[Adopted 10-14-1969 by Ord. No. 624]
[Amended 10-27-1969 by Ord. No. 625; 8-11-1970 by Ord. No. 633; 9-12-1972 by Ord. No. 657; 9-9-1980 by Ord. No. 754; 8-14-1984 by Ord. No. 789; 5-15-2000 by Ord. No. 905; 6-17-2002 by Ord. No. 920]
For the purposes of this article, natural lands in Zoning District CS-2 shall be considered parks. See Chapter 465, Zoning, Article IV, for additional regulations. The following rules and regulations shall apply to all parks and playgrounds under the jurisdiction and control of the Borough of Morrisville:
A. 
Park usage.
(1) 
Usage of athletic fields and game areas in parks and playgrounds is restricted to Borough residents and their guests only.
(2) 
No persons, other than authorized Borough personnel, shall be allowed in a park or playground from dusk to dawn except that Borough Council may from time to time grant permission for an event sponsored by a Borough or Morrisville-based organization. The Borough shall make such policy, rules or regulations as it deems appropriate. Approval shall be at the sole discretion of the Borough Council.
[Amended 5-21-2002 by Ord. No. 919]
(3) 
No dogs or other animals shall be permitted in Borough parks or playgrounds, except under leash and under control of the owner. The provisions of Chapter 118, Animals, Article III, Control of Animal Defecation on Public and Private Property, of the Code of the Borough of Morrisville, are applicable to parks and playgrounds, and the terms and conditions thereof are incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full.
(4) 
The activities listed below shall not be permitted in any park or playground unless a permit has been secured for such activity from the Borough Council, or its agent, the Borough Manager. No permit shall be issued unless an application therefor shall have been made at least 24 hours before the time of the activity. In the case of seasonal activities, a permit may be issued for the entire season.
(a) 
Groups or parties in excess of 12 persons.
(b) 
Placements of placards, advertisements or public notices.
(c) 
Fires, other than in a fireplace or other equipment provided for cooking purposes, or for a bonfire or campfire as part of an authorized event.
(d) 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection A(4)(d), listing firearms or discharge of such, was repealed 2-17-2015 by Ord. No. 1005.
(e) 
Soliciting of alms or subscriptions.
(f) 
Selling or exposing for sale any articles.
B. 
Conduct.
(1) 
No person shall stand or lie on benches or tables in a park or playground.
(2) 
No person shall enter a toilet set apart for the use of the opposite sex.
(3) 
No alcoholic beverages or controlled substances shall be sold, distributed, consumed or possessed within a park or playground. This prohibition does not apply to the sale, distribution, consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages for a special event held in Williamson Park pursuant to Article III of this chapter.
[Amended 6-20-2023 by Ord. No. 1045]
(4) 
No person under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances shall be permitted in a park or playground or to use the facilities or equipment contained therein.
(5) 
No gambling shall be allowed in a park or playground except for those small games of chance or activities permitted by state law.
(6) 
No abusive, obscene, indecent or threatening act or language or any conduct that may annoy others shall be allowed in a park or playground.
C. 
Vandalism.
(1) 
No person shall, in any way, destroy, damage, deface or abuse any equipment or buildings, fences, bridges, playground equipment, or other structures within a park or playground.
(2) 
No littering or dumping of any kind is permitted within the boundaries of a park or playground.
(3) 
No person shall deface or destroy any notices or signs posted within a park or playground.
(4) 
No person shall harass, injure, or kill any animals, birds, nests or eggs in a park or playground. Nor shall any person disturb the fish or waterfowl in the streams, pools or ponds.
(5) 
No person shall remove, disturb, interfere with or take any tree, shrub, or bush in a park or playground. Nor shall any person climb any tree or in any manner injure or deface any ornamental tree, plant, shrub, or flower.
D. 
Vehicles.
(1) 
No person or vehicle shall enter or leave a park or playground except by the entrances provided for that purpose.
(2) 
All vehicles must park in designated areas and between the lines provided.
(3) 
The speed limit in a park is restricted to 10 miles per hour.
(4) 
Except for persons parking vehicles lawfully bearing registration plates or parking placards issued to handicapped persons or disabled veterans, no person shall park a vehicle in a park or playground designated area reserved for a handicapped person or disabled veteran which property has been so posted in accordance with Pennsylvania Department of Transportation regulations, or Chapter 435, Vehicles and Traffic, Article III, General Parking Regulations, of the Code of the Borough of Morrisville.
(5) 
No overnight parking shall be permitted in a park or playground.
(6) 
No parking shall be allowed for any unauthorized activity or other activity not allowed in the park, except that a permit may be obtained as in Subsection A(4) above for a Borough organization to park vehicles in a designated parking area to attend an off-site activity.
E. 
Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FIRE
Open-flame burning or smoldering of any combustible material including, but not limited to, paper products, wood, charcoal, liquid fuel, leaves, refuse, garbage, waste material, rubber, plastic, petroleum products, foam, or bedding materials.
MORRISVILLE-BASED ORGANIZATION
An athletic club or charitable nonprofit organization, whose membership consists of at least 51% Morrisville Borough residents.
[Added 5-21-2002 by Ord. No. 919]
PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
Include the following locations, including parking areas:
(1) 
Williamson Park, North Delmorr Avenue.
(2) 
Manor Park Play Area, East Cleveland Avenue.
(3) 
Graystones Nature Preserve Area, Crown Street.
(4) 
Morrisville Lake, bordered by Ohio Avenue, West Post Road, Manor Lane and Royal Avenue.
F. 
Regulations for use and permits.
(1) 
The Borough Council shall have the right from time to time to make or amend such rules and regulations regarding the use of any and all play equipment and areas. Such rules for play equipment shall not exceed the recommendation of the manufacturer(s).
(2) 
The Borough Council shall from time to time make or amend the regulations for the issuance of permits in Subsections A(4) and D(6).
(3) 
The Borough Council shall identify those park and playground facilities that require a usage fee, and shall establish regulations regarding fees and a fee schedule to apply to residents and nonresidents. Said regulations may establish criteria for waivers or in-kind maintenance in lieu of cash fee.
(4) 
All organizations, agencies, or corporations both for-profit or not-for-profit are required to provide proof of insurance to use park or playground facilities as well as pay a usage fee.
G. 
Fees. The Borough Council shall have the right to set fees for the use of all park and playground facilities for both residents and nonresidents and individuals and groups.
Borough Council shall enforce these regulations and exercise general supervision over persons occupying or using the parks and playgrounds.
Borough Council shall exercise general supervision over the care, maintenance, and replacement of Borough property and equipment in the parks and playgrounds and shall keep them in a clean and sanitary condition.
[Amended 10-27-1969 by Ord. No. 625; 7-8-1975 by Ord. No. 689; 5-14-1985 by Ord. No. 800; 8-7-1985 by Ord. No. 803]
Any person or persons violating any of the provisions of this article or its amendments, or the regulations provided therein, shall be guilty of a summary offense and, upon conviction thereof before a District Justice, shall be subject to the payment of a fine not to exceed $300 and the costs of prosecution, and in default of payment thereof, shall undergo imprisonment in the Bucks County Prison for a period not exceeding five days.