Inglewood Municipal Code Art. 3 Park Regulations

"Parkway area"

shall mean that area of any public street, avenue, road, alley, way or place which lies between the property line fronting a street and the curb line adjacent thereto.

A "public park" shall mean a public playground, public recreation center or area, and other public areas, created, established, designated, maintained, provided or set aside by the City, for the purposes of public rest, play, recreation, enjoyment or assembly, and all buildings, facilities and structures located thereon or therein.

It shall be unlawful for any person to plant any tree in a parkway not of the specie, nature and kind designated for such parkway in the "Official Planting Plan" unless such planting is permitted by a variance or exception granted by the City Council after consideration and recommendation by the Park and Recreation Commission.

Subject to the provisions of this Chapter relating to the planting and maintaining of trees and shrubs in the public streets and parkways and of the Official Planting Plan, the owner or person in charge, custody, control or possession of any parcel of real property adjoining any parkway shall have the right to plant, cultivate and maintain in any such parkway, lawns, flowers, vines and shrubs of a character proper and suitable for planting in such areas, and shall be under the duty and obligation to properly attend, cultivate, water and care for all such plantings.

It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, pick, injure, mutilate, break, crush or destroy any plant, lawn, shrub, vine, bush, flower or other decorative or ornamental growth in or upon any parkway area or public park, provided, however, that the provisions of this Section shall not apply to the owner or person in charge, custody, control or possession of the parcel of real property immediately adjoining such parkway area from planting, maintaining, cultivating, removing, replacing and general maintaining such parkway area in the usual and customary manner.

It shall be the duty of all owners and persons having the possession and control of any parcel of real property to:

(a) Properly cultivate, care for and maintain all trees and shrubs now or hereafter planted or set out within any of the public streets and parkway planting areas immediately adjacent to their respective real properties, subject, however, to the general supervision, direction and control of the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director; and

(b) Promptly notify the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director in the event any tree or shrub in the public street, avenue, highway and parkway planting area immediately adjacent to the property owned or controlled by such owner or person entitled to the possession and control of such property, is in such condition as to be a menace to public safety or endanger life or property; and

(c) Keep such parkway at all times in a clean and neat condition and free from objectionable matter and from encroachments or obstacles which may or might afford or constitute a hazard to persons or property.

(Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 88-11 6-28-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)

It shall be unlawful for any person to permit any tree, lawn, vine, shrub or other planting, planted by him or her or over which he or she has possession or control, to encroach in or upon any public street or parkway, in such manner as to endanger or discommode pedestrians or traffic, or interfere with the free and unhindered use for pedestrians or vehicular traffic purposes.

It shall be the duty of the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director to keep informed as to the condition of the parkway areas within the City, and to notify the owners or persons having custody and control of any tree, lawn, plant, vine or shrub which encroaches upon the parkway area in a manner contrary to that prescribed in this Article to remove and abate such encroachment, and such owner or person shall not fail, refuse or neglect to promptly remedy any such condition referred to in any such notice.

(Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)

It shall be unlawful for any person to place or deposit any rubbish, debris or waste matter, or waste materials, or abandoned matter or abandoned materials of any kind, in or upon any parkway area; except where deposited in rubbish receptacles located in accordance with the established regulations of the City. Miscellaneous grass, tree, vine and shrub cuttings may also be placed in such receptacles in such manner as to not afford any hazard or danger to persons or property. Where an open and accessible public alley exists in the rear or on the side of any premises, such cuttings shall if established regulations so require, be placed in, or immediately adjacent to, such public alley, instead of in the public street in front of or along such premises.

It shall be unlawful for any person, without written permission of the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director, within any public park to hitch, fasten, lead, drive, ride or let loose any animal or fowl of any kind, provided that this shall not apply to dogs when led by a cord or chain not more than six feet long.

(Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 88-11 6-28-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)

It shall be unlawful for any person, without written permission of the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director within any public park, to carry or discharge any firearms, firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes or any other fireworks, or airgun or slingshot; provided, however, that such permits may only be issued for such items as may be lawful under the laws of the state and the ordinances of the City.

(Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 88-11 6-28-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)

It shall be unlawful for any person within any public park to swim, fish in, bathe, wade in, or pollute the water of any fountain, pond, lake or stream; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be construed as prohibiting the use for the purpose intended, of any casting pool, wading pool or bathing pool, specially provided for such particular use.

It shall be unlawful for any person, without the written permission of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director within any public park to:

(a) Make or kindle a fire except in picnic stoves or fireplaces provided for that purpose;

(b) Camp or lodge therein. "Camp or lodge" means to erect, maintain or occupy a camp facility for the purpose of living accommodations. "Camp facility" means one or more of the following: tents, huts, other temporary physical shelters, cots, beds, sleeping bags, hammocks or bedrolls;

(c) Cook, prepare, serve, picnic, or eat except in places designated therefor;

(d) Wash dishes, empty waste liquids in any place other than in sinks provided therefor;

(e) Leave any garbage, cans, bottles, papers or other refuse elsewhere than in receptacles placed therefor;

(f) Play or engage in any baseball, softball, football, soccer-ball, volleyball or other game excepting at such places as shall be especially designated or set apart for that purpose; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring such written permission for such informal games as "Catch," "Toss Ball," or other similar nonoffensive games when participated in by not to exceed four persons when same are conducted in such a manner as not to disturb or annoy other persons present in such public park;

(g) Indulge in riotous, boisterous, threatening, or indecent conduct, or abusive or threatening language, or operate any radio, musical instrument, or sound equipment which can be heard at a distance greater than twenty-five feet outside the boundary of any park or which in any manner disturbs any picnic, meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition;

(h) Operate or use any loud speaker or loud speaking sound amplifying device in any public park; provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be construed as preventing the use of small portable radios when used for the purpose of receiving programs broadcast from regularly authorized and licensed broadcasting stations;

(i) Make any speech or publicly address any group or gathering of persons unless as an authorized part of a ceremony or program for which such a permit is held at the time;

(j) Distribute any handbills or circulars, or post, place or erect any bills, notice, paper, or advertising device or matter of any kind;

(k) Enter, remain, stay or loiter in any public park between the period commencing at eleven p.m. on any day and ending one hour before sunrise of the following day;

(l) Enter, remain, stay or loiter in Siminski Park within this City between the period commencing at sunset on any day and ending one hour before sunrise of the following day;

(m) Hold any meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition;

(n) Hold or take part in an organized meeting, assembly or parade involving more than twenty-five people;

(o) Enter or use any restroom for women if a male person over eight years of age;

(p) Dress, undress, or change his or her clothes in any toilet or restroom in any public park;

(q) Remove from any park equipment, any sign indicating that such equipment is reserved;

(r) Use or attempt to use or interfere with the use of any table, space, or facility in said park which at the time is reserved by written reservation then in effect issued to or for any other person; provided, however, that all such reservations shall specify the period covered by same and shall be subject to cancellation by the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director. Unless the actual use of the table, space or facility referred to in any reservation is commenced within thirty minutes after the period covered by such reservation begins, such reservation shall thereupon be void and all rights under such reservation may be cancelled by the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director;

(s) Take into, possess or consume intoxicating liquor or alcoholic beverage of any kind;

For the purposes of this subsection, the term "alcoholic beverage" shall mean any spirituous, vinous, malt, or fermented liquor, liquid, compound, or mixture, whether medicated, proprietary, patented or not, and by whatever name designated, containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume and which is capable of being used for beverage purposes;

(t) Ride, drive or propel into or upon any roadway, path or way, in any public park or recreation ground within the City any vehicle, device or other equipment, including a bicycle, when there shall be posted at the entrance to any such road, roadway, path or way a notice or sign to the effect that the same is closed to vehicles, placed by the order of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director;

(u) To play any drum.

(Ord. 2389 11-25-80; Ord. 1942 3-8-68; Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 2419 5-18-82; Ord. 88-11 6-18-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99; Ord. 21-06 4-6-21; Ord. 23-17 9-12-23)

Any person aggrieved by, or dissatisfied with, any act performed, or ruling, determination, or order made by the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director, in connection with any matter or subject under or pursuant to the authority or right granted such Director under any of the provisions of this Chapter, shall have the right of appeal to the Administrative Officer for a determination of the dispute or issue involved, and if still dissatisfied, the further right of appeal to the Parks and Recreation Commission. Should said appealing parties still be aggrieved by, or dissatisfied with such actions, said parties shall have the right to file a notice of appeal with the City Clerk, who shall place the same on the next regular Council agenda. The determination and decision of the City Council shall be final in any and all such matters, subject only to duly filed civil suit filed with a court of competent jurisdiction.

(Ord. 1980 1-23-69; Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 88-11 6-28-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)

Such appeal shall be made in writing, briefly stating the facts relating to such grievance or subject of dispute or complaint. The original and one copy of such writing shall be filed with the secretary of the Park and Recreation Commission. The secretary of said Commission, immediately upon such filing, shall transmit said copy to the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director, and said secretary shall thereupon set the matter of said appeal for hearing before said Commission and shall notify the appellant of the time and place of such hearing by written notice at least three days prior to the date of such hearing; provided, however, that in those cases where more prompt action is required, the time of notice may be shortened by order of the chairman of the Commission and the appeal may be heard in such case at any time that the Recreation, Parks and Community Services Director and the appellant are before said Commission.

(Ord. 2397 5-5-81; Ord. 88-11 6-28-88; Ord. 99-1 1-26-99)