[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Farmington 12-8-2020 by L.L. No. 3-2021.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also repealed former Ch. 105, Parks, adopted 9-23-1986 by L.L. No. 8-1986; amended in its entirety 9-10-1996 by L.L. No. 3-1996 (Ch. 17 of the 1969 Code), as further amended.
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the health, safety and general welfare of those individuals who use the Town of Farmington designated public parks, trails and conservation lands, and to promote the use of these lands for all to enjoy.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CONSERVATION LAND
Town-owned land maintained in accordance with conditions approved by the Town Board and used exclusively for passive recreational purposes limited to walking trails.
PARK
Any parcel of land owned or used by the Town of Farmington, designated as parkland by the Town Board and devoted to active or passive recreation under the jurisdiction of the Parks Department and/or administered by the Recreation Advisory Board.
PARKS DEPARTMENT
The Department of Parks as established by the Farmington Town Board and whose duties shall include, among others, the maintenance of all designated parkland, trails and conservation areas owned and maintained by the Town.
PERMIT
Any written authorization issued by or under the authority of the Town Board or the Town Clerk permitting the performance of a specified act or acts or the conduct of a particular function, program or activity on Town-owned parkland, trails or conservation area.
PERSON
Any person, corporation, company, association, joint-stock association, firm, corporation or other entity or form of association.
RECREATION ADVISORY BOARD
The Town of Farmington Recreation Advisory Board as established by the Town Board.
TOWN BOARD
The Town Board of the Town of Farmington, Ontario County, New York.
VEHICLE
Any vehicle propelled by power other than muscular power.
VIOLATION
Any violation of the rules and regulations provided in this chapter shall be deemed a violation as defined elsewhere in the New York State Penal Law.
A. 
This chapter shall apply to those lands owed by and under the control and supervision of the Town of Farmington which are dedicated or otherwise devoted to active or passive recreation. The use of the term's "park," "trail" and "conservation area" in this chapter shall mean and include all designated parks, trails and conservation areas presently or heretofore owned and operated within the Town of Farmington.
B. 
The following rules and regulations shall apply to all persons using Town of Farmington designated parks, trails, or conservation areas:
(1) 
No alcoholic beverage of any kind is permitted at any time.
(2) 
All animals must be leashed and in control of their handler at all times. Handlers are responsible for picking up after their animals. The owner of any animal acting in an aggressive nature will be asked to leave the Town property with their animal.
(3) 
Farm animals are not allowed in any parks, trails, or conservation area without prior written permission from the Town Parks Superintendent.
(4) 
Fires are permitted only in designated grills which have been provided by the Town.
(5) 
No firearms or weapons of any variety including pistols, rifles, air rifles, paintball guns, slingshots or similar weapons are permitted to be fired or operated on any Town parks, trails, or conservation area without prior written permission.
(6) 
Smoking including the use of electronic cigarettes and similar devices is not permitted within any Town parks, trails, conservation area and Town-owned buildings.
(7) 
Excessive noise is prohibited. This includes yelling, musical instruments, radios, televisions, and other electronic devices.
(8) 
Overnight camping or parking allowed by permit. No person shall set up tents, shacks or any other temporary shelter for the purpose of overnight camping within parks, trails, or conservation area, nor shall any person leave in a park, on a trail or conservation area after closing hours any movable structure or vehicle used or that could be used for such purposes without a permit issued by the Town Highway and Parks Superintendent. Said permit shall specify the temporary use being allowed and the period of time such permit is valid for. Once the permit is issued, it shall be available for review, upon demand, by any law enforcement officer or Town employee.
(9) 
All vehicles shall be parked only in clearly marked and designated areas that are located within any park, trail, or conservation area. No vehicle shall be left within any park, trail, or conservation area when said facilities are closed for public use.
(10) 
No fireworks are permitted within an park, trail, or conservation area except when a permit for said fireworks has been issued by the Town Board.
(11) 
Children under eight years of age must be accompanied at all times within a park, trail, or conservation area by an adult.
(12) 
Swimming is prohibited in any portion of any creek, pond, or waterway located within any Town-owned parkland, trail, or conservation area.
(13) 
No peddling, selling, or hawking is allowed within any Town-owned parkland, trail, or conservation area without the issuance of a peddler's permit per Chapter 109, § 4 of the Code of the Town of Farmington.
(14) 
Pavilions and ball diamonds/fields located within any Town-owned park must be reserved in the name of the person or group using the facilities; and arrangements shall be made in advance by contacting the Town Clerk's office (a minimum of seven days in advance of intended use). A fee to ensure exclusive use of these facilities will be charged in accordance with the Town Board Annual Fees Schedule.
(15) 
Organized sports teams/leagues using any Town-owned parkland must register with the Director of Recreation at the annual ballfields meeting to schedule time allowed for all teams/leagues and must pay all registration fees at least 30 days prior to first scheduled team/league practice or game.
(16) 
No person shall:
(a) 
Injure, deface, disturb or befoul any part of any Town-owned parkland, trail, or conservation area; or any building, sign, equipment, or other property therein; or remove, injure, or destroy any tree, flower, shrub, rock, or other mineral found therein.
(b) 
Interfere with any lamp, lamppost or electric light apparatus or extinguish the light therein except upon proper authority.
(c) 
Set fire or assist another to set fire to any timber, trees, shrubs, grass, leaves, growth or any other combustible material or set any fire upon other land to extend onto any part of a designated park, trail, or conservation area.
(d) 
Bring into, leave behind, or dump any material of any kind in the designated park, trail, or conservation area except for that material associated with an approved function. All such material shall either be removed, or properly placed inside Town-owned trash receptacles when said function is completed.
(e) 
Either within or outside of the park, trail, or conservation area, discharge into, throw, cast, lay, drop or leave in any brook, stream, storm sewer or drainage facility any substance, matter or thing, either gaseous, liquid, or solid, which may or shall result in the pollution of any water body or drainage facility within the park, trail, or conservation area, or in any way interfere with the conservation of the natural resources of said park, trail, or conservation area, or endanger the health or safety of visitors.
(f) 
Drive, propel, or cause to be driven or propelled along or over any road or designated parking lot any vehicle at a greater rate of speed than 10 miles per hour.
(g) 
Gamble within the park, trail, or conservation area, or bring into the park, trail, or conservation area, or have in his or her possession while within these areas any implement or device commonly used or intended to be used for gambling purposes.
(h) 
Engage in or conduct in such a manner as to endanger the life or property of other visitors to the park, trail, or conservation area.
(i) 
Loiter or remain within the park, trail, or conservation area, or any part thereof, in a vehicle or otherwise after the posted closing hours at such park, trail, or conservation area without written permission issued by the Town.
(j) 
Operate a snowmobile, motor bike, all-terrain vehicle (ATV and/or UTV) or any other motorized vehicle on any Town designated park, trail, or conservation area. Emergency and authorized vehicles for physically impaired persons are exempt from this restriction.
(k) 
Construct or use snow jumps or ramps not provided by the Town while sledding, skiing or otherwise coming down a hill or incline on any of these Town parkland, trail, or conservation area.
(l) 
Playing time for tennis, basketball, horseshoes and/or pickleball at any Town-owned park is limited to one hour when others are waiting.
(m) 
No bicycles shall be ridden on tennis, pickleball and/or basketball courts.
The Town parks, trails and conservation areas shall be open for public use from dawn to dusk, seven days a week. Dawn to dusk times are based upon the National Weather Service published times. The hours of time when Town parks, trails, or conservation areas are open to the public may be adjusted upon permission of the Farmington Town Board as necessary to accommodate facility reservations and Recreation Advisory Board sponsored activities. No person shall enter or remain on any Town park, trail, or conservation area during the non-dawn-to-dusk time period when the property is closed.
Those persons within the boundaries of Town parks, trails, or conservation areas, whether using the Town-owned facilities or not, are subject to the rules and regulations contained herein and may be removed from said lands in the event that they violate any rule or regulation. This chapter shall be enforced by all Town parks, Town highway, Town code enforcement employees, and/or any Town employee that is authorized to enforce this chapter by the Town Board. This chapter shall also be enforced by the law enforcement agencies having jurisdiction within the Town of Farmington.
Any person committing a violation against any provision of this chapter or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant hereto shall, upon conviction, be guilty of a violation pursuant to the Penal Law of the State of New York, punishable by a fine not exceeding $250 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The continuation of an offense against a provision of this chapter shall constitute, for each day the offense is continued, a separate and distinct offense hereunder.
History: Adopted by the Town Board on September 23, 1986, as Local Law No. 8 of 1986; amended in its entirety by the Town Board on September 10, 1996, as Local Law No. 3 of 1996 (formerly Chapter 17 of the 1969 Codes) and subsequent amendments noted where applicable.
The Town Board may from time to time amend, supplement, change, modify and repeal this chapter pursuant to the provisions of the Town Law and the General Municipal Law applicable thereto.