[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Bergenfield 9-1-1992 by Ord. No. 2138. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
General penalty — See Ch. 1, Art. II.
Alcoholic beverages — See Ch. 87.
Animals — See Ch. 95.
Noise — See Ch. 215.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and terms shall be construed as hereinafter set forth, unless otherwise expressly provided:
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE
Refers to any liquid beverage containing alcohol, including liquor, whiskey, wine, beer, ale and malt liquor.
PARKS
Includes the following public recreation areas: Memorial Park, Whittaker Field, Fred Triplett Park, Cooper's Park, Ross Applegate Park and such other parks as may be hereafter established by the Mayor and Council in accordance with the statutes of the State of New Jersey in such cases made and provided.
PLAYGROUNDS
Includes the following public recreation areas: George Hendrickson Park, Jacoby Playground, Petros Loizides Park, John Pall Park, Wayne Golon Park, John Lafferty Park, Thomas Ross Park, Charles Richardson Park, French Brook Nature Area at the end of Spring Avenue, Melrose Avenue Triangle, John O'Kane Park and such other playgrounds as may be hereafter established by the Mayor and Council in accordance with the statutes of the State of New Jersey in such cases made and provided.
[Amended 8-20-2008 by Ord. No. 08-2407]
A. 
General. It shall be unlawful for any person or group of persons to use, traverse or otherwise remain upon the public parks and playgrounds within the Borough in violation of the following regulations:
(1) 
No person shall cut, injure, deface, remove or disturb any tree, shrub, building, fence, bench, or other structure, apparatus or property; or pick, cut or remove any shrub, bush or flower; or mark or write upon any building, fence, bench or other structure.
(2) 
No person shall make or kindle an open fire, except in picnic stoves, if such are provided.
(3) 
No person shall play, use, operate or permit to be played, used or operated any radio, receiving set, musical instrument, phonograph or other machine or device for the production or reproduction of sound with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing of the person so playing, using or operating such instrument or device, and such persons who are voluntary listeners thereto, or in such manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of neighboring inhabitants. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prohibit playing by a band or orchestra in a hall, building or in the open air.
(4) 
No person(s) shall engage in any type of ballplaying sport in the Borough's parks or playgrounds, except in athletic fields or courts specifically designed for the intended sport.
(5) 
No animals shall be led or let loose in the parks or playgrounds.
(6) 
No person shall use, consume, carry or bring any alcoholic beverage in or upon any playground or park.
(7) 
No person shall remain in or upon any playground between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. prevailing time, or in any park between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., except by special permit of the Mayor and Council.
(8) 
No person, without authorization from the Mayor and Council, shall post, paste or affix any placard, notice or sign within the parks or playgrounds or upon any fence along the perimeter thereof.
(9) 
No entertainment or exhibition shall be given in any park or playground, except under the direction or by permission of the Mayor and Council.
(10) 
No person shall operate a motor vehicle within or through any park or playground in violation of any sign prohibiting same, except as authorized by the Mayor and Council. Motor vehicles and bicycles shall park or stand only in areas designated for them. No motor vehicle shall be operated in any area within a park or playground restricted against such operation. No motor vehicle shall be operated in a park or playground at a speed in excess of 10 mph. No person shall operate a minibike or snowmobile, bicycle, skateboard or roller blade in any park or playground.
(11) 
No recreation activities shall be conducted prior to 8:00 a.m.
B. 
Residents of Bergenfield shall have preference in use of tennis courts and picnic areas.
[Amended 7-18-2017 by Ord. No. 17-2511]
Any nonrecreational use of the parks and playgrounds not covered by this chapter shall be subject to the prior approval of the Mayor and Council. In the event the date for the requested use of the parks and playgrounds precedes a meeting of the governing body, the Borough Administrator shall have the authority to approve or deny the request for usage. The Borough Administrator shall notify the governing body of the request prior to rendering a decision.
Notwithstanding the provisions of § 87-11, Special permit, this chapter shall supersede and take precedence over said § 87-11 and prohibit the issuance of any special permits for the consumption of alcoholic beverages upon any playground or park within the Borough.
[Added 5-15-2007 by Ord. No. 07-2388; 5-17-2011 by Ord. No. 11-2439; 5-3-2016 by Ord. No. 16-2492; 3-19-2019 by Ord. No. 19-2543; 4-15-2025 by Ord. No. 25-2646]
A. 
Summer Park Program Fee Schedule.
(1) 
There will be a six-week program from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with lunch-hour supervision.
(a) 
Residents: $300 per person; $250 each additional family member.
(b) 
Nonresidents: $475 per person; $375 each additional family member.
(c) 
A hardship exemption will be evaluated.
B. 
Permit schedule for use of Memorial Park Pavilion/Picnic Area.
(1) 
Permit fees are as follows:
Residents
Fee
Bathroom Cleanup
Security Deposit
1 to 24 people
$25
$30
$30
25 to 49 people
$35
$40
$40
50 to 99 people
$75
$75
$75
100 to 199 people
$100
$100
$100
200 or more
$1.50 per person
$1 per person
$1 per person
Nonresidents
Fee
Bathroom Cleanup
Security Deposit
1 to 24 people
$45
$30
$30
25 to 49
$65
$40
$40
50 to 99 people
$145
$75
$75
100 to 199 people
$195
$100
$100
200 or more
$2 per person
$1 per person
$1 per person
(2) 
Fees do not apply to Borough/school organizations.
C. 
Permit schedule basketball and tennis courts.
(1) 
Fee for residents: $25 per daily time period.
(2) 
Fee for nonresidents: $45 per daily time period.
(3) 
As used in this subsection, "daily time period" is defined as an interval of three hours. Exempted from this subsection are the activities of the Bergenfield Youth and those of the Bergenfield Recreation Department. Eligibility for permits requires the presentation of a valid certificate of insurance on which the Borough of Bergenfield is named as an additional insured and a properly executed hold-harmless certificate. Applications for full-day permits shall be at the discretion of the Director of Recreation. The fees collected pursuant to this subsection may be deposited into the Recreation Department trust account to be used for the maintenance and betterment of Borough recreation facilities.
D. 
Seasonal field permits:
(1) 
For Bergenfield residents: $450 per season.
(2) 
For nonresidents: $700 per season.
(3) 
A separate fee is to be determined by the Director of Recreation for the use of lights.
(4) 
A separate fee is to be determined by the Director of Recreation for a one-time use.
(5) 
The fees do not apply to Borough/school organizations.
(6) 
Updated single-use fee: $100.
(7) 
Time limit for use: 2.5 hours.
E. 
Permit schedule for use of Cooper's Pond Park and Gazebo.
(1) 
Permit fees are as follows:
Wedding pictures
Application fee
$25 (nonrefundable)
3-hour permit
$25 (resident)
$45 (nonresident)
Weddings
Application fee
$25 (nonrefundable)
3-hour permit
$100 (resident)
$195 (nonresident)
Building/restroom use
$30
Over 25 people
$1 per person
Maximum number
100
Meetings
Per usage
$30
(2) 
Fees are waived for Borough organizations, Borough-sponsored activities and nonprofit organizations.
(3) 
General.
(a) 
The Borough's Police Department and Department of Public Works will be notified of all permitted activities.
(b) 
Permittees for weddings and wedding picture permits shall file hold-harmless agreements and certificates of insurance showing the Borough as additional insured.
(c) 
Applicants shall submit a park reservation request form and a completed application for use of Borough Parks, a completed hold harmless agreement and provide a certificate of insurance to the Borough Clerk's office naming the Borough of Bergenfield as additional insured. Reservations for a permitted use must be prepaid not less than 30 days before the event. A letter shall be submitted to the Mayor and Council requesting use of the parks with a detailed description of the event, including the time and number of guests that are expected to attend. Submit the request via email to boroclerk@bergenfield.com, fax to 201-387-6737, or hand-deliver to the Borough Clerk's office. Upon approval of the hold harmless agreement and the certificate of insurance, a written request will be submitted to the Mayor and Council for review and approval at their next meeting. It is required that all paperwork be submitted on the Thursday prior to the meeting date. The Mayor and Council meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month. The fee is due after the Mayor and Council's review and decision.
(d) 
Requests for refunds (reservation cancellation only) shall be in writing. Approved refunds will be net of application fee.
(e) 
Fees collected pursuant to this section will be used for the continued maintenance of Borough parks.