Park Ordinances
Nampa Park Ordinances are set by the Nampa City Council.
- Definitions
- Prohibited Acts
- Enforcement
- Hours of Operation
- Emergency Closure
- Park Reservations
- Admission Fees for Events
- Amphitheater Permit
- Dogs in Public Parks
- Penalty
As used in this chapter, each of the terms defined has the meaning given in this section unless a different meaning is clearly required by the context. The word “shall” is mandatory, not directory.
At Large
A dog or other animal off the owners premises of the owner and not under control by an adequate leash.
Camp
To remain overnight, to attempt to remain overnight, to erect a tent or other shelter, or to use sleeping equipment, a vehicle, or a trailer camper, for the purpose of, or in such a way as will permit remaining overnight.
Concessions
Concessions shall constitute any vendor food sales and non-consumable sales as well.
Decibel
Shall constitute a unit for expressing the relative intensity of sounds on a scale from zero for the average least perceptible sound to about 130 for the average pain level.
Fireworks
Any combustible or explosive composition, or any substance or combination of substances, or article prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion, deflagration or detonation. Fireworks include items classified as common or special fireworks by the United States bureau of explosives or contained in the regulations of the United States department of transportation and designated as UN 0335 1.3G or UN 0336 1.4G. The term “fireworks” shall not include any automotive safety flares, toy guns, toy cannons, caps or other items designed for use with toy guns or toy cannons, party poppers, pop its or other devices which contain twenty five hundredths (25/100) of a grain or less of explosive substances.
Park
All parks, lands, buildings, reserves, sports complexes, swimming pools, squares, drives, trails, playgrounds, playfields, greenbelts, parking lots and other recreation and open space areas and facilities comprising the parks and recreation system that are owned, operated or maintained by the city of Nampa, including private pathways crossing the park system.
Park Rule
Those particular rules or codes of conduct the Parks and Recreation Director has adopted and the city council has designated by resolution as those for which a violation may lead to exclusion from a city park.
Violation
An act or omission or combination thereof that is contrary to any park rule or any civil or criminal provision of this code or the Idaho state code.
The following activities shall be prohibited in all public parks:
Motor Vehicles in Parks
No cars, motorcycles or motor vehicles of any kind shall be driven or parked within the boundaries of any public park in the city, except upon regularly traveled public rights of way within said parks, without the written approval of the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative. This rule shall not prohibit the use of ADA complaint wheelchairs that are motorized and other similar accessibility enhancing devices by disabled individuals.
It is unlawful to park or display “For Sale Vehicles” within the boundaries of a public park, public park parking lot, trailway or trailway parking lot. The Parks and Recreation Department may have violating vehicles towed at owner’s expense.
An applicant or representative of a group may receive a turf pass from the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative. A turf pass shall only be granted through written permission upon application and payment of the applicable fee which shall be set by resolution.
Alcoholic Beverages
No person shall consume any alcoholic beverage or controlled substances as defined by state code or have in his possession any opened containers or receptacles containing any alcoholic beverage on any public park grounds, or thoroughfares within the city, or at any other place therein, other than a private residence or upon premises licensed for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages or upon premises whereon alcoholic beverages are sold by a licensee under an Idaho liquor catering permit, as authorized by law. The city owned golf courses and adjacent grounds are excluded from this section.
Sale of Food or Goods
No person shall sell any goods, food or food product of any kind in any park, including adjacent right of way (sidewalks, parking lots, etc.) without a license as a concessionaire as provided in title 5, chapter 4, of this code.
Camping
Overnight camping is prohibited in city parks and other public property except in areas and times designated by the Parks and Recreation Department.
Recreational Activities
The participation in the playing of any games involving dangerous objects such as stones, arrows, or javelins, except in areas set apart for such forms of recreation by the director, is prohibited. Golfing or driving balls, shall be prohibited except in duly constituted golf courses or driving ranges. Hunting and the use of firearms and/or fireworks shall be prohibited in public parks.
Bicycle riding shall be prohibited in the interior area of softball and/or baseball complexes within the City of Nampa Parks system pursuant to Title 6, chapter 5 of the Nampa City Code.
Skateboarding shall be prohibited in the interior area of softball and/or baseball complexes within the City of Nampa system pursuant to Title 6, Chapter 4 of the Nampa City Code.
Glass Containers Prohibited
It is prohibited for any person to throw, carry or have in their possession any glass beverage container on city park grounds which includes the interior of athletic complexes.
Advertising or Signage in Parks
It is prohibited for any person to paste, glue, tack or otherwise post any signs, plaques, advertisements or inscriptions whatsoever in any park, including adjacent rights of way (sidewalks, parking lots, etc.), except plaques, tablets or signs, of a size, design and location approved by the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative, recognizing or acknowledging donations or contributions to any city park or to public facilities therein.
Individual teams may place team sponsor banners on their designated dugout fence only for the duration of the game. Sponsor banners are required to have the team name and will be allowed to list sponsor/s names or logos on the banner.
Destruction to Park Property
It is prohibited for any person to willfully mark, deface, disfigure, injure, tamper with, or displace or remove any building, bridges, tables, benches, fireplaces, railings, playground equipment, paving or paving material, water lines or other public utilities or parts or appurtenances whatsoever, either real or personal, or have in his possession any of the foregoing things or objects, or any part thereof.
No person shall fail to cooperate in maintaining restrooms and washrooms in a neat and sanitary condition. No person over the age of six (6) years shall use the park restrooms and washrooms designated for the opposite sex.
It is prohibited for any person to construct or erect any building or structure of whatever kind, whether permanent or temporary in character, or run or string any public service utility into, upon or across such lands, except on special written permit issued hereunder.
It is prohibited for any person to willfully damage, cut, carve, transplant or remove any tree or plant, or injure the bark, or pick the flowers or seeds, of any tree, fruit or plant. Nor shall any person attach any rope, wire or other contrivance to any tree or plant. No person shall dig in or otherwise disturb grass areas, or in any other way injure or impair the natural beauty or usefulness of any area, except by approval of the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative.
Hot Air Ballons/Parachuting
No person shall land or launch a hot air balloon or land a parachute within any park or reserve of Nampa City, except by written permission from the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative and in designated areas. Such permission requires compliance with all applicable FAA regulations.
Metal Detecting
Metal detecting in a cemetery or upon a golf course is prohibited and any person who is using, or who attempts to use, a metal detector or similar device in a cemetery or upon a golf course shall be guilty of an infraction.
Any person who is using, or who attempts to use, a metal detector or similar device in a park shall be guilty of an infraction unless that person has a current permit for metal detecting issued by the Nampa Parks and Recreation Department. The Nampa Parks and Recreation Department shall issue such permits and may be revoked at any time. Permits may be obtained during business hours at the Nampa Recreation Center. No charge or fee will be enacted for receiving any such permit.
Worm Gathering
It is prohibited for any person to place or attempt to place an electric probe or similar device for the purpose of worm gathering. Worm gathering in City of Nampa Parks is prohibited.
The Director and all employees of the Parks and Recreation Department shall have authority to enforce any provision of this chapter, and shall have the authority to eject from any park or public facility any person violating any provision of this chapter. The Director or designated representative shall further have the authority to regulate activities in any area where necessary to prevent congestion and to secure maximum use of the parks for the comfort and convenience of the public.
Police officers, the Director of the Nampa City Park System, and park attendants, or duly authorized representatives of the Park Supervisor, shall enforce the provisions of this Ordinance.
A police officer, the Director of the Nampa City Park System, or duly authorized representative, shall have the authority to eject from the park any persons acting in violation of this Ordinance. Any person ejected from the park shall leave promptly and peaceably and shall not return to the park for any reason on the same calendar day of his ejection.
Whenever any police officer, Parks Director or representative finds a vehicle unattended in the park and the vehicle is parked in violation of this Ordinance, such person may provide for the removal of such vehicle to the nearest available garage or place of safety at the cost of the vehicle’s owner.
City parks shall be open to the public every day of the year from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Persons and vehicles shall be excluded from the parks during the hours of closure.
The Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative has the authority to temporarily close a park, or any portion thereof, at such times as he deems necessary to protect the park and in the best interest of the city.
Use of park facilities is on a first come, first served basis unless reserved pursuant to City policy.
Reservations may be made by any party for any park facility where diamonds, courts, halls, rooms, gyms, gardens, picnic shelters or fireplaces are provided. All persons requesting advance reservation shall pay a fee as provided by resolution and approved by the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative and shall observe Parks and Recreation Department regulations and requirements. Such areas designated as “Reserved” shall remain reserved for the exclusive use of the reservation holder during their reservation period.
If persons using a facility have not reserved the time and paid the appropriate fee, and are using the facility at a time that has been reserved for another person, they shall be required to vacate the facility. If they refuse to vacate the facility, they may be excluded from the park pursuant to the authority granted in this chapter.
A list of reservations for a particular facility shall be maintained by the Parks and Recreation Department to inform the public who has reserved the facility and the time, or times, for which the facility has been reserved.
It is prohibited for any person to fail or refuse to comply with directions given to park attendants in regulating the activities in any area when necessary to prevent congestion and to secure the maximum use for the comfort and convenience of all. Failure to observe such Parks and Recreation Department rules and regulations shall result in the immediate termination of the advance reservation.
It is prohibited for any person to remove tables from reserved areas.
It shall be the duty of the reservation holder to leave all halls, rooms, gyms and other building facilities reserved for use in a condition identical to that when those facilities were permitted to the reservation holder for use. It is prohibited for any person to leave a picnic area before the fire is completely extinguished and before all trash in the nature of boxes, papers, cans, garbage and other refuse is placed in disposal receptacles where provided. If no such trash receptacles are available, then refuse and trash shall be carried away from the park area by the picnicker to be properly disposed of elsewhere. Glass beverage containers are prohibited on all park and reserve properties of the City of Nampa.
No group or event shall be allowed to charge fees of any sort to the public for events held within city parks without first obtaining approval of the Parks and Recreation Director or designated representative. Said approval may be conditioned upon receipt of proof of adequate insurance coverage and/or a release of liability of the City for the event or gathering.
A permit shall be required to use the amphitheater. The permit shall be secured by application and the payment of fees to the Parks and Recreation Department. Fees shall be set by resolution.
All music must be maintained no louder the sixty-two decibels at a distance of 240 feet (the big fireplace) from the music source. If the noise level is anticipated to be louder than 62 decibels at the big fireplace, the same group must also reserve the big fireplace and the sound level shall not exceed 62 decibels at 500 feet. Special permission must be granted for raised noise levels. Following proper warning, power will be shut off at the Amphitheater when a group abuses the sound restrictions, thereby terminating the performance.
Dogs Running At Large Prohibited
Any person who owns, harbors or has in his control a dog, whether the dog is licensed or not, in any public park in the city, is liable for such dog being at large in violation of this section except:
- When such dog is controlled by a leash not exceeding eight feet (8’) in length;
- Such dog is confined in a motor vehicle;
- When written permission is obtained in advance from the parks department to have a dog or dogs at large.
Dogs Prohibited Within Specified Locations And During Certain Community Events
Any person who owns, harbors or has in his control an animal, whether the animal is licensed or not, and whether the animal is controlled by a leash or not, within the parameter of an athletic complex in any public park in the city or in a public park when a community event is taking place is responsible for such animal being at large and in violation of this section; seeing eye dogs and police dogs are exempt from this section; specific locations and specific events include:
- The interior area of softball and/or baseball complexes within the City of Nampa Parks system.
- Any open area that is being utilized as a playing field for any organized athletic or sporting event (e.g., soccer, archery, football, etc.).
- Community events generating large crowds including, but not limited to, the Nampa Art Festival, Chamber events, etc.
Cleaning After Dogs
No person owning, harboring, controlling or keeping any dog shall permit the dog to deposit fecal material on any public property without the owner or custodian immediately bagging and removing the material and disposing of it in the proper trash receptacles.
A violation of any provision of this chapter, other than non-payment of fees and charges shall be an infraction.