[Amended 1-28-2003 by Ord. No. 2003-1; 12-8-2006 by Ord. No. 2006-2; 10-9-2012 by Ord. No.
2012-2; 5-28-2013 by Ord. No. 2013-2; 8-22-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-5]
A. Purpose and definition. In order to protect the parks, parkways,
recreational facilities and conservancy areas within the Village from
injury, damage or desecration, these regulations are enacted. The
term "park," as hereinafter used in this chapter, shall include all
grounds, structures and watercourses which are or may be located within
any area dedicated to the public use as a park, parkway, recreation
facility or conservancy district in the Village.
B. Specific regulations.
(1) Littering prohibited. No person shall litter, dump or deposit any
rubbish, refuse, earth or other material in any park.
(2) Sound devices. No person shall operate or play any amplifying system
unless specific authority is first obtained from the Village Board.
(3) Pets. No person shall permit any dog, cat or other pet owned by him to run at large, as defined in §
158-1, in any park with the following exceptions: under the supervision of their owner, dogs may run at large in Lake Marion Park and within the Dog Park located in Lions Park.
(4) Bill posting. No person shall post, paste, fasten, paint or attach
any placard, bill, notice, sign or advertising matter upon any structure,
tree or other natural object in any park, except park regulations
and other signs authorized by the Village Board.
(5) Throwing stones and missiles prohibited. No person shall throw stones
or other missiles in or into any park.
(6) Removal of park equipment prohibited. No person shall remove benches,
seats, tables or other park equipment from any park.
(7) Trapping. No person shall trap in any park unless specific written
authority is first obtained from the Village Board.
(8) Making of fires. No person shall start, tend or maintain a fire except
in personal grills or designated fireplaces. Personal grills shall
be used only in designated picnic areas. The use of personal grills
is permitted provided that lawns and vegetation are not endangered.
Unburned fuel and ashes shall be disposed of in such a manner as to
prevent fire or damage to any park property.
(9) Protection of park property. No person shall kill, injure or disturb
or attempt to injure or disturb waterfowl, birds or animals, wild
or domestic, within any park, except as permitted by this chapter.
No person shall climb any tree or remove flowers or fruit, wild or
cultivated, or break, cut down, trample upon, remove or in any manner
injure, deface, write upon or ill use any tree, shrub, flower, flowerbed,
turf, soil, sand, fountain, ornament, building, structure, apparatus,
bench, table, official notice, sign or other property within any park
or any of the facilities of the municipal swimming pool.
(10)
Motorized vehicles. Except for authorized maintenance vehicles,
no person shall operate an unlicensed or licensed motorized vehicle
outside of areas specifically designated as parking areas or areas
where the operation of such vehicles is specifically permitted. Motor
vehicles are restricted to the roads and drives and parking areas.
No motor vehicles of any nature may be used on the seeded areas except
vehicles which have a Village Board authorization for shows, rides
or exhibits and then only for the purpose of loading and unloading.
(11)
Snowmobiles. No person shall operate a snowmobile in a Village
park except in designated areas.
(12)
Speed limit. No person shall operate any vehicle in a Village
park in excess of 15 miles per hour, unless otherwise posted.
(13)
Glass beverage bottles in parks prohibited. No person shall
bring into, carry onto, or possess while in any public park glass
bottles or glass containers, including those containing or normally
used for containing soda water, fermented malt beverages or alcohol.
(14)
Reckless driving in parks prohibited. No person shall operate
a motor vehicle in a reckless manner in any of the public parks of
the Village.
(15)
Parking in parks. No person shall park any motor vehicle in
any park in the Village except in a designated parking area.
(16)
Horses and carriages. No person shall ride a horse or drive
a horse-driven vehicle in any park, except on roads or designated
bridle paths, except when approval of the Parks and Recreation Committee
is first obtained. It shall be unlawful for any person to ride a horse
or drive a horse-drawn vehicle in a careless, negligent or reckless
manner which may endanger the safety and well-being of others.
(17)
Removing tree protectors. No person shall remove any device
for the protection of trees or shrubs.
(18)
Golfing and sporting activities. No golfing or practicing golf
in Village parks or recreation areas shall be allowed except with
the use of a whiffle ball. All sporting activities must be held in
areas so designated for that purpose.
(19)
Arrows. No person shall use or shoot any bow and arrow in any
Village park, except in authorized areas.
(20)
Fees and charges. The Parks and Recreation Committee shall have
the authority to establish such fees as deemed necessary for use of
the municipal swimming pool and any facility, shelter, or land area.
It shall be unlawful to use such areas without payment of such fee
or charge when required.
(21)
Swimming. No person shall bathe or swim within a park except
in the municipal swimming pool and then only in suitable bathing attire.
(22)
Pets. Pets, including animals of any species, are prohibited
in all Village parks with the following exceptions: pets under the
physical control of their owner by means of a leash shall be allowed
in Lake Marion Park, Westland Promenade Park and within the Dog Park
located in Lions Park.
(23)
Firearms; hunting. Discharge of any firearm or weapon of any
kind is prohibited in all Village parks except as specifically stated
otherwise within this Code. However, this does not in any way prevent
lawful use of a weapon by a conceal-carry license holder for self-defense
purposes. Discharge of firearms or other weapons may be specifically
allowed by the Village Board for purposes of controlled hunts or removal
of nuisance animals.
(24)
Fish cleaning. Cleaning of fish in shelters, toilet facilities
or picnic areas is prohibited in all Village parks.
(25)
Controlled substances. Possessing, using, or dispensing of a
controlled substance in violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances
Act is prohibited in all Village parks.
(26)
Floating devices. Placing any floating device in or upon the
waters in municipal swimming pools is prohibited.
(27)
Camping. Overnight camping is not permitted in any Village park.
(28)
Lake Marion.
(a)
Swimming. Swimming is prohibited in Lake Marion.
(b)
Watercraft. All watercraft and flotation devices designed or
used for human flotation are prohibited in Lake Marion except as follows:
rigid hull nonmotorized boats, kayaks and canoes are permitted; watercraft
propelled by paddles, oars, hand- or foot-powered paddle wheels, or
wind sails are permissible. Watercraft propelled by internal combustion
or electric-powered motors are prohibited.
(29)
Sparklers. The use of sparklers is prohibited in Village parks.
No person shall fly a radio-controlled model
airplane in any park in the Village except in areas specifically designated
and posted for such purpose.
Except as authorized by the Village Board, no
person shall dig into the turf of any Village-owned property for any
purposes whatsoever or remove any trees or flowers. Absent authorization
by the Village Board, the use of metal detectors and digging for buried
objects on Village property, except beaches where no vegetation is
present, are prohibited.