[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Cranbury 11-23-1998 by Ord. No. O-10-98-23[1]; amended in its entirety 2-11-2008 by Ord. No. 01-08-04. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Alcoholic beverages — See Ch. 48.
Litter — See Ch. 100.
Peace and good order — See Ch. 110.
Animals — See Ch. 162.
Food preparation in Township parks— See Ch. 166.
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. O 10-98-23 also
provided for the repeal of former Ch. 108, Parks, adopted 10-27-1980,
as amended.
Municipally owned parks shall be open to the
public every day of the year from dawn to dusk, except as set forth
herein or as said hours may be amended from time to time by the Recreation
Department or Township Committee for a specific activity, event or
use.
A.
Generally.
(1)
Certain park areas and facilities may be reserved
through the Recreation Department as provided for herein. When a reservation
application is approved, the Recreation Department shall issue a permit
granting the individual, organization or group exclusive use of the
park area and/or facility.
(2)
Activities designated as requiring a special permit
may only take place in the Township’s parks if the interested
individual, group or organization applies for and receives from the
Recreation Department a special permit therefor.
(3)
The Recreation and Police Departments and office of
the Township Clerk shall maintain copies of the reservations schedule
and all park permits.
(4)
All conditions of a permit must be adhered to and
any violation of the terms and conditions, rules or regulations, or
any falsifications shall constitute grounds for its revocation by
the Recreation Department.
B.
Reservation of park areas and facilities and athletic
fields.
(1)
Generally.
(a)
Reservation of park areas and facilities must
be made in advance through the Recreation Department and in accordance
with the requirements set forth hereinbelow.
(b)
All individuals and groups are permitted to
use reserved facilities until those who have reservations arrive.
(c)
No one individual, group or organization other
than the Township may reserve any Township park in its entirety.
(2)
Park facilities that may be reserved.
(3)
Park facilities that must be reserved.
[Amended 8-13-2012 by Ord. No. 07-12-13]
A.
The use of the Township's tennis courts for any activity
other than the playing of tennis is prohibited. Prohibited activities
shall be deemed to include, without limitation, rollerblading, rollerskating,
riding bicycles, playing hockey and skateboarding.
B.
Any person using the tennis courts shall wear tennis
shoes or rubber-soled athletic shoes only. No other footwear shall
be permitted.
C.
No more than one hour of playing time is permitted
if there are other persons waiting to use the tennis court, except
as otherwise provided below.
A.
No individual, organization or group may use the Township's athletic fields for any purpose, including games and practices, without first obtaining a permit in accordance with the provisions hereof and of § 108-6 below and paying the applicable fee.
B.
For the purposes of this chapter, the term "athletic
field" shall refer to the following:
(1)
Small-sided game field, Millstone Park.
(2)
Small-sided practice fields, Millstone Park.
(3)
Large-sided soccer/lacrosse/field hockey fields, West
property.
(4)
Little League field: C1, Village Park.
(5)
Baseball field: C2, Village Park.
(6)
Baseball field, Millstone Park.
(7)
Softball field, Village Park.
(8)
Such other playing fields, including baseball fields,
softball fields, soccer fields, lacrosse fields and/or field hockey
fields, as may be hereafter owned or controlled by the Township.
C.
The specific usage regulations applicable to each
of the Township's athletic fields shall be as adopted from time to
time by resolution of the Township Committee acting in consultation
with the Cranbury Township Recreation Commission and/or Parks Commission.
[Amended 8-13-2012 by Ord. No. 07-12-13]
D.
In addition to the penalties set forth in § 108-7 below, any person, organization or group who violates or fails to comply with the provisions of this section or the usage rules promulgated hereunder shall be subject to the following:
E.
All field usage fees collected shall be used exclusively
for the improvement, maintenance and operation of the Township's athletic
fields and other recreational facilities.
A.
As used in this section, the word "person" shall be
deemed to mean any individual(s), group(s) or organization(s).
B.
The following activities and conduct shall be prohibited
within any park belonging to or leased or operated by the Township:
(1)
Unless authorized by law or for municipal, law enforcement
or other government purposes, no person shall cause or permit any
animal owned by him or in his custody or control to go or be at large.[1]
(a)
All persons bringing animals, including but
not limited to dogs, to open space and recreation areas shall be responsible
for removal and disposal of all feces or droppings deposited by said
animal.
(b)
All animals shall be restrained by a leash,
except that horses shall be restrained by reins.
(c)
No person shall permit a horse to be unbridled
or left unattended in any unenclosed area without being securely fastened.
(d)
Horseback riding is prohibited on playing fields,
on playgrounds and in picnic areas.
(2)
No person shall hunt, molest, harm, frighten, kill,
trap, pursue, chase, shoot or throw objects at any animal, wildlife,
reptile or bird nor shall any person remove or have in his possession
any animal, reptile or bird. No person shall engage in target practice
of any kind using any weapon, including but not limited to a rifle,
shotgun, handgun or bow and arrow.
(4)
No person shall engage in loud, boisterous, threatening,
abusive, insulting or indecent language, or engage in any disorderly
conduct or behavior tending to cause a breach of the public peace.
No person shall use amplified sound equipment, or make any other noise,
that annoys, disturbs, injures or endangers the comfort, repose, health,
peace or safety of others.[3]
(5)
No person shall engage in any littering. Trash, refuse,
recyclables and litter must be placed in containers provided for that
use. Groups of 10 or more are responsible for removing from the park
their own trash, refuse, recyclables and litter.
(6)
No person shall drop, throw or otherwise scatter lighted
matches, burning cigarettes or cigars, tobacco paper or other flammable
material within any park.
(9)
(10)
No person shall use any park or area therein other
than for recreation and conservation purposes, as set forth in the
Green Acres Program regulations, N.J.A.C. 7:36-1.1 et seq.
(11)
No person shall chip, drive or hit a golf ball(s).
(12)
No person shall discard or cause to be discarded in
the waters or streams any substance, matter or thing.
(13)
No person shall affix, glue, tack or otherwise post
any sign, placard, advertisement or inscription.
(14)
No person shall throw stones or other missiles so
as to annoy other persons.
(15)
No person shall climb or stand upon tables, seats,
fences surrounding tennis courts and playing fields, tennis and basketball
equipment, gazebos, pavilions and/or building(s).
(16)
No person shall have in his possession or bring into
any park, or set or otherwise cause to explode or discharge or burn
any firecrackers, torpedo rockets or other fireworks, firecrackers
or explosives or flammable material or discharge them or throw them
into such area from lands or highways adjacent thereto. This prohibition
includes any substance, compound, mixture or article that in conjunction
with any other substance or compounds may decompose suddenly and generate
sufficient heat, gas or pressure or any or all of them to produce
rapid flaming, combustion, or administer a destructive blow to surrounding
objects.
(17)
No person shall operate any motorized vehicle other
than on roadways or parking areas specifically provided for such purpose,
except that no person shall operate a minibike, moped, snowmobile
or all-terrain vehicle anywhere within the boundaries of any park.
(18)
No person shall park or cause to be parked any motorized
vehicle except in those areas specifically established or designated
by signs for such purposes. No motorized vehicle shall be parked,
whether or not the operator is in attendance, after the closing hours
of any park.
(19)
No person shall injure any trees, shrubs or grass,
or destroy, cut, break, deface, mutilate, disturb, sever or remove
from the ground any plant, flower, growing thing, stem, branch or
leaf thereof. In addition, no person shall pile debris of any kind
against such vegetation, attach any rope or cable or other conveyance
thereto, or set fire or assist in setting a fire to any of the same.
This prohibition shall not preclude persons from pitching tents during
camping authorized by special permit.
(20)
No person shall dig or remove any soil, rock, sand,
clay or earth or make any excavation of any kind by any means or agency.
(21)
No person shall use metal detectors or similar devices.
(22)
No person shall enter any area designated as "restricted."
(23)
No person shall ride or walk a bicycle on any ballfield,
tennis or basketball court or ice rink.
(24)
No person shall engage in skateboarding or in-line
skating except in those areas specifically designated for such activities.
C.
Members of the Police Department shall have the authority
to eject from parks any person acting in violation of this chapter.
D.
Any person who violates any park rule or regulation
may be denied the future use of these facilities.
The following speed limit is hereby established
for all vehicles within all open space and recreational area of the
Township: 15 mph.
Permit applications may be obtained at the Cranbury
Township Office, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, New Jersey 08512.
For any organized group or organization to reserve a recreational
area, facility or field, a Certificate of Insurance as proof of current
liability coverage must be provided as set forth hereinafter. Individual
users shall not be required to provide a Certificate of Insurance,
provided they execute a "Waiver of Liability to the Township" in lieu
of such certificate. Certificates of Insurance shall include the following:
A.
Liability limits of $1,000,000 for each occurrence
for personal injury and bodily injury/property damage.
B.
The Certificate must indicate that athletic participation
liability coverage is included for use of the Township facilities.
C.
Cranbury Township must be specifically named as an
additional insured.
D.
The Certificate must indicate that the user's policies
will be primary for the additional insured.
[Added 8-13-2012 by Ord. No. 07-12-13[1]]
A.
The Township
Committee shall determine the fees charged for the use of any Township
park or athletic field, and the fees charged for participation in
any Township recreation program, lesson, trip, camp, league, game
or other Township-sponsored recreation activity.
B.
Any fee charged under Subsection A must be set forth in a recreation fee resolution adopted by the Township Committee.
C.
The Township
Committee may consult the Cranbury Township Recreation Commission
and/or the Cranbury Township Parks Commission before adopting a recreation
fee resolution.
D.
The recreation
fee resolution shall be maintained in the office of the Township Clerk.
A.
Any person, organization or group who violates or neglects to comply with any provision of this chapter or any regulation promulgated hereunder shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of at least $50 but not to exceed the maximum permitted by § 1-14 of this Code and such other penalties as may be imposed under § 1-14. Each and every day that such a violation continues shall be considered a separate violation of this chapter.
B.
Parents and guardians shall be liable for any property
damage that is caused by any minor in their charge. Groups and organizations
reserving park facilities or other recreational facilities shall be
liable for the fines of any of their members using the facilities
and shall also be responsible for reimbursing the Township for any
property damage caused by any of their members.