As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
LOITERING
Remaining idle in essentially one location and includes the
concepts of expending time idly and loafing or walking about aimlessly,
and also includes the colloquial expression "hanging around," and
includes being in or on a parked automobile or other motor vehicle
in or on a public place for no specific or lawful purpose other than
idle conversation or gossip or any of the aforementioned purposes.
[Amended 9-5-1979 by Ord. No. 1979-12]
PARENT or GUARDIAN
Includes any adult person having the care or custody of a
minor, whether by reason of blood relationship, the order of any court
or otherwise.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any place to which the public has access, and includes any
street, highway, road, alley or sidewalk. It shall also include the
front or the neighborhood of any store, shop, restaurant, tavern or
other place of business, and public grounds, areas and parks, as well
as parking lots or other vacant private property not owned by or under
the control of the person charged with violating this article, or,
in the case of a minor, not owned by or under the control of his or
her parent or guardian.
[Amended 9-5-1979 by Ord. No. 1979-12]
No person shall loiter in a public place in
such a manner as to:
A. Create or cause to be created a danger of causing
an immediate, actual, physical violent reaction from any person, which
violent reaction will cause a threat to the peace and order of the
public, said activity being commonly known as "breach of the peace."
B. Create or cause to be created any disturbance or annoyance
to the comfort and repose of any person of ordinary sensibilities
as to cause such person to react immediately in such a way as to threaten
by physical violence the peace and order of the public.
C. Obstruct the free passage of pedestrians or vehicles.
D. Obstruct, molest or interfere with any person lawfully in any public place as defined in §
121-1, said public place to include a parking lot. Said conduct shall include the making of unsolicited remarks of an offensive, disgusting or insulting nature or which are calculated to annoy or disturb a person of ordinary sensibilities, to whom or in whose hearing they are made, as to cause such person to react immediately in such a way as to threaten by physical violence the peace and order of the public.
Whenever any police officer shall, in the exercise of reasonable judgment, decide that the presence of any person in any public place is causing or is likely to cause any of the conditions enumerated in §
121-2, he or she may, if he or she deems it necessary for the preservation of the public peace and safety, order that person to leave that place. Any person who shall refuse to leave after being ordered to do so by a police officer shall be guilty of a violation of this article.
No parent or guardian of a minor under the age
of 18 years shall knowingly permit that minor to loiter in violation
of this article.