[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council
of the Township of Hardyston 6-19-2001 by Ord. No. 2001-07. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter shall be to provide
standards and regulations for the use of parks and recreation areas
within the Township of Hardyston.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following
words shall be used as herein defined:
An electronic or other powered device that can be used to
deliver nicotine or other substances to the person inhaling from the
device, including, but not limited to, an electronic cigarette, cigar,
cigarillo, hookah, pipe or any cartridge or other component of the
device or related product.
[Added 7-24-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-09]
All on-road and off-road vehicles, including but not limited
to cars, trucks, vans, motorcycles, minibikes, mopeds, go-carts, all-terrain
vehicles and dirt bikes, snowmobiles and any other similar motorized
vehicles of the type normally used on land for recreation, entertainment
or pleasure.
Any property owned or leased by the Township of Hardyston
which is used for recreation purposes and which is open to the public,
either without charge or on a fee basis. The term includes but is
not limited to playgrounds, parks, ballfields, community centers,
paths, roadways, sidewalks and parking areas therein or adjacent thereto.
Duly appointed personnel of the Township, including the Recreation
Director and his/her designated staff members.
Any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually, specially
trained by a service animal trainer to provide assistance to an individual
with a disability.
[Added 7-24-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-09]
The heating, igniting, or burning of a tobacco product, inhaling
smoke or vapor from, exhaling smoke or vapor from, or the possession
of, a lighted cigar, cigarette, cigarillo, electronic smoking device,
hookah, pipe, water pipe, vapor device, or any other matter or device
which contains tobacco or any other matter or substance that can be
smoked or inhaled.
[Added 7-24-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-09]
Any product made from the tobacco plant for the purpose of
smoking, chewing, inhaling, and any other personal consumption, including
cigars, smokeless or chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, snuff, and cigarettes
in any form, and any matter or substance which contains tobacco or
nicotine, and any other matter or substance that can be inhaled or
exhaled as smoke or vapor from any device or delivery system, and
any component, part, or accessory of a tobacco product.
[Added 7-24-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-09]
The Township of Hardyston, Sussex County, New Jersey.
The rules and regulations promulgated herein
shall apply to parks and recreation areas and buildings owned or leased
by the township.
The Recreation Department, in consultation with
the Township Manager, shall have the power to promulgate and publish
rules and regulations, consistent with the provisions of this chapter,
governing activities and programs sponsored by the township and for
the safety and well being of the general public.
A.
Hours of operation. All parks and recreation areas,
with the exception of the Littell Community Center, shall close 1/2
hour after sunset, unless otherwise posted or designated by a permit
issued by the Recreation Department. Parks and recreation areas, with
the exception of the Littell Community Center, shall open at sunrise.
B.
Park closure.
(1)
Any section or part of any park or recreation area
may be declared closed by the Recreation Department, Chief of Police
or designee or the Township Manager or designee at any time and for
any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular and stated
intervals, and entirely or merely to certain uses or when same is
filled to capacity or when it is in the public interest to do so.
(2)
No person shall enter upon or use any park or recreation
area which is closed to the public unless so authorized to do so by
one of the aforementioned departments and/or individuals.
(3)
Permits will become void for the remainder of the
season upon failure to comply with an authorized closure.
C.
Fees. All parks and recreation areas shall be open
to the general public unless specifically restricted by the action
of the Township Council upon recommendation of the Recreation Director
in consultation with the Township Manager. The Township Council, shall
upon recommendation of the Recreation Director, have the power to
establish fees for the use of all facilities. The township reserves
the right to establish higher fees for nonresidents than for residents.
D.
Availability. Use of athletic fields shall be by permit
according to procedures developed by the Township Recreation Director
and Township Manager.
E.
Occupancy limit. All persons shall abide by posted
occupancy limits or permits with occupancy limits set forth for the
event.
F.
Use of parks and recreation areas by organized groups.
(1)
Parks and recreation areas may not be used by organized
groups without a permit from the Recreation Department.
(2)
Permits for the reserved use of facilities shall be
issued by the Recreation Department at the Littell Community Center
or other designated locations.
(3)
Applications for permits must be obtained, completed
and returned to the Recreation Department by no later than two months
prior to the event or field request time. The Recreation Director
shall have the discretion to accept late applications subject to field
availability.
(4)
Activity for which permit is sought shall not unreasonably
interfere with or detract from the general public enjoyment of the
park; unreasonably interfere with or detract from the promotion of
public health, welfare and safety; include violence, crime or disorderly
conduct; or entail extraordinary or burdensome expense or police operation
by the township.
(5)
Organizations may be required to pay fees for the
use of the township parks or recreation areas as established by the
Recreation Department with the consent of the Township Council.
(6)
At the joint discretion of the Recreation Department
and the Chief of Police, an organization may be required to hire police,
fire, ambulance or other service during an event as per a fee schedule
set by the Recreation Department or safety service required and to
be paid by the organization
(7)
At the discretion of the Recreation Department, insurance
certificates naming the township as an additional insured may be required
depending upon the intended use and group size.
(8)
No improvements, maintenance or structural changes
shall be made to any parks and/or recreation areas by an organization/person(s)
at any time without prior written approval by the Recreation Department
or Township Manager (excluding pregame setups and lining of fields).
(9)
All requests for improvements, maintenance or structural
changes must be made in writing and submitted to the Recreation Department
no later than one month before they are to be performed. Depending
upon the extent of the work requested, such requests shall also be
subject to the approval of the Township Manager, Township Planning
Board and/or Township Council.
(10)
The township may invalidate and rescind permits
if field repairs or adjustments are attempted without prior written
or verbal consent of the Recreation Department.
(11)
No person may disturb or interfere unreasonably
with any person occupying any area or participating in any activity
under the authority of a permit.
(12)
The Recreation Department shall maintain a master
schedule for the reserved use of all recreational areas.
(13)
Flea markets shall not be permitted.
G.
Peace and quiet. Persons in park or recreation areas
shall adhere to noise levels reasonable to all persons in attendance,
the determination of which shall be at the discretion of the Recreation
Department or any law enforcement officer of the Township of Hardyston.
H.
Abandonment or unattended property. The township is
empowered to remove any article or property found in a park or recreation
area after posted hours at the owner's expense.
I.
Domestic animals, wildlife and plant life.
(1)
No animals shall be permitted
in the park at any time, except that all service animals shall be
permitted in any park or recreation area when accompanying and assisting
an individual with disabilities or if the service animal is in training
with a service animal trainer with proper identification or except
in special events by permit of the Recreation Department.
[Amended 7-24-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-09]
(2)
No person shall kill, injure or disturb any animal
or bird or have in their possession the young of any wild animal or
the eggs or the viable nest or young of any reptile or bird or damage
any grass, trees, flowers shrubs, plants, soil, rocks, sand, building,
sign, structure or equipment upon any premises under the jurisdiction
of the township.
(3)
No person shall track, hunt, trap or otherwise engage
in the capture of any animal, bird, reptile or other creature in any
park or recreation area under the jurisdiction of the township.
J.
Weapons, firearms and fireworks.
(1)
No person shall carry or use firearms or explosives,
air rifles, slingshots or any weapon in any park or recreation area.
(2)
No person shall have in their possession or set or
otherwise cause to explode or discharge or burn any firecrackers,
torpedo rockets or other fireworks or explosive of inflammable material
or discharge them or throw them into any such areas from lands or
highways adjacent thereto. This prohibition includes any substance,
compound, mixture or article that, in conjunction with any other substance
or compound, would be dangerous from any of the foregoing standpoints.
Public fireworks displays may be permitted under supervision as directed
and required by the Recreation Department.
K.
Fires and smoking.
L.
Picnic area.
(1)
No person or group shall picnic in any park or recreation
area except in those areas designated for that purpose.
(2)
No person or group shall use any portion of the picnic
area therein for the purpose of holding picnics to the exclusion of
others except with a permit from the Recreation Department.
(3)
No person or group shall build or attempt to build
a fire except in designated areas or by permit.
(4)
No person or group shall leave a picnic area before
any fire utilized is completely extinguished and before all trash
is placed in the receptacles provided. If no such receptacles are
available, then trash shall be carried out of the park.
M.
Signs. No person or organization shall post by any
means or erect or cause to be erected any permanent sign, placard,
advertisement or inscription whatever in any park or recreation area
or highway or road adjacent thereto without approval of the Township
Council.
N.
Solicitation; games of chance.
(1)
No person or organization shall solicit alms or contributions
for any purpose or engage in the business of soliciting, distributing,
selling or peddling any liquids, edibles, goods, wares, merchandise
services or circulars in any park or recreation area unless authorized
by the Recreation Department or the Township Council.
(2)
No person shall gamble or participate or abet any
game of chance unless in such areas and under such regulations as
may be designated by the Recreation Department.
O.
Motor vehicles and parking.
(1)
Motor vehicles are restricted to paved roadways unless
other permission is granted by the Recreation Department.
(2)
Vehicles must adhere to posted speed limits.
(3)
Parking is restricted to designated areas.
(4)
No vehicle standing or parked after closure or before
park opening in designated parking areas or elsewhere in the park
is permitted, and any vehicle so parked may be towed at the owner's
expense.
P.
Walking/jogging path use. The path is intended for
pedestrian use only. No motor vehicles or bicycles shall be permitted
along the path.
Q.
Alcohol.
(1)
No person shall have alcoholic beverages in their
possession at any time within any area covered by this chapter.
(2)
No person shall be under the influence of intoxicating
beverages or other substances on any area covered by this chapter
at any time. Intoxication shall be defined under the laws of the State
of New Jersey for the purposes of operating a motor vehicle.
R.
Glass containers and garbage.
(1)
No person shall deposit any garbage or refuse in any
park or recreation area.
(2)
No person shall bring, carry or transport any domestic,
commercial or industrial waste, refuse or garbage into any park.
(3)
No person shall scatter litter or any form of waste
material or break or throw or place any glass on turf, walks, roads,
benches, tables, wooded or other areas on any park property.
(4)
No person shall throw, discharge or otherwise place
or cause to be placed in the water of any pond, lake, stream or body
of water in or adjacent to any park or tributary stream, storm drain
or drain flowing into such water any substance, matter or thing, liquid
or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of such waters.
S.
Disruptive behavior.
(1)
No person shall foul or pollute any fountain or water
area within the park.
(2)
No person in any park or recreation area shall engage
in boisterous, threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent language
or engage in any disorderly conduct or behavior tending to cause a
breach of the public peace.
(3)
No person shall dress or undress in any vehicle, toilet
or any other area within a park or recreation area.
A.
The Recreation Director and/or his/her designee or
any police officer shall have the authority to eject from any recreation
area any person acting in violation of this chapter.
B.
The Recreation Director and/or his/her designee and
any police officer shall have the authority to seize and confiscate
any property, thing or device in a park or recreation area if the
possession of such property, thing or device is prohibited.
C.
The Recreation Director and the Chief of Police and
their respective staffs shall have the authority to enforce this chapter.
D.
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter
shall be subject to the penalties set forth in the Code of the Township
of Hardyston. The Municipal Court shall have the authority to ban
a violator from entering upon or using the parks or recreation areas
within the township until further order of the Court, upon petition,
and for good cause shown.
