Selma Municipal Code Ch. 8 Park Regulations

The terms public park or recreation area as used herein shall include all land, lakes, rivers, beaches, and roadside rests, together with the improvements and facilities provided thereon or therein, which are owned or operated by the City as a public park or public recreation area and the provisions of this Chapter shall apply thereto.

The following areas are designated as City Parks of the City: Berry Park, Brentlinger Park, Sheridan Park, Peter Ringo Park, Lincoln Park, Thompson/Floral Park, and all public school sites in the City used to conduct City recreation programs.

It shall be unlawful for any person in any public park or recreation area to pick or damage any flowers, foliage, or fruit or to break, dig up, or in any way mutilate or damage any tree, shrub, plant, grass, railing, wall, seat, fence, or other structure or to cut, carve, write, paint, or otherwise make any mark thereon or to fasten to any tree, stone, fence, wall, monument, or other structure any sign, notice, advertisement or other inscription. No person shall dig up or remove any dirt, stones, rock, or other thing whatever, make any excavation, lay or set off any blast or otherwise alter the natural features of any park or recreation area without the specific permission of the Director of Public Works of the City.

It shall be unlawful for any person within any park or recreation area to do any of the following:

(A) Deposit, place, throw, or in any manner dispose of any rubbish, trash, garbage, can, bottle, glass or paper of any decaying or putrid matter of any kind whatsoever except in containers provided for such purpose.

(B) Contaminate in any way any watershed, lake, river or other water supply and in this respect it shall be unlawful to wash any clothing or cooking utensils in such waters.

(C) Light any fire except in places specifically provided therefor, and all dead wood, moss, dry leaves, chips, or other combustible material which may have gathered around any place provided for fires shall be carefully removed before lighting any fire. When the fire is not longer needed, it shall be completely extinguished with water.

(D) Possess or use any fireworks of any kind whatsoever except for a public display pursuant to a permit therefor.

(E) Possess any firearm or discharge such firearm within, into, or across such park or recreation area, provided that this provision shall not apply to any peace officer or concessionaire in the lawful discharge of his duty.

(F) Kill, wound, chase, or capture any wild bird or animal, provided, however, that this provision shall not apply to the duly authorized agents of the City in the necessary control of predatory birds or animals.

(G) Engage in gambling in any form.

(H) Permit any dog, cat, fowl, or other domestic animal under his control to enter or go at large within such park or recreation area; provided, however, that this shall not apply to dogs upon a leash and under the immediate control of the person in possession thereof; nor shall it apply to any domestic animal when specific permission therefor has been granted by the Council.

(I) Operate an automobile, motorcycle, or other vehicle in excess of posted speed limits or into any areas where signs prohibiting the same have been placed.

(J) Solicit, sell, or peddle any food, drink, circulars, papers, goods, wares, or merchandise of any kind except pursuant to specific concession or permit therefor secured from the City.

(K) Admission Charge: Promote, conduct or manage any game, contest, show, exhibition, concert or lecture when an admission charge thereto is made or an offering received except in strict accordance with a written permit therefor obtained from the director of public works.

(L) Distribution Of Advertising: To distribute any handbills, or circulars, or to post, place or erect any bills, notice, paper, or advertising device or matter of any kind.

(M) Disturbing The Peace: To indulge in riotous, boisterous, threatening, indecent or immoral conduct, or abusive, threatening, profane language, or to throw stones or missiles.

(N) Solicitation Or Conducting Business: To practice, carry on, conduct, or solicit for any trade, occupation, business or profession, without the written permission of the council.

(O) Designated Areas: To play, or engage in any game, excepting at such place as shall be especially set apart for that purpose.

(P) Hours: To remain, stay or loiter, in any public park between the hours of ten thirty o'clock (10:30) P.M. and five o'clock (5:00) A.M. of the following day, without written permission of the council.

(Q) Utility Pipes: To open, expose, or interfere with any water or gas pipe, hydrant, stopcock, sewer, basin, or other construction, in any park where prohibited.

(R) Towing Of Vehicles: To hang behind any vehicle, or to tow any vehicle of any kind in any park, excepting, however, in case of breakdowns within the park, the disabled vehicle may be towed to the nearest point of exit. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

(S) Alcoholic Beverages: To bring into any park, or recreation area and within a sixty foot (60') radius thereof, or possess or consume in any such area any alcoholic beverage, except that it shall be lawful to bring into, possess and consume any alcoholic beverage within the Vance Center building and within the Salazar Community Center building. "Alcoholic beverage" includes alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, beer and any liquid or solid containing alcohol, spirits, wine or beer, and which contains one-half (1/2) of one percent (1%) or more of alcohol by volume and which is fit for beverage purposes either alone or when diluted, mixed or combined with other substances. (Ord. 833, 12-7-1981)

(T) Activities And/Or Games: To engage in the following activities and/or games: discus throwing, javelin throwing, field hockey, baseball (hardball), rock throwing, bean shooters, gas model airplanes, fireworks, boomerangs, slingshots, air guns, golf and archery, except in officially designated areas. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

(U) Bounce Houses: Erect, display or utilize recreational facility or facilities commonly known as bounce house(s) or platform(s) without a written permit from the city recreation and parks department. Issuance of the permit is subject to the following requirements:

1. That the owner/operator of the aforementioned facility provide a certificate of insurance naming the city of Selma as an additional insured. The amount of insurance will be not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00); and

2. That the facility not contain any water or climbing feature; and

3. That the setup, use, and take down of the feature not impair the use and enjoyment of other park users or fail to conform with any regulation(s) in this code. (Ord. 2007-2, 1-16-2007)

It shall be unlawful for any person to camp within any park or recreation area without having first secured a written permit therefor from the council and no person shall camp outside of a campsite or site designated in such permit. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

No company, society, or organization of more than twenty five (25) persons shall hold or conduct any picnic, celebration, parade, service, or exercise in any public park, without first obtaining permission from the director of public works, and it shall be unlawful for any person to take part in any picnic, celebration, parade, service, or exercise held in or conducted contrary to the provisions hereof. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

Person desiring to reserve park and picnicking facilities must obtain a permit therefor from the director of public works who may assign and reserve particular areas therefor on a first come, first serve basis. It shall be unlawful for any person other than those designated in the permit to occupy any areas so assigned when the signs making known such reservation have been posted or such persons have been otherwise informed thereof by the director of public works. Any person desiring to reserve an area to accommodate twenty five (25) or more persons shall make a deposit with the director of public works at the rate of twenty five dollars ($25.00) per one hundred (100) persons or any part thereof. Said deposit shall be for the purpose of guaranteeing that the person obtaining the reservation will clean up the area and that no damage to any park property will occur. Said deposit shall be returned if the area is left clean and no such damage is committed. Otherwise, such deposit will be retained by the director and paid over to the treasurer for deposit in the general fund of the city. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

It shall be unlawful for any person to assemble, collect, or gather in any walk, driveway, passageway or pathway in any park or in any other place set apart for the travel of persons or vehicles in or through any park or to occupy the same so that the free passage or use thereof by person or vehicles passing along the same shall be obstructed in any manner. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

It shall be unlawful for any person to hold, conduct or address any public assemblage, meeting, or gathering, or to make or deliver any public speech, lecture, or discourse, or to conduct, or to take part in any public debate, or discussion, in any public park, belonging to or under the control of the city, without first having obtained a permit in writing from the director of public works. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, pursue, annoy, throw stones or missiles at, or molest or disturb in any way, any animal, bird or reptile within the confines of any park. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

In order to promote the safety, comfort and convenience of persons using any park or recreation area, the council may from time to time by resolution adopt rules and regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter and make the same applicable generally or to a particular park or recreation area or portion thereof. Such rules and regulations may include regulating the speed of vehicles, establishing campsites, parking areas, and areas where parking or driving of vehicles is prohibited, areas where certain games or activities are prohibited, and such other rules and regulations as in the opinion of the council are necessary for the safety, comfort and convenience of persons using such park or recreation area. When such rules and regulations have been adopted and signs erected within the park or recreation area or portions thereof affected thereby informing the public of the substance of such rules and regulations, it shall be unlawful for any person to fail to comply therewith. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)

The chief law enforcement official of this chapter shall be the chief of police. (Ord. 805, 6-4-1979)