[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Pittsgrove 7-9-1997
by Ord. No. 8-1997 (Ch. 63A of the 1983 Code).
Amendments noted where applicable.][1]
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as
follows:
Any person having the care and custody of a minor child under 18
years of age, whether by reason of a blood relationship or the order of any
court or otherwise, including persons in loco parentis.
Remaining idle in essentially one location, including the concepts
of spending time idly, loafing or walking about aimlessly, and also includes
the colloquial expression “hanging around.”
Offenses against the public peace, safety and morals, without limiting
the commonly accepted definition thereof, includes destroying property of
another; defacing property of another; littering, destroying or defacing public
property; destroying or defacing privately owned property used on a public
playground or public park; consumption of alcoholic beverages on a public
street; drunkenness; begging; lack of supervision by a parent or legal guardian
or other person or persons having the care and custody of a minor child under
the age of 18 years; indecent exposure; mugging; assault; assault and battery;
larceny; burglary; robbery; sale or use of narcotics or other controlled dangerous
substances.
Any place to which the public has a right of access, including any
street, road, highway, alley, sidewalk, park or playground, and shall also
include the entrance and sidewalk area adjacent thereto of any store, shop,
restaurant, apartment building, tavern or other place of business. As defined
herein, a “public place” shall also include a parking lot, vacant
land, privately owned alleys, rights-of-way, and hallways and corridors used
in common by more than one tenant or other persons, if the same are not owned
by or under the legal control of the person charged with an offense under
this chapter.
The exercise of control over a minor child under the age of 18 years
so as to know his or her whereabouts and know with whom he or she associates
and in what activities he or she may be engaged.
It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter in a public place, as
defined herein, so as to create or cause to be created the danger of a breach
of the peace or any disturbance or annoyance to the comfort or repose of any
person; to obstruct the free passage of pedestrians or vehicles; or to obstruct,
molest or interfere with any person lawfully in any public place, including
the making of unsolicited remarks of an offensive, disgusting or insulting
nature or which are calculated to annoy or disturb the person to whom or in
whose hearing they are made.
It shall be unlawful for any person to commit an offense against the
public peace, safety and morals, as defined herein.
No parent or legal guardian or other person having the care, custody
or supervision of a minor child under the age of 18 years shall knowingly
permit such minor child to loiter so as to commit an offense against the public
peace, safety and morals in violation of this chapter.
Whenever any minor child under the age of 18 years is charged with a
violation of this chapter, his or her parents or legal guardian or any other
person having the care and custody of such minor child under 18 years of age
shall be notified of such charge by the law enforcement agency enforcing the
provisions of this chapter, if the name and address of such person or persons
are known.
Any person who is found guilty of violation of this chapter shall be
subject to any one or more of the following: imprisonment for a term not exceeding
90 days; or by a fine not exceeding $1,000; or by a period of community service
not exceeding 90 days.
