[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Thornbury as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 8-6-1990 by Ord. No. 1990-2]
Pursuant to the provisions of the Second Class Township Code, Article
XXII, 53 P.S. § 67201 et seq., as amended, a Park and Recreation
Commission is hereby created and established, to be known as the "Thornbury
Township, Chester County, Park and Recreation Commission."
[Amended 5-4-1993 by Ord. No. 1993-3]
Said Park and Recreation Commission shall be comprised of seven residents
of the Township of Thornbury, Chester County, who shall be appointed by the
Board of Supervisors and shall serve without compensation. One of the members
thus appointed shall serve for a term of one year; two for the term of two
years; one for the term of three years; two for the term of four years and
one for the term of five years and, at the expiration of the term of any member,
a successor shall be appointed by the Board of Supervisors to serve for a
term of five years. Vacancies in the office of any member shall be filled
by the Board of Supervisors for the unexpired term.
The Park and Recreation Commission shall elect elect its own Chairman
and Secretary and select all other necessary officers. Officers shall serve
annual terms and shall not succeed themselves for more than two successive
terms. The Commission may make and alter rules and regulations for the conduct
of all business before it and may recommend to the Board of Supervisors the
selection, employment and discharging of all recreation personnel. The Board
shall keep a full record of its business and shall annually make a written
report of its activities by March 1 of each year to the Board of Supervisors,
including any analysis of the community recreation requirements, facilities
and leadership, with particular reference to the extent and adequacy of the
program and its effectiveness in view of the public expenditure involved and
the public needs to be met.
The Park and Recreation Commission shall perform the following functions
upon request by, and subject to the approval of, the Board of Supervisors:
A.
Plan, supervise and conduct a comprehensive and coordinated
program of cultural and physical recreation.
B.
Plan, supervise and conduct a program of park-related
activities for all of the present and future parks of the township.
C.
Plan, promote and execute a cooperative recreational
program with the public schools, other public agencies, private agencies and
local citizens.
D.
Cooperate in developing plans for parks, recreation areas
and for the preservation of open space within the township.
The Park and Recreation Commission shall conform to the following requirements:
A.
The Park and Recreation Commission may accept any grant,
gifts, bequest or donation of services, equipment, real estate or money from
any individual or group, to be used as specified by the donor, or by the terms
of acceptance. The Commission shall have no authority to enter into any contract
or incur any obligation binding upon Thornbury Township, Chester County, other
than current obligations or contracts to be fully executed within the then-current
year, and all within the budget appropriations made by the Board of Supervisors.
B.
The funds appropriated by the Board of Supervisors and
budgeted to the Park and Recreation Commission shall be disbursed by the Board
upon vouchers issued by the Park and Recreation Commission and within the
budget appropriations made. Funds received by the Commission from sources
other than budget appropriations shall be deposited by the Board of Supervisors
for credit and for the use of the said Commission, and disbursed as the above
budget funds are disbursed, except that funds received by gift, bequest or
otherwise shall be disbursed in accordance with the terms of such gift or
bequest, or the terms of the acceptance thereof.
C.
The Park and Recreation Commission shall submit with
its annual budget request a comprehensive report covering the forthcoming
year which outlines its proposed recreation programs for that year and its
plans with respect to the creation, use or modification of the recreational
areas and facilities operated by it. The Park and Recreation Commission shall
obtain the prior approval of the Board of Supervisors for any modifications
or additions to said programs and plans within that year, whether or not said
modifications or additions are to be accomplished within the current approved
budget appropriations.
D.
Nothing in the bylaws, rules and regulations of the Park
and Recreation Commission shall vest in it any powers, responsibilities or
duties not herein authorized.
[Adopted 5-19-1998 by Ord. No. 1998-1]
A.
Parks shall be open daily between sunrise and sunset. No person, other than authorized employees of the township, shall be in a park at any time between sunset and sunrise, except as permitted in § 41-6P below.
B.
No person shall injure, deface, remove, cut or damage
any trees, plants, shrubs, turf, buildings, structures or fixtures herein
or any other property of the township located within a park.
C.
No person or their pets shall pursue, catch, attempt
to catch, strike, molest, wound or kill any bird, animal or reptile, or disturb
any nest, lair, den, burrow or the like of any animal, except such limited
areas which the township may from time to time designate as authorized hunting
and fishing areas in accordance with the Fish and Game Laws of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania.
D.
No person shall remove any bench, seat or table from
a park or change the location thereof without written permission from the
Township Manager.
E.
No person or organization shall hold any meeting or gathering
assembled through advertisement or public notice, or any gathering assembled
and composed of 20 persons within the limits of a park, without having permission
from the Township Manager. Such permit shall indicate the location of the
park where such gathering or meeting shall be held and the times of the planned
event. Such gathering shall not be held at any other location or time within
the park. The application for permit shall also indicate the sponsoring person
or organization, the approximate number of persons attending the planned event,
the equipment to be used and such pertinent information. The application for
such permit shall be in the name of a person who shall be responsible for
seeing that all refuse left by the group shall be placed in proper containers
and removed from the grounds before leaving a park. The application for such
permit shall be made at least one week prior to the time of the planned use
for which permission is being requested.
G.
For all gatherings for which police security is deemed
necessary by the Township Manager, such security must be paid for by the sponsor
of the gathering. If the township incurs expenses associated with providing
security for the gathering, the deposit may be used by the township to reimburse
it for such expenses.
H.
No person shall dispose of any refuse in a park except
in receptacles designated for their respective purpose. All persons using
the park shall dispose of all refuse left by them in proper receptacles. If
any refuse is not disposed of in this manner, and the township is put to the
expense of so doing, the organization or party shall forfeit an appropriate
amount of the deposit which may have been placed with the township to reimburse
it for such expense.
I.
Motor vehicles of any kind are not allowed on park grounds
without special permission from the Township Manager, except those vehicles
used in the course of park maintenance or other necessary activity. Parking
within a park is prohibited, except in authorized areas during normal park
hours.
J.
Sound equipment (amplification) shall be permitted in
a park only by special permission from the Township Manager.
K.
No person shall set up any booth, table, stand or structure
whatsoever within the limits of a park without written permission of the Township
Manger.
L.
No person shall injure, deface or destroy any notice,
rule or regulation posted at any place within a park by authority of the Board
of Supervisors; nor shall any person post at any place within a park any notice
or placard other than with the written permission of the Township Manager.
M.
No person shall set or maintain any fire in a park, except
in designated areas and fireplaces maintained for that purpose and located
by authority of the Township Manager. The Township Fire Marshal must be contacted
when use of a fire circle is requested.
N.
No person, other than an officer of the law, shall carry
or discharge a weapon (revolver, pistol, shotgun, rifle, air rifle, air gun,
water gun or any gun, firearm or bow or other weapon that discharges projectiles,
either by air, explosive substance or by any other force) within the limits
of a park.
O.
All dogs must be on a leash with a maximum length of
25 feet. Owners must clean up after their pets.
[Amended 7-24-2007 by Ord. No. 2007-1]
P.
No overnight camping is permitted, except by written
permission from the Township Manager.
Q.
No alcoholic beverages are permitted.
[Added 5-4-1999 by Ord. No. 1999-1[1]]
The rules and regulations of § 41-6 hereof shall apply to all properties designated as parks of the township, including those used for active and/or passive recreation, all trails, playgrounds, playfields, open space and other recreation areas and facilities owned, leased or otherwise controlled by the township, including, to the extent not in conflict with the township's ninety-nine-year ground lease with West Chester United Soccer Club, dated January 1, 1997, as the same may be hereafter amended, the thirty-five-acre soccer field complex on the south side of Route 926 and to the use of the soccer fields and walking trails located therein by residents of Thornbury Township and others who are not using the soccer field complex under the authority and supervision of the West Chester United Soccer Club.
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this article shall,
upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice
under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary
offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs
of prosecution. Each day or portion thereof that such violation continues,
or is permitted to continue, shall constitute a separate offense, and each
section of this chapter that is violated shall also constitute a separate
offense.
