The public use of Copperas Branch and Pilot Knoll Parks shall be subject to the provisions of this division in addition to the other provisions of this article. The director, the city police, fire and code enforcement departments, as well as all applicable federal, state and local agencies, shall diligently enforce the provisions of this division and shall have the authority to issue or cause to have issued citations or to eject or cause to have ejected from any park area any person acting in violation of this division, in accordance with law.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
Except as otherwise provided in this division or by federal law or regulation, state and local laws and ordinances shall apply in public park and recreational facilities and [shall] be enforced by city's police, fire and code enforcement departments and by federal, state and county law enforcement agencies established and authorized for that purpose[. Regulations which] shall apply on parkland, include but [are] not limited to state and local laws and ordinances governing:
(1) 
Operation and use of motor vehicles, and vessels;
(2) 
Hunting, fishing and trapping;
(3) 
Use or possession of firearms or other weapons;
(4) 
Civil disobedience and criminal acts;
(5) 
Littering, sanitation and pollution;
(6) 
Alcohol or other controlled substances;
(7) 
Fires; and
(8) 
Explosives, firearms, other weapons and fireworks.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
The director may establish and post a schedule of visiting hours and/or restrictions on the public use of parkland. The director may close or restrict the use of parkland when necessitated by reason of public health, public safety, maintenance, resource protection or other reasons in the public interest. Entering or using parkland in a manner which is contrary to the schedule of visiting hours, closures or restrictions is prohibited.
(b) 
Quiet shall be maintained in all public use areas between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. It shall be unlawful to cause noise between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. which unreasonably disturbs persons in other camp sites.
(c) 
Any act or conduct by any person which interferes with, impedes or disrupts the use of the park or impairs the safety of any person is prohibited. Individuals who are loud, boisterous, rowdy, disorderly, or otherwise disturb the peace may be requested to leave or be subject to ejection, consistent with state and local laws and ordinances.
(d) 
The operation or use of any sound-producing or motorized equipment, including but not limited to generators, vessels, or vehicles, in such a manner as to unreasonably annoy or endanger persons at any time or exceed state or local laws governing noise levels from motorized equipment is prohibited.
(e) 
Smoking is prohibited in the gatekeeper offices, restrooms, enclosed park buildings, playgrounds and in those areas posted to restrict smoking.
(f) 
If a check in payment of a fee is returned for insufficient funds and the person does not within ten days of demand pay the city the amount due resulting from the refusal of the check by the financial institution on which the check was drawn, the city may require such person to make all future payments of fees by money order or cash.
(g) 
The director may refuse entry to any person for a period of up to one year on the following basis:
(1) 
Any breach of the peace that has occurred in a public park or recreational facility within the preceding 12 months;
(2) 
Any person who occupies a camp site without a valid permit and/or fails to leave upon the expiration of a permit;
(3) 
Any person who has failed to pay the appropriate fee and failed to cure within ten days of demand; or
(4) 
Any person who has violated any term or condition of a permit.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
Reservations and permit.
(1) 
Reservations for campsites at Pilot Knoll Park may be made on-line at www.highlandvillage.org, through the department or at the gate attendant's office. Reservations may be made four (4) to two hundred and forty (240) days in advance for a period of no more than 14 consecutive days.
(2) 
Check-in time for reservations is 3:00 p.m. on the arrival date. Normal check-out time is 2:00 p.m. on the scheduled date of departure; however extensions may be granted by the gate attendant office or the director. Failure to depart a site without an extension as provided herein shall be a violation of this division and may subject the occupant being charged with criminal trespass.
(3) 
A permit shall be issued for the use of camping sites at Pilot Knoll Park upon the payment of the appropriate fees. The permit holder must display the permit as instructed, as well as any other permit identification documentation that is issued, such as a vehicle decal.
(4) 
Payment of the appropriate fees is required to confirm and hold a reservation.
(b) 
Recreational use fees.
The city will collect day use fees and special event permit fees for the use of specialized sites, facilities, equipment or services related to outdoor recreation furnished at the city's expense established pursuant to this article. Refunds for cancellations may be given based upon the refund policy established under division 5 of this article.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
The placement and/or operation of any vessel or watercraft for a fee or profit upon parkland is allowed only by permit, lease, license, or concessions contract with the city.
(b) 
No person shall operate any vessel in a careless, negligent, or reckless manner so as to endanger any person, property, or environmental feature. Vessels shall be operated in a manner consistent with state and federal water safety laws.
(c) 
Vessels shall not be used as a place of habitation or residency.
(d) 
Vessels shall not be attached or anchored to structures such as locks, dams, buoys, or other structures unless authorized by the director.
(e) 
All vessels when not in actual use shall be removed from parkland unless securely moored or stored at designated areas approved by the director.
(f) 
No person may place a floating or stationary mooring facility on, adjacent to, or interfering with a buoy, channel marker or other navigational aid.
(g) 
All vessels shall be operated in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
All swimming, wading, snorkeling or scuba diving shall be undertaken at the person's own risk.
(b) 
Swimming, wading, snorkeling or scuba diving is permitted except at launching sites, designated mooring points and public docks, or other areas so designated by the director.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
Picnicking and related day-use activities are permitted, except in those areas where prohibited by the director.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
Camping is permitted only at sites and/or areas designated and marked by the director.
(b) 
All persons in any area designated for overnight camping shall sleep inside a camper, tent, or similar unit designed for overnight sleeping accommodations.
(c) 
No more than two (2) camping structures are permitted to be located within a campsite. For purposes of this division, a camping structure is defined as:
(1) 
A travel trailer with its towing vehicle;
(2) 
A self-propelled mobile camper;
(3) 
A pop-up trailer;
(4) 
A pickup camper; or
(5) 
A tent.
(d) 
The site carrying capacity of a camp space or stall is ten people at any one time, inclusive of visitors, and up to three vehicles. It shall be unlawful to exceed the capacity limitation, unless written authorization has been obtained from the director, consistent with public health and safety, taking into consideration the nature, size and location of the particular camp space. If sufficient parking space is not available at the site, vehicles shall park in parking lots within the park.
(e) 
Camping at one or more campsites at any park for a period longer than 14 consecutive days during any 28-consecutive-day period during the months of May through September, and any 56-consecutive-day period during the months of October through April, is prohibited unless an extension is approved by the director.
(f) 
Campers may apply for a 14-day extension after the camper has stayed 11 consecutive days within a 28-consecutive-day period from May through September, or within a 56-consecutive-day period from October through April. This extension must be approved in writing by the director.
(g) 
The digging or leveling of any ground or the construction of any structure without written permission of the director is prohibited.
(h) 
It shall be unlawful to occupy or place any camping equipment or personal property at a campsite for which a permit has not been issued or has expired in accordance with the provisions of this division.
(i) 
No person younger than 19 years of age may rent a campsite. Campers 18 years or younger must have a parent or guardian present and on site during camping stays.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
Garbage, trash, rubbish, litter, graywater, or any other waste material or waste liquid generated on parkland and incidental to authorized recreational activities shall be either removed from parkland or deposited in receptacles provided for that purpose. The improper disposal of such wastes, human and animal waste included, on parkland is prohibited.
(b) 
No person may dispose of or dump onto parkland any household or commercial garbage, trash, rubbish, debris, dead animals or litter of any kind. Parkland trash receptacles shall only be used for approved waste disposal as stated herein and not be used for waste generated by non-parkland users. No person shall bring trash, rubbish, garbage or waste of any kind onto parkland for disposal.
(c) 
The spilling, pumping, discharge or disposal of contaminants, pollutants or other wastes, including, but not limited to, human or animal waste, petroleum, industrial and commercial products and by-products, on parkland is prohibited.
(d) 
Campers, picnickers, and all other persons using city-owned or city-leased property shall keep their sites free of trash and litter and shall remove all personal equipment and clean their sites upon departure. Failure to do so shall be a violation of this section.
(e) 
The discharge or placing of sewage, galley waste, garbage, refuse, or pollutants onto parkland from any vehicle or vessel is prohibited.
(f) 
The disposal of any garbage, trash, rubbish, debris, dead animals or litter of any kind shall be the responsibility of the person to whom a permit has been issued or the registered owner of the vehicle or vessel.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
Gasoline and other accelerants, except that which is contained in storage tanks of vehicles, vessels, camping equipment, or hand portable containers designed for such purpose, shall not be carried onto or stored on the parkland without written permission of the director, the fire chief or fire marshal.
(b) 
Fires shall be confined to those areas designated by the director, and shall be contained in fireplaces, grills, or other facilities designated for this purpose. Fires shall not be left unattended and must be completely extinguished prior to departure. The burning of materials that produce toxic fumes, including but not limited to tires, plastic and other floatation materials or treated wood product, is prohibited.
(c) 
Open burning of any type is prohibited.
(d) 
Improper disposal of lighted smoking materials, matches or other burning material is prohibited.
(e) 
All fires shall be contained, to the extent permitted, in accordance with the fire code, as it may be adopted or amended, and all fire-related activities shall be conducted and regulated in accordance with and by applicable federal, state and local laws.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
(a) 
Domesticated animals, such as dogs and cats, shall be permitted in developed recreation areas or adjacent waters provided the animal is penned, caged, [or] on a leash as required by section 4.04.002 of this code. Animals shall not be allowed to impede or restrict full and free use of parkland and waters by the public. No person shall permit any animal to remain outside of a camping structure unless such animal is on a chain or leash that restricts the animal to the campsite. Unattended animals shall not be left outside of the camp structure. Animals, except properly trained animals assisting those with disabilities (such as seeing-eye dogs), are prohibited in sanitary facilities, playgrounds, swimming beaches and any other areas so designated by the director. Abandonment of any animal on city-owned or city-leased land or waters is prohibited. Unclaimed or unattended animals are subject to immediate impoundment in accordance with city ordinances.
(b) 
No person shall allow animals to bark or emit other noise, which unreasonably disturbs persons at other camp sites. It shall be prima facie evidence of unreasonable disturbance if the animal barks, or emits other noise, for longer than 15 minutes or in violation of section 4.01.005 of this code.
(c) 
Any animal impounded under the provisions of this section shall be subject to all appropriate fees and expenses upon recoupment by the owner or other person with care, custody or control of the animal. All fees shall be paid before the impounded animal is returned to its owner(s).
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)
All personal property found shall be deposited by the finder at the gatekeeper's office or with the parks supervisor and held for 30 days. Disposition of unclaimed personal property shall be in accordance with section 14.04.077 of this article.
(Ordinance 2012-1121 adopted 3/13/12)