Hemet Municipal Code Art. I General Provisions

This chapter shall be the city's "parks ordinance." For the purposes of this chapter and all park regulations adopted pursuant hereto, words and phrases shall have the meanings listed in this section.

City event means a group event that is sponsored or co-sponsored by the city or a joint powers authority of which the city is a member.

City manager means the City Manager of the City of Hemet, or his or her designee.

Community based organization or CBO means any public nonprofit benefit corporation of demonstrated effectiveness approved by the city manager. The city clerk shall maintain a list of approved CBOs prepared and updated by the city manager as a public record.

Fire chief means the Fire Chief of the Hemet Fire Department or his or her designee.

Group event means:

(1) An organized picnic, exhibit, show, class, or similar gathering of people in a park:

a. At which the organizing person or party serves food or beverages, regardless of whether those consuming said food or beverages are charged for same; or

b. To which the organizing person or party brings furniture or equipment such as tables, booths, tents or play equipment.

(2) Group events include any large group event; however, no city event shall be considered or treated as a group event hereunder.

Hemet-based group event means a group event wherein the applicant for a permit per this chapter is a city resident, a business or school located in the city, a community based organization wherein the majority of members or board members are city residents, or which CBO provides services to a significant number of city residents on a continuing basis. A large group event may meet the criteria of an Hemet-based group event, and shall be treated as same.

Large group event means any group event, including any Hemet-based group event, meeting both of the following criteria:

(1) The application for the group event permit in question anticipates attendance of 50 persons or more, including the organizing person or party and any staff thereof, and any people who will be performing or entertaining at the proposed group event; and

(2) The city manager determines that the group event in question will require the dedication of city staff time to address and mitigate event-specific impacts on the community such as those listed in subsection 50-41(b). However, every group event with an anticipated attendance of 100 persons or more, including the organizing person or party and any staff thereof, shall be a large group event.

Park means a parcel or contiguous parcels of land owned, operated and maintained by the city that provides space and/or a facility, whether indoor or outdoor, for the benefit and enjoyment of people residing or visiting in the city. Parks may be classified as community or neighborhood parks, community centers such as the Simpson Center, athletic or aquatic facilities, golf courses, libraries, picnic areas, cultural centers, or similar facilities to those listed herein. Parks may include parking lots, playground equipment, sports fields, skate parks, buildings or other structures, or other amenities. Parks may include or be limited to open space areas suitable for active or passive uses. Parks regulated by this chapter shall be limited to space and/or facilities that contain park sites that may be used for a group event.

Park regulations means regulations adopted by the city council or city manager to facilitate this chapter's implementation and advance its efficiency in meeting the needs of the community.

Park site means a discrete or definable site or an area within a park that may serve as the location for a group event, and for which a permit may be obtained per this chapter.

Police chief means the Chief of the Hemet Police Department or his or her designee.

Permit means a certificate or written approval to engage in specified activity in a park as specified in this chapter; any permit issued per this chapter shall also function as an exclusive reservation of a park site, or under limited circumstances the entirety of a park, for a particular use.

Weapon means any firearm, firecracker, rocket, firework, missile, item listed in Penal Code § 12020(a), or less than lethal weapon listed in Penal Code § 12601(a).

(Ord. No. 2048, § 1, 1-14-25)

(a) This chapter shall not apply to any park or facility owned by the valley-wide recreation district except by written agreement with that agency.

(b) This chapter shall apply to any park or facility owned by the city, notwithstanding that such park or facility is managed, operated, or maintained by the valley-wide recreation district. For city-owned parks managed, operated, or maintained by valley-wide recreation district, the city manager may designate the general manager of the district as his or her designee for any acts to be done under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 2048, § 1, 1-14-25)