Chapter 9.13
PARK AND BEACH REGULATIONS
Sections:
9.13.020 Designated parks and beaches.
9.13.030 Park and beach hours.
9.13.040 Park and beach hour applicability.
9.13.050 Unlawful activities designated.
9.13.060 Alcoholic beverages--Public parks and beaches.
9.13.065 Prohibition of glass containers and plastic water bottles.
9.13.070 Prohibition of fires on city beaches.
9.13.075 Prohibition of fires in city parks.
9.13.090 Standards for naming a city park, beach, or recreation facility.
9.13.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is to aid in the operation, programming, use and maintenance of city parks and beaches. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. 12-94 §1(part), 1994).
9.13.020 Designated parks and beaches.
A. For the purpose of this chapter, “parks” includes the following municipal public parks located in Half Moon Bay:
1. Kehoe Park located at 1310 Loryn Lane.
2. Ocean View Park located at 627 Alsace Lorraine.
3. Frenchmans Creek Park located at 525-529 Ruisseau Francais Avenue.
4. John L. Carter Park located at 10 Stone Pine Road.
5. MacDutra Plaza located at 502 Main Street.
6. Kitty Fernandez Plaza located at Main Street and Filbert Street.
7. Oak Avenue Park located at 461 Oak Avenue.
8. Smith Field Park (including the baseball field, horseshoe pits, dog park, and all associated facilities) located at 201-203 Wavecrest Road.
9. Johnston House Historical Park (including the Johnston House, Train Depot, and all associated facilities) located at 110 Higgins Canyon Road.
10. Poplar Linear Park and Parking Lot located between the Seymour Ditch and Kelly Avenue (Parking Lot 100 Poplar Street).
11. Ted Adcock Community Center and HMB Skate Park located at 535 Kelly Avenue.
12. Miramontes Point Road parking lot and trailhead.
B. For the purpose of this chapter, “beaches” includes the following municipal public beaches located in Half Moon Bay:
1. Poplar Beach located between Seymour Ditch and Kelly Avenue.
2. Cañada Verde Beach area located at the west end of Miramontes Point Road (Miramontes Point Road).
3. Surfers Beach located at the westerly extension of Coronado Street (between the breakwater and mean high tide). (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. C-2014-03 §1, 2014: Ord. 12-94 §1(part), 1994).
9.13.030 Park and beach hours.
A. Except as otherwise designated by city council resolution or permitted under special event permit or city use/license agreement, all parks shall be open to the public from sunrise to sunset. Recreation facility hours of operation shall be established by the city manager. Where an activity at a park concludes at or near sunset, participants and/or spectators shall be allowed up to one-half hour to depart the park.
B. City beaches are open twenty-four hours per day in accordance with the California Coastal Act. The city may and does regulate the hours of access to parking and related facilities serving city beaches. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. 12-94 §1(part), 1994).
9.13.040 Park and beach hour applicability.
No person shall enter, use, cross, remain, reside, camp, dwell or loiter in a park, an appurtenant parking lot or facility except during the hours that such park or recreation facilities are open to the public. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. 12-94 §1(part), 1994).
9.13.050 Unlawful activities designated.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person in any city park or public beach to:
1. Fail to obey all city, county or state regulations while on the beach or in the park.
2. Deposit, create, throw, discharge or otherwise place any paper, ashes, bottles, cans, trash, litter, human or domesticated animal waste, animal carcass, rubbish, debris or any substance, matter or thing, either liquid or solid, on the beach or water body except in proper receptacles where provided; nor shall any person bring any such substance accumulated outside the beach or park to a city park or beach. Where receptacles are not provided or are full and unable to accommodate any additional material, all such rubbish shall be placed in closed plastic bags and placed next to the nearest city receptacle or carried home for disposal by the person or persons responsible.
3. Ride a bicycle, skateboard, razor scooter or similar, with or without motor, on pedestrian pathways or sidewalks, or upon turf areas, athletic fields, courts or planted areas, or within buildings, unless specifically designated for use at such facility or otherwise allowed by state law. With the exception of sworn officers and authorized city, county, or state staff, no motor vehicles shall be operated on a city beach.
4. Fail to obey all traffic signs and posted regulations, “no parking” or other parking limitations, direction of traffic officers or city employees or state motor vehicle traffic laws in a city park.
5. Willfully mark, cut, deface, write upon, disfigure, injure, open, expose, interfere or tamper with, or displace or remove any turf, soil, sand, grass, rock, tree, shrub, wood, protected flora or fauna, water pipe, gas pipe, hydrant, stopcock, sewer, basin, bench, table, furniture, utensil, monument, fence, equipment, paving, heavy materials, utility lines, signs, notices or placards, apparatus, or any portion of any structure or equipment of any facility, building or other city property whatsoever.
6. Swim or wade in waters or waterways adjacent to any park, except in such waters and at such places as are specifically provided and posted for recreation by the city.
7. Take part in or play any game involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as arrows, javelins, model airplanes, rockets or drones, except in areas set apart for such forms of recreation and/or provided for by recreation programs of the city. City authorized commercial drone use may be permitted for purposes including but not limited to planning, engineering or managing parks and beaches.
8. Ride a horse, except on designated equestrian trails and as provided for on Poplar Beach. Where permitted, horses shall be thoroughly broken and properly restrained and ridden with due care and shall not be allowed to graze or go unattended nor shall they be hitched to any rock, tree or shrub.
9. Enter any area which is posted as being closed to the public or to take part in an activity that is posted as prohibited.
10. With the exception of sworn peace officers, no person shall take or cause to be taken into a city park, facility, or beach any firearm, air gun, slingshot, fireworks of any kind, or weapon of any sort, including the use of any dangerous instrument in any manner which approximates a weapon.
11. Hold an event or activity without first obtaining any required permit or authorization from the city in advance.
12. Smoke in recreation areas and recreation area parking areas, as defined in Chapter 7.50 to include beaches and parks and their parking areas.
13. Have any dog off leash except as provided in Section 8.04.040(F).
14. Walk more than three dogs or walk any number of dogs for a fee without first obtaining a permit from the city in accordance with Section 8.04.040(G). (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. 12-94 §1(part), 1994).
9.13.060 Alcoholic beverages--Public parks and beaches.
No person shall consume or have in their possession or on their person any bottle, can or other receptacle containing alcoholic beverage(s) which has been opened, or the seal broken or the contents of which have been partially removed, while such person is occupying any municipal public park or city beach except where the city council has expressly authorized the sale and/or consumption in conjunction with a special event. These provisions apply to any cup, glass, cooler cup or other container which an alcoholic beverage is poured into and consumed in a city park or city beach. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).
9.13.065 Prohibition of glass containers and plastic water bottles.
A. No person shall have in their possession or on their person any bottle or other container with an exterior made entirely or partially of glass at any city-owned park or beach.
B. No person shall have in their possession or on their person any polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles or other plastic bottles intended for single use of one liter (thirty-four ounces) or less on any city-owned park or beach. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).
9.13.070 Prohibition of fires on city beaches.
No person shall light, build, use or maintain a fire on any city-owned beach excepting: (A) use of a portable propane camp stove or barbecue (no charcoal or wood) by individuals for day-use recreation; or (B) use of city-owned and designated fire pits. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).
9.13.075 Prohibition of fires in city parks.
No person shall light, build, use or maintain a fire on any municipal public park, plaza or parking lot excepting: (A) use of a portable propane camp stove or barbecue by individuals for day-use recreation; or (B) the use of city-provided outdoor grills. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).
9.13.080 Violation--Penalty.
Any person violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of an infraction, and if convicted shall be punished by (A) a fine not exceeding the amount identified in the city council approved citywide fee schedule, (B) any person violating these sections a second or more times shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished as set forth in Title 4. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).
9.13.090 Standards for naming a city park, beach, or recreation facility.
Requests for the naming of city-owned or controlled parks, beaches, open space, recreational facilities or contained features shall be at the sole discretion of the city council with a recommendation from the parks and recreation commission. Any resident or entity may submit a written request and/or petition to the city clerk at any time. When considering the naming or renaming of a recreational facility, it shall be the general policy of the city that the following criteria apply:
A. In naming or renaming any city park, open space area, beach, recreational facility or feature, the city council shall initially consider its service function and/or geographic location and shall determine the process of securing public input in the naming of new facilities. The city discourages name change proposals of established facilities/areas after a person, event, or any other factor. However, the city will consider requests that meet the following criteria:
1. Proposals that detail significant geological, geographical, cultural, historical, botanical, horticultural, scientific, or other factors or events that are associated with the area or population served by the facility, park, beach, or open space area.
2. Proposals that illustrate the appropriateness of honoring or showing gratitude to a person or family deserving of recognition within the local community served by the public facility, park or open space area. Such contributors should reflect a significant contribution to the acquisition, development, design and/or securing community consensus that insured development. Names may include past mayors, council members, committee members, commissioners, officers or employees of the city who have left city service for five or more years or are deceased.
3. Upon receipt of full value of a parks construction or construction of a park component, open space donation/purchase, or recreational facility development, a corporation, company, community organization or association, or individuals, may name the park or recreational facility or component as the donating party designates.
4. Facilities or features should not be given names that could cause confusion with other park and recreation amenities or public buildings within the system. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020: Ord. C-2019-02 §3(part), 2019: Ord. 2-00, 2000. Formerly 9.13.060).
9.13.100 Gifts and memorials.
The city may establish a gift or memorial program(s) to permit individuals, groups, companies or corporations to provide funds for purchase of city-prescribed apparatus, equipment, trees and landscaping or other components identified by the city as needed. Such gifts or memorial must be preapproved by city staff and affirmed by the parks and recreation commission subject to city council approved gift and memorial policy. Any signage or identifying plaques are subject to regulations and restrictions set forth by the policy and shall be limited in display to the useful life of the apparatus (maximum twenty years) for equipment or a maximum ten years for trees and landscaping. (Ord. C-2020-05 §2(Exh. C)(part), 2020).