[Amended 12-5-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-28; 10-6-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-11; 5-19-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-5]
The following terms shall, for the purpose of this chapter, have the meanings indicated in this section:
ACTIVE PARK PROPERTY
Park property that is the subject of active recreation, including baseball, softball, soccer, and the like. By way of example and not limitation, this shall include the following properties:
A. 
Joseph C. Phile Memorial Fields (also referred to as the West Avenue Fields);
B. 
The Babe Ruth Field (also referred to as the A.A. Field, Hickory Street); and
C. 
The Field of Dreams/ Delanco Community Park (Creek Road).
BOARD OF RECREATION COMMISSIONERS
The Recreation Commission of Delanco Township as heretofore created and reestablished.[1]
COMPOST FACILITY
Is located within the center of the Dunes parcel (described under "passive park property" below), and is the Public Works active facility for collection of leaves and similar debris for storage and processing prior to distribution or disposal.
MUNICIPAL BUILDING PROPERTIES
Shall include the main offices and police facilities at 770 Coopertown Road and the Public Works Building at 750 Coopertown Road, as well as the property surrounding the buildings at both sites.
PARK and PARK PROPERTY
All property in the Township of Delanco designated by the Township Committee thereof as available for recreational purposes.
PASSIVE PARK PROPERTY
Park property that is generally open to the public for passive uses such as running, walking and sitting. By way of example, and not limitation, this shall include:
A. 
Gateway Park (at Burlington and Rancocas Avenues);
B. 
The Dunes (West and Beaver Avenues);
C. 
Centennial Park (at Burlington Avenue and Vine Street);
D. 
Historic Waterfront Park (Delaware Avenue between Willow and Union Avenues).
PASSIVE PUBLIC AREA
Public property that is open and available to the public but not formally established or maintained as a park. By way of example, and not limitation, this shall include:
A. 
Delaware Avenue Street Ends at the intersections of:
(1) 
Willow Street;
(2) 
Union Avenue;
(3) 
Walnut Street;
(4) 
Hazel Avenue;
(5) 
Edgewood Avenue;
(6) 
Center Avenue;
(7) 
Oakford Avenue;
(8) 
Maple Avenue; and
(9) 
Lilac Avenue.
B. 
Rancocas Avenue Street Ends at the intersections of:
(1) 
Buttonwood Street; and
(2) 
Ash Street.
RESIDENT
Any person actually living in Delanco Township or owning a home therein.
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM
An aircraft and its associated elements which is operated with no pilot onboard and remotely controlled, usually from the ground but also from manned aircraft, by use of data links and onboard sensors, including but not limited to drone technology.
[1]
Editor's Note: See also § 10-18, Board of Recreation Commissioners.
[Amended 8-1-1994 by Ord. No. 8-1994]
A. 
The conduct, operation or use of any park and park property or any part thereof by any business, group, organization or team other than any team sponsored by the Delanco Recreation Commission shall be prohibited unless a permit has been obtained from the Township Clerk and has been approved by the Recreation Commission.
B. 
When two or more requests are received for the same date, priority will be given to Delanco businesses, groups, organizations and teams.
C. 
All requests must be submitted two weeks prior to the date requested.
D. 
The permit shall include the following information:
(1) 
The name of the business, organization, group or team.
(2) 
The address of the business, organization, group or team.
(3) 
The name of the individual in charge.
(4) 
The telephone number of the individual in charge.
(5) 
The date(s) requested.
(6) 
The time the activity will begin and the time the activity will end.
(7) 
A description of the use.
(8) 
A copy of a certificate of liability insurance for $1,000,000 naming the Township of Delanco as certificate holder for the described use.
(9) 
Any other information that the Recreation Commission or Township of Delanco deems necessary in order to approve the permit.
[Added 5-3-1999 by Ord. No. 7-1999]
The Recreation Commission shall be authorized to charge fees for the use of any township park and park property. The method for determining the fees shall be implemented through Recreation Commission policy procedure and approved by a resolution of the Township Committee. Fee schedules may be revised by a resolution approved by the Township Committee.
[Added 10-6-2014 by Ord. No. 2014-11]
Drones. The use of unmanned aircraft systems ("UAS"), including but not limited to drones, in active park property over or within 300 feet of parking lots or a field of play during use of that field for organized play, whether practice, game or the like, is hereby prohibited. UAS are otherwise permitted, provided that operators take due care in the operation of the UAS in and around other park users and shall be solely liable for any damage, injury or the like caused by their activity.
No papers, debris, cans, refuse or any other materials or property in the nature of debris or refuse shall be left or deposited in or on the property comprising the park, except in receptacles provided by the Township of Delanco for such purposes.
[Amended 3-5-2018 by Ord. No. 2018-4]
A. 
No trees, shrubbery or flowers or any portion thereof on or within the park shall be taken, damaged, destroyed or removed without lawful permission first had and obtained, in writing, from the Township Recreation Commission.
B. 
The planting, removal, or relocation of trees within parks shall be determined by the Township Recreation Commission with the advice of the Shade Tree Commission.
C. 
Prior to expending funds on tree planting or removal, the Recreation Commission shall obtain approval from the Township Committee for the expenditure. Any comprehensive plan for tree planting or removal shall be presented by the Recreation Commission to the Township Committee for approval.
[Added 8-1-1994 by Ord. No. 8-1994; amended 12-5-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-28]
A. 
The conduct, operation or use of any active park property or part thereof shall be limited to the hours between 9:00 a.m. and dusk, unless prior approval has been received from the Recreation Commission, but in no event earlier than 7:30 a.m. and no later than 10:00 p.m.
B. 
The Compost Facility shall not be open to the public at any time during which the Public Works Department has any compost material or equipment stored on the property. When the Compost Facility is not being used for any composting operation or equipment storage for same, prior approval may be granted by Public Works and the Recreation Commission to make that area available for limited public access.
C. 
The Municipal Building properties shall be limited to the parking area, driveways and walkways open and accessible to the public whenever the buildings or services are open for business or meetings, or when a member of the public has business with the Township. Presence or use of the Municipal Buildings properties is otherwise prohibited.
D. 
The conduct, operation or use of any passive park property or part thereof shall be limited to the hours between dawn and 10:00 p.m., except the Dunes property, which shall close at dusk, unless prior approval has been received from the Recreation Commission, but in no event no later than 10:00 p.m.
E. 
The conduct, operation or use of any passive public area or part thereof shall be limited to the hours between dawn and 10:00 p.m.
[Added 3-6-2017 by Ord. No. 2017-6; amended 10-5-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-13; 12-6-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-21; 5-19-2025 by Ord. No. 2025-5]
The following regulations shall govern all active park property, passive park property and passive public area, as defined above, collectively referred to below as "public property":
A. 
There is hereby established a speed limit of 10 miles per hour for all vehicles. Vehicles shall be restricted to designated parking lots and drive aisles.
B. 
No person shall possess or consume alcoholic beverages, drugs, drug paraphernalia or narcotics within public property.
C. 
Visitors/users must obey all posted public property regulations. Use of the public property is done at the visitor's/user's own risk. All visitors/users shall comply with all applicable laws with regard to the activities they are conducting on public property.
D. 
The use of ATVs, motorcycles, or other motorized off-road vehicles on public property is strictly prohibited.
E. 
No equipment may be used and/or activity be permitted to be conducted in such a manner as to create a public safety hazard and/or nuisance.
F. 
Metal detecting is only permitted at the West Avenue Nature Trails. Metal detecting is not permitted at active park property, passive public area, Gateway Park, Centennial Park, or the Historic Waterfront Park. Metal detecting is not permitted within 100 feet of any building or facility. Recovery tools may only cause minimal disturbance and digging may not exceed six inches in depth. Disturbed areas must be restored to their original condition. Articles found that are of apparent historic or personal significance such as artifacts or jewelry must be turned into the Delanco Township municipal office.
G. 
There shall be no commercial uses of public property except as permitted in writing or by formal action of the Township Committee. No signs or notices may be posted, nor advertisements distributed, nor shall there be any begging, soliciting, selling or attempts to commit such acts, without the written permission of the Township Committee.
H. 
No person shall engage in any behavior, conduct, noisemaking or use of language which disrupts, interferes with, is unduly annoying to or prevents the enjoyment or maintenance of public property by other visitors or municipal personnel. No public address/loudspeaker systems may be used without written permission or formal action from the Township Committee.
I. 
No person shall block, obstruct or interfere with vehicular or pedestrian traffic on any road, parking area, trail, walkway, pathway or common area, nor shall be/she occupy or interfere with access to any structure or improvement in a manner which interferes with its intended use by visitors or municipal personnel. Vehicle parking must be in designated parking areas only.
J. 
All persons shall be clothed sufficiently to conform with commonly accepted standards of dress or recreational wearing apparel. No person shall change clothes or disrobe on public property. All public urination and defecation is prohibited.
K. 
No animals shall be permitted within the Field of Dreams Park on Creek Road. In all other public property, dogs and cats must be kept on a physical leash up to six feet in length and under the owner's control at all times. No domestic animal shall be permitted to run at large, either with or without a keeper. Keepers of dogs and cats must promptly clean up, remove, and properly dispose of their animals' excrement discharged on public property. Other than dogs and cats, no other animals, including horses, are permitted on public property.
L. 
Animal owners shall be responsible for their animal's behavior, and shall remain strictly liable for any nuisance, noise, damage or injury caused by their animal.
M. 
No animal, reptile or bird, wild or domestic, may be released onto or into public property. Only licensed wildlife rehabilitators, after receiving written permission from the Township Committee, shall release wildlife within or into public property. Exotic, nonnative species are strictly prohibited. No animal, reptile or bird may be fed, disturbed, or taken from public property.
N. 
No person shall plant, pick, dig, mutilate, injure, destroy or remove any vegetation, soil or water from public property without written authorization to do so, except as expressly permitted under Subsection F above.
O. 
Passive park property will have an established trail system, and visitors/users shall confine their activity to the established trails and are prohibited from using passive park property off trail, if such trail system exists.
P. 
No fires are permitted on public property.
Q. 
Visitors/users shall not use public property as a motorized watercraft launch or dock. Visitors/users are prohibited from swimming in the Delaware River off public property or on any other body of water or creek on public property. No ice skating is permitted on public property.
R. 
No firearms, bows or the like are permitted to be possessed or used on public property. No hunting or trapping is permitted on public property. No paintball guns or activity is permitted on public property.
S. 
No person shall possess, discharge or set off within any public property any firecrackers, torpedoes, rockets or other fireworks.
T. 
Visitors/users shall not litter, deface or otherwise damage public property.
U. 
Group activities:
(1) 
No group shall use public property without first obtaining a group use permit. Group use shall be limited to designated areas. Adult supervision of children's groups is required at all times.
(2) 
Groups that wish to picnic in a reservable area will be required to obtain a permit. Open grove areas are for small group picnics consisting of less than 50 persons and do not require a permit. There will be no alcohol permits issued for picnics using the open grove areas.
(3) 
No persons shall call or hold any meetings, walks, footraces, charitable or special events or give any concert or public entertainment of any kind within public property without first having obtained written permission in advance from the Township Committee no later than one month before the proposed date of use.
(4) 
No person shall use loudspeakers, public address systems or amplifiers within any public property without first having obtained written permission in advance from the Township Committee. Nor shall any portable radio, tape player, compact disc player or musical instrument be played in such a manner as to create a nuisance.
(5) 
Public assemblies, meetings, demonstrations, religious activities, the sale and distribution of printed matter, and other public expressions of views conducted under the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States and the State of New Jersey upon the lands of any public property are permitted, provided that a permit has been issued by the Township Committee or duly designated representative. To ensure public safety and the protection of public property resources and values and to avoid assigning the same location and time to two or more activities, the Township may manage these activities by regulating the time, location, number of participants, use of facilities, and number and types of equipment to be used, but not the content or message.
V. 
Refuse:
(1) 
No person shall leave bottles, broken glass, ashes, wastepaper or other rubbish, as defined in § 216-1, within public property, except in a properly provided receptacle designated for that purpose.
(2) 
No person shall bring into public property any household garbage or rubbish or other debris for the purpose of disposing those items in provided receptacles intended for use by patrons.
(3) 
No person shall throw or place any dirt, stone, rock debris, foreign substance or rubbish into or upon any public property or in any lake, river or lagoon within or bordering upon land of public property.
(4) 
No person shall throw, cast, lay, drop or discharge into or allow to remain in the water of any public property or any tributary, brook, stream, storm sewer or drain flowing into said waters any substance, matter or thing which may or shall result in the pollution of said waters.
W. 
Restricted uses and areas:
(1) 
No person shall coast with handsleds, bobs, carts, skateboards or other vehicles or wheels or runners or use radio-controlled devices such as, but not limited to, boats, remotely piloted aircraft, model airplanes, drones and cars except in areas and during times designated and posted for this purpose by the Township.
(2) 
No person shall transport, use or operate motorized or mechanical carnival rides and dunk tanks on public property. The use of certain forced-air rides for group use requires written permission by the Township.
(3) 
No person shall strike golf balls or swing golf clubs within any public property.
(4) 
No person shall bathe in any pond, stream, river or other body of water within or bordering any public property unless it has been designated and posted for this purpose by the Township.
(5) 
The use of manned powerless flying objects or devices, either for landing or taking off, shall not be permitted in any public property unless it has been specifically designated and posted for this purpose or special permission has been granted by the Township.
(6) 
No person shall solicit alms or contributions for any purpose.
(7) 
No grilling or cooking of any kind shall be permitted on any Township public property; however, this provision shall not apply to the Township, the Township's recognized youth sports organization, or Delanco Chapters of the Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts, or the like.
(8) 
No person shall smoke or use any smoking products. This shall include but not be limited to the use of any tobacco, cannabis, cbd, or vaping products and the like, the use of cigarettes, pipes, cigars, e-cigarettes, vaporize cigarettes, and the like and/or the use of smokeless tobacco, cannabis, cbd products or the like, such as snuff, chew, gummies, tinctures, or the like.
X. 
Commercial uses:
(1) 
No person shall cut, carve, paint, mark, paste or fasten on any tree, fence, wall, building, monument or other object within any public property 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 any public property.
(2) 
No person shall tell fortunes, play at games of chance or use any gambling device within any public property except as provided by special permission of the Township.
Y. 
Vehicles and parking:
(1) 
No person shall park or store any motorcar, motorcycle, bicycle, wagon or other vehicle within any public property except in areas designated and posted for such purposes. Parking areas and thoroughfares are limited to use by patrons only and for the purpose of driving to park a vehicle.
(2) 
No person shall set or place, or cause to be set or placed, any goods, wares or merchandise or property of any kind as to obstruct travel within any public property.
(3) 
No person shall enter any part of public property or roads therein with a commercial vehicle or a vehicle with a gross weight in excess of five tons except in the service of or by permission of the Township.
(4) 
No person shall use public property drives or parkways within any public property for the purpose of demonstrating any vehicle or for the purpose of instructing another to drive or operate any vehicle or for learning to drive or operate any vehicle.
(5) 
No person shall attempt to stop or signal any vehicle for the purpose of soliciting a ride from the driver of such vehicle.
(6) 
The cleaning, waxing or repairing of vehicles is not permitted within any public property, except in the case of absolute emergency.
(7) 
No person shall cause or permit a vehicle in tow to enter any public property or proceed therein, except in the case of a breakdown or disabled vehicle, the vehicle may be towed to the nearest exit. Nor shall any person operate or drive a vehicle containing any person or object projecting or hanging outside of or beyond the side or rear of said vehicle.
(8) 
Nothing contained in this vehicle/parking rule and regulation shall apply to the vehicles, trucks and apparatus of a fire department, police department or ambulance, or to emergency vehicles of the Township when responding for emergency work in case of fire, accident, public disaster, impending danger or emergency.
Z. 
Disorderly persons:
(1) 
No person shall interfere with or in any manner hinder any agent, employee or officer of the municipality while engaged in constructing, repairing or caring for any public property or interfere with any improvements being made within or about public property.
(2) 
No person shall remain within any public property who does not abide by conditions adopted and posted by the Township for the preservation of good order and the protection of property within public property; and no person shall remain within public property 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 public property shall do so promptly and peaceably.
(3) 
No person shall harass, obstruct, molest, assault or interfere with any person lawfully within public property or resist, obstruct, molest, assault or interfere with any agent, employee or officer of the Township.
(4) 
No person shall use threatening, abusive, boisterous, insulting or indecent language or gesture within any public property, nor shall any oration, harangue, public demonstration or any nuisance be made.
(5) 
No person shall possess any weapon capable of lethal use or of inflicting serious bodily injury within any public property.
(6) 
No person shall cut, carve, paint, mark, paste or fasten any inscription or depiction on, or damage by any means, any tree, fence, wall, building, monument or other object within a public property.
A. 
Any person, firm, corporation, association or legal party whatsoever who shall violate, or authorize or procure a violation, or cause to be violated, any provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, General Penalty.
[Amended 1-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1-1998]
B. 
Each repetition of any violation of this chapter shall be deemed a new offense.