[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Readington 8-1-1977. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Whenever used in this chapter or in any Readington
Township park system rule or regulation, the following respective
terms, unless otherwise therein expressly defined, shall mean and
include each of the meanings herein respectively set forth:
Includes cats, dogs, horses, any fowl or birds or any living
creatures within the jurisdiction of the park.
Any path maintained for equestrians.
Readington Township Committee.
Any lane, road or street maintained by the Committee.
Any powered vehicles designed for or capable of cross-country
travel on or immediately over land, water, snow, sand, ice, marsh,
swampland or other terrain, which would include but not be limited
to such vehicles as four-wheel-drive automobile, motorcycle, snowmobile,
amphibious and air-cushion vehicles, except those vehicles used for
emergency or law enforcement purposes and any vehicle whose use is
expressly authorized by the Committee.
Any vehicle constructed for or adapted to the carrying of
more than 12 persons.
Any drive whereon traffic is restricted to one direction.
Any footpath, walk or trail maintained and designated for
pedestrians and/or cyclists.
A person afoot.
Any written license issued by or under the authority of the
Committee, permitting the performance of a specified act at a designated
place and time.
Any natural person, corporation, company, association, joint-stock
association, firm or copartnership.
Every drive, lane or road not open to general public use.
All real property situated in Readington Township acquired
by the Township of Readington and under the jurisdiction and care
of the Readington Township Committee, or which may be hereafter acquired
by Readington Township or come under the jurisdiction of the Readington
Township Committee.
Pedestrians, ridden or herded animals or vehicles, either
singly or together, while in the confines of the park jurisdiction.
Any conveyance (except a baby carriage), including but not
limited to motor vehicles, unicycles, bicycles, tricycles, sleds,
sleighs, toboggans, pushcarts, horse-drawn conveyances, trailers or
any other mechanical means of transportation, with the exception of
conveyances used by invalid persons, such as wheelchairs or motorchairs.
A.
In the interpretation of this chapter and the Readington
Township park system ordinances, their provisions shall be construed
as follows:
B.
No provision hereof shall make unlawful any act necessarily
performed by any officer or employee of the township in the line of
duty or work as such, or by any person, his agents or employees in
the proper and necessary execution of the terms of any agreement with
the township.
C.
Any act otherwise prohibited by law or local ordinance
shall be lawful if performed under, by virtue of and strictly within
the provisions of a permit so to do and to the extent authorized thereby.
All Readington Township park system ordinances
shall be effective within all the parks, parkways, reservations and
preservations under the administration of the Readington Township
Committee and regulate the use thereof by all persons.
[Amended 10-3-2016 by Ord. No. 11-2014]
A permit authorizing a person or organization the use of a Township park, park area or facility of the Committee for a purpose other than for which fees are set forth in § 119-1 et seq., of this Code or in such a manner as may require an extraordinary facility or service may be granted upon written application to the Committee and the receipt of written approval. Said application must be received by the Committee no later than 14 business days prior to the proposed date of use. All conditions of the permit must be adhered to, and any violation by the permit holder, his, her, its or their agents or employees of the terms and conditions, rules or regulations, or any falsifications thereof, shall constitute grounds for its revocation by the Committee or by its authorized representative, whose action thereon shall be final. Groups of 20 or more persons wishing to use a Township park, park area or facility under this section shall apply for a group permit.
In the case of the revocation of any township
permit, all moneys paid for it or on account thereof shall, in the
opinion of the Committee, be forfeited to and retained by the township,
and the permit holder, together with his agents and employees who
violated such terms and conditions, shall be jointly and severally
liable to the township for all damages and losses suffered by it in
excess of the money so forfeited and retained; but neither such forfeiture
and retention by Readington Township, or any part of such moneys,
nor the recovery or collection thereby of such damages, or both, shall
in any manner relieve such person or persons from liability for punishment
for any violation of any provision of any Readington Township park
system rule or regulation.
All permits must be produced upon command by
a representative of the Committee.
No person shall post, paint, mark, affix, distribute,
hand out, deliver, place, cast or leave about any bill, billboard,
placard, ticket, handbill, circular, advertisement or do any of the
following without written permission of the Committee in accordance
with the terms of this chapter:
A.
Display any flag, banner, transparency, sign, placard
or any other matter for advertising purposes.
B.
Operate any musical instruments or public-address
amplification system for advertising purposes or for the purpose of
attracting attention to any exhibition, subject or performance.
C.
Conduct public speeches or rallies.
No person shall solicit alms or contributions
for any purpose without written permission of the township.
A.
No person shall cause or permit any animal owned by
him, in his custody or under his control to go or be at large.
B.
Dogs, cats and other domesticated pets shall be restrained
by a leash not exceeding six feet in length.
C.
Animals found at large may be seized and disposed
of by the township or its representatives as provided by the law or
ordinance covering disposal of stray animals on highways or public
property then in effect at the place where such stray animal may be
seized.
D.
No person shall ride, drive, lead or keep a horse
within a park except on roads and trails and such other locations
as may be designated for the purpose by the township.
No person shall engage in any commercial enterprise,
including but not limited to the offering of services, soliciting,
selling or peddling any liquids or edibles for human consumption,
distributing circulars or hawking, peddling or vending any goods,
wares or merchandise, within a township park, except as provided by
written permission of the Committee.
No person shall use threatening, abusive or
insulting language; do any obscene or indecent act; throw stones or
other missiles; annoy persons; interfere with, encumber, obstruct
or render dangerous any drive, path, walk or public place; do any
act tending or amounting to a breach of the peace; climb or stand
upon any wall, fence, shelter, seat, statue or other erection; enter
or leave except at established entranceways or exits of park facilities;
engage in, instigate, aid or encourage a contention or fight; assault
any person; play games of chance; participate in the conduct of a
lottery or use or operate any slot machine or gaming table; litter,
deposit, discharge or allow to remain in any park, river, pond, stream
or on ice any rubbish, foreign or waste substance; enter, walk upon
or interfere with any special use facility or park area without properly
registering as may be required and complying with all rules, regulations
and policies established for said facility or area; or fail to obey
or interfere with an officer or representative of the Committee in
the proper performance of his duties.
No person shall have in his possession or be
under the influence of any drugs, opiates or narcotics within a township
park, except prescription medication.
No person shall have in his possession, discharge
or set off within a township park any firecrackers, torpedoes, rockets
or other explosives or fireworks, including any substance, compound,
mixture or article having properties of such a character that, alone
or in combination or contiguity with other substances or compounds,
may decompose suddenly and generate sufficient heat, gas or pressure,
or any or all of them, to produce rapid flaming, combustion or administer
a destructive blow to surrounding objects, without the written permission
of the Committee.
No person shall bring into a township park or
have in his possession:
A.
Any pistol, revolver, rifle, shotgun, air gun, spring
gun, slingshot, bow or other instrument or weapon in which the propelling
force is a spring or air, or any object within or upon which loaded
or blank cartridges may be used, excepting the lawful uses of such
weapons at places and times prescribed by permission of the Committee.
Shooting into township parks from park boundaries is forbidden.
B.
Any tools, instruments, skeleton keys, picklocks,
jimmies or other things known as burglar tools, except when authorized
by law.
No person shall, without the written permission
of the township or except in an emergency after notifying a township
representative, enter into or remain within a township park except
during the hours the park or park area is open to the general public.
No parent, guardian or custodian of any minor
shall permit or allow him to do any act prohibited by any Readington
Township park system rule or regulation.
The regulations and prohibitions under §§ 168-7 through 168-16 shall be enforced by duly authorized officers or representatives of the township in a nondiscriminatory manner and with regard to the requirements of notice afforded by laws. Any person who enters into a township park for any purpose whatsoever is under a duty and presumed to be aware of the contents of these rules and regulations governing the use of the Readington Township parks.
The following activities are permitted only
at times and in places so designated for such purposes by the Committee
and are otherwise prohibited within the Readington Township park system:
A.
Bathing, swimming and wading.
B.
Boating, canoeing and sailing.
C.
Camping.
D.
Coasting, sledding and skiing.
E.
Games and field sports.
F.
Golf.
G.
Horseback riding.
H.
Ice skating.
I.
Model airplane flying/model boating.
J.
Picnicking.
K.
Roller-skating.
L.
Skateboarding.
M.
Use of off-road vehicles.
[Amended 4-18-1983]
No person within a township park shall possess
or consume alcoholic beverages, with the exception of beer or wine
during a meal in the picnic areas. Any group intending to dispense
beer at a township park shall apply to the Township Administrator
at least five days prior to the event for written approval. The use
of such beverages shall be in accordance with the New Jersey State
alcoholic beverage control laws.
A.
No person shall kindle, maintain or use a fire except
in a fireplace provided by the Committee or such other suitable grill
or camp stove in an area designated for such purpose by the Committee.
B.
All fires shall be continuously under the care and
direction of a competent person from the time they are kindled until
they are extinguished.
C.
No fire shall be started within 10 feet of any tree
or building or beneath the branches of any tree or in the underbrush.
D.
Cigars, cigarettes or lighted matches shall not be
discarded unless deposited in a suitable container provided for the
reception thereof.
[Amended 10-3-2016 by Ord. No. 11-2014]
A.
No person or organization shall conduct any public meeting, exhibition,
parade, concert or entertainment of any kind or similar group gathering
or erect any structure, stand, sign, tent or platform or utilize any
loudspeaker, public-address system or amplifier without a permit issued
by the Township. Such permit shall be applied for, in writing, and
must be received by the Committee at least 14 business days prior
to the proposed use and may be approved with conditions in the interest
of protecting public safety and welfare or denied if determined to
be contrary to Township ordinances or park rules and regulations.
B.
Adult supervision of children's groups shall be required at
all times.
A.
No person shall use any portion of a township park
for purposes of way, except drives, parking areas, roadways, paths,
walks and trails established for such purpose by the Committee; footpaths,
walks and trails established for pedestrian, bicycle or horseback
traffic shall not be used for motorized vehicular travel.
B.
No person shall park or store any motor vehicle, bicycle,
other vehicle or trailer within the parks, except in areas established
for such purposes and designated by signs or directed by representatives
of the Committee.
C.
No person shall drive or propel or cause to be driven
or propelled along or over any road within a township park any vehicle
at a rate of speed greater than 25 miles per hour or the speed limit
as established by the Committee and posted along a given right-of-way.
D.
No person shall drive or propel or cause to be driven
or propelled along or over any drive, parkway, parking area or other
designated vehicular route any vehicle in a reckless manner or in
such a manner as to endanger life, limb of other persons or park property.
E.
No person shall enter any part of a township park
or park roads with a commercial vehicle except in the service of or
by permission of the township.
F.
No person shall use park drives within a township
park for the purpose of demonstrating any vehicle, for the purpose
of instructing another to drive or operate any vehicle or for learning
to drive or operate a vehicle.
G.
No person shall cause or permit a vehicle in tow of
another vehicle to enter township parks or proceed therein, except
that in the case of a breakdown within the park, a disabled vehicle
may be towed to the nearest exit; nor shall any person operate or
drive a vehicle containing any person or object projecting or hanging
outside of or beyond the side, front or the rear thereof.
H.
All vehicle operators and vehicles operated within
a township park shall be in compliance with New Jersey motor vehicle
license and safety laws and any other laws which may pertain to a
particular vehicle and its operator.
I.
Nothing contained in this chapter shall apply to the vehicles, trucks or other apparatus of a fire department, first aid squad, police department or vehicles of the township when responding for emergency work or in the completion of necessary routine township work; nor shall Subsections A and B and E of this section apply to individual means of transportation of invalid persons.
No person shall destroy, pick, cut, break, deface,
mutilate, injure, disturb, sever from the ground, remove or set fire
to, or commit any act tending thereto, any plant, flower, shrub, tree
or wild growing thing; or pile or maintain any material or debris
of any kind against or upon the same; or attach any rope, cable or
other contrivance thereto; or hitch any horse or other animal thereto,
or leave the same standing near to or upon any lawn, grass plot or
bed; or allow any dog, cat or other domesticated animal belonging
to such person or under his control to injure, eat, break or mutilate
any of the aforesaid vegetation; except at such times and places designated
therefor by the township.
No person without a permit shall injure, deface,
displace, remove, fill in, raise, destroy or tamper with any drive,
path, walk, bridge or approach thereto; or take up or remove or carry
away any asphalt, concrete, flagstone, rock, stone, gravel, sand,
clay or earth; or make any excavation of any kind, name or nature;
or harvest, cut, injure or remove any ice; or injure, deface, remove
or destroy any structure, building, post, railing, bench, seat, platform,
stand, tree, guard, telephone or lamp pole, pipe, main, receiving
basin, covering, manhole or vent forming a part thereof, or any appurtenance
or appendage connected therewith, or any other property or equipment,
real or personal, owned by or under the jurisdiction or control of
said Committee or appertaining to the creation, government, use or
maintenance of said parks; or injure or in any way interfere with
the operation of any machine, instrument or contrivance used in said
parks; or injure, deface, displace, remove or destroy any sign, inscription,
post or monument erected or marked for any purpose, or danger sign
or signal, guide sign or post or any signaling device sanctioned,
installed or placed by said township for the purpose of restricting
or regulating traffic or establishing any lamp, lamppost, gas or electric
apparatus or extinguish the light therein, except upon proper authority;
or attach, string, adjust or carry any wire or other object in, on
or over any part of said parks.
A.
No person shall hunt, molest, kill, wound, trap, abuse,
shoot or throw missiles at, remove or have in his possession any animals,
reptile or bird found within a township park, nor disturb its habitat
within a township park; or knowingly buy, receive, have in his possession,
sell or give away any such animal, reptile, bird or eggs so taken,
except as may be specifically provided for by the Committee and be
in accordance with the New Jersey State fish and game laws.
B.
No person shall allow any horse, dog, cat or other
domesticated animal belonging to such person or under his control
to chase, injure, maim or kill any animal, reptile or bird found within
a township park, except as may be approved by the Committee.
All township parks will open at sunrise as defined
by the United States Weather Bureau of the Flemington area unless
noted otherwise by the Committee.
All township parks will close 1/2 hour after
sunset as defined by the United States Weather Bureau for the Flemington
area unless noted otherwise by the township, except for illuminated
tennis courts, which shall close not later than 11:00 p.m.
A.
No person shall resist any agent or officer of the
township in the discharge of his duty, or fail or refuse to obey any
lawful command of any such agent or officer, or in any way interfere
with or hinder or prevent any such agent or officer from discharging
his duty, or in any manner assist or give aid to any person in custody
to escape or attempt to escape from custody, or rescue or attempt
to rescue any person when in such custody.
B.
No person shall falsely represent or impersonate any
agent or officer or pretend to be an agent or officer of the township.
C.
No person shall resist or obstruct or be abusive of
or address in a profane or obscene manner any agent or officer of
the township.
D.
No person shall remain within a township park who
does not abide by conditions adopted and posted by the township for
the preservation of good order and the protection of property and
other park visitors within a township park; and no person shall remain
within a township park who does not abide by the instructions and
directions of duly authorized officers or agents of the township in
the lawful performance of their duties. Any person directed by an
agent or officer of the township to leave a township park shall do
so promptly and peaceably.
E.
No person shall interfere with or in any manner hinder
any agent or officer of the township while engaged in constructing,
repairing or caring for any park property or interfere with any improvements
being made within or about a township park.
F.
No person shall use threatening, abusive, boisterous,
insulting or indecent language or gesture within a township park,
nor shall any oration, harangue, public demonstration or any nuisance
be made.
Any person violating this chapter or any rule
or regulation promulgated pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction,
be subject to the replacement, repair or restoration of any damaged
township property and shall be subject to a fine not exceeding $1,000,
imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days and/or a period of community
service not exceeding 90 days.
