This article prohibits the feeding of unconfined wildlife in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Village of Ridgefield Park to protect the environment, public health, safety, and welfare, and to prescribe penalties for failure to comply.
[Adopted 12-10-2024 by Ord. No. 2024-13]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases, words, and their derivations, shall have the meanings stated herein unless their use in the text of this article clearly demonstrates a different meaning. When consistent with the context, words used in the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular number, and words used in the singular number include the plural number. The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
To distribute or scatter any edible material with the intention of feeding or attracting wildlife. Feeding does not include baiting in the legal taking of fish and/or game.
Any individual, corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, or political subdivision of this state subject to municipal jurisdiction.
Any undomesticated animal and includes all organisms that live wild in an area.
No person shall feed, in any public park or on any other property owned or operated by the Village of Ridgefield Park, any wildlife.
Exemptions include unconfined wildlife at environmental education centers, municipal nature preserves, and feral cats as part of an approved trap-neuter-release program.
Any person(s) who is found to be in violation of the provisions of this article shall be subject to a fine not to exceed $500.