It is the intent, purpose and scope to ensure the preservation of outdoor public parklands, outdoor recreation facilities and outdoor playground areas within the Township of Horsham for the perpetual enjoyment of the residents of the Township of Horsham, to regulate activities within these areas consistent with the enjoyment of natural settings and park facilities and to prevent any nuisances to the residents of the Township of Horsham in the use of such public parklands, recreation facilities and playground areas or in the enjoyment of private property adjacent to such areas.
Use of Grounds and Facilities
- All parks shall be opened from dawn to dusk, except those lighted for evening events or programs.
- Each person, firm or corporation using the public parks and grounds shall clean up all debris, and leave the premises in good order and the facilities in a neat and sanitary condition. Each and every failure to conform to the provisions of this section shall be considered a separate violation of the provisions of this ordinance.
- Permission, permits and reservations for group activities must be obtained in advance from the Park and Recreation Department.
- Fishing is permitted, providing state laws, including licensing laws, are followed.
Prohibited Conduct
All public parks and recreational areas including, but not limited to, fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, trails, and pavilions shall be used only for their intended purpose and no other unless authorized by the Township. Acts which are unlawful in or on Township parks, recreation or playground areas include, but are not limited to:
- Possession and/or use of alcoholic beverages;
- Intoxication;
- Use of indecent language;
- Disorderly conduct
- Operation of a motor vehicle except in those areas designated for parking. Overnight parking in Township parks, open space, or trails shall be prohibited;
- Washing or repair of motor vehicles;
- Hunting, trapping, feeding or harming wildlife and/or waterfowl, or annoying, striking, injuring, maiming, or killing any animal or bird;
- Release or abandoning a wild and/or domestic animal on park property;
- Solicitation or sale of any goods or food or the conduct of any commercial activity except for concessions authorized by the Township;
- Playing golf on athletic fields;
- Unreasonable noise. Use of sound amplification equipment must be approved in writing in advance by the Township;
- Possession or transporting of firearms, weapons or paintball guns;
- Building, lighting or maintaining fires, except in grills provided for this purpose. All fires must be extinguished prior to leaving the picnic area;
- Cutting, mutilating, or removing trees, shrubs, flowers or wood;
- Defacing of any sign, poster, building or any other property;
- Littering. Refuse and rubbish must be placed in containers provided for that purpose. No dumping of any kind, including yard waste (leaves, grass, etc.), household, construction, commercial or landscape debris shall be permitted on township property, in dumpsters and/or trash receptacles;
- Throwing, discharging or otherwise placing or causing to be placed in the waters of any fountain, pond, lake or other body of water in or adjacent to any park or any tributary, stream, storm sewer or drain flowing into such waters, any substance, matter or thing, liquid or solid, which may result in the pollution of said waters;
- Any act which endangers the safety of another person;
- Commission of any assault or battery or engaging in fighting;
- Gambling;
- Posting, pasting, fastening, painting, writing, drawing, carving, tacking or affixing any placard, bill, notice, sign, advertisement or any inscription whatever upon any structure, tree, stone, fence, thing or enclosure within any recreation, park or playground area or on any public lands or highways or roads adjacent to any recreation, park or conservation area, except as may be permitted by the Township;
- Landing a private or commercial airplane or helicopter on recreation, park and playground lands;
- Skateboarding, biking or the use of rollerblades in playground areas, on basketball courts or on tennis courts;
- Possession of glass bottles or containers;
- Pumping water out of creeks, ponds or waterways onto Township property;
- No camping or activities associated with unless authorized by the Township;
- There shall be no swimming, ice skating, bathing, snorkeling, scuba diving by any person at any time except in those areas so designated for that purpose.
Speed Limit in Township Parks
The speed limit is 5mph in park parking lots.
Animals and Pets
Dogs and pets are prohibited, with the exception of dogs on a leash directly around the pond in Kohler Park and along the Power Line Trail.
Possession and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages
It shall be unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession, custody or control any alcoholic beverage of any kind whatsoever.
Violations and penalties
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable, upon conviction thereof, by a fine of not less than sixty dollars ($60.00) nor more than six hundred dollars ($600.00) and costs of prosecution or by imprisonment in the Montgomery County Prison for not more than ninety (90) days, or by both fine and imprisonment. In the event of the imposition of a fine only, default in payment of such fine and costs of prosecution shall subject the violator to imprisonment in the Montgomery County Prison for not more than ninety (90) days.
Where such violator has removed, destroyed, damaged, defaced or befouled the recreation, park or playground area or the contents thereof, the cost of maintenance, repair or replacement shall be charged to such person or group in addition to any fine. Further use of recreation and park facilities may be denied to violators of this chapter in addition to the imposition of fines or costs. The term "person violating" as set forth in this section shall mean, in the case of action or activity by any minor [herein defined as an unmarried person under the age of eighteen (18) years], in addition to such person, the parent, parents or guardian or any other person having lawful custody and control who knowingly permits the violation of this chapter. Such parent, guardian or person having lawful custody and control of such minor shall be considered separately and individually in violation of this chapter.
Severability
If any sentence, clause, section or part of this Ordinance is for any reason found to be unconstitutional, illegal or invalid, such unconstitutionality, illegality or invalidity shall not affect or impair any of the remaining provisions, sentences, clauses, sections or parts of this Ordinance. It is hereby declared as the intent of the Council of Horsham Township, that this Ordinance would have been adopted had such unconstitutional, illegal or invalid sentence, clause, section or part thereof not been included therein.
Effective Date
This Ordinance (2006-12) shall be effective as of December 13, 2006.