Chapter 12.40 — RECREATION AND PARKS

As used in this chapter:

"Department" means the Recreation Services Department of the City.

"Director" means the Director of Recreation Services of the City, his or her deputy, or other person authorized by him or her pursuant to law to act in his or her stead.

"Park" means every park, roadside rest, golf course, athletic field, campground, riding or hiking trail, open space easement to which the public has an unrestricted right to access and use for park or recreation purposes, and every other recreation facility owned, managed or controlled by the City and under the jurisdiction of the Director.

"Recreation facility" means every building, shelter, swimming or wading pool, restroom and every other structure owned, managed or controlled by the City and under the jurisdiction of the Director.

(Prior code § 5-22.1; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The Director shall be responsible for administration of the Department. The Director's specific responsibilities shall include:

• A. Promulgating regulations governing use of parks, including, but not limited to, restrictions on access to and uses of parks, schedules for recreation programs, eligibility for use of parks and participation in recreation programs, issuance of permits for use of certain parks, priorities of use for parks, and health and safety standards for use of parks and participation in recreation programs;

• B. Issuing permits authorizing certain activities to be carried out within a park, as provided in this chapter, or authorizing exclusive use of a park or portion chapter, subject to such conditions as the Director deems appropriate;

• C. Developing and implementing recreation programs of such a nature and variety as will meet the public recreation needs of the residents of the City;

• D. Setting and collecting appropriate fees for use of parks and participation in recreation programs, which fees shall be transmitted to the Director of Finance of the City;

• E. Seeking and administering grants from other governmental agencies to assist financing and operation of City parks and programs;

• F. Proposing and developing new or expanded parks;

• G. Enforcing the provisions of this chapter; and

• H. Coordinating, as appropriate, with other City departments and officials in carrying out the intent of this chapter.

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City of Norwalk, CA § 12.40.020

NORWALK CODE

§ 12.40.070

In performing the responsibilities set forth in this chapter, the Director is vested with authority over and control of all facilities owned, leased, controlled, constructed or maintained by a lessee or private fee owner in any park, for the purpose of causing to be corrected any condition which violates or which would tend to cause or contribute to any violation of the purpose and provisions of this chapter.

(Prior code § 5-22.2; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The Director may place and maintain, or cause to be placed and maintained, such signs, notices, signals or control devices as he or she deems necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, or to ensure public safety and orderly and efficient use of any park. No person shall wilfully fail to obey any sign, notice, signal or control device placed or erected pursuant to this chapter. (Prior code § 5-22.3; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. Permission to be within the limits of or to use any park is conditioned on compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter and any other applicable laws, ordinances, rules and regulations. A violation of any provision of this chapter, or of any order, rule or regulation authorized by this chapter, or of any other applicable law, ordinance, rule or regulation, shall result in the violator being deemed a trespasser ab initio, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department or the Director may eject any such person from a park.

• B. Any person occupying a park or portion without a written reservation permit issued by the Director for its exclusive use, and refusing to surrender such park or portion to any person bearing such a permit, shall similarly be deemed to be a trespasser ab initio, subject to ejection by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department or the Director.

• (Prior code § 5-22.4; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

Any person exercising any of the privileges authorized by this chapter shall do so at his or her own risk, without liability on the part of the City or its officers, employees and agents, for death or injury to persons or animals or damage to property resulting from any person exercising such privileges.

(Prior code § 5-22.5; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall enter, be, remain in, or leave a motor vehicle in any park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., except where such person is camping as provided for under Section 12.40.100 or as authorized by a written permit issued by the Director. The Director may, from time to time, change the hours of use as stated in this section for any individual park, in which case all persons shall comply with such changed hours.

(Prior code § 5-22.6; Ord. 1443 § 1, 1995; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

§ 12.40.070

§ 12.40.110

No person, other than a duly authorized City employee in the performance of his or her duties shall:

• A. Dig, remove, destroy, injure, mutilate or cut any tree, plant, shrub, grass, fruit or flower, or any portion, growing in any park; or

• B. Remove any wood, turf, grass, soil, rock, sand or gravel from any park; or

• C. Cut, break, injure, deface or disturb any rock, building, cage, pen, monument, sign, fence, bench, structure, apparatus, equipment or property in any park; or mark or place on, or on any portion, any mark, writing or printing; or attach any sign, card, display or other similar devices.

(Prior code § 5-22.7; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No parent or guardian, or any person having the custody of any child under the age of six years, shall cause, permit or allow such child to enter or visit any park unless such child is accompanied by a person of not less than 16 years of age.

(Prior code § 5-22.8; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall bring to or operate in any park any motor vehicle, except at such times and at such places as allowed by a written permit issued by the Director, or in accordance with regulations issued by the Director. No person shall park any motor vehicle in any park except in areas designated by the Director for such purpose.

(Prior code § 5-22.9; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. No person shall camp or sleep overnight in any park except in areas designated for such purpose, and then only in accordance with the rules and regulations governing the use of such areas.

• B. No group of 10 or more persons shall camp or sleep overnight in any park except pursuant to a written permit issued by the Director. The Director may issue a permit to any such group, authorizing its members as a group to camp overnight at a designated location in a park, if he or she finds:

  1. That, in the case of a youth group, the group will be supervised during such camping by an adequate number of responsible adults and such overnight camping will not in any way be detrimental to the park or interfere with the other uses of the park; and

  2. That the group has agreed to the conditions contained in the permit.

Upon the granting of such permit, the members of such group, including adult supervisors in the case of a youth group, may camp at the time, location and under the conditions specified in the permit.

(Prior code § 5-22.10; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA § 12.40.110

NORWALK CODE

§ 12.40.150

• A. No person shall bring into any park or recreation facility any animal of any kind except as specifically provided in this chapter or as otherwise permitted in writing by the Director.

• B. A person may bring and maintain in any park, exclusive of golf courses, animal farms and recreation facilities, a dog or cat; provided that, such dog or cat is kept on a leash or chain and under full control of its owner or custodian, or upon written permission of the Director in connection with authorized Department programs.

• C. A person may lead or ride a horse, mule, donkey or other similar animal in any park only on designated trails or in designated equestrian areas, subject to all rules and regulations governing their use, or in other park areas upon written permission of the Director, subject to the condition of such permit.

(Prior code § 5-22.11; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall disturb the peace and quiet of any park by:

• A. Any unduly loud or unusual noise; or

• B. Tooting, blowing or sounding any siren, horn, signal or noise-making device; or

• C. Any obscene, violent or riotous conduct; or

• D. Use or operation of any machine or device for reproducing or amplifying sound, except in accordance with regulations issued by the Director; or

• E. Use of any vulgar, profane or indecent language when children under 16 years of age are present.

(Prior code § 5-22.12; amended during 1999 codification; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall consume or sell any alcoholic beverage in any park except within a park building when authorized pursuant to a written permit issued by the City Manager. (Prior code § 5-22.13; Ord. 1442 § 1, 1995; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall sell or offer for sale any goods, wares or merchandise in any park, except:

• A. Pursuant to a concession or other agreement authorized by the City Council; or

• B. When found by the Director to be consistent with the policies of the Department or to promote the programs of the Department, pursuant to a written permit issued by him or her and conditions attached to the permit.

(Prior code § 5-22.14; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person, other than a duly authorized City employee in the performance of his or her duties,

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City of Norwalk, CA

STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

§ 12.40.150

§ 12.40.200

shall molest, hunt, disturb, injure, shoot at, take, net, poison, wound, harm, kill or remove from any park any kind of animal, except:

• A. When necessary to avoid bodily harm; or

• B. When fishing or hunting are permitted, in accordance with regulations issued by the Director governing such activity; or

• C. If requested by the City employee in charge of a park containing an animal farm, to capture such animal and deliver it unharmed to such employee.

• (Prior code § 5-22.15; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

• A. No person shall appear, bathe, sunbathe, change clothes, disrobe or be in any park in such a manner that the genitals, vulva, pubis, pubic hair, buttocks, natal cleft, perineum, anus, anal region or pubic hair region of such person, or any portion of the breast at or below the upper edge of the areola of any female person, is exposed to public view, except in those portions of a comfort station, if any, expressly set aside for such purpose.

• B. This section shall not apply to persons under the age of 10 years; provided, such children are sufficiently clothed to conform to accepted community standards.

• C. This section shall not apply to persons engaged in live theatrical performance sponsored by the Department or given pursuant to a written permit issued by the Director.

• (Prior code § 5-22.16; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall wash or cleanse in any park any dish or utensil, except at designated facilities provided for such purpose.

(Prior code § 5-22.17; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall throw, place or dispose of any garbage, refuse, waste paper, bottles or cans in any place in a park other than into a garbage can or other receptacle maintained for that purpose. (Prior code § 5-22.18; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

The concessionaire or lessee of a facility or area within a park under concession or lease from the Department shall at all times maintain the premises under his or her charge in a clean, sanitary condition, free from malodorous materials and accumulations of garbage, refuse, debris and other waste materials. In the event that the Director finds that any facility or area under concession or lease is not so maintained, he or she shall in writing notify the concessionaire or lessee of such facility to immediately commence and perform the necessary correction of the unsanitary condition to the satisfaction of the Director. Failure of the concessionaire or lessee to perform the necessary correction with reasonable dispatch shall be cause for the Director to have the condition corrected in such a manner as he or she deems necessary, and the costs of such correction to be charged to the holder of the concession or lease. (Prior code § 5-22.19; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

NORWALK CODE

§ 12.40.200

§ 12.40.250

Whenever any structure or area under the control of a concessionaire or lessee within a park is found to be defective or damaged so as to be unsafe or dangerous to persons or property, it shall be the duty of the concessionaire or lessee to immediately post a proper notice and fence or barricade, and at night to adequately light such unsafe structure or area, and such unsafe structure or area shall be kept posted, lighted and fenced or barricaded until necessary repairs are made. In the event the concessionaire or lessee fails or neglects to make necessary repairs or to put up fences or other barriers to prevent persons from using or going into or upon the unsafe structure or area, the Director may take such measures as he or she deems necessary for the protection of the public, and charge the cost of same to such concessionaire or lessee. (Prior code § 5-22.20; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall light or maintain any fire in any park other than in a barbecue brazier, fire circle or other area designated for such purpose, except upon written authorization from the Director. All fires lighted or maintained pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with all applicable rules and regulations of the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Fire Department of the City.

(Prior code § 5-22.21; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall place, throw, leave, keep or maintain any object in any park in such a manner or in such a place that any person or animal may be injured or any structure, vehicle or other property may be damaged.

(Prior code § 5-22.22; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall transport into any park, or have in his or her possession, or fire or discharge any fireworks or other explosive substance, except pursuant to a written permit issued by the Director and in compliance with any conditions attached to the permit and all other applicable ordinances.

(Prior code § 5-22.23; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall bring into any park, or discharge or shoot in any park, any firearm, air gun, slingshot, or bow and arrow, except in areas designated for such purpose by the Director and in accordance with regulations issued by the Director. This provision shall not apply to any firearms described in Government Code section 53071.5.

(Prior code § 5-22.24; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

No person shall operate model airplanes, boats or other craft in any park, except in areas designated for such use, and subject to regulations issued by the Director. (Prior code § 5-22.25; Ord. 21-1722 § 2)

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City of Norwalk, CA

STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES

§ 12.44.010

§ 12.44.040