No person shall loiter or prowl in a place, at a time or in
a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals under circumstances
that warrant alarm for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity.
Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether
such alarm is warranted is the fact that the person takes flight upon
appearance of a police or peace officer, refuses to identify himself
or manifestly endeavors to conceal himself or any object. Unless flight
by the person or other circumstances makes it impracticable, a police
or peace officer shall, prior to any arrest for an offense under this
chapter, afford the person an opportunity to dispel any alarm which
would otherwise be warranted, by requesting him to identify himself
and explain his presence and conduct. No person shall be convicted
of an offense under this section if the police or peace offer did
not comply with the preceding sentence, or if it appears at trial
that the explanation given by the person was true and, if believed
by the police or peace officer at the time, would have dispelled the
alarm.
It shall be unlawful for any person to fish from or loiter on
any bridge within the Town where a sign is posted which prohibits
such activity.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. II)]
Violations of this chapter shall be subject to the penalty provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, §
1-5, General penalty.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following terms, phrases,
words, and their derivations shall have the meaning given herein.
If not defined herein, the word, term or phrase shall have the definition
commonly accepted including a relevant definition contained in the
Wisconsin Statutes. When not inconsistent with the context, the words
used in the present tense include the future, words in the plural
number include the singular number and words in the singular number
include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and
not merely directory:
ALLEY
A public right-of-way, which normally affords a secondary
means of vehicular access to abutting property.
OCCUPANT
Any person occupying or having use of a building, structure,
premises of any part thereof.
OWNER
Includes the plural as well as the singular and may mean
either a natural person, firm, association, partnership, private corporation,
public or quasi-public corporation, or combination of these who shall
hold title to a building, structure or property, or who shall be in
actual possession of, or have charge, or control of building, structure,
or property as agent of the title holder, or who shall be trustee
or guardian of the estate or person of the title holder.
PARKING LOT
Any public or private land area where motor vehicles are
parked or stored temporarily, but not including the wrecking of automobile
or other vehicles or storage for the purpose of repair or wrecking.
PERSON
Includes a corporation, firm partnership, association, organization
and any other group acting as a unit as well as individuals, including
a personal representative, receiver or other representative appointed
according to law. Whenever the term "person" is used in any section
of this chapter prescribing a penalty or fine, as to partnerships
or associations, the work shall include the partners or members thereof,
and as to corporations, shall include the officers, agents or members
thereof who are responsible for any violation of such section.
SIGN
Any medium, including its structure, words, letters, figures,
numerals, phrases, sentences, emblems, devices, designs, trade names
or trademarks by which anything is made known and which are used to
advertise or promote an individual, firm, association, corporation,
profession, business, commodity or product and which is visible from
any public street or highway.
STREET
Any public highway or alley and shall mean the entire width
between the boundary lines of any public way where any part thereof
is open to the public for purposes of vehicular traffic.
TOWN
The Town of Rome, Adams County, Wisconsin, or any duly appointed
designate thereof, including, but not limited to, the Town Board and
Town committees.
TOWN BOARD or BOARD
The present governing body of the Town or any successors
to the legislative power of said body, or any duly appointed designate
thereof.