City of Newark, TX PARKS AND RECREATION

City park defined.

For the purposes of this section, a city park means any reservation, playground, recreation center or any other area in or outside the city that is owned or used by the city and devoted to active or passive recreation.

(b)

Prohibited acts; special permission.

Within the limits of any city park, it shall be unlawful for any person to do any of the numbered acts described in this section, unless written consent is first obtained from the mayor or unless the person holds a valid permit for such activity duly granted by the city. The mayor may grant written consent only in accordance with all other laws and only after approval by majority vote of the city council taken at a regular or special meeting of the city council.

(1)

To drill oil, gas or other mineral extraction wells, including but not limited to the quarrying, excavating or other surface mining of minerals, sand, gravel or coal.

(2)

To hitch, fasten, lead, drive or let loose any animal, reptile, or fowl of any kind, except in designated areas.

(3)

To ride or drive any horse or other animal, except in designated areas. To ride, drive or go at a rate of speed faster than speed limits as posted on standard traffic signs, upon any bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or any other vehicle whatsoever, upon any drive or street in any park of the city, or to ride or drive any such motorcycle, automobile or other motorized vehicle upon any walk in such park, except in designated areas.

(4)

To carry or discharge any firearm, firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes or any other fireworks, air guns, BB guns, bow and arrows, and/or slingshots.

(5)

To damage, cut, break, injure, deface, or disturb any tree, shrub, plant, rock, building, cage, pen, monument, fence, bench or other structure, apparatus, or property; or to pluck, pull up, cut, take or remove any shrub, bush, plant or flower; or to mark or write upon, paint, or deface any building, monument, fence, bench or other structure.

(6)

To cut or remove any wood, turf, grass, soil, rock, sand, gravel or fertilizer.

(7)

To swim, bathe, wade in or pollute the water of any fountain, pond, lake or stream.

(8)

To make or kindle a fire, except in picnic stoves, fire pits or designated areas provided for that purpose.

(9)

To wash dishes or to empty salt water or other waste liquids elsewhere than in sinks provided for those purposes.

(10)

To leave garbage, cans, bottles, papers or other refuse elsewhere than in receptacles designated for that purpose.

(11)

To participate or engage in any activity on any public park area when such activity will create a danger to the public or may be considered a public nuisance.

(12)

To camp overnight.

(13)

To play or bet at or against any game which is played, conducted, dealt or carried on with cards, dice, or other device, for money, chips, shells, credit or any other representative of value, or to maintain or exhibit any gambling table or other instrument of gambling or gaming.

(14)

To use or speak any threatening, abusive, insulting or indecent language in any of the public parks, and no person shall commit, in any such parks, any obscene, lewd or indecent act or create any nuisance.

(15)

To disturb in any manner any picnic, meeting, service, concert, exercise or exhibition.

(16)

To distribute, post, place or erect any advertising handbill, circular, billing notice, paper or other advertising device without permission from the city council.

(17)

To sell or offer for sale any food, drinks, confections, merchandise or services without permission from city council.

(18)

To practice, carry on, conduct or solicit for any trade, occupation, business or profession or to circulate any petition of whatsoever kind.

(19)

To remain, stay or loiter in any public park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day or remain, stay or loiter in any park in other than open hours if posted as open other than 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. of the same day.

(20)

For any person over the age of six years to use the restrooms and washrooms designated for the opposite sex.

(21)

For any person to possess or consume any alcoholic beverage in any athletic complex or field in the city.

(22)

For any person to possess any glass container within any city park, including but not limited to athletic fields or facilities, parking lots, playground areas, and all other areas or structures within the boundaries of any park or athletic facility within the city.

(23)

To appear nude or in a state of nudity as defined below:

(A)

The appearance of a human bare buttock, anus, male genitals, pubic region or areola of the female breast; or

(B)

A state of dress which fails to opaquely cover a human buttock, anus, male genitals, female genitals, pubic region or areola of the female breast.

(24)

For an organized group consisting of more than fifteen (15) people to use Delora Doughty Park without first obtaining a reservation through the city.

(25)

To play golf or hit golf balls.

(26)

To ride bicycles, skateboards, skates or scooters (motorized and nonmotorized), except on areas designated for those purposes.

(27)

To allow dogs or other pets onto designated athletic fields, including basketball courts.

(28)

To fail to properly clean up pet waste and dispose of waste in receptacles.

(c)

Penalty.

A person commits an offense if the person violates this section. An offense of this section is a class C misdemeanor. Any person convicted of violating this section shall be fined in an amount not to exceed one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for each incident of violation. Each day of the continuance of such violation shall be considered a separate offense and shall be punished separately.

(Ordinance A-347 adopted 5/21/09; Ordinance adopting Code)