[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991]
The Commission shall be comprised of seven members and shall be appointed by the Smithfield Township Supervisors. The members shall serve for a term of five years except the members of the Commission first appointed shall be appointed as follows: one member shall be appointed for two years, two members shall be appointed for three years, two members for four years, and two members for five years. All members shall serve without pay. All persons appointed shall serve their full terms unless they voluntarily resign or are removed by the Supervisors for dereliction or neglect of duty. Any vacancies in the Commission occurring otherwise than by expiration of the term of a member shall be filled by the Supervisors for the unexpired term.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991]
The Commission shall elect its own Chairperson and Secretary and select all other officers necessary for the operation of the Commission. All officers shall be elected to serve for a period of one year. The Commission shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of its business within the jurisdiction of this Part.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991]
The duties and responsibilities of the Commission shall be as follows:
1.
To recommend to the Township Supervisors the selection, employment and discharge of employees to include recreation directors, play leaders, life guards, laborers, or general recreation workers, or to recommend the discharge of any recreational personnel, but the actual hiring or discharge of any recreational personnel shall rest with the Supervisors.
2.
To recommend to the Supervisors what equipment shall be purchased, what hours of operation, and how the park shall be staffed and supervised.
3.
To make financial recommendations to the Board of Supervisors relative to the operation and cost of the park and recreation area.
4.
It shall be the duty of the Commission to submit an annual report to the Township Supervisors including an analysis of the existing community recreation areas and facilities together with an analysis of any proposed changes or needs for future recreational facilities or needs, and the adequacy of existing programs and their effectiveness in view of the public expenditures involved and the public needs to be met.
5.
The Commission shall have not authority to make any expenditures without Township approval.
6.
To adopt rules and regulations for the parks and recreation areas subject to ratification by the Township Supervisors.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991; Ord. 147, 8/24/1999]
The Township Supervisors have caused a plan to be prepared by R.K.R. Hess Associates, Surveyors, Planners, Engineers and Architects, dated November 30, 1990, entitled Master Plan, Smithfield Township, Park Drawings NO. S1, Project No. 9022701, designating the park and recreation area, said lands being south of the dotted line on said plan marked reserved for future municipal use. The lands south of the dotted line marked reserved for future municipal use shall be known as the official lands for administration by the Smithfield Township Park Commission pursuant to this Part and said plan shall be duly filed with the Township Secretary. The Township Supervisors may, in their discretion, acquire other parks and recreational areas in which case they shall cause to have official plans drafted and filed with the Township Secretary. Each new official plan shall indicate lands to be administered by the Smithfield Township Park Commission.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991]
Any and all rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and approved by the Supervisors shall be conspicuously posted on park and recreation property.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991; Ord. 160, 6/25/2002; Ord. No. 256, 7/22/2025]
1.
The sports fields and parks are maintained by Smithfield Township for public recreation and enjoyment. Use of these fields and parks must comply with the following rules and regulations. Fees for the use of park facilities may be established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors and are outlined in the current Township Fee Schedule. Organizations granted permission to use park facilities through a formal agreement are subject to all applicable rules and regulations, and any fee structure shall be incorporated therein. At the discretion of the Board of Supervisors, fees may be waived when a formal agreement is in place.
2.
Penalties for violations of one or more of these rules and regulations are set forth.
A.
Parks and recreation areas shall be open during daylight hours only unless special arrangements have been established with the Board of Supervisors.
B.
Vehicles parked after the closing hours of any park or recreation area are prohibited, except for those operated by duly authorized Department or Township employees, emergency services personnel performing official duties, or individuals operating a vehicle in accordance with a valid Township-issued special event permit pursuant to Chapter 13 of the Smithfield Township Code of Ordinances. Overnight camping is also prohibited, unless otherwise authorized by such a permit.
Vehicles parked or left unattended in violation of these regulations are hereby declared a nuisance and may be impounded in accordance with the provisions of the Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Code, 75 Pa.C.S.A. § 101 et seq., or any similar law authorizing impoundment with or without citation and without prior notice to the owner.
C.
Parking is allowed in designated areas only. Also parking of licensed vehicles shall be in accordance with the Smithfield Township Code, Chapter 15, as amended. No unregistered vehicles are allowed in or on Township parks and recreational areas.
D.
Sports fields must be assigned a group leader when they are used by a group. The information as to the group leader shall be provided in writing. Assigned groups have priority on sports fields.
E.
Only one game at a time shall be permitted on a sports field.
F.
Sports fields are open to the public when not assigned.
G.
No vehicles of any type are allowed on sports fields at any time except for mowing and maintenance, or as otherwise granted in a special event permit pursuant to Chapter 13 of the Smithfield Township Code of Ordinances. This restriction does not apply to ADA-compliant mobility devices used by individuals with disabilities.
H.
Group leaders are personally responsible for the control and behavior of their respective group/groups.
I.
All groups and individuals will collect all litter after use of the field or fields.
J.
All pets must be kept on a leash and under the control of their owner or attendant at all times. The owner or attendant is responsible for cleaning up after the pet.
K.
Smoking and the consumption of alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all Township parks and recreational areas.
L.
No horses are allowed in any of the Township parks and recreational areas.
M.
No snowmobiles or ATVs are allowed in any of the Township parks and recreational areas; and operation of drones [unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS)] is prohibited.
N.
Hunting, trapping of animals (including reptiles), capturing, harassing, injuring, or killing wildlife is prohibited in any of the Township parks and recreational areas. No target practice is permitted in any of the Township parks and recreational areas.
O.
No fires are allowed in any Township parks or recreation areas without special permission of the Township Supervisors. The exception shall be for cooking on charcoal, wood, or gas grills.
P.
No person or persons shall carry or discharge within any park any firecracker, fireworks or other missile-propelling instruments or explosives or other dangerous articles which have such properties as to cause annoyance or injury to any person or property.
Q.
Digging or searching or scavenging for any artifact, collectible, or other item of value by any means in any of Smithfield Township's parks and recreation areas is prohibited. Any artifact, collectible, or other item of value found in any of the Township parks and recreational areas shall not be removed, and the Township office shall be notified immediately of the find. The precise location of the find shall be promptly communicated to the Township. Any inquiries regarding lost artifacts, collectibles or other items of value shall be made to the Township Office or to the Smithfield Township Park Commission.
R.
It shall be prohibited to damage, deface, write on, carve on, destroy, move, or otherwise alter any park and recreation properties, including, but not limited to, vegetation, turf, signs, buildings, bridges, benches, structures, lighting, fixtures, equipment, or any other materials. Climbing on fencing, backstops, goals, or similar structures is also prohibited.
S.
It shall be prohibited to litter, throw, or deposit trash, garbage, or any refuse, except into containers provided for that purpose. It shall also be prohibited to deposit garbage or refuse generated outside the park into a receptacle within the park designated for the deposit of trash by the public.
T.
No person shall bathe, wade, or swim in any park stream, pond, lake, or other waters, except for individuals who are wading as part of lawful fishing activity and are properly licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
U.
In addition to any penalties set forth in § 16-110, upon a formal determination of guilt through a citation, court ruling, or other due process, any infraction of the above rules and regulations will be cause for the Township Supervisors to automatically suspend privileges of any offending individual, group or group leader for the entire season.
[Ord. No. 256, 7/22/2025[1]]
The Board of Supervisors may, from time to time, adopt by resolution such additional rules and regulations as may be necessary for the proper operation, management, and conduct of Township parks and recreational lands.
[Ord. No. 256, 7/22/2025]
1.
It is the policy of the Township, in the exercise of its police powers for the protection of the public health, safety and general welfare and for the maintenance of peace and good government, to assure equal opportunity for full enjoyment and use of park facilities to all persons, free from restrictions because of race, color, sex, marital status, political ideology or affiliation, age, creed, religion, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin or disability as defined by state or federal law.
2.
Nothing in this section shall prohibit the exercise of constitutional liberties or the use of a bona fide qualification or restriction that does not infringe upon civil rights or civil liberties recognized by federal or state law or Township ordinance.
[Ord. 117, 2/26/1991; Ord. 128, 4/26/1994; Ord. 141, 4/28/1998; Ord. 160, 6/25/2002; Ord. No. 256, 7/22/2025]
1.
Any person who violates the above rules and regulations shall be subject to penalties and immediate eviction from parks and recreational areas owned and/or operated by the Township, to be enforced by appointed Pennsylvania State Constables, Township-appointed Zoning Officer, Township-appointed or -hired security personnel, and other authorized Township personnel.
2.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Part, or who violates or who fails or refuses to comply with the rules and regulations adopted by the Township Supervisors, shall, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a District Justice in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be sentenced to pay a fine as follows:
A.
For a first offense, the sum of $300 plus costs.
B.
For a second offense, the sum of $600 plus costs.
C.
For all subsequent offenses, the sum of $1,000 plus costs.
In default of payment of said fine or penalty, such person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.