[HISTORY: Adopted by the Commissioners of the City of Rehoboth Beach 4-16-2021 by Ord. No. 0421-05. Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
MOTORIZED VEHICLE
Automobiles (including electric), scooters, mopeds, and motorcycles, not including electric personal assistive mobility devices utilized by persons with a disability.
PARK
An area of land with an individual name that is owned and/or managed by the City of Rehoboth Beach and is used by the public for rest and/or recreation. Parks include Mariner's (Surfside) Park, Lewes-Rehoboth Canal bank, Central Park, Grove (Shaw) Park, Grove Park Canal Dock, Deer Park, Stockley Street (Country Club Estates) Park, Cranberry Park, Lake Gerar Park, Lee Street Park, Teardrop (Silver Lane) Park, and Martin's Lawn Park.
[Amended 7-16-2021 by Ord. No. 0721-01; 7-19-2024 by Ord. No. 0724-01]
WATERCRAFT
A boat, flotation device, or any other vessel designed for transport of persons or goods on water.
A. 
No person shall cut, break, move, take, or otherwise injure, destroy, or deface any tree, shrub, plant, or any building, fence, bridge, sign or other structure, nor foul any lake, stream, pond or water feature, nor dump any earth, rubbish, yard debris or other substance or material.
B. 
The sale, consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
C. 
Gambling of any kind is prohibited.
D. 
The use of amplified sound is prohibited.
E. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to build, start, ignite, or maintain any fire or open flame or use any charcoal or propane-fired grill, cooker, or heating device heated by fire or any cooking device.
F. 
No person shall set a trap, snare, shoot, injure, disturb, or poison any animals or birds, or injure or destroy any nests in any park unless such action is requested by the City Manager for public health and safety.
G. 
No person shall ride in or drive any unauthorized motor vehicle.
H. 
In designated spaces, parking shall be limited to users of the park during the hours of operation. Violators will be towed at the owner’s expense.
I. 
No person shall test or repair any motorized watercraft, vehicle, motor, or mechanical device.
J. 
No unauthorized sign, advertisement, or circular shall be erected, painted, pasted, or otherwise affixed or distributed on park property.
[Amended 7-16-2021 by Ord. No. 0721-01]
K. 
Solicitation of funds or donations is forbidden.
L. 
No person shall expose or offer for sale any article or thing, nor shall any person station or place a stand, cart or vehicle for the sale or display of any such article or thing.
M. 
Livestock and domestic animals of any kind are prohibited in any park, except a dog or cat on a leash and under control of a person. Persons with pets shall cleanup after their pet.
N. 
Practicing, playing, or using park areas for golf or archery is prohibited.
O. 
No person shall operate a drone.
P. 
Swimming, diving, wading, and bathing is prohibited.
Q. 
No person or group may utilize any park area or facility for personal profit or financial gain, with the exception of the Grove Park Canal Dock as determined in §195-3G.
R. 
Park users shall dispose of waste in appropriate receptacles. If there are no receptacles in the park or if the receptacles are full, park users shall remove the waste from the park.
S. 
Park hours of use are from sunrise to sunset, except in areas designated for extended use activities.
T. 
The City Manager may temporarily close or curtail activities upon any lands or waters, or any portions thereof, when it has been deemed necessary to be in the best interest of public safety, conduct, health, or order.
U. 
No entertainment, demonstration, exhibition, or tournament shall be permitted in any park except under the supervision of the Parks and Recreation Department.
V. 
No inflatable, slip-n-slide, or bouncing apparatus are permitted.
W. 
Fish cleaning and discarding of fish remains shall not be permitted.
X. 
No person shall encroach upon any park. It shall be unlawful for any person to construct, erect or place any building, structure, or fence of any kind, whether permanent or temporary, or run or string any utility into, upon or across any Park without a license agreement approved by the City’s Board of Commissioners. No person shall place any benches or furniture, planters, clotheslines, landscaping plants, or similar in any park.
Y. 
Children under the age of 12 shall be accompanied by a supervising adult at the following locations:
(1) 
Grove Park Canal Dock.
(2) 
Playgrounds and tot-lots.
(3) 
Tennis and pickleball courts.
Z. 
No skateboards, bicycles, rollerblades, or scooters shall be permitted on the Canal Dock or tennis and pickleball courts.
AA. 
No food or pets shall be permitted on the tennis and pickleball courts.
BB. 
Climbing on any fence, railing, retaining wall, structure, or landscaping is prohibited except in designated playgrounds, tot-lots and fitness areas.
CC. 
Park users must obey any posted rules and regulations.
DD. 
No person shall sleep in, lie in or occupy as a sleeping quarters, or under the guise of pretending to sleep, any structure, facility or area of a park during the hours the parks are closed to the public.
A. 
The Grove Park Canal Dock provides two boat slips that shall only be used for loading and unloading passengers. The maximum time docked shall be 30 minutes.
B. 
No watercraft or personal belonging may be left overnight. Any such item may be confiscated by the City. All reasonable charges of impoundment, confiscation, and storage shall be the responsibility of the owner in addition to the penalties set forth in § 195-5.
C. 
The City shall not be held responsible for the damage, theft, vandalism, or destruction of any property, including contents and personal items.
D. 
The City shall not be held responsible for a failure to secure property, including watercrafts, contents, or personal items.
E. 
Any damage, accidental or intentional, to the dock, city structure, ramp, or landscaping, as determined by the City Manager shall be repaired or replaced at the damaging party’s expense, including damage done by an individual, group, business, or watercraft.
F. 
Fishing is permitted only from the designated fishing portion of the Canal Dock ramp, as indicated by signage.
G. 
The City may authorize any person or group to utilize the Canal Dock for personal profit or financial gain by first obtaining a business license under § 120-19T. This exception shall apply to motorized watercrafts only.
[Amended 7-16-2021 by Ord. No. 0721-01]
A. 
The City Manager may grant exceptions to any section of this chapter either through written permission or the issuance of a special event permit.
B. 
The Rehoboth Beach Farmers Market shall be exempt from sections of this chapter as set forth in Chapter 148.
[Amended 11-21-2025 by Ord. No. 1125-02]
Any violation of this chapter is declared a civil offense pursuant to Chapter 126 of the Municipal Code of the City of Rehoboth Beach. Any person who violates this chapter shall pay a civil assessment established in the City Schedule of Fees and Penalties.[1] Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall be a deemed a separate offense. In addition to the civil assessment herein described, the City may avail itself of any and all civil and equitable remedies for the purpose of stopping continuing offenses of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: The City Schedule of Fees and Penalties is on file in the City offices.