[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors
of Pierce County as Ch. 13.08 of the 1978 Code. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
The purpose of this chapter is to promote the
health, safety and general welfare of this community and to protect,
safeguard and regulate the public use of the public recreation facilities
owned and/or operated by the County.
The implementation of this chapter shall be
accomplished by the committee to which responsibility has been delegated
by the County Board of Supervisors.
Except when the context provides otherwise,
the provisions of this chapter shall apply to all lands, structures
and property owned, leased or administered by the County and under
the management, supervision and control of the County.
It is unlawful for any person to destroy, molest
or deface any natural growth or natural or archaeological feature
or any County property or to enter or be in any building installation
or area that may be locked or closed to public use or contrary to
posted notice. The picking of edible fruits or nuts and specimens
for educational purposes is permitted. Flowers protected by § 29.604,
Wis. Stats., shall not be molested.
[Amended by Ord. No. 84-3]
For the purpose of this chapter, the following
definitions apply:
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE (ATV)
This term shall have the same definition set forth in § 340.01(2g),
Wis. Stats.
[Added 4-19-2011 by Ord. No. 11-01]
ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE (ATV) ROUTE
A highway designated for use by ATV operators by the governmental
agency having jurisdiction as authorized by § 23.33, Wis.
Stats. (See PCC §
172-15B.)
[Added 4-19-2011 by Ord. No. 11-01]
BOAT
Every description of watercraft used or capable of being
used as a means of transportation on water.
CAMPING PARTY
Any individual, family, individual group or juvenile group
occupying a campsite.
CAMPING UNIT
Any single shelter, except sleeping bags and hammocks, used
for a camp by a camping party except those used exclusively for dining
purposes.
CAMP or CAMPING
The use of a shelter such as a tent, trailer, motor vehicle,
tarpaulin, bedroll or sleeping bag for temporary residence or sleeping
purposes.
CAMPSITE
A segment of a campground which is designed for camping use
by a camping unit or camping party.
CANOE CAMPSITE
A campsite along a waterway for use by persons traveling
by water.
FAMILY
A husband and wife or husband and wife with unmarried children
or a father or mother with unmarried children.
FAMILY CAMPGROUND
Any tract of land designed for camping by families or groups
of five persons or fewer.
GROUP CAMPGROUND
A campground designed for use by organizational or juvenile
groups.
INDIVIDUAL GROUP
A camping party of not more than five persons occupying one
camping unit.
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE
A heat engine in which the combustion that generates the
heat takes place inside the engine proper instead of in a furnace.
JUVENILE GROUP
A group made of juvenile members of an established organization
and under the leadership of at least one competent, mature adult for
each 10 juveniles in the group and using any number of camping units
or occupying a group campground.
MOTORIZED BOAT
Any boat equipped with propulsion machinery, whether or not
the machinery is the principal source of propulsion.
NUGGET LAKE
That certain lake named Nugget Lake which is located in Nugget
Lake County Park in Section 32, Township 15 West, and Sections 4,
5 and 9, Township 25 North, Range 15 West, Pierce County, State of
Wisconsin.
OPERATE
When used with reference to a boat or motorized boat means
to navigate or otherwise employ.
PRIMITIVE CAMPGROUND
A campground with minimum or no improvements where camping
is permitted for periods longer than a single night; facilities may
not be provided and access is by hiking or watercraft.
It is unlawful for any person to destroy, molest
or remove the property of others.
It is unlawful for any person to discard or
leave any refuse, sewage or other waste material on the ground or
in any building or installation or into the water or upon the ice
on any lake or stream or other body of water or to dispose of any
such refuse waste material in any manner except by burning or by placing
in receptacles or other authorized locations provided for such purposes.
Charcoal residue must be left in a grate or fireplace until cool or
placed in receptacles provided for such purposes.
It is unlawful for any person to suffer his
dog or cat to enter any public building or be upon any bathing beach
or water adjacent to any bathing beach in any County park, County
park recreation area or similar public use area on other lands and
property under the management, supervision and control of the County,
and pets will not be allowed in Nugget Lake Park. In those other County
park areas, campgrounds, picnic areas or other properties under the
management, supervision and control of the County, where pets are
permitted, pets shall at all times be kept on a leash not more than
eight feet long and shall not be left unattended. All other pets shall
be effectively restrained or under the owner's control at all times.
No person shall suffer his pet to deprive or disrupt the enjoyment
or use of any area by others. County park caretakers shall have the
authority to dispose of animals creating a nuisance or molesting wildlife.
A. It is unlawful for any person to start, tend or maintain
any fire or to burn any refuse except at designated fireplaces in
any County park or County park recreation area. The aforementioned
is also unlawful when fireplaces are provided at other campsites,
picnic grounds and other designated similar public use areas on other
lands under management, supervision and control of the County.
B. It is unlawful for any person to leave any fire unattended,
or to throw away any matches, cigarettes, cigars or pipe ashes or
any embers without first extinguishing them or to start, tend or use
in any manner any fire contrary to posted notice on any lands or property
under the management, supervision and control of the County.
A. It is unlawful for any person to peddle or solicit
business of any nature whatever or to distribute handbills or other
advertising matter, to post unauthorized signs on any lands, structures
or property under the management, supervision and control of the County
or to use such lands, structures or property as a base of commercial
operations for soliciting or conducting business, peddling or providing
services within or outside of such lands, structures or property unless
first authorized in writing by the County or its duly authorized agents.
B. It is unlawful to use in any manner the dock, pier,
wharf, boat landing, mooring facilities in or the waters in or immediately
adjacent to any lands under the management, supervision or control
of the County for the purpose of soliciting rides of any kind, unless
authorized by the County.
A. No person shall operate any vehicle at a speed in
excess of 10 miles per hour or contrary to official traffic signs
in any County park or other lands under the management, supervision
and control of the County.
B. It is unlawful to operate or park any motor vehicle
upon any bridle path, hiking trail, beach area, playground, picnic
area or any area other than established roads, parking areas, boat
ramps and service areas or contrary to posted notice.
[Amended by Ord. No. 84-3]
A. It is lawful to operate electric-powered trolling
motors at a slow no-wake speed on Nugget Lake.
B. It is unlawful to operate a boat which is propelled
by an internal combustion engine on Nugget Lake.
C. It is unlawful to operate any motorized boat in the
designated swimming areas of Nugget Lake.
D. It is unlawful to launch a boat into Nugget Lake from
an area other than a designated launching area.
A. It Is unlawful for any person to ride, lead or cause
or suffer a horse to be in any County park, except on specifically
designated and posted areas or bridle paths or by permit on field
trail areas.
B. It is unlawful for any person to ride, lead or cause
or suffer a horse to be on any beach, posted or marked hiking trail
or picnic areas or campground.
C. It is unlawful for any person to ride a horse in a
careless, negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger the life,
property or person of others on any lands under the management, supervision
and control of the County.
A. It is unlawful for any person to ride or utilize a
snowmobile, all-terrain vehicle or motorized cycle of any kind within
the boundary of any County park except on specifically posted routes
for the purpose of ingress and egress to such County park.
B. It is unlawful for any person to operate a snowmobile,
all-terrain vehicle or motorized cycle of any kind in a careless,
negligent or reckless manner so as to endanger the life, property
or person of others on any lands under the management, supervision
and control of the County.
[Added 4-19-2011 by Ord. No. 11-01]
A. Operation of all-terrain vehicles. Pursuant to § 23.33(4)(d)4,
Wis. Stats., except as otherwise provided in § 23.33(4),
Wis. Stats., no person may operate an all-terrain vehicle on the roadway
portion of any highway in the County except on roadways that are designated
as an all-terrain vehicle route by this chapter. Operation of all-terrain
vehicles on a highway in the County that is an all-terrain vehicle
route is authorized only for the extreme right side of the roadway,
except that left turns may be made from any part of the roadway that
is safe given prevailing conditions. On paved roadway, all-terrain
vehicles must be operated on the paved portion of the roadway and
not on the gravel shoulder.
B. Designation of all-terrain vehicle routes. The following routes are
designated all-terrain vehicle routes in the County:
[Amended 2-28-2012 by Ord. No. 11-12; 4-17-2012 by Ord. No. 12-03; 9-24-2013 by Ord. No. 13-09; 3-25-2014 by Ord. No. 13-14; 2-24-2015 by Ord. No. 14-05; 4-21-2015 by Ord. No. 15-01; 4-18-2017 by Ord. No. 17-01; 2-27-2018 by Ord. No. 17-07; 2-26-2019 by Ord. No. 18-04; 2-25-2020 by Ord. No. 19-03; 2-23-2021 by Ord. No. 20-05]
(1) In the Town of El Paso, the portion of County Road N from 650th Avenue
to County Road G to 425th Street.
(2) In the Town of El Paso, from the intersection of County Road N and
G to W4277 County Road G.
(3) In the Town of Spring Lake, CTH B, from 770th Avenue and County Road
B, east on County Road B to STH 128 and 770th Avenue.
(4) In the Village of Spring Valley, CTH B, from a point 1,800 feet west
of the intersection of CTH B and Newman Avenue, to the intersection
of CTH B and Newman Avenue, south to the intersection of CTH B and
Akers Street, east to the intersection of CTH B and McKay Avenue.
(5) In the Town of Spring Lake, on County Road P from 50th Street south
to the north Village of Elmwood village limits.
(6) In the Village of Elmwood, on County Road P from the north village
limits to the south village limits.
(7) In the Town of Rock Elm, on County Road P from the south Village
of Elmwood village limits to 70th Street.
(8) In the Town of Rock Elm, on CTH S from 70th Street to 430th Avenue/CTH
X.
(9) In the Town of Rock Elm, on CTH HH from CTH CC to 450th Avenue.
(10)
In the Town of Trenton, on CTH VV from 230th Avenue to 185th
Avenue.
(11)
In the Town of Ellsworth, on CTH N from 610th Street to United
States Highway 63.
(12)
In the Town of Hartland, on CTH V from 610th Street to 620th
Street.
(13)
In the Town of Union, on CTH S from 150th Street to 330th Avenue.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(14)
In the Village of Plum City, on CTH S from Birch Avenue to CTH
U.
(15)
In the Town of Salem, on CTH A from 270th Avenue to 385th Street.
(16) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH 0 from 480th Avenue to US Highway
10.
(17) In the Town of Rock Elm, on CTH X from CTH S to 30th Street.
(18) In the Town of Hartland, on CTH EE from CTH D to 210th Avenue.
(19) In the Town of Union, on CTH ZZ from CTH Z to 370th Avenue.
(20) In the Town of Union, on CTH Z from 30th Street to the Pierce/Pepin
County Line.
(21) In the Town of River Falls, on CTH W from State Road 65 to 870th
Avenue.
(22) In the Town of Maiden Rock, on CTH S from the south intersection
of CTH S and CTH CC west to 290th Street.
(23) In the Town of Maiden Rock, on CTH AA from Pierce/Pepin County Line
to 272nd Street.
(24) In the Town of Maiden Rock, on CTH CC from CTH J east to 130th Street,
and CTH SS from 130th Street to the Pierce/Pepin County Line.
(25) In the Town of Maiden Rock, on CTH U from 90th Street to 170th Avenue.
(26) In the Town of Isabelle, on CTH EE from 170th Avenue to STH 35.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(27) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH K from 810th Street west to 820th
Street.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(28) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH K from 430th Avenue to 840th Street.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(29) In the Town of Oak Grove, on CTH QQ from 570th Avenue to 1090th Street.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(30) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH OO from US Highway 10 south to 500th
Avenue.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(31) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH OO from 450th Avenue south to 430th
Avenue.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(32) In the Town of Trimbelle, on CTH O from 480th Avenue south to 430th
Avenue.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(33) In the Town of Union, on CTH S from 370th Avenue to 150th Street.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
(34) In the Town of Maiden Rock, on CTH UU from CTH U to CTH SS.
[Amended 2-22-2022 by Ord. No. 21-09]
C. Conditions applicable to all-terrain vehicle routes. Pursuant to
§ 23.33(8)(d), Wis. Stats., the following restrictions are
placed on the use of the County all-terrain vehicle routes designated
by this chapter:
(1) Routes shall be marked with uniform all-terrain vehicle route signs
in accordance with § NR 64.12(7), Wisconsin Administrative
Code. No person may do any of the following in regard to signs marking
County all-terrain vehicle routes:
(a)
Intentionally remove, damage, deface, move or obstruct any uniform
all-terrain vehicle route sign or standard or intentionally interfere
with the effective operation of any uniform all-terrain vehicle route
or standards if the sign or standard is legally placed by the state,
any municipality or any authorized individual.
(b)
Possess any uniform all-terrain vehicle route sign or standard
of the type established by the department for the warning, instruction
or information of the public, unless he or she obtained the uniform
all-terrain vehicle route sign or standard in a lawful manner. Possession
of a uniform all-terrain vehicle route sign or standard creates a
rebuttable presumption of illegal possession.
(2) Operation shall be subject to all provisions of § 23.33,
Wis. Stats., which is adopted as part of this chapter by reference,
pursuant to § 23.33(11), Wis. Stats.
(3) A copy of this chapter shall be sent by the County Clerk to appropriate
entities as set forth in § 23.33(11)(b), Wis. Stats.
(4) In addition to the provisions of § 23.33, Wis. Stats.,
the following restrictions are placed on the use of the County all-terrain
vehicle routes designated by this chapter:
(a)
All all-terrain vehicle operators shall observe a speed limit
of not more than 40 mph or the posted roadway speed limit, whichever
is lower.
(b)
All all-terrain vehicle operators shall ride single file.
(c)
The allowed hours of operation shall be from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00
p.m. during daylight saving time and from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during
standard time.
(d)
Any person under age 12 shall not operate an all-terrain vehicle
on a road under any circumstances.
(e)
Any person under the age of 16 shall not operate an all-terrain
vehicle on a roadway (where allowed) without a safety certification.
(f)
All all-terrain vehicle operators 12 to 15 must be under the
direct supervision of a parent or legal guardian at all times when
operating on a designated all-terrain vehicle route.
(g)
All persons under 18 must wear a helmet.
It is unlawful for any person to operate any
sound truck, loudspeaker, motor, motor vehicle or other device that
produces undue or unnecessary noises without first obtaining a written
consent from the County or its duly authorized agency.
No person shall park, stop or leave standing,
whether attended or unattended, any vehicle or watercraft:
A. In any manner as to block, obstruct or limit the use
of any road, trail, waterway or winter sport facility;
B. Outside of any area provided for such purposes when
it is practical to use such areas; or
C. Contrary to posted notice.
[Amended by Ord. No. 84-3]
A. No camping is permitted except as in designated areas.
B. It is unlawful for more than one family or individual
group to occupy a single campsite.
(1) No camping unit, sleeping bag or hammock shall be
set up beyond the limits of the campsite.
(2) Juvenile groups of not more than 10 persons may occupy
a single campsite in a family campground only in properties where
group campgrounds are not available.
C. No camping party shall move from its assigned campsite
to another campsite without prior approval.
D. All camping permits expire at 3:00 p.m. on the last
day of the permit period.
E. No person shall camp and no camping unit shall remain
for a period greater than 14 days without a special permit. Special
permits may be issued for seasonal camping on a monthly basis with
fees paid one month in advance.
F. No camping party shall set up or take down its camping
unit between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and the following 6:00 a.m. Loud
activity and audio equipment is prohibited during these hours.
G. It is unlawful to park any motor vehicle outside the
parking area designated at each campsite, and not more than two motor
vehicles are permitted to any campsite.
H. Violation of any state law or any rules of the County
by a member of a camping party is cause for revocation of the camping
permit.
I. It is unlawful for any person to obtain a camping
permit for use by a camping party of which he is not a member, except
that parents and group leaders may obtain camping permits for use
by juvenile groups.
J. A campsite must be occupied by a member of the camping
party on the first night of the permit period, and no campsite may
be left unoccupied for more than 24 hours unless a special permit
is obtained for a seasonal campsite.
K. No person shall camp on any lands under the management,
supervision or control of the County contrary to posted notices.
[Amended 9-22-2009 by Ord. No. 09-04]
It is unlawful for any person to have in his
possession or under his control any firearm or air gun as defined
in § 939.22, Wis. Stats., or local ordinances, unless the
same is unloaded and enclosed in a carrying case, or any bow unless
the same is unstrung or enclosed in a carrying case, and no person
shall take, catch, kill, hunt, trap, pursue or otherwise disturb any
wild animals or birds in any County park or in any campground or picnic
area or contrary to posted notice on other areas under the management,
supervision and control of the County, unless authorized by the Parks
Committee.
It is unlawful for any person to engage in violent,
abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous or unreasonably loud or otherwise
disorderly conduct under circumstances in which such conduct tends
to cause or promote a disturbance.
[Amended by Ord. No. 90-6]
It is unlawful for any person to use any facility, land or area for which a fee or charge has been established by the County without payment of such fee. Admission stickers will be affixed to the vehicle. Any person who fails to pay park user fees as set forth by the Pierce County Parks Committee will, to avoid prosecution, have 10 days from the date on which the violation occurred to pay a penalty fee that is three times the set daily fee and two times the set camping fees. The penalty fee will pertain to each permit required. If within 10 days from the date of violation payment is not made in accordance with this section, the penalty under §
172-27 shall apply.
It is unlawful to enter any County park or any
camp or picnic area in any County recreation area at times other than
posted hours.
A. It is unlawful for any person to possess or consume
any food or beverage or use any soap, detergent or shampoo on any
bathing beach or in the water adjacent to any bathing beach in any
County park or County recreation area.
B. It is unlawful to disturb or molest a bathing beach
boundary buoy or marker in any swimming beach in any County park or
County recreation area.
C. No person shall operate a boat in any area designated
by marker buoys.
D. The County is authorized to establish such rules and
regulations as it deems necessary to protect the public users of the
beach and other park facilities.
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit or hinder
the County, its supervisors, managers, foresters, wardens, managers
or other duly authorized agents, or any peace officer from performing
their official duties.
These regulations are adopted under the authority
granted by § 59.54(6), Wis. Stats.
Those activities not specifically provided for
in this chapter, which may be requested in park areas, are prohibited
without the written approval of the County.
Any person who fails to comply with the provisions
of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, forfeit not more than
$200 and the costs of prosecution for each violation and, in default
of payment of such forfeiture and costs, shall be imprisoned in the
County jail until payment thereof, but not exceeding 30 days.