[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Mount Vernon 11-13-1957 as Ch. 29
of the General Ordinances, approved 11-15-1957. Amendments noted where applicable.]
Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
The Commissioner of Public Works having jurisdiction of the
parks or street parks, as hereinafter defined.
Any park, square, circle or part thereof under the jurisdiction
of the Department of Public Works.
A written authorization for the exercise of a specified park
privilege, issued by the Commissioner.
Any park, square, circle or part thereof, play area, or recreational
area specifically designed to be used by children that has play equipment
installed, or any similar facility under the jurisdiction of the Department
of Recreation.
[Added 6-26-1981, approved 6-26-1981; amended 9-9-2009, approved 9-10-2009]
Any trails, or planted area of any boulevard, avenue or street
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works.
[Amended 8-10-2011, approved 8-11-2011]
The carrying of a lighted pipe, lighted cigar, or lighted
cigarette of any kind, or the lighting of a pipe, cigar, or cigarette
of any kind, including, but not limited to, tobacco, or any other
weed or plant.
[Added 9-9-2009, approved 9-10-2009]
Any designated play area within a public park for the use
by young children under the age of 12.
[Added 9-9-2009, approved 9-10-2009]
No person shall open, expose or interfere with any water or
gas pipe, hydrant, stopcock, sewer, basin or other construction within
or upon any park or street park, nor make any connection therewith,
except under the authority of a permit and upon the deposit of such
sum of money as may be required by the Commissioner to ensure the
restoration of the soil, plants, trees, sidewalks, curb, gutter and
flagging disturbed in the making of such connection.
No person shall modify, alter or in any manner interfere with
the line or grades of any park or street park, nor move or disturb
any curb, gutter stone, flagging, tree, railing, fence, sod, soil
or gravel thereof, except by direction of the Commissioner.
No person shall cut, break or injure any tree, shrub, grass,
post, railing, chain, lamp, lamppost, bench, tree guard, building,
structure or other property in or upon any park property. No building
or structure of any kind shall be removed wholly or partly without
a permit.
No person, unless issued a special permit, shall enter upon
any lawn or grassplot in any park where signs specifying KEEP OFF
THE GRASS have been posted by the Commissioner of Public Works.
A.
Bringing trees, plants and flowers into parks. No person shall take
into or carry within a park any tree, shrub, plant or flower or newly
plucked part thereof without a permit. No park trees or branches thereof
shall be cut or removed without a permit. Picking of cultivated or
wild flowers in any park is also prohibited.
B.
Tools. It shall be unlawful to take into any park any tool such as
a hatchet, axe or saw intended to be used for the cutting of trees,
branches of trees or other property, or any spade, shovel, rake or
any of the so-called garden or agricultural implements or tools, whether
of working or toy size.
No person or agent of any person shall attach any electric,
telephone, aerial or other wires to any tree, or adjust to carry same
into or over any park or playground, or construct any conduit whatever
for the running of wires beneath the ground, except when a permit
shall have been issued.
No person shall use roller skates, pushmobiles or any similar
device upon any sidewalk or footpath in any park, park building or
City Hall Plaza.
No person shall throw or lay, or direct or permit any employee
or person in his charge to throw or lay, any ashes, vegetables, garbage,
shells, shavings, paper, dirt or rubbish of any kind on any lawn,
path or walk within any park or street park.
No parade, drill or maneuver of any kind shall be conducted,
nor shall any person play upon a musical instrument or display any
flag other than an American flag, banner, target, sign, placard or
transparency, in any park, nor shall any civic or other procession
form or move therein, without a permit, to be granted by the City
Council.
No persons shall hold any meeting or make a speech or address
or erect any structure, stand or platform in any park or street park
without a permit, to be granted by the City Council.
No person shall exhibit, sell or offer for sale any merchandise
or tickets of any description or conduct any business whatsoever in
any park or public place under the jurisdiction of the Department
of Public Works except pursuant to a permit, to be granted by the
City Council.
No person shall post any bill, notice or other paper or paint
any advertisement or notice upon any structure, tree, rock or thing
within any park or any street park. No person shall distribute or
cast about any card, pamphlet or other printed matter within any park
or street park. The using for any purpose other than reading, of newspapers,
magazines or other papers is forbidden. Papers shall not be placed
upon lawns or benches of any parks or street park but must be deposited
in receptacles provided for that purpose.
No person shall throw, cast, catch, kick or strike with any
implement any baseball, golf ball, football, basketball or other object
in or upon any park or street park except in spaces set aside for
the purpose.
No animals shall be allowed to go at large in any park or street
park. Dogs that are restrained by a chain or leash not exceeding six
feet in length may be permitted in any park or street park.
A.
No person shall, in any park or street park, commit any nuisance
or do any act tending to a breach of the public peace, or climb upon
any wall, fence, seat, statute or other structure, or enter or leave
except at the established entranceways.
B.
All persons doing any acts injurious to a park or part thereof may
be removed therefrom by the park keeper or the police.
C.
Closing hours.
[Amended 9-3-1969, approved 9-4-1969; 6-26-1981, approved 6-26-1981; 11-22-1983, approved 11-23-1983]
(1)
During the months of May through October, it shall be unlawful to
loiter or remain in any park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00
a.m. without the prior permission of the Commissioner of Public Works.
It shall be unlawful to loiter or remain in any playground between
the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. without the prior special permission
of the Commissioner of Recreation.
(2)
During the months of November through April, it shall be unlawful
to loiter or remain in any park between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and
8:00 a.m. without the prior permission of the Commissioner of Public
Works. It shall be unlawful to loiter or remain in any playground
between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. without the prior special
permission of the Commissioner of Recreation.
(3)
Securing of entranceways.
(a)
The Commissioner of Public Works is hereby authorized and directed
to install at each park entranceway a chain or gate which may be secured
during the hours that said park shall be closed and to post at each
said entranceway a sign stating clearly and legibly:
|
PARK CLOSED DURING FOLLOWING HOURS:
| |
|---|---|
|
10:00 p.m. — 8:00 a.m., May through October
| |
|
8:00 p.m. — 8:00 a.m., November through April
|
(b)
The Commissioner of Recreation is hereby authorized and directed
to install at each playground entranceway a chain or gate which may
be secured during the hours that said playground shall be closed and
to post at each said entranceway a sign stating clearly and legibly:
|
PLAYGROUND CLOSED DURING FOLLOWING HOURS:
| |
|---|---|
|
10:00 p.m. — 8:00 a.m., May through October
| |
|
8:00 p.m. — 8:00 a.m., November through April
|
[Added 9-9-2009, approved 9-10-2009]
A.
The following playgrounds are hereby designated as tot lots:
B.
No person 18 years or older shall remain in or enter a children's
playground area designated as a tot lot unless actually engaged in
the care, custody or supervision of a person younger than 12 years
of age who is using the facilities in the area.
[Added 9-9-2009, approved 9-10-2009]
A.
No person shall smoke a tobacco product or tobacco-related product,
a cannabis product or cannabis-related product, hookah or hookah-product,
or the heating or ignition of an e-cigarette which creates a vapor
within 25 feet of any playground, park, street park, or tot lot area.
[Amended 8-10-2011, approved 8-11-2011; 7-12-2023, approved 7-13-2023]
B.
No person shall dispose of tobacco products or tobacco-related products,
a cannabis products or cannabis-related products, hookah or hookah-related
products, or e-cigarettes which creates a vapor within 25 feet of
a playground, park, street park, or a tot lot area.
[Amended 8-10-2011, approved 8-11-2011; 7-12-2023, approved 7-13-2023]
C.
No person shall intimidate, threaten any reprisal, or effect any
reprisal, for the purpose of retaliating against another person who
seeks to attain compliance with this section.
D.
Any person who violates this section is guilty of an infraction and
shall be punished by a fine of $250 for each violation of this section.
