Huntington Park Municipal Code Art. 1 Generally

For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"City"

means the City of Huntington Park.

"Director"

means the Director of Parks and Recreation.

"Group"

means 25 or more persons.

"Public park" or "recreation center facility"

means a park, reservation, playground, swimming pool, recreation building, or any other area in the City owned or used by the City and devoted to active or passive recreation or any open space, accessory structures or any other outside area within the Civic Center.

"Vehicle"

means any wheeled conveyance, whether motor-powered, animal-drawn, or self-propelled. "Vehicle" includes any trailer in tow of any size, kind, or description. An exception is made for baby carriages and vehicles in the service of the City parks.

(§ 1, Ord. 47-NS, eff. October 14, 1970, as amended by § 1, Ord. 328-NS, eff. October 20, 1982, § 2 Ord. 663-NS, eff. August 1, 2001, § 1, Ord. 910-NS, eff. July 3, 2013)

Within the limits of any public park or recreation center facility, it is unlawful for any person to do any of the following specified acts:

(a) Dig or remove any beach sand, whether submerged or not, or any soil, rock, stone, tree, shrub, plant, down timber, or other wood or material or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting, or other means;

(b) Construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, permanent or temporary in character, or run or string any public service utility into, upon, or across such land, except on special written permit issued by the Director;

(c) Go upon any lawn or grass plot where prohibited by the Director of Parks and Recreation and where such prohibition is indicated by proper and legible signs;

(d) Damage, cut, carve, transplant, or remove any tree or plant or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant. A person shall not dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area;

(e) Bring or maintain dogs, cats, birds, or horses within any public area except for a specific activity, such as a pet show or obedience class, as may be approved by the Director. Notwithstanding the foregoing, members of the public may bring or maintain dogs only at Veteran's Park, Keller Park, and Raul Perez Park provided the dog(s) are maintained on a leash at all times;

(f) Throw, discharge, or otherwise place, or cause to be placed, in the waters or any fountain, pond, or other body of water in or adjacent to any park, or any tributary, stream, storm sewer, or drain flowing into such waters, any substance, matter, or thing, liquid or solid, which may result in the pollution of such waters;

(g) Bring in or dump, deposit, or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, boxes, cans, refuse, or trash; nor shall there be placed in any waters in or contiguous to any park, or left anywhere on the grounds thereof, any of such items, except in the proper receptacles where these are provided. Where receptacles are not so provided, all such rubbish or waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence and be properly disposed of elsewhere;

(h) Drive any vehicle on any area except the paved park roads or parking areas or such other areas as may on occasion be specifically designated as temporary parking areas by the Director;

(i) Park a vehicle in other than an established or designated parking area, and such use shall be in accordance with the posted directions thereat and with the instructions of any attendant who may be present;

(j) Ride a bicycle on other than a paved vehicular road or path designated for that purpose. A bicyclist shall be permitted to wheel or push a bicycle by hand over any grassy area or wooded trail or on any paved area reserved for pedestrian use;

(k) Leave a bicycle lying on the ground or paving, or set against trees, or in any place or position where other persons may trip over or be injured by such bicycles;

(l) Bring or possess alcoholic beverages within any recreation center or park or consume alcoholic beverages at any time within any recreation center or park, except when in conjunction with an indoor event or indoor activity for which the consumption of alcoholic beverages has been specifically authorized by the City;

(m) Build an open fire except in fire rings provided and when authorized by the Director;

(n) Bring in or possess, or set off, or otherwise cause to explode or discharge or burn any firecracker, torpedo, rocket, or other fireworks or explosives of inflammable material or discharge them or throw them into any such area from land or highways adjacent thereto;

(o) Disturb or interfere unreasonably with any person or party occupying any area or participating in any activity under the authority of a permit;

(p) Conduct or engage in camping, other than organized camping approved or provided by the Director and used by groups of persons under adequate supervision. No person shall set up tents, shacks, or other temporary shelters for the purpose of overnight camping, nor shall any person leave in the park area after closing hours any movable structure or special vehicle to be used or which could be used for such purpose, such as a house trailer, camper, or similar vehicle;

(q) Engage in the playing of soccer in any City municipal park or in the open areas of the Civic Center, other than in the fenced areas of Salt Lake Park and West Side Park which are designated by the City for the playing of soccer;

(r) No person shall be in possession of a burning tobacco or tobacco-related product, including, but not limited to, cigars and cigarettes, in or upon any public park, playground or recreation center;

(s) No person shall dispose of lighted or unlighted cigars or cigarettes, or cigar or cigarette butts, or any other tobacco-related waste in or upon any public park, playground or recreation center; or

(t) No person shall intimidate, threaten any reprisal, or effect any reprisal, for the purpose of retaliating against another person who seeks to obtain compliance with this section.

(§ 1, Ord. 47-NS, eff. October 14, 1970, as amended by § 1, Ord. 328-NS, eff. October 20, 1982, § 1, Ord. 590-NS, eff. September 3, 1997, § 2 (115), Ord. 624-NS, eff. December 15, 1999, § 3 Ord. 663-NS, eff. August 1, 2001, § 1, Ord. 689-NS, eff. October 21, 2002; Ord. 2025-05, eff. April 16, 2025)

Any person violating the provisions of subsection (l) of Section 5-21.02 of this chapter pertaining to alcoholic beverages shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter, other than said subsection (l) of Section 5-21.02, shall be guilty of an infraction and shall be punishable by a fine in accordance with Section 1-2.01 of this Code.

(§ 1, Ord. 47-NS, eff. October 14, 1970, as amended by § 1, Ord. 328-NS, eff. October 20, 1982, and § 2 (84), Ord. 624-NS, eff. December 15, 1999, § 4 Ord. 663-NS, eff. August 1, 2001)

(a) The public parks are open to the general public between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. and are closed to the general public all other hours.

(b) It is unlawful for any person or group to occupy or be present in any public park during hours in which the public park is not open except as follows:

(1) City employees or agents and peace officers when engaged in official business;

(2) Persons with a special permit issued by the Director of Parks Recreation or designee;

(3) Persons and/or spectators participating in City sponsored or City-approved programs or events which take place outside posted hours of operation.

(c) Any park or portion thereof may be declared closed to the public by the Parks and Recreation Commission or the Director of Parks and Recreation at any time and for any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular or stated intervals. It is unlawful for any person to enter or be present in any park or portion thereof which has been closed to the public.

(d) The Director of Parks and Recreation shall cause to be posted signs in public view at the points of entrance to the parks indicating the hours of operation set forth in this section.

(§ 1, Ord. 721-NS, eff. January 14, 2004, as amended by § 2, Ord. 910-NS, eff. July 3, 2013)