The city manager of the City of Lake Worth, or his or her
designee.
A park, reservation, playground, recreation center, recreational
or playing field or any other area in the city owned or used by the
city, and devoted to active or passive recreation, including all planted
creeks and lakes maintained by the city, except the parkway strips
between curbs and sidewalks along the several streets and highways
of the city.
The person designated by the city manager to oversee the
operation of parks in the city, or his or her designee.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; 2004 Code, sec. 1.601)
(a)
The
parks supervisor shall post the hours during which the area is open
to the public. Unless otherwise posted by the parks supervisor the
parks shall be open to the public as follows:
(b)
It shall be unlawful for any person to enter or remain in any portion of a park during the hours of the day when such area is not open to the public. A person who violates this section shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision set forth in section 1.01.009 of this code and may be physically removed from the area by a peace officer.
(c)
This
section shall not apply to the following persons if in the park in
the performance of their official duties: peace officers, physicians,
ambulance operators or attendants, employees of the city, and employees
of public utility companies.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; 2004 Code, sec. 1.602)
(a)
Prohibited acts.
It shall be unlawful for any person
to commit any one (1) or more of the following acts in a park:
(1)
Intentionally harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap,
capture or collect any animal or bird in any city park or recreational
field or attempt to engage in any such conduct.
(2)
Ride, drive, tether or pasture any horse or other animal, except
in designated areas.
(3)
Erect any structure, sign, bulletin board, post, pole or advertising
device of any kind in or attach any notice, bill, poster, sign, wire,
rope, or cord to any tree, shrub, fence, railing, post or other structure
in any park or recreation area.
(4)
Carry a firearm, except those persons who are duly licensed by the
state to carry a concealed handgun.
(5)
Carry (unless permitted under subsection (4) above), or discharge firearms, fireworks, BB guns, airguns, bows and arrows, slingshots, blowguns, rockets or paintball guns.
(6)
Remain in any park after being advised by a parks department employee
or peace officer that he is interfering with, disrupting or preventing
the orderly conduct of any supervised or unsupervised play, educational
program, or amusement program, and after having been asked to leave
any park area located in or on any public property within the city.
(7)
Wash a vehicle in any park or recreation area, except in designated
areas.
(8)
Stop, stand or park any motorized vehicle or 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. 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 constitute prima facie evidence that the owner or person to
whom the vehicle is registered is responsible for such violation.
(9)
Ride, drive or park any motorcycle, automobile or other motorized
vehicle upon, over or across any park, curb, sidewalk, grass, lawn,
hike or jogging trail or park land except in designated areas or unless
authorized by the parks supervisor. This provision is not applicable
to city motor vehicles or emergency vehicles.
(10)
Damage, move, cut, break, injure, deface or disturb any tree, shrub,
plant, rock, building, monument, fence, bench, equipment or other
structure, apparatus or property, or pluck, pull up, cut, take or
remove any shrub, bush, plant or flower, or mark or write upon, paint
or deface in any manner any building, monument, fence, bench, equipment
or other structure.
(11)
Swim, bathe, pollute, or wade in the water of any fountain, pond,
lake or stream except in designated areas.
(12)
Use or operate any motorboat, boat, or watercraft (except radio controlled
boats) on any creek, pond, lake, or water within any park where the
parks supervisor has designated by sign that such activity is prohibited.
(13)
Fish within any park where the parks supervisor has designated by
sign that such activity is prohibited. Where fishing is allowed, no
trotlines, throw lines, fish traps, seines or nets shall be permitted.
(14)
Make or kindle a fire, except in picnic stoves, braziers, fire pits
or designated areas provided for that purpose; leave the park without
extinguishing a fire; burn wood found in the park; or throw hot coals
in any trash receptacle.
(15)
Place or dump any trash, refuse, solid waste, grass clippings, leaves,
or other objectionable or unsightly matter in any park.
(16)
Place, abandon or leave garbage, cans, bottles, papers, or other
refuse in any public park except in proper waste receptacles.
(17)
Violate any park rules which are conspicuously posted at or near
the main entrance to a park or park facility.
(18)
Use any city parks for overnight camping or lodging.
(b)
Enforcement; penalty; exceptions.
(1)
A person who violates any provision of this section is subject to penalty per section 1.01.009 of this code and may be physically removed from the area by a peace officer.
(2)
No provision of this section shall apply if a person has written
permission from the city manager or his/her designee to perform any
of the prohibited acts listed above. The written permission from the
city manager or his/her designee must be provided to any parks department
employee or peace officer if requested while the person is performing
a prohibited act in the park. This section shall not apply to the
following persons in the performance of their official duties for
the benefit of the health, safety, or welfare of the public: peace
officers, employees of the city, and employees of public utility companies.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; 2004 Code, sec. 1.603; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)
(a)
Definition.
For the purposes of this section, “alcoholic
beverage” shall be defined as alcohol or any beverage containing
more than one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume, which is capable
of use for beverage purposes, either alone or when diluted.
(b)
Prohibition.
Except as permitted in subsection (e) below, it shall be unlawful for any person to bring into, consume or possess alcoholic beverages in any city park or park facility, or on any property owned or maintained by the city.
(c)
Posting of signs.
The city manager or his/her designee
shall conspicuously post a sign in each city park stating substantially
the following: “Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages
in this park is prohibited–Up to $500.00 fine for violation.”
(d)
Penalty.
Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any provision of this section shall be fined in accordance with the general penalty provision set forth in section 1.01.009 of this code.
(e)
Exceptions.
The city council may authorize the consumption
of alcoholic beverages in a city park for special events.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; 2004 Code, sec. 1.604; Ordinance adopting 2021 Code)
(a)
Usage fees.
The usage fees for recreational fields in city parks shall be those listed in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(b)
Reservations; violation of rules.
All reservations must
be made pursuant to the city reservation and usage policy. Any violation
of the city reservation and usage policy by the renter or any person
utilizing the facilities in coordination with the reservation or rental
shall be grounds for termination of the rental agreement, ejection
from the park and/or loss of all rental fees and deposits.
(c)
Special fees.
The parks supervisor is authorized to
charge and collect fees for class trips, equipment, merchandise, police
or supervisory service, and other programs, services, events and merchandise
provided or offered by the department where no fee is established
in the fee schedule. The fee or charge shall be based on the costs
of providing the event, service, equipment or goods.
(d)
Rescheduling; cancellations.
(1)
Rescheduling due to inclement weather.
If inclement
weather, including, but not limited to, rain, thunderstorm, or high
wind, prohibit a scheduled use, a request must be submitted in writing
to the parks department no later than 5:00 p.m., on the first business
day after the reservation day, to request a rescheduled reservation
day. Failure to submit request in writing for a reschedule will result
in forfeiture of fees previously paid for the original reservation
day. The parks department will attempt to reschedule the reservation
at no additional charge if the requested rescheduled date is within
30 days of the original reservation, depending on availability. If
the parks department is unable to accommodate a reschedule date during
that time frame, a 75% refund will be provided. If the individual
or group is unable to work with a reschedule date that is available
within that time frame, a 50% refund will be provided.
(2)
Cancellations.
Cancellations prior to the reserved times are eligible for a refund as set forth in the fee schedule in appendix A of this code.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; Ordinance 917 adopted 5/19/09; Ordinance
968 adopted 8/9/11; Ordinance 983 adopted 2/14/12; 2004 Code, sec. 1.605; Ordinance adopting
2021 Code)
(a)
Reserved areas.
The parks supervisor shall post a sign
advising the public as to when an area is closed to the public and
has been reserved for an event, stating “Reserved Facility–Up
to $500.00 fine for unauthorized entry.”
(b)
Closed areas.
The parks supervisor is authorized to
close a city park or recreational field for maintenance or to protect
surfaces of a park or field and shall post a sign advising the public
as to when a park or field is closed for either purpose, stating “Closed–Do
Not Trespass–Up to $500.00 fine for unauthorized entry.”
(c)
Violations; exceptions.
It shall be offense for any
person to unlawfully enter or remain in a park or upon a recreational
field which has been designated as closed or reserved. This section
shall not apply to peace officers, employees of the city, and employees
of public utility companies in performance of their official duties
for purposes of maintaining a field or park facility.
(Ordinance 900 adopted 1/13/09; 2004 Code, sec. 1.606)
