Township of West Donegal, PA Chapter 145 Parks and Recreation

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of West Donegal as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Animals — See Ch. 60.

Public property — See Ch. 158.

Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 220.

Article I Rules and Regulations for Recreation Areas

[Adopted 6-5-2000 by Ord. No. 125-2000 (Ch. 16, Part 1, of the 1984 Code of Ordinances)]

§ 145-1 Definitions and word usage.

A. The following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

PERSON

Any individual, corporation, association, partnership, firm, trust, estate or legal entity whatsoever which is recognized by the law as the subject of rights and duties and the officers of such corporation and the members of such partnership or association.

SUPERVISORS

The Board of Supervisors of the Township or its designee.

TOWNSHIP

The Township of West Donegal, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

TOWNSHIP PROPERTY

Any real estate owned or leased by the Township, including but not limited to the lot upon which is located the Township Building, Newville Park and Rheems Athletic Fields.

B. As used in this article, words expressed in the singular include their plural meaning, and words expressed in the plural include their singular meaning. Words in the masculine gender include the feminine gender and the neuter.

§ 145-2 Regulations for conduct of persons on Township property.

From and after the enactment of this article, the following regulations shall be in effect for the proper conduct or behavior of all persons using any facilities of the Township or being upon any Township property:

A. No person shall permit any dog or other animal except wildlife to run at large on Township property. Any person who shall bring any dog or other animal onto Township property shall at all times attend to and maintain control of such animal. Any person who brings a dog or other animal onto Township property shall remove all feces deposited by the animal.

B. No person shall hunt for, shoot at, chase, catch or intentionally injure or kill or attempt to shoot at, chase, catch or intentionally injure or kill with or without dogs, any bird or animal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, fishing is permitted if such person has a valid Pennsylvania fishing license and is in compliance with all applicable Pennsylvania Fish Commission regulations.

C. No person shall swim, wade or bathe at any place.

D. No person shall engage in any unlawful gambling.

E. No person shall discharge within any Township property any firearms as that term is defined by § 6120(b) of the Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act,[1] except for the justifiable use of force as authorized by Chapter 5 of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code.[2] No person shall use or possess within any Township property any bow and arrow, slingshot, air rifle or any other device (other than firearms as defined above) capable of throwing any projectile of any sort, including the hand throwing of rocks or stones intended to be used as weapons. This section shall not be operative in any specific area now designated or to be designated in the future by the Township as a rifle range, archery range, or any other specific area whose purpose is to allow the activities otherwise prohibited by this section.

[Amended 2-9-2015 by Ord. No. 213-2015]

[1] Editor's Note: See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6120(b).

[2] Editor's Note: See 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 501 et seq.

F. No person shall transport, possess, drink or be under the influence of malt or brewed beverages, spirits, liquors or wine.

G. No person shall break, cut, deface, disturb, injure or take any flower, fruit, plant, tree shrub, bench, building, fence, monuments or other structure, apparatus or property.

H. No person shall gather or remove any wood, turf, grass, soil, rock, sand or gravel unless authorized by the Supervisors.

I. No person shall remove, molest, injure or damage anything natural or physical in the park.

J. No person shall injure, deface or destroy any posted or permanently fixed signs or notices.

K. No person shall smoke in areas were forbidden by signs.

L. No person shall discard matches, cigars or cigarettes in any area.

M. No person shall leave any cans, bottles, broken glass, paper or rubbish of any description. All refuse shall be removed from the site by the person or party that generated same before leaving the Township property or placed in trash receptacles if provided.

N. No person shall discard any refuse, dead animal or offensive matter or substance of any kind.

O. No person shall make or kindle open fires except in picnic stoves or enclosed fireplaces in designated areas unless specifically authorized by the Supervisors. All fires must be extinguished before leaving.

P. No person shall post or erect any bills, notices or advertising matter of any kind. This shall not apply to notices placed by employees of the Township engaged in the performance of their duties.

Q. No person shall sell or rent or service or offer for sale or rent or service any merchandise, article or thing whatsoever. This shall not apply to concessionaires authorized by the Supervisors.

R. No person shall engage in camping unless permitted by the Supervisors.

S. No person shall stand or park any vehicle except at those places designated therefor.

T. No person shall violate any posted rules for or misuse any picnic area, play field or other recreational area.

U. No person shall operate electric generators or chain saws or other powered implements unless authorized by the Supervisors.

V. No person shall wash or repair any motor vehicle, except for emergency repairs.

W. No person shall have or conduct any live musical, theatrical or other entertainment or exhibit, instruct, compete, demonstrate or allow a special event unless authorized by the Supervisors and all necessary permits have been obtained.

X. No person shall operate any vehicle at any place other than authorized roadways or special areas designed for operation of such vehicles. The speed limit shall be no more than 10 miles per hour.

Y. No person shall commit noisy, boisterous, reckless, negligent, immoral or indecent conduct, congregate in any area or manner which will hamper the free movement of pedestrians, or commit any public nuisance.

Z. No person shall operate snowmobiles, minibikes, go-carts or other unregistered motorized land or air vehicles at any place upon the Township property unless permitted by Supervisors.

AA. No person shall abandon any vehicle within the limits of any Township property or roads abutting said Township property.

BB. No person shall have any organized group conduct activities of any kind without having first secured a permit from the Supervisors.

CC. No person shall commit any unlawful acts as designated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania or the Township.

DD. No person shall commit any unlawful act.

EE. No person shall horseback ride except on the right (side) berm of roads that are open to public vehicles. All solid waste shall be removed by the rider.

FF. No person shall create or place fixed or temporary structures unless authorized by the Supervisors.

GG. No person shall park, or allow to be parked, any vehicle on Township property unless such person is legally and actively utilizing such Township property, engaged in business with the Township or has received special permission from the Supervisors.

§ 145-3 Hours.

All recreation areas on Township property shall be open daily to the public from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. from April 1 to September 30 of each calendar year, and from 7:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from October 1 through March 31 of each calendar year. In no event shall any person be permitted to be in attendance in any recreation areas on Township property after 9:00 p.m. and prior to 7:00 a.m. between April 1 and September 30 of each calendar year, and after 5:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. between October 1 and March 31 of each calendar year unless the Board of Supervisors grants special permission.

§ 145-4 Violations and penalties.

Any person convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, before a Magisterial District Judge, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $600 and the cost of prosecution for each and every offense, plus the cost of all damages inflicted upon Township property.