RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE HERITAGE PARK TRAILS DISTRICT
AUGLAIZE COUNTY, OHIO
(revised 4-17-2019)
1.0 - Protection of natural features.
Persons shall not injure, deface, destroy, or remove any tree, flower, shrub, or other vegetation, or fruit or seed thereof, nor shall any rock or mineral or any historical or archeological artifact or feature be removed, destroyed or disturbed except as authorized by a special permit.
2.0 - Littering, facility cleanliness, damage to park facilities and equipment.
Persons shall not litter, bring into, leave behind, or dump any material of any kind in the park. Persons shall not injure, deface, destroy, disturb, or remove any property of Heritage Trails Park District.
3.0 - Peace and Good Order.
No person shall possess any firearms, weapons, fireworks, explosives, or harmful devices in the park except persons authorized by the Ohio Revised Code to carry firearms When approached by a law enforcement officer for a law enforcement purpose, a person carrying a firearm shall immediately notify the law enforcement officer that said person possesses a valid concealed carry permit and is also carrying a concealed firearm. Said person shall cooperate with and follow instructions provided by the law enforcement officer.
No person shall make excessive noise that disturbs the peace and good order within the park.
4.0 - Advertising, signs, soliciting, decorations.
No person shall post or circulate any printed text, materials, or banners without permission from Heritage Trails Park District except freestanding directional signs on the day of an event. Such signs are to be removed at the conclusion of the event. Such signs shall not be affixed to trees and shall only be placed in areas designated by Heritage Trails Park District. Persons shall not beg, hawk, peddle, solicit, sell or offer for sale any article, object, privilege, or service within the park unless at a park district event and approved by the park district.
5.0 - Use of intoxicants.
No Person shall possess or consume any alcoholic beverage in any park or be in a state of intoxication or under the influence of drugs within the limits of the park.
6.0 - Compliance with orders of HTPD commissioners and employees.
Park Commissioners and employees are authorized to issue reasonable orders or directives to park visitors when in the employee's opinion an activity being conducted by the visitor constitutes a hazard, endangers the personal safety of the participant or other park visitors, commits a nuisance or obstruction in the parks, causes a threat of damage to park facilities or natural resources, endangers peace and good order in the parks, or violates the park Rules and Regulations. No person shall use abusive, profane, or insulting language toward or harass any employee of Heritage Trails Park District while performing their duties. Persons violating these Rules and Regulations may be directed to leave the park.
7.0 -Camping.
Persons shall not establish or maintain a camp or other temporary lodging or sleeping place within the park unless said person is in a designated camping area or has obtained a special permit to do so.
8.0 - Fires.
No Person shall start a fire in the park except small fires for cooking purposes in park owned or privately owned grills. The park Commissioners or employees may prohibit fires or smoking for limited periods at any location or for any purpose when necessary.
9.0 - Hours of Operation and closed areas.
Heritage Trails Park District Commissioners shall establish the hours of operation for park district lands. No person shall enter or remain within the park during hours when the park is closed unless they are participating in an authorized Heritage Trails Park District program or activity, or have permission of the park district.
10.0 - Hunting, fishing, collecting, harassing, harming or feeding wildlife. Safety Zones. State wildlife laws and orders.
Persons shall not hunt, collect, pursue with dogs, trap, disturb or in any way harass or harm any wild bird or other animal found within the confines of any park or rob, harass, or disturb any nest, den, or habitat, nor take the eggs of any bird or other animal except in accordance with the statutes of the State of Ohio or in accordance with a special permit issued by the park District. No Person, other than park personnel engaged in official duties, may feed any wild bird or other animal found within the confines of the park. Fishing shall be permitted in park lands except where restricted by the Ohio Department of Wildlife.
11.0 - Bringing of plants, pets or other animals into park property.
No Person shall bring into the park any animals except domestic dogs or cats. Said pets shall be controlled at all times and on a leash not more than six feet long. Pets owners shall clean up any manure generated by their pet in the park and shall properly dispose of the manure in a trash receptacle. Persons shall not release any wild or domestic animal or plant, or culture any seed or vegetation of any type in any park without the written permission of Heritage Trails Park District. Horses and horseback riding shall be permitted in designated areas of the park.
12.0 - Abandoned personal property.
Personal property left in the park may be removed by park personnel and stored in a place of safekeeping. Upon proper description and identification, the owner may reclaim said property within 60 days.
13.0 - Parking and operating motorized vehicles, Non-registered motor vehicles.
Persons shall not park or store any motor vehicle, bicycle, wagon, or other vehicle within the park. Any vehicle left in the park after closing hours without permission may be removed from the park at the owner's expense. Persons shall not operate within any park, any motor vehicle that is not customarily registered with the Department of Motor Vehicles of the State of Ohio and designated for highway travel. The use of all motorized vehicles is prohibited except through a special use permit by the park district except by authority of special permit granted by the Executive Director. One exception to this rule is when utilizing necessary mobility devices for those with disabilities.
14.0 - Engine powered, remote-controlled or self-propelled devices. No person shall operate engine powered, remote-controlled or self-propelled devices such as:
model vehicles, boats, airplanes, rockets, or drones on park property except with permission from HTPD. Any aircraft, airships, hot-air balloons, ultra-light aircraft, hang gliders, or any other structure or machine designed to travel through the air may not ascend or descend in the park except in an emergency or with the prior written permission of the park district. One exception to this rule is when utilizing necessary mobility devices for those with disabilities.
ALL STATE LAWS APPLY.
To report illegal activity or an emergency, call the Auglaize County Sheriff’s office at:
To contact Heritage Trails Park District:
P.0.Box 53, Wapakoneta, OH 45895