San Mateo Municipal Code Ch. 13.01 Definitions

For provisions relating to the park and recreation commission, see Chapter 2.27. For provisions relating to the department of parks and recreation, see Chapter 2.45.

The definitions in this chapter shall be applied to terms used in this Title*.

"Amplified sound" means the use of amplified equipment, including microphone sound equipment, boom boxes, car stereos or other amplified sound or music devices.

"Core business of the parks and recreation department" means activities and uses that are integral to the Department's mission to enrich community through people, parks and programs including providing an appropriate mix of safe, well maintained and well designed parks, open spaces and community center facilities that are accessible for all residents; creating enriching leisure opportunities for all age groups that support lifetime users and enhance the physical, intellectual, social and cultural growth and development of our residents and preserving and protecting the City's natural resources including its urban forest, public open spaces, pedestrian and bicycle trails and landscaped medians and islands.

"Environmentally sensitive area" is any area in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and developments.

The manager in charge of any Park Property or Facility. The Facility Manager shall be designated for any particular Park Property or Facility by the Director of Parks and Recreation. There shall be only one Facility Manager for each Park Property and Facility at any given time.

"Facility Specific Regulations" means a regulation applicable to a particular Park Property or Facility. Facility Specific Regulations are intended to promote the orderly and smooth operation of the park or facility and shall be posted in a public area at the park or facility or a sign notifying the public of the availability of a list of Facility Specific Regulations shall be posted in a public area. (See Section 13.20.070)

Anything when taken as a whole, predominantly appeals to the prurient, shameful, or morbid interests of minors and which is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community as a whole with respect to what is suitable material for minors and when taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

"Organized athletic group" means any group that meets on a regular basis with a similar composition of members for athletic activities or that is currently participating in or registered to participate in an athletic league which provides scheduled games.

"Park" when used in this Title shall mean those properties designated as dedicated Parks under Chapter 13.10 of this Code and any other City property open to the public for recreational purposes but excluding Park Facilities.

"Park Facility" includes the King Center Recreation building and pool, the Beresford Recreation Center building, the Joinville Pool and building, the San Mateo Senior Center, the City Park maintenance facility on Pacific Avenue, Shoreview Recreation Center, Lakeshore Recreation Center building and all buildings located within Central Park and at the Municipal Golf Course.

Whenever "park property(ies) and/or facility(ies)" appear in this code, it shall mean all grounds and facilities under the supervision of the department of parks and recreation. This includes but is not limited to municipal parks, pools, recreation centers, golf course, park maintenance facilities and all parking lots and structures involved in these facilities and school district facilities when scheduled or programmed by the City.

"Personal watercraft" means a vessel 13 feet in length or less, propelled by machinery, that is designed to be operated by a person sitting, standing, or kneeling on the vessel rather than in the conventional manner of sitting or standing inside the vessel as defined by Section 651(s) of the California Harbors and Navigations Code.

**"**Public square" means designated spaces within the City's park properties and facilities that are exempt from the permit requirements outlined in Chapter 13.10 Park Permits.

"Special Event" means any event which is scheduled to take place within the City's park properties and facilities, which may require special accommodations, regulations, or waiver of the normal rules or controls, or is likely to generate a crowd of spectators sufficient in size to obstruct, delay or interfere with the normal flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, which may generate a crowd of sufficient size to restrict access to park properties and facilities or any event which is likely to result in the need for public safety reasons, for police regulation, monitoring and control.