[Adopted 11-12-1986 by Ord. No. 5-86]
This article shall prescribe the rules and regulations
for the establishment, protection, development and management of County
parks and forests so as to provide a sustained yield of forest products
for commercial use and the associated benefits of soil and water conservation,
scenic value, recreational benefit, and fish and game resources, all
in cooperation with the Department of Natural Resources.
Except as provided otherwise herein, the provisions
of this article shall apply to all lands, structures, and property
owned, leased or administered by Price County for forest, park, wayside
and special use purpose under the management, supervision and control
of the Committee.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Any tract of land designated by the County exclusively for
camping purposes.
The use of any shelter such as a tent, trailer, motor vehicle,
tarpaulin, bed roll or sleeping bag for temporary residence or sleeping
purposes.
Any individual, family, unorganized group or juvenile group
occupying a campsite.
That period from April 1 to December 1.[1]
A single shelter used for camping by a camping party, except
those used exclusively for dining purposes.
A portion of a campground which is designated for use by
a camping unit.
A campground along a waterway for use by persons traveling
by water.
Any building or structure capable of being closed to public
access and reserved for public or private group activities.
The Committee on Parks and Forests.
All lands owned or leased by the County that are managed
under Ch. 28, Wis. Stats.
The County Parks and Forests Department.
Department of Natural Resources.
A state of exigency which requires that immediate action
be taken to protect life or property.
A parent or parents with their unmarried children and not
more than two lineal relatives or two guests.
A campground which is designated for use by organizational
groups.
A group composed of juvenile members of an established organization
and under the leadership of at least one competent, mature adult for
each 10 juveniles in the group.
Includes all lands and water heretofore and hereafter acquired
by the County for park or recreational purposes and placed under the
jurisdiction of the Committee and includes parks on County land managed
under Ch. 28, Wis. Stats.
Includes any individual, firm, partnership, corporation and
association of persons, both singular and plural.
A campground or area with minimal or no improvements, where
camping may be permitted, accessible by hiking or by watercraft.
Includes all lands and waters, other than parks, heretofore
and hereafter acquired by the County for special recreational or other
purposes.
A camping party composed of a group of five or fewer persons
who are seven years of age or older.
A.
The boundaries of all parks, special use areas and
waysides shall be designated by the Board which shall maintain a legal
description of each such parcel in the Department office.
B.
All County-owned lands now held or hereafter
acquired for forestry purposes, established and designated as County
forests, shall be shown on an official County forest map to be maintained
in the Department office and shall be entered as County forest lands
pursuant to § 28.11(4), Wis. Stats. In addition thereto,
the official County forest map shall designate the boundaries of a
well-blocked County forest. It is the intent of the Board to acquire
lands within, or bordering, the County forest boundaries as they become
available and upon a determination by the Committee that County ownership
of the land is beneficial to the residents of Price County and of
the state.
A.
All parks, special use areas and waysides shall be
open to the public throughout the year according to posted hours.
No person may enter or be on such lands outside of those hours except
for campers in or those who are en route to designated campgrounds
or persons transporting watercraft to and from designated boat landings.
For purposes of this subsection, the time shall be computed under
§§ 175.09 and 175.095, Wis. Stats., whichever is applicable.[1]
B.
The facilities in all parks, special use areas and waysides shall be maintained by the Department during the camping season, as defined in § 398-10. Outside of that season, the only facilities that will be maintained by the Department shall be ski trails and County snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) trails.[2]
D.
No refunds shall be given for camping, shelter or
clubhouse reservations.
A.
Fee administration. It is unlawful for any person
to use any facility, shelter or area for which a fee or charge has
been established by ordinance without payment of the fee or charge.
In the event of a natural or man-made disaster
or emergency which necessitates, in the public interest, that all
or a part of any land subject to this article be restricted to public
access, the Committee shall have the power to close such lands or
restrict their use or provide for emergency timber sales. Any actions
under this section shall be subject to Board review and approval at
its next scheduled meeting.
All permits which are issued by the Forest Administrator
or other authorized park personnel shall be subject to all of the
provisions of this article.
The location of all public and private utilities,
structures, lines and pipes within any park, wayside or special use
area shall be subject to the control of the Committee, and their construction,
erection, repair or relocation shall be undertaken only after written
consent thereto is received from the Committee and the Board.
It is unlawful for any person to peddle or solicit
business of any nature, to distribute handbills or other advertising
matter, or to post signs, posters or decorations on any lands or structures
under the jurisdiction of the Committee, for any purposes whatsoever,
unless first authorized by the Committee or its duly authorized agent.
It is unlawful for any person to engage in violent,
abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise
disorderly conduct under circumstances in which such conduct tends
to cause or provoke a disturbance.
It is unlawful for any person to disturb, destroy,
vandalize, damage or remove the property or personal effects of others
in parks, waysides or special use areas.
It is unlawful for any person to operate sound
trucks, loudspeakers, motors, motorboats, motor vehicles or any other
mechanical devices or engage in any activities which produce sound
levels which are objectionable due to intermittence, duration, beat
frequency, impulse character or shrillness.
A.
Destruction, defacement or removal. It is unlawful
for any person to disturb, vandalize, damage, deface, remove or destroy
any trees, shrubs, plants or other natural growth, to carve on any
rocks, archaeological or geological features, signs, walls or structures,
to drive nails into trees, or to move, injure or deface in any manner
any structure, including buildings, signs, fences, tables or other
County property, except with the approval of the Committee. This prohibition
shall not include the picking of edible fruits, nuts and fungi.
B.
Trespass and tampering. It is unlawful for any person
to enter any building, installation or area which may be under construction,
locked or closed to public use and/or to tamper with, use or damage
any water control structure, dam or culvert, or to enter or be upon
any building, installation, or area after the posted closing time,
or before the posted opening time, or contrary to other posted notices
in any park, wayside or special use area.
A.
Washing. The washing of cars, persons, pets, cooking
utensils or clothing, as well as the cleaning of fish and game, is
prohibited in all of the lakes and streams, or any picnic grounds,
playgrounds, recreation areas, boat landings, parking lots or roadways,
or within 50 feet of any pump, fountain or drinking water outlet in
any park, wayside or special use area.
B.
Refuse.
(1)
It is unlawful to dispose of any trash, garbage, debris
or other waste material not directly generated within the park, wayside
or special use area or to dispose of the same in any manner other
than designated receptacles.
(2)
Charcoal residue shall not be discarded onto any grounds,
nor into any containers other than those designated for such purposes.
A.
No person shall operate any vehicle at a speed in
excess of 10 miles per hour or contrary to official traffic signs
in any park, wayside or special use area.
B.
No person shall operate any vehicle in any park, wayside
or special use area in a manner contrary to the provisions of § 346.62,
Wis. Stats.
C.
It is unlawful to operate or park any vehicle on other
than established roads and parking areas. This prohibition includes
but is not limited to ski trails, hiking trails, snowmobile and all-terrain
vehicle (ATV) trails, beach areas, playgrounds and picnic areas within
the lands subject to the Committee's jurisdiction.
[Amended 4-21-2015 by Ord. No. 1-15]
D.
It is unlawful to operate any snowmobile or other
snow vehicle in any area or upon any trail in any park, wayside or
special use area, except in areas or upon trails which have been specifically
posted by the Department for utilization of snowmobiles or other snow
vehicles.
E.
It is unlawful to operate any motor vehicle in any
area signed, gated, bermed or rocked and as such prohibiting use or
upon any trail in any park, wayside or special use area, except in
areas or upon trails which have been specifically posted by the Department
for utilization of motor vehicles.
[Added 4-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 1-15; amended 4-16-2024 by Ord. No. 1-24]
F.
It is unlawful to operate any unlicensed motor bicycle
or motor vehicle, as defined at § 340.01, Wis. Stats., in
any park, wayside or special use area or for any person to operate
a motorcycle without a valid operator's permit as and for motorcycle
operations.
G.
It is unlawful to operate any off-highway motorcycle, as defined
at § 23.335, Wis. Stats., in any area signed, gated, bermed
or rocked and as such prohibiting use of or upon any trail in any
park, wayside or special use area, except in areas or upon trails
which have been specifically posted by the Department for utilization
of motor vehicles.
[Added 4-16-2024 by Ord.
No. 1-24]
H.
It is unlawful to operate any Class 2 electric bicycle, as defined
at § 340.01 (15ph), Wis. Stats., in any County-designated
nonmotorized area.
[Added 4-16-2024 by Ord.
No. 1-24]
It is unlawful for any person to park, stop
or leave standing, whether attended or unattended, any vehicle or
watercraft in any manner which is:
A.
Blocking, obstructing or limiting the use of any road,
trail, parking lot, boat landing, waterway or winter sport facility;
B.
Outside of any area provided for such purpose;
C.
Contrary to posted notice; or
D.
In any park area between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and
the following 6:30 a.m., except that vehicles or watercraft owned
by registered campers residing in adjacent campgrounds and vehicles
at designated boat landings used to transport watercraft are permitted
at any time.
It is unlawful within any park, wayside or special
use area for any person to start, tend or maintain any fire or to
burn any refuse, except at designated fireplaces, fire rings or grills,
unless otherwise posted, and it is also unlawful for any person to
leave unattended or abandon any fire or to discard any matches, cigarettes,
cigars, pipe ashes or embers without first extinguishing them.
It is unlawful for any person to possess, fire,
discharge, explode or set off any squib, cracker or other explosive
or pyrotechnic device containing powder or other combustible or explosive
material within the boundaries of any park, wayside or special use
area, except by permission of the Committee or its duly authorized
agent.
It is unlawful for any person to have in his
or her possession or under his or her control in any park, wayside
or special use area any firearm or airgun as defined in § 939.22(2),
Wis. Stats., or any bow, crossbow or slingshot, unless it is unstrung
and enclosed in a carrying case. This prohibition shall not apply
to the Holy Cross Grouse Management Area, Pine Line Trail, hunter
walking trails, ski trails, snowmobile trails or all-terrain vehicle
(ATV) trails during established state hunting seasons.
It is unlawful for any person to allow pet animals
to enter any public building, bathing beach, picnic ground or playground
within any park, wayside or special use area, or to allow them to
run at large at any time in parks, waysides or special use areas,
or otherwise contrary to posting. Subject to the conditions expressed,
such animals shall be permitted upon lands under the control of the
Committee, provided that they are kept on a leash no longer than eight
feet and under the owner's control at all times. Persons shall not
allow their pet animals to deprive or disrupt the enjoyment or use
of any area by other persons.
It is unlawful for any person to ride or possess
a horse in any park, wayside or special use area except in designated
places.
It is unlawful for any person to take, catch,
kill, hunt, trap, pursue or otherwise capture any wild animals or
birds in any park, wayside or special use area, with the express exception
that hunting or trapping shall be allowed during established state
seasons at Holy Cross Grouse Management Area, Pine Line Trail, hunter
walking trails, ski trails, snowmobile trails, or all-terrain vehicle
(ATV) trails during established state hunting seasons.
It is unlawful for any person to play or practice
baseball, golf, tennis, archery or other games or sports upon or within
any park, wayside or special use area, except upon ball fields, tennis
courts, archery ranges or appropriate athletic grounds or driving
ranges established by the Committee, unless such activity, in the
opinion of the authorized agent, does not create any use problems
for other purposes for which the area is provided.
It is unlawful to swim beyond, disturb, vandalize
or damage a bathing beach boundary buoy, dam marker buoy or other
markers or buoys in any swimming area, adjacent to any dam, or in
any other such marked area in any park, wayside or special use area.
Designated sites shall be maintained at Solberg
Lake, Timm's Hill and Smith Lake Parks for public swimming. It is
unlawful for any person to:
A.
Swim, wade or bathe in the water fronting upon any
designated swimming site during electrical storms or in any other
life-threatening weather;
B.
Swim, wade or bathe within 50 feet of any boat landing;
C.
Use any type of flotation device, except for life
jackets and life vests, contrary to posted notice;
D.
Use or possess any glass containers on designated
beach sites; or
E.
Bring pets or horses on designated beach sites.
Except in locations designated for such purposes
by the Department, it is unlawful for any person to engage in any
athletic game or sport or in any activity upon any beach or in the
water when, in the opinion of the authorized agent in charge, injury
or inconvenience to others shall result therefrom.
It is unlawful for any person to change clothing
except in a beach house or other enclosed place.
A.
Permitted camping. Camping shall be allowed only at
designated campsites in the campgrounds at Solberg Lake Park, Smith
Lake Park and Big Falls Park. Camping shall be allowed in those parks
and in the County forest subject to § 398-40A(1).
[Amended 4-21-2015 by Ord. No. 1-15]
B.
Camping limit. No person shall camp and no camping
unit shall remain in a campground for a period in excess of 28 nights
in succession. Thereafter, the camping unit must be removed from the
property for at least one night before the camping party is eligible
to return.
[Amended 4-16-2024 by Ord. No. 1-24]
C.
Campsite occupancy. It is unlawful for more than one
camping party to occupy a single campsite, except that up to 10 members
of a juvenile group may occupy a campsite, using any number of camping
units, on properties which do not have a designated group campground
area. Not more than one recreational trailer, motor home or pickup
camper may occupy a campsite, unless each pays the required fee.
D.
Campsite changes. No registered camping party shall
move from its assigned campsite to another campsite in a designated
campground without prior approval of the caretaker.
E.
Camping permit expiration. All camping permits expire
at 2:00 p.m. on the last day of the permit period.
F.
Campsite parking. It is unlawful to park any motor
vehicle at any campsite except upon the gravel parking area therein
provided, and no more than two motor vehicles shall be permitted at
any one campsite, including the camping unit if said is a motor vehicle.
G.
Campsite use. Campsite use shall be on a first-come-first-served
basis.
H.
Camping violations. The violation of any law or County
ordinance by any member of a camping party shall constitute cause
for revocation of the camping permit for the campsite in question.
I.
Campground hours. With the exception of registered
campers, no person shall be allowed in the campground areas designated
in § 398-11B during quiet hours (10:30 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.).
Upon approval of applications by the Board for
entry of lands under § 28.11(4), Wis. Stats., the County
Clerk shall, after verifying County ownership of the listed lands,
execute the applications and forward them to the DNR within the prescribed
time limits for each year's applications. Withdrawal of lands so entered
shall be perfected in the manner prescribed by § 28.11(11),
Wis. Stats., upon adoption of a resolution via a two-thirds vote of
the membership of the Board. No deed to any County forest land shall
be issued prior to recording by the County of an order of withdrawal
with the Register of Deeds.
All allotments from the DNR to the County under
§ 28.11(8)(b), Wis. Stats., for the purchase, development,
preservation and maintenance of the County forest shall be deposited
in the segregated state forest aid fund by the County Treasurer.
A.
Recreational use.
(1)
Overnight camping may be permitted in the County forest
without charge for a period not to exceed two weeks' time, provided
that a dispersed camping permit is obtained. Dispersed camping is
not allowed within 1/4 mile of campgrounds, day use areas and boat
landings. Any camper or campers who violate the rules and regulations
of this article or of good conduct, including cutting or defacing
timber, carelessness with fire, and violation of game, fish and litter
regulations, shall be subject to ejection from the County forest and
subject to the penalties provided by ordinances and state law.
[Amended 4-21-2015 by Ord. No. 1-15]
(2)
The dumping of rubbish, debris, dirt, stone or any
other materials shall be prohibited on all County forest lands. Visitors,
including berry pickers, hunters, fishermen and tourists, are forbidden
to leave litter anywhere in the forest or in its lakes or streams.
(3)
It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her
possession or under his or her control in any County forest any firearm
or airgun as defined in § 939.22(2), Wis. Stats., or any
bow, crossbow or slingshot in contravention of state law.
(4)
It is unlawful to construct, occupy or use any elevated
scaffold or other elevated device on County forest lands other than
portable tree stands or to cause damage to trees on County forest
lands by the placement, erection or removal of tree stands or other
means of gaining access to trees.
[Amended 4-16-2024 by Ord. No. 1-24]
(5)
It is unlawful to operate a vehicle for recreational
use or other purposes in such a manner as to cause soil erosion or
other damage to County forests.
(6)
It is unlawful to operate any unauthorized motor vehicle
on roads or trails which are gated, bermed or posted to prohibit travel.
(7)
It is unlawful for any person to abandon or leave
any fires unattended or to discard any matches, cigarettes, cigars,
pipe ashes or any embers without first extinguishing them.
(8)
It is unlawful for any person to start or to possess
any fires on a Department of Natural Resources designated red flag
day, including but not limited to campfires, use of cooking grills,
and smoking of cigarettes or pipes in the open. This prohibition includes
all County-owned land.
(9)
It is unlawful to cross-country ski on any authorized
snowmobile trail on County land.
B.
Timber cutting.
(1)
Cultural cuttings shall include thinnings, release
cuttings, sanitation cuttings and improvement cuttings to remove trees
of inferior species, form, or condition for the purpose of stand improvement.
All cultural cuttings in the County forest shall be approved of by
the Committee, in accordance with the County Forest Management Plan,
and in cooperation with the staff of the DNR. Materials cut in such
operations by County crews may be used by the Parks and Forests Department
or given to other County agencies for their use or sold, as the Committee
shall determine. When given, or sold, to other public agencies, the
latter shall pay the County a sum not less than prevailing average
stumpage rates.
(2)
Salvage cuttings shall include the cutting of timber
damaged by fire, storm, insect or disease. Salvage cutting shall be
done under the procedure specified for cultural cutting or for commercial
cutting, as the Committee may decide.
(3)
Commercial cuttings shall include all cuttings where
stumpage is sold under contract in which the primary objective of
the cutting is the marketing of the timber products, including logs,
ties, poles, posts, pulpwood, piling, Christmas trees and boughs,
or other forest products.
(a)
Timber sales shall be managed in accordance
with County forest law, § 28.10, Wis. Stats.
(b)
Contract specifications for each cutting operation
pertaining to payment and financial responsibility of the bidder shall
be determined by the Committee in consultation with the Forest Administrator
and the DNR Forester.
(c)
After approval of any sales by the Committee,
a notice of intention to cut shall be prepared under § 28.11(6)(b)(3),
Wis. Stats., and DNR rules. Cutting operations shall not be started
until cutting notice approval is received by the Department.
(d)
All timber sales shall conform to the provisions
of § 28.11, Wis. Stats., and shall follow the procedure
as provided for in the DNR Timber Sales Handbook 2461.
(e)
Payment for forest products shall be made promptly
after billing. Prepayment and other payment arrangements may be arranged
with the approval of the Committee.
C.
Firewood permits.
(1)
Each person who desires to purchase downed or standing
trees in forests or parks for firewood must acquire a permit for that
purpose from the Forest Administrator.
(2)
The issuance of and use of permits shall be subject
to the following conditions:
(a)
No more than one permit shall be issued per
household.
(b)
Permits are not transferable.
(c)
Wood cut shall be used for personal firewood
needs only and may not be resold.
(d)
Firewood may be collected only in the area designated
on the permit.
(e)
The permit holder must collect the firewood
within the time period stated on the permit. Upon the expiration date
of the permit, all rights are to be revoked.
(f)
The Forest Administrator reserves the right
to cancel or revoke permits, and the use of permits will be suspended
during periods of emergency burning restrictions.
(g)
The permit holder shall personally or in conjunction
with members of his or her household collect the firewood under the
permit.
(h)
Permit holders shall hold the County harmless
from any injuries or property damage which they might incur in the
process of wood collection and shall be held responsible for any damage
to County property which they cause while operating under their permits.
(3)
Permit form. Firewood permits shall be prepared on
a standard form by the Forest Administrator and approved by the Corporation
Counsel and the Committee on Parks and Forests
