[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota as Ch. 43 of the 1998 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The following words, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
BOAT, VESSEL OR WATERCRAFT
Any description of watercraft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water.
FISHING
Taking or attempting to take aquatic life in any waters of the state by any method, and all other acts such as placing, setting, drawing or using any devices commonly used for the taking of aquatic life, whether resulting in such taking or not.
ICE FISHING
Fishing by means of devices placed through the ice kept under the observation of the person having so placed the device there.
MINNOW
Any fish in the family of Cyprinidae except carp and goldfish.
[Amended by Ord. No. 08-03-98[1]]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to swim in Lake Kakusha.
B. 
Ice fishing and ice skating on Lake Kakusha shall only be permitted in the area clearly designated by the City of Mendota.
C. 
No motor boats shall be permitted to be used on Lake Kakusha, with the exception that boats may be equipped with any electric trolling device.
D. 
It shall be unlawful to place minnows, carp or goldfish in Lake Kakusha.
E. 
It shall be unlawful to use more than two poles or more than one hook per pole while fishing Lake Kakusha.
F. 
It shall be unlawful to fish in Lake Kakusha before 6:00 a.m. or after sunset.
G. 
Fishing shall be permitted off the top of the Lake Kakusha earthen dam.
H. 
Any person taking or attempting to take any fish, including minnows, for commercial purposes, turtles, mussels, crayfish or frogs by any means whatsoever on Lake Kakusha shall first obtain a license to do so, and, further, shall do so only during the respective periods of the year when it shall be lawful as provided under the Fish and Aquatic Life Code (515 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq.), except that persons under 16, blind or disabled residents, or residents 65 or older may fish with hook and line without being required to have a license. For the purpose of this section, a person is blind or disabled if he meets the definition of "blind person" or "disabled person" as set forth in Section 3-1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code (305 ILCS 5/3-1), approved April 11, 1971, as now or hereafter amended.
I. 
The City of Mendota and Illinois Department of Natural Resources shall be responsible for the management and enforcement of all regulations of this section.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended by Ord. No. 08-18-08; Ord. No. 11-17-08A[1]]
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to swim in Lake Mendota.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to ice fish on Lake Mendota as defined in § 217-1.
C. 
No motor boats shall be permitted to be used on Lake Mendota, with the exception that boats may be equipped with any electric trolling device.
D. 
It shall be unlawful to place minnows, carp or goldfish in Lake Mendota.
E. 
Any person taking or attempting to take any fish, including minnows, for commercial purposes, turtles, mussels, crayfish or frogs by any means whatsoever on Lake Mendota shall first obtain a license to do so, and, further, shall do so only during the respective periods of the year when it shall be lawful as provided under the Fish and Aquatic Life Code (515 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq.), except that persons under 16, blind or disabled residents, or residents 65 or older may fish with hook and line without being required to have a license. For the purpose of this section, a person is blind or disabled if he meets the definition of "blind person" or "disabled person" set forth in Section 3-1 of the Illinois Public Aid Code (305 ILCS 5/3-1), approved April 11, 1971, as now or hereafter amended.
F. 
The Mendota Sportsmen's Club, Mendota, Illinois, shall be in charge of the management of fish stocking and supply of Lake Mendota, in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, with the exception that the Mendota Sportsmen's Club shall have no enforcement powers under this section.
G. 
Regulating the feeding of any wild fowl at Lake Mendota. Any person feeding any wild fowl at Lake Mendota, located within the City of Mendota, LaSalle County, Illinois shall be in violation of this section.
H. 
Closing hours of Lake Mendota will be extended to 12:00 midnight Monday through Saturday, with the following stipulations:
(1) 
Alcoholic beverages of any kind will be strictly prohibited after 10:00 p.m.
(2) 
Lake Mendota Park will close at 10:00 p.m. for all other activities.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Added by Ord. No. 03-05-01[1]]
The following sport fish regulations shall be in effect at Lake Mendota and Lake Kakusha:
A. 
Lake Mendota.
(1) 
Channel catfish: six fish daily creel limit.
(2) 
Large-mouth or small-mouth bass: one fish over 15 inches and two fish under 12 inches daily creel limit.
(3) 
Two pole and line fishing only.
B. 
Lake Kakusha.
(1) 
Bluegill or redear sunfish: a daily creel limit of 10, singly or in aggregate.
(2) 
Bluegill: eight-inch minimum length limit.
(3) 
Large-mouth bass: three per day creel limit with a fourteen-inch minimum length limit.
(4) 
Crappie: 25 per day creel limit, starting April 1, 2001.
(5) 
Two pole and line fishing only.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
A. 
Requirements concerning use of grounds and facilities. Each person, firm, or corporation using the public parks and grounds shall clean up debris, extinguish all fires when such fires are permitted, and leave the premises in good order, and the facilities in a neat and sanitary condition.
B. 
Prohibited acts. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation using such parks, including the municipal baseball fields, to either perform or permit to be performed any of the following acts:
(1) 
Willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with, or displace or remove any building, bridges, tables, benches, fireplaces, railings, paving materials, water lines or other public utilities or parts or appurtenances thereof, signs, notices or placards, whether temporary or permanent, monuments, stakes, posts or other boundary markers, or other structures or equipment, facilities or park property or appurtenances whatsoever, either real or personal.
(2) 
Throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake, stream or other body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer, or drain flowing into such waters any substances, material or thing, liquid or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of said waters.
(3) 
Bring in or dump, deposit or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste, garbage, or refuse; or other trash. No such refuse or trash shall be placed in any waters in or contiguous to any park, or left anywhere on the grounds thereof, but shall be placed in the proper receptacles where these are provided; where receptacles are not so provided, all such rubbish or waste shall be carried away from the park by the person responsible for its presence, and properly disposed of elsewhere.
(4) 
Disturb the peace or use any profane or obscene language.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
(5) 
Endanger the safety of any person by any conduct or act.
(6) 
Commit any assault, battery, or engage in fighting.
(7) 
Drive or cause to be driven any motorized vehicle except on a street, driveway or parking lot designated for such use in any park, including the municipal baseball fields; or park or cause to be parked or leave or cause to be left any such vehicle in any place other than in an area established for public parking.
(8) 
Violate any rule for the use of the park, made or approved by the City Council.
(9) 
Prevent any person from using any park, or any of its facilities, or interfere with such use in compliance with this chapter and the rules applicable to such use.
(10) 
Swim, bathe, or wade in any waters or waterways in or adjacent to any park, except in such waters and at such places as are provided therefor, and in compliance with such regulations as are herein set forth or may be hereafter adopted.
(11) 
Dress or undress except in such bathing houses or structures as may be provided for that purpose.
C. 
Hours of operation. The parks, exclusive of the swimming pool, shall be open daily to the public.
(1) 
Any section or part of the park may be declared closed to the public by the Mayor at any time for any interval of time, either temporarily or at regular or stated intervals, and it shall be unlawful for any person or persons (other than City personnel conducting City business therein) to occupy or be present in said park during any hours in which the park is not open to the public. Said closing intervals are to be posted in said park area in a conspicuous place.
(2) 
Hours for public swimming shall be as set forth by the City Council; except that the swimming pool manager may close the swimming pool during inclement weather, where unsanitary water conditions exist or for any special event.
D. 
Other regulations.
(1) 
It shall be unlawful to bring any dangerous animal into any park, and it shall be unlawful to permit any dog to be in any park unless such dog is on a leash not more than six feet long. It shall also be unlawful for any person to harbor any animal in the park.
(2) 
It shall be unlawful for anyone to paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any sign, advertisement, placard or inscription whatever, nor shall any person erect or cause to be erected any sign whatever on any public lands or highways or roads adjacent to the park.
E. 
Camping. No camping shall be allowed in any of the parks owned by the City of Mendota, except by special permit, which permit can be acquired from the City Clerk upon making application, payment of a fee as set from time to time by the City Council and approval of said application by the Mayor of the City of Mendota.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I). Former Subsection 6, Intergovernmental cooperation agreements, which immediately followed this subsection, was repealed at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended by Ord. No. 04-07-03A; Ord. No. 04-06-15A; Ord. No. 04-06-26]
A. 
Picnic shelters. The picnic shelters on the northwest side of Lake Mendota, Strouss Park, Blackstone Park and Snyder's Grove are hereby set aside and reserved for groups on the following basis:
(1) 
Any group of individuals, clubs, organizations or businesses of the City of Mendota, Illinois or a property owner of real estate located within the corporate limits of the City of Mendota may reserve the picnic area on a first-to-register basis commencing on the 2nd day of January of each calendar year.
(2) 
Said picnic area shall be reserved by paying to the City Clerk of the City of Mendota as a security deposit a fee as set from time to time by the City Council, subject to the following:
(a) 
If the shelter is left in a clean and undamaged condition, a portion of the deposit shall be refunded, with the remainder used to offset the City's utilities, maintenance, and inspections for the use of the shelter.
(b) 
The portion retained by the City shall not be construed as rent but as an offset of costs to the City of Mendota.
(3) 
The shelter may be reserved only by groups in excess of 40 individuals.
(4) 
Registration may be filed on or after 2nd day of January of each calendar year. Priorities for dates of use of the shelter shall be determined by the order of registering at the City Clerk's office.
B. 
Park facilities.
(1) 
Any group of individuals, clubs, organizations or businesses (hereinafter referred to as "organization") of the City of Mendota, Illinois, may reserve a facility for recreational, athletic or community purposes.
(2) 
A memorandum of understanding (hereinafter referred to as "MOU") will be signed, approved and scheduled by the Parks Department before any and all use by the organization. The responsibilities, as determined from time to time by the City Council, of the City and organization will be enumerated on said MOU.
(3) 
Facility use will be subject to the approval and scheduling by the Parks Superintendent.
(4) 
A security deposit fee as set from time to time by the City Council will be required and enumerated in the MOU.
(5) 
Rental, usage and maintenance fee schedules, as set from time to time by the City Council, will be required and listed in the MOU.
(6) 
Safety and compliance matters shall be addressed in the MOU and are subject to change from time to time as determined by the Parks Superintendent.
(7) 
Term and termination procedures shall be addressed in the MOU and are subject to change from time to time by the Parks Superintendent.
(8) 
The organization's responsibilities shall be listed on the reservation application and are subject to change from time to time as determined by the Parks Superintendent.
C. 
Park/street/public space reservation.
(1) 
This reservation shall be for street closures, entire park rentals or other space owned by the City and not addressed in any other section.
(2) 
Any group of individuals, clubs, organizations or businesses (hereinafter referred to as "organization") of the City of Mendota, Illinois, may reserve a park, portion of a street, or public space for community purposes.
(3) 
A reservation application will be signed and approved by the City Council before any and all use by the organization.
(4) 
A security deposit fee as set from time to time by the City Council will be required and enumerated in the reservation application.
(5) 
Rental and deposit fee schedules, as set from time to time by the City Council, will be required and listed in the reservation application.
(6) 
All required event details will be listed on the reservation application.
(7) 
Any event serving alcohol will supply proof of adequate insurance as listed on the reservation application.
(8) 
Safety and compliance matters shall be addressed in the reservation application and are subject to change from time to time as determined by the City Council and/or Parks Superintendent.
(9) 
The organization's responsibilities shall be listed on the reservation application and are subject to change from time to time as determined by the Parks Superintendent.
[Added by Ord. No. 12-03-12[1]]
Horses are hereby banned from all public parks within the City of Mendota, and it shall be unlawful for any person to allow a horse to enter a public park, walk on any trails located within a public park or otherwise allow a horse to be present within a City park located within the City of Mendota.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Any person, firm, partnership, or corporation found in violation of any of the sections of this chapter shall be subject to a fine as set forth in Chapter 1, Article III, Penalties and Enforcement, of the City Code.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).