§ 18-82. Prohibited acts in city parks and facilities.

It shall be unlawful for any person using city parks and facilities to either perform or allow the performance of any of the following acts, unless such activity is authorized, permitted or supervised by the city:

(a) Damaging property. No person shall willfully mark, deface, damage, displace, remove or tamper with any park or facility buildings, tables, benches, fireplaces, railing, paving or paving materials, water lines or other utilities, permanent or temporary signs, placards or notices, monuments, stakes, posts, boundary markers or other structures, equipment or parks or recreation property.

(b) Improperly using park structures, equipment and furniture.

(1) No person shall climb on or over any building, facility, structure, or natural feature in any city park or recreation facility unless the same is intentionally designed for climbing purposes.

(2) No person over the age of fourteen (14) years shall trespass upon or play upon or use the playground equipment at any city park other than those swings designated for adult use.

(3) No person shall recline upon any seat, table, bench, or in any location not intended for such occupancy.

(4) No person over the age of six (6) years, unless accompanied by a parent or other responsible adult, shall enter into or loiter near any park structure or section thereof reserved and designated by the city for exclusive use by the opposite sex.

(5) No person shall dive or jump into the lake from the fishing pier.

(6) The city shall post specific rules for each facility.

(c) Polluting waters. No person shall throw, discharge or otherwise place or cause to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond or lake or any storm sewer or drain flowing into such waters any substance, matter or things, liquid or solid, which will or may result in the pollution of such waters.

(d) Removing soil or plants. No person shall dig or remove any soil, rock, stones, trees, shrubs or plants, down-timber or other wood or materials, or make any excavation by tool, equipment, blasting or other means, except that digging shall be permitted in areas designated for such purpose. Collection of natural objects, including plant and animal life and minerals, for scientific and educational purposes may be conducted in compliance with terms of written permits granted by the city manager.

(e) Damaging plants. No person shall damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant, or injure the bark or pick the flowers or seeds of any tree or plant, nor shall any person attach any rope, wire or other contrivance to any tree or plant. No person shall dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas, or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area.

(f) Harming or molesting animal life. No person shall molest, harm, frighten, kill, trap, hunt, chase, capture, shoot or throw missiles at any mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian; nor shall any person remove or in any way harm the eggs, nest or young of any mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian. City law enforcement officers shall be notified to take appropriate action for removal of poisonous snakes or alligators from parks and recreation areas. This paragraph does not apply to persons fishing in accordance with section 18-86

(g) Littering. No person shall bring in or dump, deposit or leave any bottles, broken glass, ashes, paper, boxes, cans, dirt, rubbish, waste, garbage, refuse or other litter, or place refuse or litter in any waters in or contiguous to any park or facility, or anywhere on the grounds thereof, other than in the proper receptacles, where provided.

(h) Igniting fires. No person shall ignite or attempt to ignite any fire against or on any vegetation or park or facility structure, except in designated fireplaces or grills when used for cooking. Persons may use a personal grill in a designated picnic area; however, they will be responsible for the proper off-site disposal of all charcoal, wood chips or other cooking materials after such use. No person shall dispose of burning matches, smoking materials or other inflammable items within any park or recreation area except in designated receptacles. Ecological burning may be conducted by the city where appropriate for the restoration, maintenance and preservation of certain plant communities.

(i) Unauthorized operation of vehicles. No person shall drive or otherwise operate a vehicle in a park or recreation area upon surfaces other than those maintained and open to the public for purposes of vehicular travel, except upon temporary parking areas as may be designated from time to time by the city commission or city manager, and further excepting vehicles in the service of the city, animal control vehicles, law enforcement vehicles, and motorized wheelchairs.

(j) Unauthorized parking. No person shall park a vehicle in an area other than an established or designated parking area. No person shall park a vehicle overnight or park a vehicle having a gross weight exceeding three (3) tons without written approval of the city manager. Vehicles in violation of this paragraph may be towed and stored at the owner's expense.

(k) Possessing or consuming alcoholic beverages. No person shall possess and/or consume alcoholic beverages, including beer or wine; provided, however, that alcoholic beverages may be permitted by the city commission for special events or in specified facilities in accordance with section 18-87

(l) Possessing or discharging weapons, explosives, etc.

(1) No person shall carry or discharge firecrackers, rockets, torpedoes, or other types of explosives, nor shall any person carry or use any object calculated to make a noise sufficient to disturb the peace or quiet of the park or facility. No person shall carry or discharge any, sling shot, slung shot or similar device, or any bows and arrows, or carry or use any other object capable of propelling a projectile in any park or facility, nor shall any person carry on his or her person, in plain view, any knife or dagger.

(2) The provisions of paragraph (1) shall not be deemed to prohibit the carrying of ordinary tools or equipment for use in a lawful occupation or a fireworks exhibition sponsored by the city or community organizations during the Fourth of July or similar community celebrations.

(m) Gambling. No person shall conduct in any city park or facility any card game for money or any other game for money or participate in any form of betting or gambling as defined in Florida Statutes. A drawing for chance conducted by a charitable or non-profit organization may be conducted only in accordance with F.S. §849.0935.

(n) Vending, soliciting, advertising, etc. No person shall practice, carry on, conduct or solicit for any occupation, business, or profession in any city park or facility; or sell or offer for sale any food, beverage, merchandise, article, or anything whatsoever in any park or facility. This paragraph shall not apply to any person acting pursuant to a contract with the city or under a special event permit granted by the city. No person shall distribute, post, place or erect any advertising, handbill, circular, bill, notice, placard, paper or other advertisement device in any city park or facility. No person shall beg or solicit contributions.

(o) Operating sound amplification equipment. No person shall install, use, and operate within a park a loudspeaker, horn, megaphone device, or other sound amplifying equipment for the purposes of giving instructions, directions, talks, addresses, or lectures, or of transmitting music to any persons or groups of persons in any park, or in the vicinity thereof, except when installed, used, or operated in compliance with a special event permit issued by the city and when operated in accordance with terms of the permit. Amplifiers permitted in parks shall be operated only through a power source provided or approved by the city or with a battery. This paragraph shall not apply to the use of a loudspeaker or other sound amplifying device that might be used on an athletic field during an athletic game or other competition sponsored by a school or community organization.

(p) Launching or operating aircraft, radio-controlled model airplanes, etc. No person shall launch or operate any aircraft, including but not limited to, hot air balloons, airplanes, ultralights, helicopters and gliders except in areas or at times specifically designated for this purpose by special permit issued by the city manager. No person shall launch or operate any radio-controlled model rockets, airplanes, gliders, boats or vehicles except in areas or at times specifically designated for this purpose by special permit issued by the city.

(q) Camping. No person shall camp in a city park or recreation area except at such times and places as may be designated by the city manager or his designee and except pursuant to a special permit issued by the city.

(r) Erecting structures. No person shall construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary in character, or run or string any public service utility into, upon, or across a city park or recreation area except as authorized by special permit issued by the city.

(s) Endangering the public. No person shall endanger the safety of any person or group by any conduct or act or by any failure to observe the rules established by this article.

(t) Interfering with use of the park by others. No person or group shall prevent any other person or group from using any park or any of its facilities, or interfere with such use in compliance with this article and with the rules applicable to such use. Conducting activities authorized by a reserved use permit issued pursuant to this article shall not constitute a violation of this section.

(u) Lewd and lascivious acts and sexual activity. No person shall engage in a lewd or lascivious act or sexual activity in a city park or facility.

(Ord. No. 2006-48, § 1, 12-19-06; Ord. No. 2011-20, § 5, 9-20-11)