§1-05 Regulated Uses

Assemblies, meetings, exhibitions
1. No person shall hold or sponsor any special event or demonstration without a permit.
2. Reserved.
3. No person shall erect any structure, stand, booth, platform, or exhibit in connection with any assembly, meeting, exhibition or other event without approval of the Commissioner or his or her designated representative.
Unlawful Vending
No person in any park, or street adjacent to or abutting a park (including all public sidewalks of such abutting streets) shall sell, offer for sale, hire, lease or let anything whatsoever, except under and within the terms of a permit, or except as otherwise provided by law.
Unlawful posting of notices or signs
1. No person shall post, display, affix, construct or carry any placard, flag, banner, sign or model or display any such item by means of aircraft, kite, balloon or other aerial device, in, on, or above the surface of any park for any purpose whatsoever without a permit issued by the Commissioner. Each separate item placed in violation of this section shall constitute a separate violation.
2. Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subdivision (c), any person may carry any item described in paragraph (1) of this section, without the aid of any aircraft, kite, balloon or other aerial device, where the space on which the message of such item is contained has a height no greater than two feet and a length no longer than three feet, and that such item takes up a total area of no more than six square feet.
3. Any person who posts or displays a sign upon park property, including the perimeters of any park, whether or not pursuant to a permit issued under this subdivision (c), shall be responsible for removal of such sign pursuant to the conditions in such permit, or immediately if no such permit has been issued. Failure to remove any sign that is posted or displayed on such property, or that remains on such property, other than in compliance with such permit, shall constitute a violation of these Rules.
4. In the event that a notice or sign is, in violation of this subdivision (c), posted or displayed on any property, including the perimeters of any park, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that any person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on such notice or sign has violated this subdivision by either (i) pasting, posting, painting, printing or nailing such notice or sign, or (ii) directing, suffering or permitting a servant, agent, employee or other individual under such person's control to engage in such activity; provided, however, that such rebuttable presumption shall not apply with respect o criminal prosecutions brought pursuant to this paragraph (4).
Noise; Musical Instruments; Sound Reproduction Devices
1. No person shall make, or cause or allow to be made, unreasonable noise in any park so as to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or harm. Unreasonable noise means any excessive or unusually loud sound that disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of a reasonable person of normal sensitivity or injures or endangers the health or safety of a reasonable person of normal sensitivity, or which causes injury to plant or animal life, or damage to property or business.
2. No person shall play or operate any sound reproduction device, as defined in §1-02 of these Rules, in any park without a permit from the Department of Parks & Recreation and any other City agency or agencies with pertinent jurisdiction. This paragraph (2) shall not apply to the regular and customary use of portable radios, record players, compact disc players, or television receivers, or tape recorders played or operated in full accordance with these Rules so as not unreasonably to disturb other persons in their permitted uses of the park, except that in areas designated by the Commissioner as "quiet zones," such regular and customary use of sound reproduction devices shall be prohibited. Signs shall be posted in all quiet zones advising the public of such prohibition. Use of radios and other sound reproduction devices listened to solely by headphones or earphones, and inaudible to others, is permitted in all areas of the parks.
3. No person shall play or operate any musical instrument or drum, radio, tape recorder or other device for producing sound in any park between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. except under the express terms of a permit. The Commissioner may, in his or her discretion, further restrict such hours in specific parks where such operation would disturb or damage the comfort, peace, health or safety of persons or businesses.
4. No person shall play or operate any musical instrument or drum or cause any noise for advertising or commercial purposes except under the express terms of a permit.
Unauthorized commercial cinematic productions
No person shall engage in any cinematic production for commercial purposes without a permit from the Mayor's Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting, which shall promptly notify the Department of the issuance of such permits. The permittee shall be responsible to restore any park property altered or damaged in connection with the exercise of such permit.
Alcoholic Beverages
1. Except where specifically permitted by the Commissioner, no person shall consume any alcoholic beverage in any park, playground, beach, swimming pool or other park property or facility, nor shall any person possess any alcoholic beverage with intent to consume or facilitate consumption by others of same in any park, playground, beach, swimming pool, or other park property or facility.
2. It shall be a violation of these rules for any person to appear in any park under the influence of alcohol to the degree that he may endanger himself or herself, other persons or property, or unreasonably annoy persons in his or her vicinity.
Beaches, Boardwalks and Pools
1. Bathing in waters adjacent to property under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be permitted only at authorized bathing beaches and only during the bathing season designated by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may limit or expand the extent of bathing beaches or shorten or extend the bathing season with due regard for weather conditions and the safety of the public. It shall be a violation of these rules to bathe during storms or be present at any time in unauthorized areas.
2. Except where permitted by the Commissioner, no person shall bring into or use in any pool under the jurisdiction of the Department, artificial floats, masks, spears, fins, snorkels, air or gas tanks, or other apparatus used for skin or scuba diving. No person shall bring into or use in any other water under the jurisdiction of the Department, artificial floats, spears, fins, snorkels, air or gas tanks, or other apparatus used for scuba diving.
3. Except in locations designated for such purpose, no person shall engage in any athletic game or conduct himself in such a way upon a bathing beach or in the water as to jeopardize the safety of himself or others. Surfboards are allowed only at areas expressly designated for such use.
4. No person having, or apparently having any infectious disease shall be admitted to a bathing beach or bath house, or shall be permitted in the water.
5. No person shall change clothes except in bath houses or other authorized places. No person shall be nude at any bathing area, beach or pool under the jurisdiction of the Department.
6. No person shall disobey the reasonable direction of a lifeguard, nor shall any person carry on unnecessary conversation with a lifeguard, or falsely call for help or assistance, or stand, sit upon, or cling to lifeguard perches, or cling to or go into a lifeguard boat except in an emergency.
7. Persons using swimming pools under the jurisdiction of the Department may only do so if dressed in bathing suits, and only after showering at the park immediately prior to entering such pools.
8. Bathing and swimming in park swimming pools shall be allowed only on such days and at such times as are designated by the Commissioner and posted at each facility.
9. No person shall dive into water under the jurisdiction of the department except where specifically authorized by posted signs.
Fishing
1. Fishing shall be permitted from locations under the jurisdiction of the Department, except in open swimming areas or where specifically prohibited. Any person who engages in fishing shall obey all posted guidelines, and comply with all applicable City, State and Federal laws and regulations, including Title 6 of the New York State Environmental Conservation Law.
2. The use of lead fishing weights in waters under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be a violation of these rules.
3. Failure to remove fishing line fragments and hooks from land and waters under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be a violation of these rules.
4. All fish caught in fresh water areas shall be immediately released. The use of barbed hooks in such areas shall be a violation of these rules.
5. The use of traps to catch fish and/or crustaceans in areas under the jurisdiction of the Department shall be prohibited.
Bicycling
1. Any person bringing a bicycle into any park shall obey all park signs pertaining to the use of such bicycles.
2. No bicycle shall be ridden or otherwise operated in vegetated areas or on any bridle path, pedestrian way, sitting or play area, or playground. Bicycles may be ridden and operated on park roads, bikepaths, and other areas specifically designated by the Commissioner.
3. No person shall operate a bicycle in a reckless manner.
4. No bicycle shall be used to carry more persons at one time than the number for which it is designed and equipped, except that children may be carried in seats securely attached to a bicycle. No person riding upon any bicycle shall attached himself or herself or his/her bicycle to the outside of any vehicle being operated upon a roadway.
5. Bicyclists shall yield the right of way to pedestrians.
Boating
No person shall land a boat of any kind other than a human-powered boat, such as a kayak, canoe, rowboat or pedal boat, on any park shore except at designated landing areas or in case of an emergency. No person shall operate a boat of any kind, including jet-skis, upon any waters under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner in a reckless manner so as to endanger the life, limb or reasonable comfort of his or her passengers or other persons. Boating in any authorized bathing area is prohibited.
Unlawful Ice Activity
1. Ice skating is permitted at rinks maintained by the Department for such use, at such times, and subject to the Rules and Regulations prescribed and posted at each facility.
2. No person shall go upon the ice of any lake or pond in any park except at such places and at such times as may be designated by the Commissioner.
Planting
No tree, plant, flower, shrubbery or other vegetation shall be planted in any area under the jurisdiction of the Department without a permit. No such planting shall be undertaken on any street or avenue without a permit for the necessary excavation from the Department of Transportation. Trees planted pursuant to permits shall become the property of the City after a guarantee period of one year has been satisfactorily completed.
Unlawful Fires
1. No person shall kindle, build, maintain, or use a fire in any place, portable receptacle, or grill except in places provided by the Department and so designated by sign or by special permit. In no event shall open or ground camp fires be allowed in any park. Any fire authorized by this subdivision (m) shall be contained in a portable receptacle grill or other similar device, and continuously under the care and direction of a competent person over eighteen (18) years of age, from the time it is kindled until it is extinguished. No fire shall be within ten feet of any building, tree, or underbrush or beneath the branches of any tree.
2. No person shall leave, throw away or toss any lighted match, cigar, or cigarette, hot coals, or other flammable material within, on, near, or against any tree, building, structure, boat, vehicle or enclosure, or in any open area.
Unlawful Operation and Parking of Motor Vehicles
1. Motor vehicles may not be brought into or operated in any area of a park except on park roads or designated parking areas. Park roads may be closed to motor vehicles at such times and in such places designated by the Commissioner.
2. A person shall not park any motor vehicle in any park except in areas designated by the Commissioner for parking, and only during the hours of operation of such park.
3. No person shall use any area of a park, including designated parking areas, for the purpose of performing non-emergency automotive work, including, but not limited to, vehicle maintenance, repairs, or cleaning.
Unauthorized Construction on Park Property
No person shall perform or cause to be performed construction work of any kind or any work incidental thereto, including storage of materials, in any park except pursuant to a permit issued by the Construction Division of the Department.
Unauthorized Excavations
No person shall perform, cause, suffer or allow to be performed any excavations within or adjacent to any park property without a permit.
Horse Riding
1. No person may ride a horse in any park, except on bridle paths designated by the Department.
2. It shall be a violation of these Rules to ride a horse into or within a park in a reckless manner; to allow the horse to be left unbridled or unattended; or to allow the horse to cause any damage to any tree, plant, flower, shrubbery or other vegetation under the jurisdiction of the Department.
Failure to Comply with Area Use Restrictions
1. No person shall throw, catch, kick or strike any baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf or tennis ball, or similar object, nor shall any person engage in any sport, game or other competition except in areas designated and maintained therefor. No such use will be allowed at any time if the desired area has previously been allotted by permit issued pursuant to the provisions of these Rules.
2. No person shall engage in any toy or model aviation, kite-flying, model boating or model automobiling except at such times and at such places designated or maintained therefor.
3. No person shall roller skate, ski, skateboard, sled or coast on any kind of vehicle except in areas designated and maintained for such use.
Exclusive Areas
Areas within the parks designated by the Commissioner for exclusive use shall include:
1. Exclusive Childrens Playgrounds: Adults allowed in playground areas only when accompanied by a child under the age of twelve (12).
2. Exclusive Senior Citizens Areas: Certain areas of any park may be set aside for citizens aged sixty-five (65) and older, for their quiet enjoyment and safety.
3. Dog Runs: Certain fenced park areas may be designated by the Commissioner as dog runs, and persons owning or possessing dogs that are wearing a license tag and vaccinated against rabies pursuant to the laws of the State of New York and City of New York are permitted to allow such animals to remain unleashed in these areas. Users of dog runs shall obey posted rules. Users of such dog runs shall provide proof of current vaccination against rabies and proof of current licensing upon the request of any Police Officer, Urban Park Ranger, Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer or other Department employee or employee of the DOHMH, the refusal of which shall constitute a violation of § 1-03(c), § 1-04(i) and of this paragraph. All exclusive areas will be specifically designated as such and signs will be posted informing the public of this designation.
Unlawful distribution of products and materials
No person shall engage in the non-commercial distribution of products and/or material (other than printed or similarly expressive material) without a permit issued by the Commissioner. A permit shall be issued only upon the Commissioner's determination that said distribution will be conducted in a manner consistent with the public's use and enjoyment of the park or facility in question. In making this determination, the Commissioner will consider the nature of the product or material, whether the product or material is compatible with customary park uses, whether the product or material is intended to be used in the park or facility, the age of the targeted audience for the product or material, and whether the area in the park or facility where the distribution will take place is appropriate for such distribution, considering, e.g., its proximity to areas designed for children, quiet zones or other areas designed for activities not compatible with such distribution. In connection with the foregoing, the Commissioner may consult with parental groups which are involved with the park or facility where a permit for distribution is requested. The Commissioner may also impose conditions upon the distribution of products and materials consistent with the concerns reflected by the factors listed above. Products and/or materials may be distributed only upon an indication of interest by the recipient, and only from a fixed location specified in the permit.
Rollerblading and Roller Skating
Any person using rollerblades or roller skates in any park shall obey all park signs pertaining to the use of same. No person shall use rollerblades in any park except for park drives or areas designated for such use by the Department, and at times designated for such use. No person shall use rollerblades in a reckless manner, or so as to endanger persons or property.

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