(Ordinance No. 1998-27)

                The County Board of Supervisors of Jefferson County, Wisconsin, do ordain as follows:

                SECTION 8.01. TITLE.  This ordinance shall be known as, referred to or cited as the Jefferson County Parks Ordinance.

                SECTION 8.02. PURPOSE.  The County of Jefferson owns and maintains land in the county designated as county parks and recreation trails for the use and enjoyment of residents and visitors.  This ordinance provides rules to protect such parks and county recreation trails and to enable people to use such parks and recreation trails for recreational purposes without unwarranted interference or obstruction occasioned by inconsistent uses.

                SECTION 8.03. COUNTY PARKS COMMITTEE.  The County Parks Committee shall be as established by County Board Rules.  Said Committee shall have charge and supervision of all county parks and recreation trails and all lands heretofore or hereafter designated by the Jefferson County Board for park and recreational purposes. 

                SECTION 8.04. GROUP MEETINGS.  Public meetings, assemblies, music festivals, rock festivals, political events involving an anticipated attendance of more than 20 persons are prohibited within the limits of any park unless a written permit of the Parks Committee has been first granted and then only in areas designated by the Parks Committee.  Prior to issuance of a permit, the applicant shall disclose the anticipated number of persons expected to attend, arrangements for sanitation and garbage disposal, whether an electrically amplified sound system will be used, and, if so, its output.  The Parks Committee will review the application to determine whether such use can be accommodated after consideration of existing facilities, traffic access, parking availability, adequate sanitation and waste disposal, adjacent uses, and the effects of the proposed use on other lawful users of the park.  The Parks Committee may establish conditions for issuance of the permit, including reasonable security for costs which may result due to such use.

                SECTION 8.05. SALES AND SOLICITATION.  (1) No person shall sell, or offer for sale, any article, merchandise or thing or solicit for any trade, occupation, business or profession within any park without a written permit of the Parks Committee.

                (2) No person shall distribute, post, or display any handbill, sign, placard, or advertisement of any kind within any park or on a recreation trail without a written permit of the Parks Committee.  The word "distribute" shall include the scattering of printed matter from aircraft.

                SECTION 8.06. HUNTING, TRAPPING, FIREARMS, FIREWORKS, FIRES AND RUBBISH.  (1) No person, other than a law enforcement officer, shall carry, fire or discharge any gun, pistol or firearm within any park or from any recreation trail.  The word "gun" shall include pellet gun and air gun.  No person shall carry or discharge a bow and arrow within any park or from any recreation trail.  No person shall discharge any fireworks of any description in a park without a written permit of the Parks Committee and any other authority required by law. The Parks Committee may establish conditions for issuance of the permit, including reasonable security for costs which may result due to such use.

                (2) No person shall make or maintain a fire for any purpose except in places provided or in portable metal grills.

                (3) No person shall deposit cans, bottles, food, garbage or other discarded material except in waste containers provided.

                (4) No person shall deposit in park waste containers trash not related to park use.

                (5) Unless authorized in writing by the Parks Director to remove nuisance animals, no person may hunt or trap on land in a county park, nor shall any person tend traps adjacent to a county park from county park land.  [Amended 06/08/04, Ordinance No. 2004-11]

                SECTION 8.07. ANIMALS IN PARKS OR ON RECREATION TRAILS.  (1) No person having the control or care of a dog shall permit such dog to enter or remain in a park or on a recreation trail unless it is on a leash not longer than 6 feet.  Dogs found running at large within a park or on a recreation trail may be impounded by a humane officer or a deputy sheriff.  No person having the control or care of a dog in a park shall fail to remove and properly dispose of excrement deposited by said dog in a park.

                (2) No person having the control or care of a horse shall permit such horse to enter or remain in a park or on a recreation trail.

                (3) Notwithstanding Subsection (1), pets of any kind shall be prohibited in Lower Rock Lake Park, being that portion of the park between C.T.H. "B" and Park Lane Road.

                (4)   (a)   Not withstanding (1), dogs may be off leash in areas so designated in Bicentennial Park, which shall also be known as the Jefferson County Dog Park.

                        (b)   The Parks Committee may adopt rules for the use of the dog park.  Such rules shall be posted on signs at the park.  Violation of any rule so posted shall constitute a violation of this ordinance and subject the violator to the penalties set forth herein.

                        (c)   No person shall bring a dog into the dog park without a permit therefore.  Fees for dog park permits shall be:  County Residents:  annual permit $18.00, permit for additional dog $5.00, senior citizen annual permit $10.00, replacement permit $10.00, daily permit $3.00; Nonresidents:  annual permit $25.00, permit for additional dog $5.00, senior citizen annual permit $10.00, replacement permit $10.00, daily permit $5.00.  [Section 8.07(4) adopted on 10/14/03, Ord. 2003-18; am. 09/11/07, Ord. 2007-20]

                SECTION 8.08. MOTOR VEHICLES.  (1) No person shall operate or drive any motor vehicle on a recreation trail or within a park except on roads and in parking areas designated for vehicular travel.  For purposes of this ordinance, "motor vehicle" is defined, without limitation by enumeration, as an automobile, truck, van, bus, motorcycle, minibike, go-cart, golf cart or all-terrain vehicle.

                (2) No person shall operate or drive an all-terrain vehicle or motorized three-wheel vehicle not licensed for use on a public highway on roads, in parking areas or in any other part of a park or recreation trail.

                (3) No person shall park any bus, large truck, boat trailer or other vehicle in a manner substantially obstructing the use and enjoyment of a park or recreation trail for recreational purposes.  No person shall leave an unoccupied motor vehicle in a park when said park is closed to the public.

                (4) No person shall operate a snowmobile in a park or on a recreation trail other than on a trail marked for snowmobiling.

                (5) No person shall operate a motor vehicle in excess of the posted speed limit or 15 miles per hour, whichever is less, on a park road or in a parking area.  The Parks Committee may, by posting proper signs, designate areas with reduced speed limits.

                SECTION 8.09. DESTRUCTION OR REMOVAL OF PROPERTY.  (1) No person shall intentionally cut down, break, injure or destroy any tree, shrub, flowers, turf, building, signs, tables or other property within any park or on a recreation trail.

                (2) No person shall intentionally take or remove any property from any park.

                SECTION 8.10. CAMPING OR LODGING FORBIDDEN.  No person shall use a park for prolonged sleeping, camping, lodging, overnight living or use within park overnight equipment customarily housed in campsites, tourist or recreational vehicle parks without a permit.  The Parks Committee may establish conditions for issuance of the permit, including reasonable security for costs which may result due to such use.

                SECTION 8.11. PARK HOURS.  All parks, park roads and parking areas shall be closed to the public and vehicular traffic, except police and emergency vehicles, from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise and no person shall remain in parks during said hours, unless authorized by the issuance of a permit therefore by the Parks Director.  [Amended 06/13/06, Ord. 2006-09]

                SECTION 8.12. PERMITS.  Applications for permits shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the County Parks Committee and delivered to the office of the Parks Director.  Permits shall be issued by a duly authorized representative of the Parks Committee.  The County Parks Committee may establish a schedule of fees for the issuance of such permits.

                SECTION 8.13. PENALTIES.  (1) Any person violating any provision of this ordinance shall, upon conviction, be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $200, penalty assessment and costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of such forfeiture, penalty assessment and costs, shall be imprisoned in the County Jail until such forfeiture and costs are paid, such imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. [renumbered 09-11-07, Ord. 2007-21]

                (2) In addition to issuing citations or other methods of forfeiture enforcement, the Parks Director or a county law enforcement officer may issue a violation notice to a person violating any provision of this ordinance.  The notice fee shall be $25.  If the notice fee is not paid within five (5) days of issuance of the notice, a citation or other method of forfeiture collection shall be used.  [cr. 09-11-07, Ord. 2007-21]

                SECTION 8.14. SEVERABILITY.  The provisions of this ordinance are severable and provisions or sections which may hereinafter be declared to be illegal or unconstitutional shall be declared repealed and the remainder shall not be affected thereby.

                SECTION 8.15. REPEAL OF CONFLICTING ORDINANCES.  Any ordinances or parts of any ordinances heretofore enacted in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed.

                SECTION 8.16. EFFECTIVE DATE.  This ordinance shall be effective upon passage and publication.

Adopted 05/12/98; publication 05/14/98

Last Amended 09/11/07; published 09/17/07