This chapter is adopted for the purpose of promoting the public
health, safety, morals, orderly development and general welfare of
the Town of West Greenwich, and to encourage the development of orderly
and well-managed camping areas in the Town of West Greenwich.
No person shall maintain or operate a camping area within the
Town of West Greenwich without a license for the same, except as provided
herein.
No license shall be granted unless the following standards are
met:
A. The proposed camping area must have an area of at least 10 acres.
B. No camping facilities or camp sites on the proposed camping area
shall be located within 200 feet of any adjoining landowner's dwelling
house.
Hearing on the issuance of a camping license shall be held at a special or regularly scheduled Town Council meeting. After the hearing the license shall be granted forthwith if the standards outlined in §
165-4 are met and the proposed location of the camping area is found to be compatible with the character and land use of the surrounding neighborhood.
Any license granted under this chapter shall be on the following
terms:
A. The license shall not be transferable.
B. The license shall be revocable by the Town Council for violation
of any of the provisions of this chapter or upon evidence presented
by the Town health officer or Town Forest Warden that the camping
area is unhealthy or unsafe or that adequate health and safety measures
are not being followed.
C. The license shall also be revocable by the Town Council for any violation,
committed on the premises, of the provisions of any other ordinance
or statute or for maintaining or allowing the maintenance of a nuisance
on the premises.
D. The licensee shall permit inspection of the camping area at reasonable
times by the Town of West Greenwich police.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
All licenses issued under the authority of this chapter shall
expire on December 31 of each year. Such licenses shall be renewed
by payment to the Town Clerk, on or before December 31 of each year,
of an annual license fee in an amount set from time to time by the
Town Council.
Camping areas shall be open and operated only for an eleven-month
continuous period during each calendar year. The one-month period
during which operations shall cease and the camping areas shall be
closed shall be specified on the annual license granted by the Town
Council. Said one-month closing period shall be determined at the
hearing for license application or renewal.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person violating each or any of the provisions of this chapter shall be fined not more than $500. Each day's violation shall be considered as a separate offense. The Town Council may also revoke the camping area license, as specified in §
165-6.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
CAMPING AREA
Any tract or parcel of land set aside for use by persons
paying a fee to camp there in tents, similar portable structures,
vehicles designed for use in camping or camping trailers, so-called.
PERSON
Any natural person, firm, trust, partnership, association
or corporation.