Watertown Charter Township

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ORDINANCE # 10: Public Facility Use

CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF WATERTOWN

CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN 

ORDINANCE NO. 10 

 

PREAMBLE 

AN ORDINANCE TO SPECIFY POLICIES GOVERNING THE USE OF TOWNSHIP PROPERTY AND FACILITIES EFFECTIVE ON THE DATE OF PUBLICATION. 

THE CHARTER TOWNSHIP OF WATERTOWN, CLINTON COUNTY, MICHIGAN, ORDAINS: 

 

SECTION 1 

FACILITY USE POLICY

 

  1. Community groups and organizations, business groups, and private individuals shall be permitted to use Township property and facilities when such usage does not interfere with Township functions.

 

  1. Facility use fees may be charged to groups reserving the use of Township facilities.  Township residential users shall pay less because they pay taxes.  Community organizations may be charged minimum facility use fees.

 

  1. Any non-profit organizations active within the township requesting the use of Township facilities may come before the Parks & Recreation Board at a regular scheduled meeting to ask that rental fees be waived.  The privilege is limited to twice a year or four days total, whichever occurs first.

 

  1. All groups are to enforce the rules and policies governing the use of Township facilities in order to control, protect and regulate such usage.  All damages or expenses of time to clean or repair resulting from carelessness or negligent destruction of Township property or facilities will be billed to the responsible party.

 

  1. The supervisor or designee has the right to deny, limit or withdraw permission to any group.

 

  1. The policies, rules and fees are subject to change by the Parks and Recreation Board when deemed necessary.

 

  1. A $100.00 reward shall be offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons destroying Township property or facilities.


 

SECTION II

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY

 

  1. Protection of Property

Destruction of township property shall be prohibited, and no person within/on township property shall:

1.      Willfully destroy, deface, alter, change or remove any monument, stone marker, benchmark, stake, post or blaze marking or designating any boundary line, survey line or reference point.

2.      Cut, break, mark upon or otherwise injure any building, equipment, bridge, drain, wall, fountain, lamppost, fence, gate, hedge or other structure.

3.      Deface, destroy, or remove any placard, notice or sign, whether permanent or temporary, posted or exhibited within or upon park property by the commission or its authorized agent.

4.      Appropriate, excavate, injure or destroy any historical or prehistorical ruin or any object of antiquity, without permission or the commission or its authorized agent or an agent of the government entity owning the public park.

 

  1. Protection of Environment

Destruction of plant life and natural surrounding shall be prohibited, and no person within a public park in the township shall:

1.      Cut, remove or destroy any tree, sapling, seedling, bush or shrub, whether alive or dead, or chip, blaze, box, girdle, trim or otherwise deface or injure any tree or shrub or break or remove any branch, foliage, flower or any tree or shrub, or pick, gather, uproot, remove or destroy any flower, plant or grass.

2.      Remove or cause to be removed any sod, earth, humus, peat, boulders, gravel or sand, without written permission of the commission or its authorized agent or an agent of the government entity owning the public park.

 

  1. Fire Control

The following rules shall apply to fires on property within a public park in the township:

1.      No person shall willfully set or cause to be set on fire any tree, woodland, brushland, grassland or meadow within or upon the park property.

2.      No person shall build any fire except within the grills installed and approved and designated by the commission or appropriate governmental entity for such purpose.

3.      No person shall drop, throw or otherwise scatter lighted matches, burning cigars, cigarettes, tobacco paper or other inflammable materials within or upon any park property.

4.      Fires shall not be left unattended.  All fires shall be extinguished upon leaving the immediate vicinity.

 

  1. Protection of Wildlife

It shall be unlawful for any person while within a public park located within the township to:

 

A.     Bring, drive, lead or carry any dog or other small animal or pet which is unleashed, or upon a leash more than six feet in length, upon public park property.  All animals, large or small, must be under the immediate control of a competent person at all times.

B.     Torture, ill-treat or neglect any animal or fowl.

C.     No person shall hunt, trap, catch, wound, kill, treat cruelly, attempt to trap, catch, wound or kill any bird or animal; molest or rob any nest of any bird or any lair, den or burrow or any animal in or upon any public park, land or waters. 

 

  1. Operation of motor vehicles:

It shall be unlawful within a public park in the township for any person to:

1.      Operate a motor-driven vehicle of any kind or nature except on roads or designated parking areas.

2.      Operate any motor-driven sled, toboggan or snowmobile on any public park property.

3.      Drive any vehicle upon public park property while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotic, drug, barbital of any derivative of barbital.

4.      Drive any vehicle upon public park property while his ability to do so has been impaired by the use of intoxicating liquor or by the use of drugs or narcotics.

5.      Operate any motor vehicle upon public park property while his license to so operate has been suspended or revoked by the state.

6.      Operate any vehicle upon public property contrary to posted traffic signs, symbols, rules or regulations or marked roadways.

 

  1. Horses:

1.      It shall be unlawful for any person to ride, lead or cause or suffer a horse to be upon any public park property except on specifically designated and posted areas or bridle paths.

 

  1. Trespass by livestock:

No person shall drive or cause to be driven any horse, cattle, sheep, goats, swine or other livestock upon or across any public park property without the written permission of the township or its authorized agent or the representative of the appropriate governmental entity.

 

  1. Unlawful obstruction:

No private person, firm, or corporation shall by force, threats, intimidations, unlawful fencing, enclosing, or by any other means, prevent or obstruct any person from entering, leaving, or making full use of any public park property.

  

SECTION II

SPECIAL PROVISIONS

 

  1. Admission: The applicant shall have control of those who may be admitted to the activity, except that the supervisor or designee shall not be refused admission at any time.

 

  1. Availability: Applications for use of Township facilities will be considered on a first received, first served, basis with applications being made at the Township office during regular business hours and within the calendar year of the requested date.

 

  1. Chaperones: Reservations to groups of minors must be made by a responsible adult, and a sufficient number of adults must be present during the reservation period to assure proper control and orderly conduct of the group.  A law enforcement representative may be demanded in such instances where the supervisor or designee deems it in the best interest of the Township or adjacent property owners.

 

  1. Alcoholic Beverages:

 

    1. No person shall possess, sell, drink or use alcoholic beverage, or be under the influence of intoxicating liquor in any Township park, facility or area open to the public adjacent to or near said park or facility, except as provided in paragraphs B. and C.

 

    1. The Watertown Charter Township Parks & Recreation Board, or its designee, may issue a special permit for the possession, sale and consumption of alcohol within a park or facility for a specific period of time.

 

    1. No special permit may be issued until the following conditions have been met:

 

1.      Completion of a Special Permit Application and payment of a $200.00 security deposit.

2.      Providing proof of an insurance policy that includes a liability limit of at least $300,000.

3.      Filing of proof of a special liquor license from the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (if applicable).

 

  1. Clean Up: An applicant for use of Township facilities shall provide a security deposit at the time the application is made.  This fee shall be refundable, in part or in whole, if the applicant restores the facilities to the condition they were in prior to use by the applicant.

 

  1. Covenant of Liability: The applicant shall assume responsibility for all damage of any kind and shall save harmless and indemnify Watertown Charter Township from any liability, expense or cost in connection with the use of Township facilities.

 

  1. Damages or Theft: The applicant shall be responsible for all damage or thefts of Township property or facilities, and shall reimburse, based on replacement costs, the Township for such damage within thirty days after such occurrence.

 

  1. Decorations: All decorations, furnishings and equipment installed by the applicant must be removed by noon of the day following use of the facility unless the supervisor or designee has approved other arrangements.  There shall be no installation or alterations to existing facilities without the approval of the supervisor or designee.  All decorations used within the building must be fireproof and are subject to the approval of the supervisor or designee.  No open flame decorations shall be permitted, and no decorations shall be fastened to the walls, floors or ceilings that will in any manner damage the finish.

 

  1. Drugs: Use, possession, sale or delivery of narcotics, hallucinogens, depressants, marijuana or other controlled substances shall be prohibited in or upon property under the jurisdiction of Watertown Charter Township.

 

  1. Warming House: The warming house at Looking Glass Valley Park may only be utilized when responsible adult supervision is present.

 

  1. Fees: All fees and other costs for facility use shall be paid at the time of application.  Money paid for reservations of Township facilities will be refunded if cancellation is made fourteen (14) days prior to the reservation date.  Receipt and permit must be presented to obtain such refund.  Exception: If the cancelled time is reserved by another group and is used, a refund can be made upon request and presentation of receipt and permit.

 

It shall be unlawful for any person, group or organization to occupy, use or fail to vacate any facility, building, land, area or equipment for which a permit has been granted to any other person, group or association.

 

 

  1. Fireworks and Firearms: No individual or organization shall fire, discharge or have in its possession any fireworks, firearms or any substance of an explosive nature within or upon property of the Township unless the supervisor or designee shall have authorized the same by issuance of a permit.  Such permits shall only be issued if the individual or organization has obtained any permits or authorizations required by any other federal or state law.  This section does not apply to law enforcement officers while carrying out the duties and responsibilities of their position.

 

  1. Hindering Employees: No person shall interfere with or in any manner hinder any employee or agent of the Township while performing their responsibilities.

 

  1. Motorized Vehicles: No person shall operate any motorized vehicle of any kind or nature on any property under the jurisdiction of the Township except on roads, highways or parking lots, unless otherwise permitted by posted notice.  No operator of any vehicle shall stand, stop or park any vehicle upon a roadway or in a parking area in such a manner as to form an obstruction to traffic thereon or an inconvenience to private property neighboring the property of the Township.

 

  1. Noise: Radios, phonographs, stereos, bands, orchestras, groups and the like shall maintain noise levels so as not to interfere with adjacent property owners or with others that are using the park or facilities.

 

  1. Peddling and Soliciting: No person or organization shall peddle or solicit business of any nature whatsoever, distribute handbills or other advertising material or post signs on buildings or property of the Township unless first authorized in writing by the supervisor or designee.

 

  1. Smoking: Smoking shall be prohibited in areas designated by No Smoking signs.  In areas where smoking is allowed, proper containers must be used.

 

  1. General: Any matter not herein expressly provided for shall be decided at the discretion of the supervisor or designee.  All specific rules or regulation posted in or upon any portion of Township property or facilities shall apply as indicated.  Requests beyond the scope of these policies must be approved by the Parks and Recreation Board or its designee.

 

  1. Dogs and Pets: Dogs and other pets may be permitted in parks and recreational areas provided that:

 

    1. All dogs or other animals shall at all times be tethered to a leash or similar device no greater than six (6) feet in length and under the immediate control of a responsible person.  No dog or other animal shall create an annoyance or disturb other persons within the park;
    2. A person in charge of any dog or other animal shall immediately remove all droppings deposited by such animal in a sanitary manner.  Such droppings shall be disposed of on the property owned or operated by the person owning or in charge of such animal.

 

  1. Litter Control: It shall be unlawful for any person to dump, deposit, place, throw or leave or cause or permit the dumping, depositing, placing, throwing or leaving of litter on any public property or waters, other than property specifically designated for such purpose or in receptacles specifically designed for such purpose.

 

The term “litter” as used herein means all rubbish, refuse, waste material, garbage, offal, paper, glass, cans, bottles, trash, debris or other substance of every kind and description.

 

  1. All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

 

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