[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of
Adamstown 10-2-1979 by Ord. No.
185 (Ch. 6, Part 1, of the 1990 Code of Ordinances).
Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter shall be known as "The Adamstown Borough Curfew
Ordinance of 1979."
[Amended 10-2-1990 by Ord. No. 244]
The Council of the Borough of Adamstown, Pennsylvania, being
cognizant of the problem of juvenile delinquency and believing that
it can be dealt with more effectively by regulating the hours during
which minors less than 18 years of age may remain in public places
and certain establishments without adult supervision and by defining
more clearly certain duties and responsibilities upon those who have
the custody and responsibility for the care of such minors, directs
that in the administration and enforcement of this chapter the fundamental
purpose of reducing juvenile delinquency shall be foremost.
[Amended 10-2-1990 by Ord. No. 244]
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms shall,
for the purpose of this chapter, be interpreted or defined as follows:
The period of time from 12:00 midnight each evening until
5:00 a.m. the following morning, which period of time shall be the
local prevailing time.
Any privately owned place of business carried on for profit;
any place of amusement or entertainment to which the public is invited;
and any similar place.
Any person less than 18 years of age. For the purpose of
this chapter, any person shall be deemed to be 18 years of age on
the date of his or her 18th birthday and not before this time.
Any individual, firm, association, partnership or corporation
owning, operating, managing or conducting any establishment; and whenever
used in any clause prescribing a penalty, the word "operator" as applied
to associations or partnerships shall include the members, partners,
officers and managers thereof or any of them and as applied to corporations
shall include the officers and managers thereof or any of them.
The natural parent, guardian or adult person 18 years of
age or over responsible for the custody or care of any minor.
Any public street, highway, road, alley, park, playground,
vacant lot, public building, railway station, bus terminal or similar
place.
To loiter, wander, stroll, play or be.
It shall be unlawful for any minor to remain in or upon any
public place or establishment in the Borough of Adamstown, Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, after hours unless accompanied by a parent or
upon an errand or other legitimate business directed by a parent or
unless engaged in gainful, lawful employment after hours, in which
case said minor shall carry written identification and evidence of
such employment.
No parent shall knowingly permit any minor to remain in or upon
any public place or establishment after hours unless the parent shall
accompany the minor or shall direct the minor in writing to perform
an errand or engage in other legitimate business, which writing shall
be kept in the possession of such minor; or unless such minor is engaged
in gainful, lawful employment after hours, in which case said minor
shall carry written identification and evidence of such employment.
It shall be unlawful for any operator of any establishment knowingly
to permit any minor to remain upon the premises of said establishment
after hours.
Any police officer who finds a minor violating any provisions
of this chapter shall endeavor to obtain the name, age, date of birth
and address of the minor and the names of the minor's parents.
The minor shall thereupon either be brought to the police station
and the parents notified or shall be taken or instructed to proceed
directly to his home. The information obtained from the minor, together
with a full report, shall be transmitted to the Chief of Police, who
shall cause a written notice to be delivered or mailed to the parents
of the minor advising them of the violation of this chapter. A record
of all violations shall be kept.
[Amended 10-2-1990 by Ord. No. 244]
A.
Any parent who shall permit a minor to violate the provisions of
this chapter after having received notice of a prior violation shall,
after conviction, be fined not more than $600, and for each subsequent
offense shall, after conviction, be fined not more than $600.
B.
Any operator who shall violate this chapter shall, upon conviction
thereof, be fined not more than $600 for the first offense, and for
any subsequent offense, after conviction, be fined not more than $600.
C.
The fines or penalties provided for herein are to be recovered, with
costs, as debts of like amount are now by law recoverable.
The Mayor of the Borough of Adamstown is hereby authorized from
time to time to promulgate such rules and regulations, including the
extension of hours for special occasions, as in his or her opinion
shall be necessary or useful in the enforcement of this chapter. Such
rules and regulations shall, however, be subject to the approval of
the Council of the Borough of Adamstown.
