Park
Rules
Purpose: These rules are
established as written guidelines for the use of City of Austin parks, wildlife
preserves and recreational facilities. (City Code, Chapter 11-1). These
rules are intended to secure and preserve the fullest enjoyment of parks and
recreational facilities to a wide range of park patrons. Failure to abide
by these rules shall be cause for removal. The commission of offenses
under local ordinances or state law shall be cause for arrest.Applicability:
These rules apply to and in all parks, wildlife preserves and recreational
facilities or areas belonging to the City or managed by or under the authority
of the City. Wildlife preserved may be restricted access facilities, open
only for limited recreational uses. These rules shall not apply to City,
State or Federal agents or officials in the performance of official duties. 1.01
USE OF PARK FACILITIES
Park facilities generally are
available for public use on a first-come, first-served basis except for areas
that require entrance or other fees, or that have previously been
reserved.
A. Entrance or Use Fees -
Patrons shall not enter or use any park area, wildlife preserve or facility
for which an entrance or use fee has been established, unless each person
has first paid the fee or is otherwise authorized to enter. Entrance
permits or passes shall be displayed to gate or entrance attendants on
request. (City Code, Sections 11-1-6, 10-1-17)
B. Reservations Fees - Patrons
shall not use or occupy a facility or area for which a reservation fee has
been paid, when such use conflicts with the use by persons holding the
reservation. Reservations shall be made in accordance with the
Department's reservation policies. Confirmation of the reservation
shall be displayed on request to City employees charged with supervision or
patrolling of parks.
1.02 OCCUPANCY LIMIT
The Parks and Recreation
Department may establish and post maximum occupancies for any park area,
wildlife preserve or facility.
A. Patrons shall not enter
into or remain in an area or facility for which an occupancy limit has been
established when such action will have the effect of exceeding the
established occupancy limits.
1.03 ASSEMBLY
Organizers intending to conduct
assemblies or public demonstrations on parkland must provide 24 hours notice
to the Parks and Recreation Department by calling the Director's office,
974-6717, if the expected crowd will exceed 60. Assemblies or public
demonstrations are permissible except where such an activity will disrupt or
interfere with scheduled events, or prevent or be inconsistent with the
intended use of park facilities at the proposed site of assembly.
1.04 CLOSED AREA(S)
A. The City Manager or his
designee may close park areas, wildlife preserves or facilities to the
public entry or otherwise restrict use until such time as the area or
facility can be made available for public use.
B. Except in emergency
circumstances, notice of closure shall be posted and patrons shall not enter
closed or restricted areas.
C. Patrons shall not enter
areas closed due to flooding or which are areas that are the subject of a
flood ban. (City Code, Section 14-2-23)
1.05 DISRUPTIVE
BEHAVIOR AND EJECTION FROM PARK AND WILDLIFE PRESERVE FACILITIES
A. Patrons engaged in
disruptive, destructive or hazardous conduct may be warned and asked to stop
such conduct immediately by any park attendant. Under circumstances
where a patron's conduct is unlawful, or poses an imminent threat of injury
or prevents the public enjoyment of the park or wildlife preserve, or
facility, park attendants may eject such patrons by any reasonable means,
including arrest. (City Code, Section 11-1-1)
1.06 VENDING
A. Persons shall not conduct
the commercial sale or offer to sell any goods, wares, drinks, food or items
nor render or offer to render any service for hire, at any park, wildlife
preserve or facility except as authorized by contract, or permit properly
issued by the Parks and Recreation Department.
B. Persons conducting
charitable solicitations shall have complied with the requirements of
Chapter 8-5 of the City Code.
1.07 METAL
DETECTORS
The use of metal detectors in
City parks and wildlife preserves without a permit is prohibited.
1.08 ABANDONED OR
UNATTENDED PROPERTY
A. No person shall abandon a
vehicle or other personal property at any park facility or wildlife
preserve. Abandoned property shall be removed, impounded, and sold in
conformance to City ordinances or state laws or as may be determined by the
City.
B. No person shall leave a
vehicle, boat, barge, or other property unattended at any park facility or
wildlife preserve in such a manner as to create a hazardous or unsafe
condition, or to be in violation of a park curfew. Such property may
be removed to a safe place or impounded.
1.09 PEACE AND QUIET
A. Patrons shall preserve the
peace and quiet enjoyment of the parks and/or wildlife preserved by
observing all ordinances and state laws governing noise and amplified sound.
1. Patrons shall not use
offensive language, make unreasonable noise, discharge weapons or
fireworks, or engage in offensive gestures or conduct constituting
disorderly conduct under state law (Texas Penal Code 42.01).
2. Patrons shall not operate
noise-making devices in violation of local ordinances prohibiting
unreasonable noise or requiring a sound amplification permit. (City Code
Chapter 10-5).
B. Patrons shall observe and
comply with noise restrictions posted at individual facilities.
(Reference: Texas Penal
Code, Section 42.01)
1.10 WEAPONS AND FIREARMS
A. Patrons shall not carry or
possess weapons or firearms while in park facilities or wildlife preserves
except;
1. in those facilities where
usage is appropriate,
2. as allowed by state and
federal gun laws; and,
3. when otherwise authorized
by the Parks and Recreation Department.
B. The use of firearms, air
guns, pellet or B.B. guns, bows and arrows or projectile devices capable of
inflicting personal injury is prohibited unless conducted under permit or in
an authorized park facility. (City Code Sections 10-1-4, 10-1-5, 14-1-6).
C. No patron may display a
firearm or other weapon at any park facility or wildlife preserve in a
manner calculated to alarm or threaten anyone. (Texas Penal Code 42.02)
1.11 WILDLIFE
All wildlife within the
boundaries of any Austin Parks and Recreation Department park facility and
wildlife preserve is protected. No person may harm, harass, hunt, trap or
remove any animal, including mammals, fish insects, birds, reptiles, or other
living creature from any park facility or wildlife preserve except upon
written approval of the Parks and Recreation Department. (City Code 10-1-6)
This section shall not apply
where fishing is permitted, by an individual in possession of a valid Texas
fishing license.
1.12 PLANT LIFE
All plant life within the
boundaries of any Austin Parks and Recreation Department park facility and
wildlife preserve is protected. Patrons shall not willfully mutilate, injure,
destroy, thrash, or remove any live tree, shrub, vine, wildflower, grass,
sedge, fern, moss lichen, fungus or any other member of the plant kingdom or
portion thereof, except upon approval by the Parks and Recreation Department.
No person shall collect or harvest dead wood or plants, or portions thereof,
except upon written approval. The collecting of pecan nuts on the ground
is allowed; the thrashing of pecan trees is prohibited. (Texas Rev. Civ.
Statutes 6143.1)
1.13 NATURAL RESOURCES
All sites, objects, buildings,
artifacts, implements, and locations of historical, archaeological, geologic,
scientific or educational interest of every character located in, on, or under
the surface of any park facility and wildlife preserve are protected.
No person may remove, excavate,
take, dig into, or destroy any site, object, building, artifact, implement or
location of archaeological, geological, scientific or historical interest
without having permits as required by the State of Texas Natural Resources
Codes, and without having permission of the Parks and Recreation Department.
1.14 ANIMALS
A. Persons bringing pets or
other animals into outdoor park areas shall keep them under confinement or
direct control. Leads on leashes used to control animals shall not be more
than six feet long. Dogs may be allowed to be without a leash in designated
areas, provided that each dog remains under immediate personal supervision
and command.
B. Patrons shall not permit a
pet or other animal to remain unattended or create a disturbance or a
hazard.
C. No person shall permit a
pet animal in the water of a swimming pool or designated swim area, and no
person shall permit a pet animal, except for an animal trained in assisting
handicapped or disabled persons, within the land area or beach area adjacent
to the water of a swimming pool or designated swim area.
D. Patrons shall not bring
into, or permit to range at any park facility or wildlife preserve, domestic
fowl, horse, swine, sheep, goat, or other livestock except upon approval by
the Parks and Recreation Department.
E. Patrons shall not ride,
drive, lead or keep a horse at any park facility or wildlife preserve,
excepted on a horseback riding trail, so designated and posted by the Parks
and Recreation Department and except as authorized under contract, approved
reservation or permit.
F. No person may ride a horse
in a manner that is dangerous to any person or animal at any park facility
or wildlife preserved.
G. Patrons shall not hitch a
saddle horse to a tree, shrub, or structure in any manner that causes
damage.
H. Except for an animal
trained to assist the disabled, pets and animals shall not be brought into
designated wildlife preserves. Trained animals utilized by employees and
agents of the City of Austin in reasonable discharge of their duties are
permitted.
(References: City of Austin
Code, Section 3-1-3.)
1.15 FIRES, SMOKING,
FIREWOOD OR FIREWORKS
A. No person may light, build,
or maintain a fire on any of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department park
facilities or wildlife preserves, except in a facility or device provided,
maintained or designated for such purposes, or as authorized by the Parks
and Recreation Department
B. Portable camp stoves or
portable barbecue grills of metal construction may be used in designated
campsites or picnic areas.
C. Campfires shall be allowed
only in approved locations and under such conditions as may be prescribed by
the Director or park supervisor. Campfires shall be attended at all times by
an adult until fully extinguished.
D. During periods of extreme
fire hazard, the Director may prohibit or restrict fires and smoking in
designated areas.
E. No person may cut, gather,
or collect wood or other combustible material at any Austin Parks and
Recreation Department park facility or wildlife preserve, for use as
firewood or fuel, except for material designated for this purpose by the
Parks and Recreation Department.
F. The possession or use of
any kind of firework, except by permit, is prohibited in all parks and
wildlife preserves.
1.16 CAMPING AND
OVERNIGHT USE
A. No person may camp at any
Austin Park and Recreation Department park facility or wildlife preserve,
except as authorized by permit and only in areas designated or marked for
that purpose. Camping is defined as:
1. Occupying a designated
camping facility
2. Erecting a tent or
arranging bedding, or both, for the purpose of, or in such a manner as
will permit remaining overnight.
3. Use of a trailer, camper,
or other vehicle for the purpose of sleeping overnight.
B. Camping Time limit
1. To afford all the public
a wider use of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department's camping
facilities, continuous occupancy of camping facilities by the same person
or persons in a park is limited to 14 consecutive calendar days.
2. The Department may
establish an alternate time limit for continuous occupancy of a facility
or facilities by the same person or persons in a park, or in a designated
portion of a park, when necessary to achieve maximum utilization of the
park, or designated portion, by all the public.
3. When a person has used
the camping facilities in a park for a period of time greater than seven
consecutive days and voluntarily vacates or is required to vacate the
facilities, he may not again use the overnight camping facilities in the
same park until a time period has elapsed between his date of departure
and date of re-entry, which time period includes a minimum time from 2
p.m. Friday until 2 p.m. Sunday. This provision shall not prevent the camp
staff from re-admitting the camper if adequate camping spaces are
available.
C. Persons under the age of 18
years authorized to be in a park facility between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5
a.m. shall be accompanied or supervised by an adult. The ratio of adults to
minors shall not be less than one adult for every eight minors.
1.17 MOTOR VEHICLES
No person may operate a motor
vehicle at any park facility or wildlife preserve, except upon roads,
driveways, parking areas, and areas designated open to motor vehicles except
as authorized by the Department. (City Code Section 16-1-15)
1.18 PARKING
A. No person shall park a
motor vehicle on parkland or wildlife preserve except in designated areas,
or within twelve feet of a public park road, if not otherwise prohibited.
B. No person may park store or
leave a vehicle or trailer in areas posted "restricted" or with
"no parking" signs.
C. A vehicle or trailer parked
in such a manner as to create a hazardous or unsafe condition may be
impounded, consistent with City Ordinance and State Law.
1.19 TRAIL USE
A. No person may operate or
use a motor vehicle, including a motorcycle, motorbike, mini-bike, or a
bicycle on a trail or path not designated for the use with such vehicles.
B. On the Hike and Bike
trails, bicyclist shall yield to joggers, joggers to walkers.
C. Trail users on the Hike and
Bike trails should not be more than two abreast when this action will impede
other traffic on the trail. Trail users should leave ample room on the trail
for other users to pass safely.
D. Bicyclists should maintain
bicycles in good condition and should operate them in a safe, manner at a
prudent speed. All bicycles shall be equipped with a properly functioning
brakes.
E. Unless otherwise posted,
all portions of the Hike and Bike trails are designated as Bicycle Speed
Zones and shall be identified by signage. Bicyclists shall not travel faster
than 10 Miles Per Hour in areas designated as Bicycle Speed Zones.
1.20 ADHERENCE TO PARK
SIGNS
All persons shall comply with
the signs and markers installed by the Department.
1.21 INSTALLATION OF
WATER SKI COURSES ON CITY LAKES
The installation of a water ski
slalom course, water ski jump, or similar course(s) or device(s) on or in the
waters of Lake Austin, Town Lake, or Lake Walter E. Long (Decker Lake), or the
tributaries thereof, shall be only approved by the Department.
1.22 ALCOHOL
Unless authorized by the
director, the sale, possession with intent to sell or the consumption of
alcoholic beverages is prohibited in the following areas:
1. Within enclosed areas of
swimming or wading pools
2. In recreation centers and
adjacent grounds
3. Within the playing
boundaries of athletic fields
4. In school parks
5. In those areas designated
by the Director
(City Code Section 11-1-4)
1.23 GLASS CONTAINERS
Except as allowed below, glass
containers are prohibited
1. Within enclosed areas at
swimming or wading pools
2. In recreation centers and
adjacent grounds
3. In school parks
4. In athletic fields
5. In those areas designated
and marked by the Director
6. On any lake, river, stream,
shoreline or beach
The following glass containers
are allowed:
1. Glass-lined vacuum bottles
and glass-lined picnic beverage coolers;
2. Baby bottles or baby food
jars containing products for consumption by a baby;
3. Drug glass containers
containing over the counter or prescribed drugs; and
4. Glass containers which
require a deposit.
(Reference: City of Austin
Code, Section 11-1-9.)
1.24 PERFORMING ARTISTS
IN PARKS
Individuals may perform as
artists or entertainers in any City park within the following guidelines:
A. May not block sidewalks or
in any way impede pedestrian or vehicular traffic circulation.
B. May not be within 100 feet
of existing park concessions.
C. May set up at special
events only with written permission of event organizer.
D. Amplified sound is
prohibited.
E. Juggling of potentially
hazardous materials or items such as knives or fire is prohibited.
F. Any money exchanged should
be on a "tips" or donation basis only.
G. Entertainers should carry a
copy of the letter of approval from the Parks and Recreation Department
permitting their performance art. The letter is to be available on request
by any park attendant or employee charged with patrolling or supervising
park use.
1.25 CREMATION REMAINS
No cremation remains shall be
disposed of on parkland without the expressed written consent of the Parks and
Recreation Director.
1.26 SPECIAL RULES FOR
SPECIFIC PARKS FACILITIES
Each park facility and wildlife
preserve may develop rules and regulations that address problems specific to
that facility, which shall be in writing and approved by the Director of Parks
and Recreation. Patrons shall comply with all rules and regulations posted at
individual facilities or for special events.
Revised: September 13, 1999
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