[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Chester as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Animals — See Ch. 62.
Peddling and soliciting — See Ch. 134.
Littering — See Ch. 149, Art. 3.
[Adopted 3-19-1991 by Ord. No. 8:11-91]
The following rules and regulations shall pertain to all public parks, playgrounds and recreational facilities owned, leased or controlled by the Township of Chester, County of Morris, State of New Jersey.
The maximum speed limit shall be 15 miles per hour.
A. 
Motor vehicles shall be restricted to roads or designated parking areas only.
B. 
Unregistered vehicles, snowmobiles and motorized trail vehicles are prohibited.
[Amended 9-5-2000]
C. 
Bicycles are not permitted on ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds or playing fields.
Parklands are open to the public from 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset or as set by resolution by the Township Council from time to time.
A. 
Hunting of any kind or nature is prohibited except as provided by Chapter 131, the White-Tailed Deer Management Ordinance.
[Amended 9-5-2000]
B. 
Ice fishing is prohibited in the ponds at Chubb Park and Tiger Brook Park.
The carrying or discharge of firearms or weapons of any kind or nature is prohibited.
Littering of any nature is prohibited, including the posting, distribution or placing of any billboard, placard, handbill, circular, advertisement or sign of any nature. Groups using the facilities are responsible for the cleanup of areas used.
Trees, shrubbery and/or plants are not to be disturbed without a written permit issued by the Township of Chester.
[Amended 9-5-2000]
A. 
Soliciting, hawking, peddling and vending of any nature is prohibited, except as provided in accordance with Chapter 134, Peddling and Soliciting, or as approved by permit by the Parks Advisory Committee.
B. 
No solicitor, hawker, peddler or vendor shall conduct, or attempt to conduct, his/her business within 200 feet as measured from the perimeter of the area used for any event or activity approved by the Parks Advisory Committee or Township Council, unless the sponsor for such event or activity permits the licensee to conduct business. In such case the licensee shall pay the required vendor fee as stated in Chapter 130.
No person shall willfully injure, deface, displace, remove, destroy or tamper with any park property.
Alcoholic beverages are prohibited on parklands. A special permit may be issued by the Township Council for special events upon written application for the same to the Township Council.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See also Ch. 58, Alcoholic Beverages.
Hazardous or unsafe objects or activities, including fireworks of any kind of nature, are prohibited on parklands.
A. 
A special permit may be issued by the Township Council for a fireworks display upon written application for the same.
B. 
Beverages in glass containers are prohibited.
C. 
The driving of golf balls within the limited confines of Township parklands creates a hazard to public safety and is strictly prohibited.
D. 
The training of dogs on or off the leash on Township parklands constitutes a hazard to public safety and is prohibited.
Children eight years of age or under shall be supervised by a parent or authorized adult at all times.
Throwing or depositing stones, sticks or debris of any kind or in any manner in any pond or area used for ice skating or on ice during freezing weather is prohibited. Skating in a manner that endangers or interferes with other skaters is strictly forbidden. Skating is permitted only when a green flag is displayed. Ice hockey will be limited to designated areas and times. Ice skating on the pond at Tiger Brook Park is strictly prohibited.
A. 
A fee established by the Township Council shall be charged for each event to be held on parklands unless such fee is specifically waived by motion of the Council or Parks Advisory Committee.
[Amended 9-5-2000]
B. 
Use of parklands for sponsored events shall be by the filing of an application with the Park Committee and its approval thereof. Fees are payable upon approval of the application.
C. 
Commercial, for-profit activities, such as, but not limited to, tennis lessons and sports clinics, for which a fee is charged, shall be prohibited without a permit issued by the Parks Advisory Committee or the Township Council. The fee for such a permit shall be set by the Parks Advisory Committee or the Township Council. Evidence of liability insurance shall be submitted prior to a permit being issued.
[Added 10-19-1999[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also provided for the redesignation of former Subsections C and D as Subsections D and E, respectively.
D. 
The Township Council reserves the right to require the posting of a security bond, in an amount to be determined by the Council, by any applicant requesting permission to use parklands. Such security bond shall be refundable, in full or in part, after the permitted use is concluded at the discretion of the Township Council or Park Committee.
E. 
The Township of Chester, the Township Council and its employees and agents shall not be held responsible jointly or severally for loss and/or any injuries to any person occurring during or resulting from any approved use of the park.
No person shall kindle, build, maintain or use a fire except in places provided for such purpose. Any fire for which permission has been granted and in such places as have been designated shall be continuously under the care and direction of a competent person from the time it is kindled until it is extinguished.
No tents, shacks or any other temporary shelter shall be set up or used for overnight or camping purposes without the permission of the Township Council.
Swimming and boating on parklands in Chester Township is strictly forbidden unless a permit is issued by the Township Council upon written application for the same.
All persons shall conduct themselves in a proper and orderly manner at all times while on parklands. No person or persons shall disturb or interfere unreasonably with any person, persons or party occupying any area of parklands or participating in any activity under the authority of a permit.
Any person violating any provision of these rules and regulations shall be deemed to be a disorderly person in accordance with the laws of the State of New Jersey.
[Adopted 3-5-1996; amended in its entirety 4-20-2010 by Ord. No. 2010-3]
Group use of parklands and park facilities located in the Township of Chester shall only be permitted by approved application and evidence of liability insurance. A group shall constitute any organized gathering or 12 or more people for a common event or activity.
Reserved use of Township parklands or park facilities by individuals, groups or agencies operating as for-profit enterprises is not permitted, except that reserved use of Township parklands or park facilities shall be permitted by a for-profit enterprise which provides recreational or educational instruction or activities to Township residents.
The approval of all applications for use of Township parklands or park facilities, including the setting or waiving of appropriates fees, the requiring of police and safety offices and the establishment of special conditions, shall be determined by the Chester Township Park Committee.
Applications for use of Township parklands or park facilities shall be on the proper form and shall be reviewed as received, beginning on the first day of January in each year. Groups which are based within the Township of Chester and service the residents of Chester Township may be granted preference in the reservation of a park site.
All applicants shall be required to submit with their application an original copy of the sponsoring organization's certificate of insurance in an amount of not less than, but not limited to, $500,000 for property damage and $1,000,000 for bodily injury. The Township of Chester shall be the specific certificate holder and shall be named an additional insured on the certificate of insurance.
Applicants, their guests and invitees for reservation of Township park facilities shall abide by all park rules and regulations as set forth by ordinance of the Township of Chester.[1] Failure to abide by the rules and regulations for Township parklands and park facilities, permit application procedures, special conditions or roster requirements may result in loss of security deposit and/or forfeiture of the group use permit.
[1]
Editor's Note: See Art. 1, Public Parks, Playgrounds and Recreation Facilities, of this chapter.
The following fees are hereby established for group reserved use of parklands and park facilities of the Township of Chester:
A. 
General fees.
(1) 
General fees shall be as follows:
[Amended 2-6-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-01]
Group Size
Standard Fees
(per day)
Reduced Fees
(per day)
Security Deposit
(per day)
1 to 50
$2/person
$1/person
$100
51 to 100
$200
$100
$100
101 to 250
$400
$200
$500
251 to 500
$500
$250
$500
501 to 1,000
$700
$350
$750
1,001 to 2,000
$1,000
$500
$1,000
2,000 to 3,500
$2,000
$1,000
$2,000
3,501 to 5,000
$3,500
$1,500
$3,500
Greater than 5,000
$5,000
$2,500
$5,000
(a) 
Fees may be reduced if the reserving group or agency meets the following criteria:
[Amended 11-14-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-10]
[1] 
The reserving group is a resident adult group. A resident adult group is defined as a group of individuals where at least 50% of the members are residents of Chester Township or Chester Borough.
[2] 
The reserving group is a group organized for recreational activities without attempting to make a profit from the activities consisting of members under 19 years of age and is open to participation by Chester Township youths.
[3] 
The reserving group is a group of individuals or an organization holding an event or activity that is open to all Chester Township and Chester Borough residents without attempting to make a profit from the event.
(b) 
Reduction of a fee shall be determined by the Chester Township Park Committee by a majority vote of the quorum present.
(2) 
Security deposits are refundable in full or in part after inspection of facilities at the conclusion of sponsor cleanup and breakdown of a permitted event. Group size is limited to a maximum of 2,000 attendees per day unless specific authorization to exceed this attendance level is granted by the Township Council. Fee calculation is based on actual attendance or total attendance anticipated on the application, whichever is greater.
B. 
Electrical use fees, assessed when a group receives permission to use electrical service at a reserved facility, shall be as follows:
Group Size
Electrical Fee
(per day)
1 to 500
$50
501 to 1,000
$75
1,001 to 2,000
$100
More than 2,000
As determined by Township Council
C. 
Vendor fees.
(1) 
Vendor fees are assessed when a group which has reserved a Township park uses the services of a for-profit enterprise in support of a permittee's event. Such uses include, but are not limited to, private food vendors, novelty sales vendors and horseback riding tack vendors.
(2) 
A fee of $100 per vendor per day shall be assessed for any for-profit vendor or business which is operating in a Township parkland for the support of an agency or event holding a valid park use permit. The Park Committee shall have the authority and discretion to reduce or waive said vendor fee upon good cause being shown.
D. 
Parking fees.
(1) 
The fee for parking in Township parklands for activities outside of the parks will be as follows:
Number of Cars
Fee
(per day)
Less than 500
$750, plus $1,000 security fee
500 to 1,000
$1,250, plus $1,000 security fee
More than 1,000
$1,500, plus $1,500 security fee
(2) 
If the parking is for a nonprofit activity, the Parks Committee may reduce or waive said fee upon good cause being shown. Security deposits may be required for both for-profit and nonprofit activities.
E. 
Athletic field use fees.
[Amended 2-6-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-01]
(1) 
Athletic field use fees shall be as follows:
Standard Fee
Reduced Fee
Security Deposit
Playing Field (up to 3 hour use period, per field)
$100
$50
$250 per season or 2x 'Standard Rate' for Time Booked
Practice Field (up to 3 hour use period, per field)
$70
$35
$250 per season or 2x 'Standard Rate' for Time Booked
(2) 
Full day use will be counted as two of the three-hour use periods (i.e., double the rates listed above).
(3) 
Fees may be reduced if the reserving group meets any one of the following criteria:
[Amended 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-14]
(a) 
The reserving group is a resident adult group. A resident adult group is defined as a group of individuals where at least 50% of the members are residents of either Chester Township or Chester Borough.
(b) 
The reserving group is a group organized for recreational activities without attempting to make a profit from the activities consisting of members under 19 years of age and is open to participation by Chester Township youths.
(c) 
The reserving group is a group of individuals or an organization holding an event or activity that is open to all Chester Township and Chester Borough residents without attempting to make a profit from the event.
(4) 
Reduction of a fee shall be determined by the Chester Township Park Committee by a majority vote of the quorum present.
F. 
Highlands Ridge Park Community Barn fees.
(1) 
Fees for the reserved use of the Highlands Ridge Park Community Barn shall be as follows:
Reserved Area
Chester Resident Daily Use Fee
(per day)
Nonresident Daily Use Fee
(per day)
Community Room
$200
$400
Meeting Room
$50
$100
Kitchen Area
$50
$100
Reserved Area
Chester Resident Security Fee
(per day)
Nonresident Security Fee
(per day)
Community Room
$500
$1,000
Meeting Room
$50
$100
Kitchen Area
$100
$200
(2) 
Electricity charges.
[Added 4-7-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-03; amended 12-7-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-17]
(a) 
User fee per day: $30. Groups or individuals scheduled to use the Community Barn for 120 minutes or less per day shall be exempt from this fee.
(b) 
The user fee charge shall apply to the days the Community Barn or any portion thereof is actually used for an event. The use charge shall not be imposed for any days devoted to setting up for the event.[1]
[1]
Editor’s Note: Former Subsection G, regarding Highlands Ridge Park Athletic Field fees, which immediately followed, was repealed 2-6-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-01.
A. 
Fees shall be made payable to the Township of Chester.
B. 
Anticipated fees shall be paid in full a minimum of 30 days prior to the starting date of the event or activity. Fee adjustments due to increased attendance shall be paid within seven days after the conclusion of the event or activity.
C. 
Waiver of fees.
(1) 
Park use and security fees may be waived if the reserving group meets the following criteria:
[Amended 12-18-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-14]
(a) 
The reserving group is providing a recreational activity without attempting to make a profit from the activity and serves the residents of the Township of Chester and the surrounding municipalities that participate in reciprocal field agreements for the reserving group to persons under 19 years of age.
(b) 
The reserving group is a not-for-profit agency serving the Chester area with a minimum of 50% of its annual operating budget providing either direct or in-kind recreational, education or charitable services to the residents of Chester.
(2) 
Approval or denial of a waiver or fee shall be determined by the Chester Township Park Committee or by the Chester Township Council, as appropriate.
The Chester Township Park Committee shall be authorized to spend such sums for recreational-related activities as may be appropriated from time to time by the Township Council.