Chapter 12.44 — PUBLIC PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS

Permits as required in this chapter shall be issued only by the council or the director of parks, recreation and community services on application first duly made and approved. The council may delegate authority to any officer of the city to issue such permits as it deems necessary in the proper management and control of the parks and playgrounds. Permits will be granted per guidelines of the city facility usage policy.

(Amended during 1984 codification; prior code § 7300.4)

(Ord. No. 2958, § 3, 10-12-10; Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13; Ord. No. 3025, § 1, 1-13-15)

No company, society, group or organization shall hold or conduct any picnic, celebration, parade, service or business in any public park without a special permit granted as provided in this chapter, and no person shall take part in any picnic, celebration, parade, service or business held or conducted contrary to the provisions of this chapter.

(Prior code § 7300.1)

(Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13)

A.

The city council shall by resolution determine and set forth the time during which any public park or playground may be open and used by the general public and during what hours the park is available for park and playground operations.

B.

After the adoption of the resolution and the posting of the proper notices on any particular park or playground showing the hours during which it may be used, it shall be unlawful for any person to enter, loiter or remain in any public park or playground in the city at any time when by the resolution the park or playground is closed for any use.

(Prior code § 7300.3)

(Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13)

No person shall do any of the acts specified in this section within the limits or boundaries of any public park, playground or real property of the city without written permission from the director of parks, recreation and community services or his/her designee:

A.

Bring in, carry, discharge, display or set off in any public park or playground any firearms, firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes or other fireworks;

B.

Make fires in any area of the parks or cook on stoves/personal barbeques in any other place except in designated gravel picnic area;

C.

Cut, deface, remove or damage any tree, shrub, plant, turf or rock;

D.

Swim, wade, bathe in or pollute the waters of any fountain, pond, lake or stream except any area that is designated as a play/splash area of the park;

E.

Live, camp or lodge in any public park, playground or real property of the city;

F.

Wound, kill or catch, feed or attempt to wound, kill, catch or feed any bird, fowl, fish or animal;

G.

Drive or propel any automobile, motor vehicle, motor-driven scooter, go-cart, motorcycle, motor-driven device, bicycle, cycle or skateboard on or in any portion of a public park or playground, excepting those portions of a public park or playground where the use, driving and propelling of such vehicles, or any one of them, are or is permitted by the director of parks, recreation and community services of the city and such areas are posted with signs authorizing such use. The director of parks, recreation and community services is authorized and directed to determine any such area for any such vehicles or any one of them to the exclusion of all others which may be used, driven or propelled and upon such designation by the director of parks, recreation and community services all such areas and the posting thereof, they shall be lawful. The director of parks, recreation and community services may and he/she is authorized and directed to fix such terms and conditions to the use of any portion of a public park or playground for such purposes as he/she deems advisable, including but not limiting them to the hours when they may be so used, the speeds permissible in such areas, the amount of noise which may be emitted, the use of mufflers and the use or requirement of other mechanical devices on any such equipment, together with such other regulations for such use as the director of parks, recreation and community services may deem necessary in order to protect the public peace, health and safety.

No person shall drive, operate or propel any vehicle described in this subsection in excess of five miles per hour in any park, playground or property owned by the city and used for such purposes, except where a sign has been posted

allowing a higher speed. This provision shall not affect any lesser speed in any public park or playground where the speed has been fixed by the director of parks, recreation and community services of the city;

H.

Sell or offer for sale any goods, merchandise, articles, items, services, sports clinics or private lessons whatsoever;

I.

Practice, carry on, or conduct any trade, occupation, business or profession;

J.

Park automobiles or other vehicles except at places especially provided or designated for such purposes; to leave automobiles or other vehicles with the engine running; park automobiles or other vehicles during hours when the park is not open to the general public;

K.

Place and/or operate any electrical generator, including but not limited to generators in motor homes, in any park, playground or other real property of the city, or run extension cords on to the park, playground or other real property of the city from an electrical generator or other power source from outside the perimeter of any of the aforementioned city facilities or property;

L.

Play or engage in any game except at such places as shall be especially set apart for that purpose;

M.

Throw or deposit any bottles, tin cans, broken glass, paper, rubbish, refuse or waste material of any kind in any place except in containers designated for such purposes;

N.

Permit or allow any animal owned by or in the custody, charge, care or control of any person, with the exception of guide dogs, signal dogs and service dogs, to be at any time, either leashed or unleashed, in any city public park, or portion thereof, which park, or portion thereof, is posted with signs prohibiting such acts; provided that, notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, animal shows shall be allowed in any portion of any public park if a permit for the show is first obtained from the director of parks, recreation and community services, and dogs on a maximum six-foot leash shall be allowed on the Whittier Greenway Trail, in Hellman Park and in Murphy Ranch Park;

O.

No male person over eight years of age shall enter or use any toilet or water closet designated "For Women" nor shall any female person over eight years of age enter or use any toilet or water closet designated "For Men" in any public park or playground;

P.

Use a loudspeaker or other form of sound amplification.

(Ord. 2695 § 1, 1996; Ord. 2670 § 1, 1995; Ord. 2490 §§ 1—3, 1990; amended during 1984 codification; prior code §§ 7300, 7300.2)

(Ord. No. 2922, § 1, 3-24-09; Ord. No. 2958, § 3, 10-12-10; Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13; Ord. No. 3112, § 2, 2-25-20; Ord. No. 3120, § 28, 7-28-20)

No person shall do any of the acts specified in this section within the limits or boundaries of any city-owned public park or other adjacent city-owned public place:

A.

Consume any alcoholic beverage;

B.

Reserved.

(Ord. 2869 § 39, 2006: Ord. 2695 § 2, 1996)

(Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13; Ord. No. 3112, § 1, 2-25-20)

A.

Skate Park Defined. "Skate park" means any public facility that is designed for, and maintained by the city for the purpose of recreation skate use.

B.

Skate Park Regulations. It shall be unlawful for any person to:

Enter, remain in or use any skate facility owned by the city unless that person is wearing a helmet, elbow pads, and kneepads;

Use any publicly-owned skate facility for any activity other than skateboarding, in-line skating or roller skating;

Use or be upon any publicly-owned skate facility while under the influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug or under the combined influence of any alcoholic beverage or drug;

Skate, run, stand on, or jump from, or otherwise employ any exterior wall or fence surface while using any publicly- owned skate facility;

No stunt, trick or luge skateboarding is permitted;

Use or be upon any publicly-owned skate facility while wearing any audio headset;

Introduce, employ or use any unauthorized equipment, obstacle or apparatus not specifically permitted by this chapter within any public-owned skate facility;

Enter or remain in any publicly-owned skate facility with any food or beverage; or

Play amplified music in any publicly-owned or public-operated skate facility, or on any public property adjoining any publicly-owned or public-operated skate facility;

Repealed.

Graffiti or tagging;

The hours of operation shall be sunrise to sunset.

C.

The parks, recreation and community services department shall cause signs to be posted at the skate park providing reasonable notice of the requirements of this chapter and the penalties for failing to comply with the requirements of this chapter.

(Ord. 2869 § 40, 2006; Ord. 2837 § 1, 2004: Ord. 2790 § 1, 2001)

(Ord. No. 2958, §§ 2, 3 and 5, 10-12-10; Ord. No. 3012, § 1, 10-8-13;Ord. No. 3025, § 2, 1-13-15)

A.

Dog Park Defined. "Dog park" means a facility set aside for dogs to exercise and play off-leash in a controlled environment under the supervision of their owners.

B.

Dog Park Regulations. It shall be unlawful for any person to:

Dogs must be accompanied by persons eighteen years old or older. Children under the age of six years old are not permitted in the off-leash area. Children six to seventeen years of age must be accompanied and supervised by an adult (18 years of age or older) while in the off-leash areas.

Dogs under the age of four months are not permitted to use the facility and may be cited.

Dogs not displaying a valid and current county issued dog license (or annual permit tag, if required) will not be permitted to use the facility and may be cited. Dogs must be current on vaccinations and licensing. Unlicensed dogs, or dogs with communicable diseases, are not allowed on park premises at any time and the owner may be cited.

No more than three dogs are allowed per adult.

Female dogs in any stage of heat are not permitted in the park.

It is the responsibility of each owner to supervise and clean up after his/her dog(s) to ensure a clean and orderly facility; dog feces are to be immediately removed by owner.

The park is a non-smoking facility.

No food (for people or canines) or toys (except toss toys such as balls and Frisbees) are allowed in the off-leash area.

Aggressive dogs are not allowed in the park. Dogs exhibiting unusually aggressive behavior are to be immediately removed.

Owners must remain with their dog(s) in the park and keep their dog(s) in sight at all times.

Owners must stop their dogs from digging. Any holes created by a dog must be filled by owner.

Dogs must be leashed at all times in the parking area; owners must carry a leash and dogs must be leashed before leaving the park.

Users and/or dog owners assume full liability and are legally responsible for any injuries resulting from their actions as well as their pet(s).

Professional dog trainers may not use this facility to conduct their business.

Owners must abide by all city ordinances and policies.

Anyone who abandons an animal is subject to a five-hundred-dollar fine and/or up to six months in jail (California Penal Code Section 597S).

Unleashing of dogs will be at the owner's own risk.

(Ord. No. 3025, § 3, 1-13-15; Ord. No. 3112, § 2, 2-25-20)

A.

A violation of this chapter, or any provisions hereof, is punishable as follows:

A fine not exceeding one hundred dollars for a first violation.

A fine not exceeding two hundred dollars for a second violation of the same ordinance within one year.

A fine not exceeding five hundred dollars for each additional violation of the same ordinance within one year.

B.

Skate Park.

In addition to the penalties so described, any police officer or other person authorized to issue citations shall have the authority to impound any skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates of a person found violating this chapter. Upon impoundment of any skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates as provided herein, the owner of such device shall be issued a receipt. Said receipt shall state the hours, location, time frame and manner for claiming the impounded skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates, as provided in subsections (e) and (f) of this section.

Upon presentation of the receipt, the owner may claim the impounded skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates at the police department during business hours. If the owner is a minor, such owner may claim the impounded skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates if accompanied by a parent or guardian. No fee may be assessed on the owner, parent or guardian.

If the impounded skateboard, scooter, in-line skates or roller skates is/are not claimed within sixty days after the date of impoundment, the city may dispose of the item(s) by public sale at auction.

(Ord. No. 3025, § 4, 1-13-15; Ord. No. 3120, § 29, 7-28-20)