[Adopted by Ord. No. 95-014 (Secs. 8-1 and 8-4 of the 1996 Revised General Ordinances)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PUBLIC LANDS
Any parcel or area of land or water owned by the Township and specifically designated, set aside, dedicated or reserved for recreational, open space or conservation purposes.
A. 
No person or group of persons shall engage in such loitering conduct as will clearly cause an immediate, actual physical violent reaction from any person or persons, which violent action will cause a threat to the peace and order of the public.
B. 
No person or group of persons shall engage in such loitering conduct which shall disturb a person of ordinary sensibilities as to cause such person to react immediately in such a way as to threaten by physical violence the peace and order of the public.
C. 
No person or group of persons shall engage in such loitering conduct which obstructs free passage of pedestrians, at, in, or near any building, parking lot, or vehicle or the free passage of vehicles at, in, or near any building, parking lot, or vehicle.
D. 
Where there is conduct violative of these rules and regulations, there must, in addition, be a refusal by the persons engaged in such conduct to obey an order by any agent or officer of the Township to move on before a charge under these regulations may be prosecuted.
E. 
No person shall resist any agent or officer of the Township in the discharge of his duty, or fail or refuse to obey any lawful command of any such agent or officer, or in any way interfere with or hinder or prevent any such agent or officer from discharging his duty, or in any manner assist or give aid to any person in custody to escape or attempt to escape from custody, or rescue or attempt to rescue any person when in such custody.
F. 
No person shall falsely represent or impersonate any agent or officer or pretend to be an agent or officer of the Township.
G. 
No person shall harass, obstruct, molest, assault, or interfere with any agent or officer of the Township.
H. 
No person shall remain within a Township park or public lands who does not abide by conditions adopted by the Township Council and posted by the Director of Public Works for the preservation of good order and the protection of property within a Township park or public lands; and no person shall remain within a Township park or public lands who does not abide by the instructions and directions of duly authorized officers or agents of the Township in the lawful performance of their duties. Any person directed by an agent or officer of the Township to leave a Township park or public lands shall do so promptly and peaceably.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
I. 
No person shall interfere with, or in any manner hinder, any agent or officer of the Township while engaged in constructing, repairing, or caring for any park property or interfere with any improvements being made within or about a Township park or public lands.
J. 
No person shall use threatening, abusive, boisterous, insulting, or indecent language or gesture within a Township park or public lands, nor shall any oration, harangue, public demonstration, or any nuisance be made.
K. 
No person shall appear in the park in a state of nudity or in a dress not properly belonging to his or her sex or commit, perform, or engage in lewd, lascivious, obscene, illicit, carnal, or indecent acts or behavior, and no person shall make any indecent exposure of his or her person.
L. 
No person shall possess any weapon capable of lethal use or inflicting serious bodily injury within a Township park or public lands.
M. 
Any person convicted of a violation of this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.
[Added 8-22-2022 by Ord. No. 22-27]
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007; 4-27-2015 by Ord. No. 15-005; 7-11-2016 by Ord. No. 16-027]
A. 
The hours of operation for all parks and other public lands are sunrise to sunset or 9:00 p.m., whichever is sooner, unless otherwise approved by the Mayor or his designee.
B. 
No person shall enter upon any portion of a Township park or public lands where persons are prohibited from such park or public lands as designated by the Township Council and posted by the Director of Public Works.
C. 
No person shall participate in an activity that is prohibited as designated by the Township Council and posted by the Director of Public Works.
D. 
No person shall throw, cast, catch, kick, fly or strike any ball or other object or use any radio-controlled devices within the designated beach areas, designated playground areas or designated concession areas.
E. 
No person shall use skates, skateboards, roller blades or any other wheel device within tennis courts or basketball courts located in any Township park or public land.
F. 
All children under eight years old must be accompanied by a parent or other adult (18 years of age or older) at all Township lakes, playgrounds and public lands.
A. 
No person shall use any portion of a Township park or public lands for purpose as a travel way except drives, parking areas, roadways, paths, walks, and trails established for such purpose by the Director of Public Works or the Township Council. Footpaths or walks established for pedestrian travel shall not be used for vehicular travel. Bikeways and equestrian trails shall not be utilized for vehicular travel. The use of mopeds or motorized bikes shall be limited to roads.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
B. 
No person shall use park drives or parkways within a Township park or public lands for the purpose of demonstrating any vehicle, or for the purpose of instructing another to drive or operate any vehicle.
C. 
The cleaning, waxing, or repairing of vehicles is not permitted within a Township park or public lands.
D. 
No person shall, without permission from the Mayor or his designee, enter into, remain, or allow his or her vehicle to remain within a Township park or public lands unless the Township park or public lands are open to the general public.
[Amended 6-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-012; 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007; 7-11-2016 by Ord. No. 16-027]
E. 
No person shall drive or propel, or cause to be driven or propelled, along or over any road within a Township park or public lands any vehicle at a rate of speed greater than 25 miles per hour or the speed designated by speed limits signs erected along the right-of-way.
F. 
No person shall drive or propel, or cause to be driven or propelled, along or over any road, parkway, drive, or parking area within a Township park or public lands any motor vehicle in a careless manner or in a manner to endanger the life, limb, or property of pedestrians, or the drivers or occupants of other vehicles, or any other person within a Township park or public lands. The motor vehicle operator and the motor vehicle while operated within a Township park or public lands shall be in compliance with New Jersey State Motor Vehicle License and Safety Laws.
G. 
No person shall park or store any motor vehicle, motorcycle, bicycle, wagon, or other vehicle within a Township park or public lands except in areas designated and posted for such purposes. Parking areas and thoroughfares are limited to use by park patrons only and for the purpose of driving to park vehicles.
[Amended 6-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-012; 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007; 4-27-2015 by Ord. No. 15-005; 3-14-2016 by Ord. No. 16-013]
A. 
No group of 20 or more persons shall use a Township park or public lands without first having obtained a group use permit from the Director of Recreation no later than seven days before the proposed date of use. Group use shall be limited to designated areas.
B. 
Adult supervision of minors is required at all times. For activities within Township areas requiring a beach badge, the minimum supervision requirement is as follows: For groups of minors age 12 and under, there must be one adult for every six children, or portion thereof. If a group exceeds six children under 12 years old, a supervision ratio of 1:6 must be maintained at all times.
C. 
No person shall call or hold any meeting or give any concert or public entertainment of any kind within a Township park or public lands without first having obtained written permission in advance from the Mayor or his designee not later than 14 days before the proposed date of use.
D. 
No person shall use loudspeakers, public address systems, or amplifiers within a Township park or public lands without first having obtained written permission in advance from the Mayor or his designee not later than seven days before the proposed date of use. Nor shall any portable radio, tape player, record player or musical instrument be played in such a manner as to create a nuisance.
E. 
Comprehensive liability insurance is required. The applicant shall submit to the Director of Recreation, with the application for a permit, written commitment from an insurance company licensed to do business in New Jersey, to insure the applicant and the Township of Manchester as coinsured during the event. No permit shall be issued unless the applicant shall furnish the Township with a comprehensive liability insurance policy insuring the Township against liability for damage to person or property with limits of not less than $500,000/$1,000,000 for bodily injury or death and limits of not less than $300,000 for property damage, sufficient to save the Township harmless from any liability or cause of action which might arise by reason of the granting of the permit and not cancelable without 10 days' prior written notice to the Township.
F. 
All outside organizations are required to sign a "hold harmless" agreement which protects the Township from any liability which may occur during the time the Township's facilities are being used by such organizations. Outside organizations, which include those groups, committees, associations, clubs, individuals or organizations whose functions or activities are not sponsored, controlled or regulated by the Township, are not covered by the Township's insurance. The form for the "hold harmless" agreement shall be provided by the Township.
G. 
Any event participation that exceeds the capacity of the event location facility may cause a need for traffic control officer(s) or security to be determined by the Chief of Police or his/her designee. The cost of such will be passed along to the event organizers named in the application.
H. 
Group permits issued to commercial and individual applicants between Memorial Day and Labor Day require each individual attending the group event to obtain a beach badge in accordance with § 160-11.
[Amended 9-22-2008 by Ord. No. 08-038; 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
No person shall possess or consume alcoholic beverages, drugs, or narcotics in any Township park or public lands unless the Township Council has approved the consumption of alcohol in designated special use areas for special events.
A. 
Dogs and cats must be kept on a leash not exceeding six feet in length. No domestic animal shall be permitted to run at large within any Township park or public lands, either with or without a keeper, except in those areas designated for that purpose by the Mayor or his designee and posted by the Director of Public Works. Pets shall not be allowed in picnic, bathing or swimming areas or in other areas indicated by signage.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
B. 
No person shall ride, drive, lead, or keep a saddle horse or other animal within a Township park or public lands, except on such roads, trails, or other areas as designated for that purpose by the Mayor or his designee and posted by the Director of Public Works. No horse or other animal shall be hitched to any tree or shrub in a manner that may cause damage.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
C. 
Pet owners/keepers must immediately remove any feces produced by their animals from any Township park or public land.
A. 
No person shall leave bottles, broken glass, ashes, wastepaper, or other rubbish within a Township park or public lands except in a properly provided receptacle for that purpose.
B. 
No person shall throw or place any stone, rock debris, foreign or waste substance into or upon a Township park or public lands or in any lake, river, or lagoon within or bordering upon land of Township park or public lands.
C. 
No person shall throw, cast, lay, drop, discharge into, or allow to remain in the water of a Township park or public lands or any tributary, brook, stream, or storm sewer drain flowing into the waters any substance matter, or thing which may or shall result in the pollution of the waters.
A. 
No person shall pick flowers, foliage, berries or fruit or cut, break, dig up, or in any way mutilate or injure any tree, shrub, fern, grass, turf, railing, seat, fence, structure or any other object within a Township park or public lands.
B. 
No person shall bring into or upon Township park or public lands any tree shrub, or plant or any newly plucked branch or portion of a tree, shrub, or plant.
C. 
No person shall dig up or remove any dirt, stone, rock, or other substance, make any excavation, quarry sand or stone, or lay or set off any blast, or do any of these things within Township park or public lands.
D. 
No person shall remove or cut firewood, regardless of whether the tree or wood is dead, fallen, diseased or otherwise from a Township park or public lands.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
A. 
No person shall discharge any weapon or firearms within or into a Township park or public lands. Firearms shall not be carried or had in possession within a Township park or public lands. Shooting with bow and arrow is prohibited within a Township park or public lands.
B. 
No person shall molest, trap, capture, hold, remove, injure, or kill any animal or disturb its habitat within a Township park or public lands.
A. 
No person shall build or attempt to build a fire except in such areas and under such regulations as may be designated by the Township.
[Amended 4-27-2015 by Ord. No. 15-005]
B. 
No person shall possess, discharge, or set off within a Township park or public lands any firecrackers, torpedoes, rockets, or other fireworks.
A. 
No person shall engage in any commercial enterprise including, but not limited to, the offering of services, soliciting, selling, or peddling any liquids or edibles for human consumption, or to distribute, circulate or to hawk, peddle, or vend any goods, wares, or merchandise within a Township or public lands except as provided by action of the Township Council. No person shall sell, solicit for sale, peddle or vend any goods, wares, merchandise or foodstuffs on any beaches, beachfronts, parks or picnic areas adjacent to beachfronts or any other parks or playgrounds, approaches thereto or parking lots within the Township, unless they have obtained a written lease, concession or authorization from the Township Council in accordance with N.J.S.A. 40:61-1 et seq. and § 288-19, Concessions, of these regulations.
B. 
No person shall cut, carve, paint, mark, post, or fasten on any tree, fence, wall, building, monument or other object within a Township park or public lands any bill, advertisement, or inscription. Nor shall any person distribute, cast, throw, or place any handbill, pamphlet, circular, advertisement, or notice of any kind within a Township park or public lands except as provided by special permission of the Mayor or his designee.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
C. 
No person shall tell fortunes, play at games of chance, or use any gambling device within a Township park or public lands except as provided by special permission of the Mayor or his designee.
[Amended 4-14-2014 by Ord. No. 14-007]
D. 
Any person selling, hawking, peddling or vending any goods, wares, merchandise or foodstuffs in violation hereof, without authorization of the Township Council, shall be subject to the violation of rules and penalties hereinafter set forth.
A. 
The Township Council is hereby authorized to lease concessions, let out and rent to any one or more concessionaires or person, any privileges in any of its parks, beaches, waterfronts and places of public resort and recreation, by resolution, to the highest responsible bidder therefor, after advertisement of time and place of such letting, at least 10 days prior to receipt of bids, in a newspaper circulation in the municipality, and upon such terms and conditions as it may prescribe in the resolution, including conditions, location, limits as to the number of concessions or concessionaires or leases to be let out, and the lowest minimum bid to be accepted.
B. 
Upon violation of the terms upon which any lease or privilege is granted, the same shall become void, and the Township Council may so declare, and may reenter any place so leased and prevent the exercise of the privilege so forfeited, after notification in writing, either by personal delivery or certified mail. Any vendor or lessee whose privileges shall be declared void may request a hearing before the Township Council by filing a written request for a hearing with the Township Clerk not more than seven days after the receipt of the declaration. However, notwithstanding such notice of hearing or appeal, the Township Council may reissue such license, privilege, concession or lease under the same terms and conditions after public notice in the newspaper.
[Amended 6-14-2010 by Ord. No. 10-012]
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction, be subject to the penalties included in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty, of the Township Code.