features of any park or recreation area without the specific permission of the director of public works and planning or designee of the county.

(Ord. 02-024, § 1; Ord. 619, § 17, 1980; prior code, § 213)

It is unlawful for any person within any park or recreation area to do any of the following:

A. Deposit, place, throw or in any manner dispose of any rubbish, trash, garbage, can, bottle, glass or paper or any decaying or putrid matter of any kind whatsoever except in containers provided for such purpose;

B. Contaminate in any way any watershed, lake, river or other water supply, and in this respect it is unlawful to wash any clothing or cooking utensils in any such waters;

C. Light any fire except in places specifically provided therefor, and all dead wood, moss, dry leaves, chips or other combustible material which may have gathered around any place provided for fires shall be carefully removed before lighting any fire. When the fire is no longer needed, it shall be completely extinguished with water;

D. Possess or use any fireworks of any kind whatsoever except for a public display pursuant to a permit therefor;

E. Possess any firearm or discharge such firearm within, into or across such park or recreation area, provided that this provision shall not apply to any peace officer or concessionaire in the lawful discharge of his duty;

F. Kill, wound, chase or capture any wild bird or animal, provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to the duly authorized agents of the county in the necessary control of predatory birds or animals;

G. Engage in gambling in any form;

H. Permit any dog, cat, fowl or other domestic animal under his control to enter or go at large within such park or recreation area; provided, however, that this does not apply to dogs upon a leash and under the immediate control of the person in possession thereof; nor does it apply to horses or mules upon an equestrian path or other places specifically designated therefor; nor does it apply to horses or mules upon an equestrian path or other places specifically designated therefor; nor does it apply to any domestic animal when specific permission therefor has been granted by the board of supervisors;

I. Operate an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle in excess of posted speed limits or into any areas where signs prohibiting the same have been placed;

J. Solicit, sell or peddle any food, drink, circulars, papers, goods, wares or merchandise of any kind except pursuant to specific concession or permit therefor secured from the county;

K. Promote, conduct or manage any game, contest, show, exhibition, concert or lecture when an admission charge thereto is made or an offering received except in strict accordance with a written permit therefor obtained from the director of public works and planning or designee, who may impose reasonable conditions to the issuance of such permit;

L. Use or operate for any purpose any loudspeaker, loudspeaker system, or similar device which produces amplified sound exceeding fifty decibels as measured at a distance of one hundred feet (thirty meters) on a sound level meter using the A-weighted network except in strict accordance with a written permit therefor obtained from the director of public works and planning or designee, who shall have the authority to impose conditions with respect to the time, place, number of participants and spectators, type of equipment, sound levels, and such other reasonable conditions as are deemed necessary where such amplifying devices are in use;

M. Make any unnecessary noises between the hours of ten p.m. and six a.m.;

N. Park any motor vehicle except in designated parking areas or along roadsides where signs are erected permitting parking;

O. Operate any motor vehicle except on designated roads and parking areas;

P. Permit any motor vehicle to remain within a park or recreation area during the hours when the same is closed without the written permission of the director of public works and planning or designee;

Q. Wash or repair any motor vehicles within any park or recreation area except for minor emergency repairs;

R. Operate any motor vehicle unless the same is equipped with a muffler which is in compliance with the California State Law;

S. Operate any motor vehicle unless such vehicle was properly licensed by the state for public road uses except in any area specifically designated for such use and where signs are erected so stating;

T. Erect or operate any bouncehouse or dunk tank or similar device, except in strict accordance with a written permit obtained from the county.

(Amended during the 12/07 supplement; Ord. 02-024, § 1; Ord. 02-011, § 1; Ord. 0-82-008, § 1; Ord. 619, § 18, 1980; Ord. 535-A-2, § 1, 1980; Ord. 535-A-1, § 1, 1976; prior code, § 214)

A. It is unlawful for any person to camp within any park or recreation area without having first secured a written permit therefor from the director of public works and planning or designee and no person shall camp outside of a campsite or site designated in such permit. The director of public works and planning or designee shall charge a fee for each permit in such sum as may from time to time be designated by resolution of the board of supervisors. Camping units in any one campsite shall be limited to two with a total maximum people occupying such campsite limited to eight persons; provided, the director of public works and planning or designee may, under special circumstances where in his opinion facilities are such that more units or people can be satisfactorily accommodated, issue a special permit so authorizing. No camping permit shall be issued for longer than fourteen days in any calendar month; provided, that the director of public works and planning or designee may authorize longer limits of stay where camping facilities are not then being used to capacity. Equipment left in a campsite unattended for twenty-four hours without special permission of the director of public works and planning or designee may be removed by the director or designee and no refunds will be made. All equipment shall be completely removed from a campsite and the site cleaned before departure. All campsites shall be kept clean and free from all rubbish, garbage or litter of any kind. Combustible rubbish may be burned on camp fires and all other garbage and refuse of any kind shall be placed in containers or pits provided therefor.

B. Persons desiring to reserve park and picnicking facilities must obtain a permit therefor from the director of public works and planning or designee or a member of his staff who may assign and reserve particular areas therefor on a first-come, first-serve basis. It is unlawful for any person other than those designated in the permit to occupy any areas so assigned when signs making known such reservation have been posted or such persons have been otherwise informed thereof by the director of public works and planning or designee or a member of his staff. Any person desiring to reserve an area to accommodate twenty-five or more persons shall make a deposit with the director of public works and planning or designee at the rate of ten dollars per one hundred persons or any part thereof. This deposit shall be for the purpose of guaranteeing that the person obtaining the reservation will clean up the area and that no damage to any park property will occur. The deposit shall be returned if the area is left clean and no damage is committed. Otherwise, the deposit will be retained by the director and paid over to the auditor-controller/treasurer-tax collector for deposit in the general fund of the county.

C. In order to defray the extraordinary cost to the county involved, fees shall be charged to any person, group or organization reserving facilities in any county-maintained park. Such fee shall be in an amount established from time to time by resolution of the board of supervisors and shall be fixed by such board in an amount as will in the opinion of the board defray the cost to the county, over and above normal maintenance costs, of the proposed use of the specified facility. The fee shall be paid to the director of public works and planning or designee upon making application for the reservation. The reservation and payment of fee shall be made not later than sixty days prior to the date of the proposed use and the fee shall not be refundable unless the director is notified at least thirty days in advance of the date of the proposed use that it has been cancelled. The director or designee may waive either of these specified time limits when in his opinion the purpose of this section is not impaired thereby.

(Ord. 02-024, § 1; Ord. 619, § 19, 1980; Ord. 535-A-1 § 1, 1976; prior code, § 215)

In order to promote the safety, comfort and convenience of persons using any park or recreation area, the board of supervisors may from time to time by resolution adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter and make the same applicable generally or to a particular park or recreation area or portion thereof. Such rules and regulations may include regulating the speed of vehicles, establishing parking areas and areas where parking or driving of vehicles is prohibited, areas where certain games or activities are prohibited and such other rules and regulations as in the opinion of the board of supervisors are necessary for the safety, comfort and convenience of persons using such park or recreation area. When such rules and regulations have been adopted and signs erected within the park or recreation area or portions thereof affected thereby informing the public of the substance of such rules and regulations, it is unlawful for any person to fail to comply therewith.

(Prior code, § 216)

A. It is unlawful for any person to consume any beer, wine or other intoxicating or alcoholic beverages in, about or on the Tranquillity Irrigation District Park, except as provided herein.

B. The manager of the district shall issue a permit to allow the consumption of beer and/or wine in the park for special group events only. A permit shall be denied if any of the following conditions exist:

1. The proposed use will necessarily result in a violation of applicable federal, state or local law; or

2. The park is inadequate in size and shape or is without the necessary facilities to accommodate such use; or

3. The proposed use will have an unreasonable adverse impact on abutting property or the surrounding neighborhood; or

4. Applicant has not provided for adequate security or law enforcement services for the proposed use. The permit shall be effective for one day only. The manager of the district is authorized to issue the permit without prior approval of the board of directors of the district.

C. These provisions shall not be deemed to make lawful any act or acts which are prohibited by any law of the state of California.

(Ord. 88-002, § 1)

A. It is unlawful for any person to consume any beer, wine, or other intoxicating or alcoholic beverages in, about, or on the Raisin City Park, except as provided herein.

B. The chairman of the Raisin City Park and Recreation District shall issue a permit to allow the consumption of beer and/or wine in the park for special group events only. A permit shall be denied if any of the following conditions exist:

1. The proposed use will necessarily result in a violation of applicable federal, state or local law; or

2. The park is inadequate in size and shape or is without the necessary facilities to accommodate such use; or

3. The proposed use will have an unreasonable adverse impact on abutting property or the surrounding neighborhood; or

4. Applicant has not provided for adequate security or law enforcement services for the proposed use.

C. The permit shall be effective for one day only. The chairman of the district is authorized to issue the permit only with prior approval of the board of directors of the district.

D. These provisions shall not be deemed to make lawful any act or acts which are prohibited by any law of the state of California.

(Ord. 88-013, § 1)

There shall be a vehicle entrance fee for all County parks as established in Section 1500 of the Master Schedule of Fees.

The Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning or designee is authorized to waive the vehicle entrance fee for the following:

A. Public schools conducting educational or athletic events. The fee may be waived for students, parents, guardians, teachers, officials and support staff.

B. Employees of public agencies conducting public business. The waiver may also be extended to contractors or consultants conducting business on behalf of public agencies.

C. Persons entering parks for community service projects sponsored by local charitable organizations which directly benefit the parks and immediately surrounding environments.

D. The Board of Supervisors may also waive the vehicle entrance fee when in the opinion of the Board the waiving of the fee will provide a direct public benefit.

All requests for waivers shall be submitted to the Director of the Department of Public Works and Planning in advance of the requested entrance.

All United States veterans and active-duty service members with proof of status as a veteran or active-duty service member are exempt from vehicle entrance fees for all County parks.

(Ord. No. 25-027, § 1, 11-18-2025; Ord. 07-047, § 1)