Port Washington North adjusts park laws

Luke Torrance
Photo from Village of Port Washington North website.

If you want to take your dog on a stroll through the new Bay Walk Park, it will need to be on a leash. The leash rule is one of several passed by Port Washington North’s Board of Trustees last Wednesday to govern use of the village’s parks and pier.

The rule changes were spurred by the opening of Bay Walk Park earlier this summer.

“With the creation of a fully active recreational park system, we now feel that it would be prudent to put in some regulations and some laws – what is prohibited within our park system,” Mayor Bob Weitzner said.

Under the new law, anyone using the parks will not be allowed to consume or possess alcohol, nor will anyone be allowed to use the park under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Although bonfires and cookouts are popular during the summer, any sort of fire or barbecue grill is not permitted at the parks or beaches. Fireworks and other explosive materials are also banned from park grounds.

Putting up any structure, such as a tent, or holding a meeting or performance in the village’s parks will not be allowed without approval from the village Board of Trustees.

Skateboards, scooters and motorized vehicles will be banned outside of designated areas. Anyone exhibiting loud, abusive or threatening behavior will be removed from the park. And, of course, littering is illegal.

According to the new law, any violation of these rules will result in a fine of up to $250. A second incident within five years will bring a fine of up to $500, a third incident a fee of up to $1,000, and a fourth incident a fee of up to $2,500 or up to 15 days in jail.

There was some debate about when the parks should open and close, with the original proposed time being sunrise to sunset. After some debate over whether the hours should be different for the summer than the winter due to the length of the day, the board decided to apply the same time frame being used at the pier for the rest of the parks: closed from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“It’s not to suggest that anyone who is there is subject to arrest,” Weitzner said. “It gives the police the opportunity to regulate and enforce that time if they so desire.”

Citizens can receive a permit to keep the parks open later if there is an activity planned for that time.

Finally, no vehicles are allowed to park at the parks overnight, with the exception of official vehicles.

In addition to receiving updates on several public work projects around the village, the board also discussed the contract bids received for snow plowing, sanding and salting the streets.

The two bids were very close in cost, Weitzner said, so the board decided to stay with Dejana for the next year.

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