The park area located north of the former Connecticut Power
Company building between Chester Bowles Highway, also known as Route
9, on the west and the Connecticut River on the east is designated
as "Harbor Park."
[Amended 6-1-2015 by Ord.
No. 12-15]
A. For purposes of this section, "person" includes any individual.
B. No person shall erect or post any notice or sign upon City park property,
on City recreational area property, on City beaches and at the City
pools except when notices or signs are authorized by the City Public
Works and Facilities Commission. Unauthorized notices or signs may
be confiscated and held by the City.
C. Confiscated notices and signs will be held for a period of seven
(7) business days. If a confiscated notice or sign is not claimed
within seven (7) business days, it will be discarded.
D. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be fined in an amount as provided in §
214-36.
E. Enforcement shall be performed by the City Zoning/Wetlands Officer
or the moderator at the designated polling places.
[Amended 6-1-2015 by Ord.
No. 12-15]
A. Meetings and events may be held on City park property with the approval
of the Public Works and Facilities Commission or Public Works Department.
Meetings or events with thirty (30) or more people or at which food
will be served require approval by the Public Works and Facilities
Commission. Other meetings require only approval of the Director of
Public Works or his/her designee. No meetings or events may disturb
the tranquility of the park visitors or distract them from their enjoyment
of the park.
B. Any person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be fined in an amount as provided in §
214-36.
The Public Works and Facilities Commission will have the authority
to review the types of events using City parks, facilities, and recreational
areas and adopt and institute user fees for areas and events not incorporated
within these ordinances subject to approval by the Common Council.
Picnicking shall be limited to such places as are designated
by the City Public Works and Facilities Commission.
A. The City of Middletown Public Works Department allows picnics at
specific park sites. There are restrictions for use at these areas,
and a reservation is required.
(1) This
section applies to the use of facilities at Butternut Hollow, Harbor
Park, Smith Park, Spear Park, McCutcheon Park and Veteran’s
Memorial Park.
[Added 2-5-2024 by Ord. No. 02-24]
B. A user fee is required to reserve a picnic area within the Public
Works Department parks.
[Amended 2-5-2024 by Ord. No. 02-24]
(1) For
Middletown residents, user fee of $50 per day.
(2) For
nonresidents, user fee of $200 per day.
(3) For
nonprofit organizations, user fee of $100 per day.
C. Parks within the City of Middletown are officially closed for the
winter season. Parks close on December 1 of each year and reopen on
March 1 of each year.
[Amended 2-5-2024 by Ord. No. 02-24]
(1) Middletown
residents and nonprofits may reserve dates starting on February 1.
(2) Nonresidents
may reserve dates starting on March 15.
(3) A maximum of four weekend dates per year per organization or group. Any discrepancies will be addressed as per §
214-37D(1)(a).
D. Persons not having a permit for the use of parks, facilities or fields
must give way at all times to permit holders.
All travel on City, park, forest and/or recreation area roads
is at the risk of the operator of the motor vehicle.
A violation of any of the provisions stated herein constitutes
sufficient cause for ejection from the City park, recreation area,
beach and/or pool, at the discretion of the proper authority. "Proper
authority" is defined as Public Works Department supervisory personnel,
and/or officers of the Police Department, and/or Fire Department,
and/or any combination thereof.
Each and every violation of the provisions stated herein shall
constitute a separate and distinct violation subject to a fine in
an amount not to exceed $500, except as otherwise stated herein.
[Amended 4-1-2019 by Ord.
No. 04-19]
A. Field usage.
(1) This section applies to the use of fields at Bielefield School, Donovan
Park, Hubbard Romagielli, Hubbard Barone, Lawrence School, Ron McCutchen,
Snow School, Smith Park, Country Club Road, Pat Kidney, Palmer Field,
Moody School, Spencer School, Vinal Technical High School, and Long
Hill Road.
(2) The scheduled use of fields may be made available to the types of
organizations listed below, in the order of preference set forth below.
The assignments will be made according to the regulations and rental
fees approved by the City. The scheduling of athletic games and facilities
shall be done through the Superintendent of Parks or his/her designee.
(3) For purposes of this section, the term "nonprofit" shall include
all teams, groups, or organizations that are tax-exempt under Section
501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code because they were formed to
provide a public benefit. To qualify as a "nonprofit" herein, the
Superintendent of Parks or his/her designee may require the team,
group, or organization to provide documentation showing that it qualifies
as a tax-exempt entity.
(4) Priorities for field usage will be granted in the following order:
(a)
First priority users. First priority users are defined as the
following: Middletown Recreation and Community Services Department,
Middletown Little League, Middletown Youth Soccer, Middletown Youth
Football and cheerleading, Ahern-Whalen, Middletown Post 75 American
Legion, Middletown Public Schools, Mercy High School, Xavier High
School, Vinal Technical High School, Adult Softball (men and women),
and Middletown Youth Lacrosse.
(b)
Second priority users. Second priority users are as follows:
locally organized nonprofit groups or teams whose membership is comprised
of 60% or more of Middletown residents (submission of roster with
proof of residence is required); Middletown businesses.
(c)
Third priority users. Third priority users are as follows: Other
nonprofit organizations; for-profit clubs, groups, businesses and
associations; nonresidents and nonresident teams comprised of less
than 60% of Middletown residents.
B. Rental requirements. All interested parties wishing to rent a field(s)
must abide by the procedure set by the Superintendent of Parks or
his/her designee, including the payment of all necessary fees. Any
evidence of insurance must be provided to the Superintendent of Parks
or his/her designee before using the field.
(1) Fees.
(a)
First priority users and nonprofit organizations: The field usage fees for Adult Softball (men and women) shall be set annually by the Common Council by resolution. All other first priority users and nonprofit organizations are exempt from paying any fees for the use of any of the fields identified in Subsection
A above, except Palmer Field. Fees for Palmer Field shall be set by the City by resolution. The City reserves the right to set up an account in the general fund for purposes of accepting donations from first and second priority users and nonprofit organizations for field usage time. Any fees collected by such donations shall go to support the summer camp fund for the Recreation and Community Services Department.
(b)
Second and third priority users, not including nonprofit organizations.
Second and third priority users, not including nonprofit organizations,
will pay a fee per game for all fields. Said fee shall be set annually
by the Common Council by resolution. The City will not charge a fee
for practices at any field.
(c)
Evening games: Except for those users who are exempt from field
usage fees as set forth above, all evening games, which shall be defined
as all games that start at 7:00 p.m. or later, will be charged a fee
set annually by the Common Council by resolution.
(2) Tournaments. Tournament use fees for fields used during tournaments
shall be negotiated and set by the Director of Public Works or his/her
designee.
C. Closed or restricted areas.
(1) Due to factors such as inclement weather, field safety, mechanical
failures, problems arising on the fields, and poor usage conditions,
the City of Middletown's Superintendent of Parks or his or her designee
reserves the right to deny the use of a park, facility, or field or
cancel any pre-existing registration.
(a)
Closed area: At the discretion of the Superintendent of Parks,
or his or her designee, any section or part of any park, facility
or field may be declared closed to the public at any time and for
any interval of time, either temporarily or at regularly scheduled,
stated intervals (daily or otherwise), and either entirely or just
to exclude certain uses.
(b)
Guidelines for cancellation of activity on City athletic fields:
The Superintendent of Parks or his or her designee may deny the use
of a park, facility, or field and/or require an activity to stop and
the participants to vacate the area.
(c)
Nonexclusive examples of conditions that may require the alteration
or the cancellation of an activity:
[1]
Standing puddles of water on the field.
[2]
Footing is unsure and slippery.
[3]
Ground is waterlogged and squishy.
[4]
Grass can be dislodged from the ground easily.
[7]
Unsafe facility conditions.
[8]
Use proves to be destructive or detrimental to the site.
[9]
Other conditions deemed appropriate by the Director of Public
Works or his/her designee.
(2) Teams, leagues, individuals, and/or organizations that do not follow the policy will be subject to the revocation of their field use privileges. Please refer to Subsection
F for cancellation and refund procedures.
D. Conditions of use.
(1) Right to decline.
(a)
The City of Middletown, through the Director of Public Works
or his/her designee, in its sole and absolute discretion, has the
authority to grant or deny rental of the parks, facilities, or fields
to any user or to cancel rental of the parks, facilities, or fields
by any user.
(b)
Once scheduled, the Superintendent of Parks or his/her designee
has the authority to schedule an alternate site for the requesting
party, due to, but not limited to, availability, overuse, safety,
weather conditions, and/or other reasons as determined by the Director
of Public Works or his/her designee.
(2) Responsible adult designee. Only adults may reserve parks, facilities,
or fields. The individual reserving the park, facility, or field must
follow the procedures set by the Superintendent of Parks or his or
her designee for such reservation and provide both evidence of insurance
and any necessary payment in advance of the use.
(3) Prohibited acts.
(a)
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, smoking, and illegal
drug usage are not permitted in City parks and fields.
(b)
Those using City fields that abut private properties must respect
those properties. User action such as trespassing, littering, and
harassing will not only cause the reservation and use to be revoked
but will also subject the offending user to fines, penalties, and
any other action permissible by law.
(4) Reservations mandatory. Organized athletic activities are permitted
only on a reservation basis. Persons not having permission to use
the parks, facilities, or fields must give way at all times to those
with such permission.
(5) Time restrictions.
(a)
Reservations for use will be issued by the City of Middletown
Parks Department for municipal fields (throughout the day).
(b)
There will be a strict adherence to published closing times
of all City parks, facilities, or fields.
(6) Practices/scrimmages: Practices and scrimmages can be held at any
of the facilities mentioned above, except Palmer Field. Such practices
and scrimmages must be coordinated and reserved through the Superintendent
of Parks or his/her designee.
(7) Game curfew: Except for Palmer Field, no game play is allowed after
10:00 p.m. unless authorized by the Public Works Director or his/her
duly authorized designee.
E. Insurance requirements.
(1) Middletown affiliated sports clubs and associations, residents, businesses,
and nonaffiliated clubs and associations, and nonresidents, must provide
the City of Middletown with liability insurance with a minimum limit
of $1,000,000 coverage, listing the City as an additional named insured.
A certificate of insurance must be submitted to the Parks Department
at least one week prior to park, facility, or field usage. This minimum
insurance requirement is subject to periodic review by the City of
Middletown.
(2) Sports or games rental groups must also provide evidence of player/participation
accident insurance in the amount of at least $25,000 (accidental medical
benefits limit per individual/per accident).
(3) A current participation roster is also required prior to the actual
usage. The roster must include each participant's name, address (no
P.O. boxes), and phone number. The roster must also include the name
of the person responsible for the team, listing name, address, phone
number, and e-mail address.
F. Cancellation and refund procedures.
(1) The City of Middletown, through the Director of Public Works, in
its sole and absolute discretion, reserves the right to cancel permission
for any group to use a park, facility or field if the purpose of such
use is not considered to be in the best interest of the City, community,
or the neighborhood.
(2) If the City cancels a reservation due to weather or field conditions,
all fees will be refunded. Please allow up to 10 to 15 business days
for refunds to be issued.
(3) No refunds on rental fees will be made in any amount for failure
to show on the reserved rental date.
(4) If it is deemed necessary to cancel a reservation due to a violation
of law, city policies, or city ordinances, all user fees paid will
be automatically forfeited and no refunds will be permitted.
G. Additional supervision. The City of Middletown, through the Public
Works Department, reserves the right to require any lessee or user
to provide police protection when deemed necessary. Additional attendants
or park personnel will be assigned, if deemed necessary by the Director
of Public Works or his or her designee; any resulting expenses or
costs will be billed to the lessee or user.
H. Pesticide usage. The Parks Division of the Public Works Department
shall use as a guideline the use and application processes for pesticides
as set forth in §§ 10-231a and 10-231b of the Connecticut
General Statutes, which may be amended from time to time, for all
City fields. For consistency purposes, the Parks Division shall treat
all playing fields the same regardless of the age of the person using
the fields.
[Amended 6-4-2018 by Ord.
No. 07-18]
A. For the purposes of this section, a "multi-use trail " shall be defined
as a path physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open
space or barrier and either within a public right-of-way or easement,
which accommodates two-way nonmotorized travelers, including pedestrians,
bicyclists, joggers, and skaters, constructed for recreational pedestrian
use or provided as a pedestrian alternative to vehicular routes within
a transportation system.
B. No person shall use any multi-use trail except during the hours posted
at the multi-use trail site. All multi-use trails are to be used for
recreational use only.
C. No motor vehicles, except for motorized wheelchairs, shall be operated
on a multi-use trail.
D. Any dog or pet taken onto a multi-use trail shall be on a leash which
shall be no longer than six feet. Dog owners are required to remove
the animal waste.
E. Youths under the age of 12 shall be accompanied by an adult.
F. No person shall possess or discharge any firearms, fireworks, or
other weapons on a multi-use trail.
G. No person shall possess any alcoholic beverages on a multi-use trail.
H. All persons using the multi-use trail, including but not limited
to cyclists, rollerbladers, joggers, wheelchair users, walkers, and
skaters, shall comply with all applicable state statutes regulating
their conduct on a roadway.
I. All multi-use trail users must obey all signage and/or roadway markings.
J. The speed limit on multi-use trails shall be not more than 15 miles
per hour.
K. Multi-use trail users shall be encouraged to wear the appropriate
safety equipment for their sport.
L. There shall be no littering on multi-use trails.
M. Any person violating any provisions of this section shall be prosecuted and fined in an amount as provided in §
214-36.
N. These regulations are in addition to all applicable state laws, City
ordinances, and Public Works Department regulations.
O. Every person using the multi-use trail shall travel as near to the
right side of the path as is safe, except when turning or while overtaking
and passing another user proceeding in the same direction.
P. Every user shall exercise due care and caution to avoid colliding
with any other path user of any mode. Every user shall travel in a
consistent and predictable manner not more than two abreast.
Q. Any person operating any permitted vehicle or device, including but
not limited to a bicycle, within a park or recreational facility shall
give an audible warning signal before passing another person, pedestrian,
bicyclist, or user of any mode. An audible warning signal may be produced
by voice, bell, whistle, or horn and must be clearly audible. The
audible signal must be first produced five seconds before executing
the passing maneuver. The passer is responsible for safely passing
other users.
R. Any path user overtaking another user proceeding in the same direction
shall pass to the left of such overtaken user at a safe distance and
shall not again move to the right until safely clear of the overtaken
user.
S. Users entering or crossing the path at uncontrolled points shall
yield to traffic on the path.
T. The multi-use trails shall be open to all members of the public.