[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Owego 7-3-1972. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Alcoholic beverages — See Ch. 76.
Littering — See Ch. 138.
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 156.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 172.
This chapter may be known and cited as the "Park Ordinance of the Village of Owego."
[Amended 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
The Village of Owego parks, known and hereafter referred to as "parks," shall include the following present parks of the Village of Owego and any additional property located within the Village of Owego hereinafter designated by the Village Board as a park:
A. 
Marvin Park.
B. 
Draper Park.
C. 
Gerry Boland Memorial Park.
D. 
Thompson Memorial Park.
E. 
Ah-Wa-Ga Park (Mayor's Park).
F. 
Woodlawn Park.
G. 
Dave Livingston Memorial Park - Walking Trail (the former NYSEG property along Owego Creek).
H. 
Court House Square.
I. 
Hyde Park.
J. 
Evergreen Cemetery.
It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the health, safety, morals and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Village of Owego by providing regulations designed to preserve the peace, good order and safety of the users of the Village of Owego parks.
No person or organization shall post or distribute advertising matter or sell or offer for sale any merchandise, tickets, service or any other thing of value or solicit within the park area in connection with things to be sold or provided outside of the park, except pursuant to a permit issued by the Village Clerk-Treasurer.
No person shall keep or permit any animal, except household pets on a leash or in cages or horses on bridle paths and racetrack and the existing horse barns under the direction and control of the Tioga County Agricultural Society, to enter the Village of Owego parks. Any animal found at large may be seized and disposed of by employees of the village, county or state.
A. 
No person shall disobey an order of a park attendant, superintendent, caretaker or police officer when such officials are engaged in enforcing state or local laws or the rules and regulations of the village; or use threatening, abusive or insulting language to such officials.
B. 
No person shall:
(1) 
Injure, steal or molest park property, including road and trail barricades, flowers, plants, shrubs and trees.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (b)(2), which prohibited obscene acts and the throwing of stones and missiles and which immediately followed this subsection, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(2) 
Obstruct roads and walks.
(3) 
Set off fireworks of any nature unless licensed by appropriate agencies of the State of New York and evidence thereof is on file with the Village of Owego Clerk-Treasurer and/or the Village of Owego Police Department.
[Amended 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994][2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (b)(5) and (6), which prohibited fighting, brawling and assaults and which immediately followed this subsection, were deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(4) 
Be under the influence of intoxicants.
(5) 
Throw or deposit bottles, glass, cans, garbage, refuse or litter in any place except the receptacles provided for that purpose.
(6) 
Camp out in or sleep in any of the designated parks of the Village of Owego without first obtaining the approval of the Village of Owego Board of Trustees.
[Added 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
C. 
No person shall refuse to obey any reasonable instructions or orders given by an official employee of the village, county or state, and such instructions or orders are for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of park visitors or the person himself.
D. 
There will be no consumption of any alcoholic beverages (as defined in Chapter 76, Alcoholic Beverages) or possession of an open container containing an alcoholic beverage in any park in the Village of Owego at any time except in Marvin Park and Dave Livingston Memorial Park pursuant to a license or permit issued under the Alcohol Beverage Control Law or pursuant to a permit issued in accordance with the following provisions:
[Amended 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
(1) 
A permit for the consumption of alcoholic beverages in Marvin Park and Dave Livingston Memorial Park may be obtained from the Village of Owego Clerk-Treasurer in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Village Board of the Village of Owego may adopt.
(2) 
Any person, whether as an individual or as a representative of any organization or other gathering, who applies for and receives a special permit for the consumption of alcoholic beverages shall be totally responsible to:
(a) 
Ensure that all sections of this chapter are maintained and adhered to at all times.
(b) 
Ensure that all people attending such gatherings are aware that the permit holder is the person responsible for ensuring compliance with this chapter during the time this permit is in effect.
(3) 
The person requesting and signing said permit/permit application shall be in attendance throughout the entire period that the activity covered by said permit is occurring.
(4) 
All permits for the consumption of alcoholic beverages expire at the designated closing hour of the park, at which time all areas used shall have been cleaned and vacated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(5) 
Any person or representative applying for a permit shall pay a nonrefundable fee in the amount established by resolution of the Village of Owego Board of Trustees,[3] which fee shall cover the cost of a permit and which permit shall have a duration extending no more than from the opening of Marvin Park and Dave Livingston Memorial Park to the closing of Marvin Park and Dave Livingston Memorial Park during any one twenty-four-hour period.[4]
[3]
Editor's Note: See Ch. A199, Fees.
[4]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection (e), as amended, dealing with the consumption of alcoholic beverages by persons under 21 years of age, which immediately followed this subsection, was deleted at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
E. 
No person shall drive or propel vehicles on lawns or other park property off the established roads and parking areas except as directed by park officials.
[Amended 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
No person except peace officers shall carry or have in their possession any gun, firearm, bows and arrows, crossbow, slingshots, air rifles, pellet rifles, ammunition or explosives within a park area, and no person shall hunt or molest or drive any game or trap within or from the park areas.
No person shall start or maintain a fire except in the fireplace provided for that purpose or at places especially indicated by the official in charge of the parks, and all fires shall be continuously under the care of a competent person. No person shall allow any fire to injure or destroy any shrub, tree or branches thereof or discard or throw any lighted matches, cigarettes or cigars in such a manner as to create a fire risk of any sort.
A. 
Bathing is prohibited in waters not specifically designated as a bathing area and protected by lifeguard service. Bathing after the hour of darkness is likewise prohibited. Bathing without proper dressing in public view is prohibited.
B. 
Games of various kinds shall be played only at a place provided for such games.
A. 
No persons or organizations shall erect any structures, stand or platform or hold any meeting in the parks, except by a written permit issued by the Village Clerk-Treasurer.
B. 
No parade, drill or maneuver of any kind shall be conducted nor shall any procession form for a parade or proceed in the parks without a written permit issued by the Village Clerk-Treasurer.
A. 
The rate of speed for any motor vehicle being operated in the parks shall not exceed 15 miles per hour.
B. 
No vehicle shall be parked in any place except duly designated parking areas nor in excess of the posted time limits. Parking must also be in accordance with the instructions of the park officials in charge of parking areas.
C. 
Every driver of a vehicle operated on a park road within the parks or any parking area shall comply with instructions conveyed by any stop, slow, speed, caution, movement, alignment, exclusion, restriction, parking or other regulation sign or signal maintained by the Village Board within the parks.
D. 
The Village of Owego Police Department is authorized to post and maintain appropriate control or regulatory signs for traffic and persons using the parks.
[Amended 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
No person shall use or operate a snowmobile, a minibike, a go-cart or any other unlicensed vehicle propelled by other than muscular power within the parks, except in areas designated from time to time for specific uses by the Village of Owego Board of Trustees.
Reservations for the picnic pavilion or for other uses of the parks shall be made to the Village Clerk-Treasurer in accordance with such rules and regulations as the Village Board of the Village of Owego may adopt.
Any person finding or taking possession of any personal property of which such person is not the owner shall deliver the same immediately to the Park Superintendent or to the Police Department of the Village of Owego, and losers of such property shall apply to said Superintendent or the Police Department of the Village of Owego for restoration of lost articles.
[Amended 8-3-1981 by L.L. No. 1-1981; 8-15-1994 by L.L. No. 2-1994]
No person shall be in or upon the grounds of Marvin Park between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., except in attendance of a meeting, game, fair or other activity which is being held pursuant to a written permit issued by the Owego Village Clerk-Treasurer. No person shall be in or upon the grounds of Evergreen Cemetery between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. No person shall be in or upon the grounds of Woodlawn Park, Gerry Boland Memorial Park, Hyde Park or Dave Livingston Memorial Park between 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. All remaining parks (i.e., Thompson Memorial Park), Ah-Wa-Ga Park (Mayor's Park), Draper Park and Court House Square (north and south side) shall be open to the public, subject to the other provisions of this chapter, 24 hours a day.
Any person or persons who violate any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $250 or to imprisonment for not more than 15 days, or to both such fine and imprisonment.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).