Chapter 32 — CITY LIBRARIES, MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND ART

AND RECREATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

COMMUNITY FACILITIES RULES

5-32.01 Purpose; findings 5-32.02 Definitions 5-32.03 Codes of conduct 5-32.04 Penalties

(a) The mission and purpose of the City Library and Ontario Museum of History and Art includes providing free and open access to a broad range of educational, leisure, recreational, and general interest materials and services to people of all ages and backgrounds in a safe, clean, civil, respectful, and tranquil environment that is conducive to making everyone's visit at the Library and Museum of History and Art a positive, productive, and enjoyable experience, whether one is engaged in reading, writing, researching studying, learning, and/or attending and participating in the multitude of community programs and events offered therein. (b) The mission and purpose of the Recreation and Community Services Department may differ slightly from that of the City Library and the Ontario Museum of History and Art in that it provides some recreational programs that do not necessarily involve quiet contemplation as reading in a library or attending a museum exhibit might involve, such as playing a sport. Nonetheless, the Recreation and Community Services Department's mission includes providing people with a safe, clean, civil, and respectful environment within which patrons can enjoy a positive, productive, and enjoyable experience. (§ 2, Ord. 3194, eff. December 16, 2021)

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply: (a) "City" means the City of Ontario. (b) "City facility" means any facility which hosts programs to the public under the jurisdiction of the Community Life & Culture Agency, which includes all Ontario libraries, the Ontario Museum of History and Art, and the community centers of the Recreation and Community Services Department. (c) "Code of Conduct" means a policy establishing a patron code of conduct duly adopted by the Library Board of Trustees, the Ontario Museum of History and Art Board of Trustees, and/or the Recreation and Parks Commission. (§ 2, Ord. 3194, eff. December 16, 2021)

(a) The Library Board of Trustees may establish a code of conduct to govern the behavior of patrons who visit the City's libraries in order to protect and further the mission of the City Library. The code of conduct, as it may be established and/or amended from time to time, shall be considered part of this chapter by reference. (b) The Ontario Museum of History and Art Board of Trustees may establish a code of conduct to govern the behavior of patrons who visit the Ontario Museum of History and Art to protect and further the mission of the Museum of History and Art. The code of conduct, as it may be established and/or amended from time to time, shall be considered part of this chapter by reference. (c) The Recreation and Parks Commission may establish a code of conduct to govern the behavior of patrons who visit the City's community centers to protect and further the mission of the Recreation and Community Services Department. The code of conduct, as it may be established and/or amended from time to time, shall be considered part of this chapter by reference. (d) Any code of conduct shall include an appeal procedure to the respective board or commission. (e) Any code of conduct shall be conspicuously posted on the City facility's premises. Any person who violates the code of conduct shall be advised of the violation and the requirements of the code of conduct, and be advised that if he or she continues to violate the code of conduct, it may result in being required to leave the premises and being subject to criminal penalties. (§ 2, Ord. 3194, eff. December 16, 2021)

(a) Any person who has violated any code of conduct may be subject to the suspension of his or her borrowing, visitation, and/or participation privileges for a period of time as provided by each respective code of conduct. (b) Any person subject to suspension of his or her borrowing, visitation, and/or participation privileges, as authorized by subsection (a) above, shall remain subject to such suspension during the pendency of any administrative or judicial appeal. (c) Any person who fails or refuses to leave the City facility after being given the requisite notice, warning, and direction to leave, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (d) Any person who returns to the City facility during any suspension period shall be guilty of a misdemeanor which shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding One Thousand Dollars ($1,000) per violation, or by imprisonment in the County Jail for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (e) Each such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day during any portion of which any violation of or failure to comply with any provision of this chapter, is committed, continued, or permitted by such person and shall be punishable accordingly. (f) The penalties contained in this section are cumulative. (§ 2, Ord. 3194, eff. December 16, 2021)