Any person violating any provision of this division shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine in accordance with the general penalty provided in section 1.01.009 of this code. Each occurrence shall be deemed to be a separate violation.
(Ordinance 0181-1 adopted 11/10/15; Ordinance adopting Code)
The rules and regulations in this division shall be in force in all parks, recreation areas and community centers of the city.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.010, adopted 6/8/10)
Compliance with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations is a condition of the use of any public park, community center or recreation area of the city. It shall be unlawful for any person to remain in any park, community center, or recreation area within the city after being advised by an employee of the parks and community services department or a peace officer that he is interfering with, disrupting, or preventing the orderly conduct of any supervised or unsupervised play, educational program, or amusement program in any park, community center, or recreation area within the city and having been asked to leave.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.020, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
All city parks and park facilities, except as provided below, shall be closed to the public every night between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
(b) 
This section shall not apply to the following persons if in the park or facility in the performance of their duties: peace officers, physicians, ambulance operators/attendants, and employees of the city.
(c) 
In the case of parks through which there are dedicated streets used for general travel (that is, not merely for access to the interior of the park), this section shall not apply to persons traveling through the park on such dedicated streets.
(d) 
The director of public works or his designate may grant permission to extend the closing hours to persons, groups or organizations who have been issued a park use permit at any park or facility in accordance with the terms of the permit.
(e) 
In every city park and park facilities with a street entrance, signs shall be posted at the street entrance clearly stating that [sic] the hours of operation of the park. In a park without a street entrance and when such park is bounded only by streets or public rights-of-way, signs shall be posted at a reasonable distance along the boundary of such park clearly stating the hours of operation of the city park and park facilities.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.040, adopted 6/8/10)
No person, group or organization shall be entitled to exclusive use of the park or recreational facility or part thereof owned or operated by the city unless such person, group or organization shall first obtain a permit for such exclusive use from the director of public works or his designee.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.030, adopted 6/8/10)
Any person, group or organization applying for a park use permit shall make payment of an application fee and deposit as established by resolution by the city council. When it is determined by the director of public works or his designee that the city will sponsor or partly sponsor an event, such fees shall not collected. Applicable deposits shall not be refunded when it is determined by the director of public works or his designee that park damages, littering or theft has occurred as a result of such event. Fees collected shall cover the cost of processing the application and any preparation of the designated area for the use of the applicant. Collection of such fees shall entitle the applicant assurance of such permit unless the director of public works or his designee shall affirmatively find any of the following:
(1) 
The park or recreational facility is to be used for any unlawful purpose;
(2) 
The time, place or manner of use of the facility is likely to cause substantial disturbance to persons occupying property adjoining the facility;
(3) 
The time, place or manner of use of the facility is likely to result in damage to city property;
(4) 
If the application for the permit is made such that there is not sufficient time to make the above determinations; or
(5) 
The failure to clean a facility to the satisfaction of the director of public works or his designate after a prior use of such facility, regardless of whether such prior use was under a permit provided for herein or not.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.050, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
The park use permit shall contain the following information:
(1) 
The name, address and telephone number of the person, group or organization issued such permit;
(2) 
The dates and times for which such permit is effective;
(3) 
The facility or part of the facility which the permittee is authorized to use;
(4) 
The activity for which the permit is issued; and
(5) 
Such other conditions as the director of public works or his designee may deem appropriate to minimize disturbance to surrounding property, avoid traffic congestion, and avoid destruction of city property.
(b) 
The items mentioned above are not the only items which the director of public works or his designate may include in such permit but are the items which must be contained in such permit.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.060, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
No person, group or organization shall be entitled to the exclusive use of or shall play any game on or otherwise make use of any baseball, football, soccer, or other field belonging to the city and provided with equipment for artificial lighting (whether such lighting equipment is to be used or not), unless written permission for using the field at the designated time is first obtained from the director of public works or his designee.
(b) 
In granting or refusing such permission the director of public works or his designee shall be guided by the following standards:
(1) 
Whether the field has already been reserved or applied for by someone else for approximately the same time;
(2) 
Whether the field is in proper condition for use;
(3) 
Whether the person applying for the field is of sufficient age and responsibility to exercise reasonable care in its use;
(4) 
Whether the proposed use and the hours requested are such that other users of the park or residents of the neighborhood will not be subjected to undue inconvenience;
(5) 
Any other factor which may reasonably bear upon the matter.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.070, adopted 6/8/10)
A park use permit may be revoked at any time by the director of public works or his designee for reasons which may include, but are not limited to, misrepresentation of information given at the time of permit application, failure to comply with conditions of the permit, or assignment of the permit to another party without the prior written permission of the director of public works or his designee.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.080, adopted 6/8/10)
Any applicant denied a permit may appeal such denial to the city council by filing a request for review with the city clerk within three days after written notice of such denial, and the city clerk shall place such denial on the agenda for the next regular city council meeting. The decision of the city council shall be final. If the permit is denied with insufficient time for it to be considered by the city council under the provisions of this section, then, in that event, the permit shall be considered to have been denied by the city council.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.090, adopted 6/8/10)
It shall be unlawful for any person to peddle, sell, or offer for sale any goods, wares, or merchandise in any city park or take thereon or therein any peddler’s cart or wagon, or any basket, tray, box or other receptacle or vehicle containing a stock of goods, wares or merchandise to be sold or offered for sale, except as provided in section 1.10.043.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.100, adopted 6/8/10)
It shall be unlawful for any person to rent or offer to rent to another in any city park any amusement device, including, but not limited to, bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, vehicles, or animals, except as provided in section 1.10.043.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.110, adopted 6/8/10)
The director of public works or his designee may grant licenses, privileges, or concessions for any of the acts mentioned in sections 1.10.041 and 1.10.042 in public parks, upon such conditions as do not unlawfully surrender the city’s right of supervision, regulation and control, are consistent with park purposes, and do not unreasonably interfere with the rights of the public to the enjoyment of the park.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.120, adopted 6/8/10)
It shall be unlawful for any person to display any advertising matter by signs or to distribute advertising matter by signs [sic] or to distribute advertising matter of any character within any parkways, medians, parks, golf courses, or other recreation areas of the city without written permission of the director of public works or his designee.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.130, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person exercising ownership, care, custody, or control of any animal to allow such animal to run at large without a leash upon any playground or park within the city.
(b) 
An owner, harborer, or other person in possession of a dog commits an offense if he knowingly permits, or by insufficient control allows, the dog to defecate in a park within the city and fails to remove and dispose of any excreta the dog deposits.
(c) 
An owner, harborer, or other person in possession of a dog commits an offense if he:
(1) 
Knowingly permits the dog to enter or be present in a city park; and
(2) 
Fails to have in his possession materials or implements that, either alone or in combination with each other, can be used to immediately and in a sanitary and lawful manner both remove and dispose of any excreta the dog may deposit on the property.
(d) 
It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under subsection (b) or (c) that:
(1) 
The dog was specifically trained to assist a person with a disability and was in possession of that disabled person at the time it defecated or was otherwise present on the property; or
(2) 
The dog is a police canine being used in official law enforcement activity.
(e) 
In every city park and park facility with a street entrance, signs shall be posted at the street entrance stating that it is an offense to allow a dog to defecate in a park within the city and fail to remove and dispose of any excreta the dog deposits. In a park without a street entrance and when such park is bounded only by streets or public rights-of-way, signs shall be posted at a reasonable distance along the boundary of such park clearly stating that it is an offense to allow a dog to defecate in a park within the city and fail to remove and dispose of any excreta the dog deposits.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.140, adopted 6/8/10)
It shall be unlawful in any city park for any person to place or deposit any garbage, trash or refuse except in receptacles designated for such purpose by the city. It shall be unlawful to place or deposit any garbage, trash, or refuse in any city park except that which is generated within the city park grounds.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.150, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to drive or propel any motorized vehicle in, over or through any park or recreation area except along and upon park drives, streets or boulevards or other areas designated for driving purposes.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to stop, stand or park any motorized vehicle or to permit any such motor vehicle to so stop, stand or park within the confines of any park or recreation area, except such as may be necessary or incidental to park visits or such as may be due to accidental or temporary mechanical failure of such vehicle or such as may be occasioned by the order of any peace officer or person charged with supervision of any park or recreation area.
(c) 
If any motorized vehicle is found within the confines of any park or recreation area in violation of any prior provisions of this section and the identity of the operator of such vehicle cannot be determined, the owner or person in whose name such vehicle is registered shall be held prima facie responsible for such violation.
(d) 
Persons driving motorized vehicles within confines of any park or recreation area with the express written permission of the director of public works or his designee are exempt from the provisions of this section.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.160, adopted 6/8/10)
(a) 
Definition.
As used in this section, the meaning of the term “alcoholic beverage” is as defined by state statutes and codes, Alcoholic Beverage Code, section 1.04(1).
(b) 
Possession or consumption.
It shall be unlawful for any person to possess or consume alcoholic beverages within the confines of any municipal park located within the city limits, including all streets and parking areas therein, except as may be granted by the city council.
(c) 
Signs.
In every park with a street entrance and where possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is unlawful, signs shall be posted at the street entrance clearly stating that such possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is unlawful within the park. In a park without a street entrance and when such park is bounded only by streets or public rights-of-way, signs shall be posted at a reasonable distance along the boundary of such park clearly stating that such possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is unlawful within the park.
(Ordinance 0181, sec. 181.170, adopted 6/8/10; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
All forms of drilling and mining are permanently prohibited within, on, or beneath any public park located within the city limits of Horizon City, Texas.
(b) 
No previously drilled and abandoned well or mine may be reopened in any public park located within the city limits of Horizon City, Texas.
(c) 
The prohibition on mining and drilling does not prohibit:
(1) 
The use of shallow horizontal boring or open ditching for utility work performed in the public right-of-way in compliance with the City’s Municipal Code, chapter 3, article 3.06, division 4 or as may be amended by future council action; or
(2) 
Construction, reconstruction, maintenance, repair or improvements to any public building or facility in a park, or work associated with an approved capital improvement project.
(Ordinance 0256 adopted 1/14/20)