Section 8.230 Regulations of Parks and Related Facilities.

8.230 Regulations of Parks and Related Facilities.

(1) Alcohol Beverages.

(a) Pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 125.06(6), fermented malt beverages may be sold by City officers or employees in any City park under such terms and conditions as authorized by the Chief of Police and Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee.

(b) No person shall possess or consume alcoholic beverages, wine or fermented malt beverages in Dale Street Park, Henry Schuette Park, Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincolnshire Park, Manitowoc Family Aquatic Center at Citizen Park, Manitowoc Youth Baseball Complex at Citizen Park, Mariners Landing, Pulaski Park, Riverview Park, Union Park, or Washington Park, except where provided pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section, and except where the person has obtained possession of fermented malt beverages from the holder of a Class “B” license authorizing the sale of such beverages at such park. This prohibition shall extend to the sidewalks in and immediately adjacent to the parks listed above, except that it shall not be a violation of this section if any person possesses wine or alcoholic beverages on such sidewalks in the original unopened containers.

(c) No person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverages, wine or fermented malt beverages on the sidewalks surrounding the parks named in subsection (1)(b) of this section except where provided pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section, and except that it shall not be a violation of this section if a person possesses the beverages on the sidewalks in their original unopened containers or if a person has obtained permission from the Special Events Committee/Common Council to possess alcoholic beverages in the above-named parks.

(2) Horseback Riding Prohibited. No horseback riding shall be permitted within the limits of any City park or Evergreen Cemetery at any time.

(3) Park Hours.

(a) Standard Park Hours. Park hours are 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., unless otherwise stated by ordinance or attending a Parks Division or City-sponsored or -approved activity. The Parks Division may close parks or areas within the parks to the public as necessary to protect public safety, property, or by approval of the Common Council.

(b) Special Facilities Rules. Persons who have a rental contract with the City of Manitowoc for Lincoln Park Fieldhouse, Lincoln Park Cabin, Lincoln Park Cabin 2, Silver Creek Park Concession Stand or Silver Creek Park Fieldhouse may remain in the cabin with their guests until 12:00 a.m. for the event. Persons listed on the contract may remain in the cabin from 12:00 a.m. until 2:00 a.m. to clean up after the event.

(c) Lincoln Park Zoo. Except for authorized personnel or City sponsored activities it shall be unlawful for any person to be within the perimeter fence or the immediate surrounding outside boundaries of the Lincoln Park Zoo area between sundown and sunrise.

(d) Waysides. No person shall remain in any wayside operated by any State or local government located in the City of Manitowoc which is closed by signs placed in a location to give reasonable notice to the public that the wayside is closed.

(e) Camp Vits Park and Vetter Trailhead. Except for authorized personnel or City-sponsored or -approved activities, it shall be unlawful for any person to be within Camp Vits Park or Vetter Trailhead between sundown and sunrise.

(4) Loud Noise. Park users and event organizers shall keep the volume of public address systems or loudspeakers confined to the immediate area of the participating groups within City parks. The Police Department and/or designated Park Division personnel shall order a reduction in the volume of said public address system or loudspeakers whenever it becomes a nuisance because of the volume or the method in which it is being operated.

(5) Motor Vehicles and Parking.

(a) No person may operate an automobile, motor truck, motor delivery wagon, bus, motorcycle, mini-bus or other motor vehicle or trailer used in connection therewith in any City of Manitowoc park or cemetery, or on any school grounds in the City of Manitowoc, unless the area over which the vehicle is operated has been specifically designated by the Manitowoc Common Council or other appropriate authority for usage of a vehicle. The Common Council may limit the type of vehicle owned which may be operated in any park area or cemetery area.

(b) Subsection (5)(a) of this section shall not apply to any vehicle owned by the State, the United States or a local unit of government or any vehicle operated by employees, agents or officers of the State, the United States or of a local unit of government while in the performance of their official duties. Subsection (5)(a) of this section shall not apply to any vehicle traveling on the designated vehicular roads in the parks or cemeteries of the City of Manitowoc.

(d) Motor vehicles, equipment or materials cannot be parked or staged on park property outside of park hours without the approval of Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee.

(e) Unauthorized use of motor vehicles on public and private property is further governed by MMC 14.450, which references motorized recreation vehicles on public land.

(6) Fires. No fires shall be permitted in any City park or City property except charcoal fires in barbecue grills or clean (natural, bare, dry cord-wood) wood fires in fire rings and fire pits provided by City. The Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee is authorized to grant specific exceptions to this rule in individual instances where adequate precautions are taken to assure public safety. Any fires on City property must be supervised by an adult until the fire is fully extinguished. Lighting fires is further governed by MMC 6.120.

(7) Loitering in Parking Areas. No person, after having been warned by a police officer, shall loiter, stand, congregate, sit or lie in or upon any designated vehicular parking area in any City park for the purpose of eating or drinking, listening to music, or conducting other social activities not incidental to walking to or from other park areas or loading or unloading items for use in other park areas. The purpose of this subsection is to assure that recreational park activities occur in designated parking areas and prevent littering in those areas. The Special Events Committee/Common Council may grant exceptions to these restrictions on the use of parking areas for special events.

(8) Rules. The Public Infrastructure Committee of the Common Council is authorized to promulgate rules for the regulation of City parks and events in the parks. Any person who violates such rules shall be considered to have violated this section and be subject to any penalties therefor.

(9) Metal Detecting.

(a) Purpose and Intent. It is the policy of the City to regulate metal detector use within parks in order to protect park landscaping and turf areas and to restrict metal detecting activities to appropriate parks based on the use of the park.

(b) Policy. Metal detecting is permitted from sunrise to sunset or during posted park hours in all City beach park areas listed below, and other nondesignated beach areas within City limits upon prior approval by the Public Infrastructure Committee:

1. Silver Creek Park Beach Area;

2. Red Arrow Park Beach Area;

3. Lakefront Park Beach Area;

4. Lighthouse Park Beach Area;

5. Memorial Drive Wayside Beach Area.

(c) Digging Tools. Shovels, spades, garden trowels, and other similar tools may not be used to dig into or turn over ground areas that are covered by turf, vegetation, shrubs, or trees. The only permissible digging tools are screwdrivers, ice picks, and other similar narrow pronged devices.

(d) Finding and Removing Items from Parks. Any person wishing to remove any item or historical object found within a park by metal detection must first report said item to the City parks office by calling (920) 686-3580 or emailing
parksadmin@manitowoc.org.

(e) Fees. No fee shall be charged for metal detecting in City parks.

(10) Amusement Equipment Prohibited. No person may erect amusement equipment such as a “bounce house,” swimming pool, climbing wall, dunk tank or other structures used for recreational purposes in any City park unless such amusement device is erected as part of an event approved by the Special Events Committee/Common Council.

(11) Staking or Digging in Parks Prohibited. No person may dig, damage, or disturb turfed areas within any City park unless such activity is authorized by the Special Events Committee/Common Council.

(12) Protecting Park Property.

(a) Damaging, vandalizing, altering, or removing park property is prohibited. Park property includes, but is not limited to, park buildings, grounds, signs and equipment.

(b) Dumping or littering trash, yard waste, liquids, furniture, or construction materials is not allowed in any park. Disposal of waste generated off site and placed in park garbage or recycling receptacles is prohibited.

(c) The use of or encroachment on park property for personal or private use, such as long-term or overnight occupancy in park facilities, storing equipment, erecting structures, installing objects, posting signs, or placing utilities is not allowed without the consent of the Public Infrastructure Committee.

(d) All park signs, barriers, posted rules and regulations must be followed at all times.

(13) Protecting Natural Resources.

(a) Removing, altering or damaging any tree, plant, driftwood, or animal is not allowed. Fruits, nuts and mushrooms on park property may be foraged and harvested for personal use with approval of Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee.

(b) Removing invasive and/or noxious plants and trees from City of Manitowoc Parks is strictly prohibited without the approval of the Parks Division. Removing wood from City of Manitowoc Parks and cemetery locations is strictly prohibited without the approval of the Forestry Division through a fully executed Wood/Brush Cutting and Harvesting Agreement.

(d) Feeding, hunting, trapping, releasing or disturbing any animal in a park is prohibited without the approval of the Manitowoc Police Department.

(e) Fishing is allowed, consistent with the State of Wisconsin Fishing Regulations.

(14) Camping. Tents, temporary shelters, maintaining campsites or temporary lodging and overnight sleeping are prohibited within every park unless otherwise approved and authorized by the Public Infrastructure Committee/Common Council.

(15) Pets.

(a) Animals on public property are regulated by MMC 14.020(5).

(b) Pets must be on a leash no more than six feet long at all times, except within fenced-in dog parks or designated dog run areas.

1. All dogs within a dog park or dog run area must be licensed and vaccinated pursuant to Wis. Stat. § 95.21(2).

2. A dog owner or handler must be at least 16 years of age, stay within the fenced-in area at all times and shall not leave their dog(s) unattended or out of sight. The dog(s) must be under the voice control of the owner or handler at all times.

3. A dog owner or handler is permitted a maximum of three dogs per person, per visit, in off-leash areas.

4. Dog owners are responsible for their dog(s) and any injuries caused by the dog(s).

5. Dogs must be restrained by leash no longer than six feet prior to entering and upon leaving a designated off-leash area.

6. Dogs under the age of four months are not permitted in designated off-leash areas.

7. Dangerous animals are prohibited from parks, dog parks and dog run areas pursuant to MMC 14.020(3).

(c) Pets are not allowed in any park buildings, picnic areas, beach areas, playgrounds or in the following designated park areas: Lincoln Park Zoo, Citizen Park, and Miracles Park. This prohibition does not include or apply to service animals as defined by Americans with Disabilities Act.

(d) All pets must be attended at all times.

(e) Pet defecation on park property is regulated by MMC 14.020(8).

(16) Conduct.

(a) Soliciting donations or sales is allowed with permit or prior authorization from the Special Events Committee but is otherwise prohibited.

(b) Posting, displaying, pasting, fastening, painting or affixing any bill, notice or sign upon any structure, tree, stone, fence or enclosure in any park is prohibited absent written approval from the Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee.

(d) Scattering of human or animal cremains is prohibited.

(e) Smoking, vaping and commercial tobacco use is prohibited inside or within 50 feet of any City facilities, which includes park rental facilities, open air shelters, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, Lincoln Park Zoo and Manitowoc Family Aquatic Center. Smoking and tobacco products are further regulated by MMC 14.270.

(17) Fireworks. Possessing or setting off fireworks, rockets, smoke bombs and other pyrotechnics is prohibited in all parks and further regulated by MMC 6.070.

(18) Bicycles.

(a) Bicycles must be operated on paved trails within the parks, with the exception of clearly marked and designated off-road biking trails.

(b) Bicyclists must operate bicycles in a safe manner, staying as close to the right-hand side of the trail as conditions allow.

(d) Electric bicycles are allowed on designated bicycle trails and must be operated safely and in accordance with posted trail rules.

(e) Operating a bicycle is prohibited in Manitowoc Youth Baseball Complex at Citizen Park, the Lincoln Park Zoo, all tennis courts and Goodwill NCW Miracle League Field of Dreams at Miracle Park.

(f) Bicycles are further regulated by MMC 10.830.

(19) Skating: Roller Skating, In-line Skating, Skateboarding, Scootering.

(a) Skating is permitted in parks on paved trails, sidewalks, Manitowoc X-Sports Complex and Citizen Park Rec Center for skating events but is otherwise prohibited.

(b) Skaters must stay as close to the right-hand side of the trail and sidewalk as conditions allow.

(d) Skaters must adhere to all posted park rules.

(e) Electric scooters and similar electric skate equipment are permitted on paved trails and must operate in accordance with posted trail rules.

(f) Skating is further regulated by MMC 14.370.

(20) Golfing. Golfing is regulated by MMC 14.820.

(21) Geocaching.

(a) Authorization from Director of Public Infrastructure or their designee is required to place caches in parks.

(b) Dangerous or illegal material may not be placed in a cache.

(22) Glass Beverage Containers in Parks. Glass beverage containers are strictly prohibited in all parks with the exception of wine bottles, which are allowed in conformance with subsection (1) of this section.

[Ord. 24-1495 § 1, 2024; Ord. 23-172 § 1, 2023; Ord. 20-693 § 1, 2020; Ord. 18-834 § 1, 2018; Ord. 17-732 § 1, 2017; Ord. 17-636 § 1, 2017; Ord. 16-864 § 1, 2016. Prior code § 8.23]