§ 90-7. Activities within county-owned or managed lands.

(a)

Hiking. Walking, running, jogging, and/or hiking is permitted only along trails or pathways or areas specifically designated for such use or uses and during posted hours.

(b)

Horseback riding. Horseback riding is permitted only along trails or areas specifically designated for such use. Horses shall be thoroughly broken, properly restrained, and ridden with due care. Horses shall not be allowed to graze or go unattended and must be on a lead at all times. Horses may only be hitched to hitching posts clearly identified for such use. No horse-drawn carriages, carts or wagons shall be allowed or used within any county-owned or managed land.

(c)

Fires. No person shall ignite or attempt to ignite a fire, except in a grill, stove, fireplace, or designated fire circle.

(1)

Campfires or any other open burning, even in approved areas, may be prohibited when deemed necessary by the department or by restrictions mandated by state or federal agencies. No person who starts or utilizes a fire shall leave the area without completely extinguishing the fire.

(2)

No person shall use any type of gasoline, kerosene, or diesel fuel as an accelerant to start a fire in a grill, nor use a grill or other device in such a manner as to burn, char, or blemish any bench, table, or other county property. No person shall dispose of hot coals, burning matches, smoking materials, or other flammable materials except in designated areas or receptacles.

(3)

Frying of any kind is prohibited, including but not limited to turkey fryers, deep fat fryers, skillets, and electric frying pans.

(4)

Grilling on the beach is prohibited, except where expressly permitted under a special event permit.

(5)

Possession of fireworks is prohibited, except where expressly permitted under a special event permit.

(6)

Smoking is prohibited in environmental lands except in designated areas. The department may, in its sole discretion, prohibit smoking at other county-owned or managed lands by the department when necessary for fire prevention purposes.

(d)

Camping.

(1)

Camping is strictly prohibited at all times unless a camping permit and copy of the camping rules and regulations are obtained prior to camping. When permitted, camping shall be limited to those areas specifically designated for such use.

(2)

Campers must have a valid permit and a valid picture identification card while camping. It shall be unlawful for any person to camp on any county-owned or managed land for a period of time in excess of 14 days in a 30-day period.

(3)

All waste shall be placed in disposal containers where provided. Where no disposal containers are provided, or where the containers provided are full, all waste shall be carried away by the user of the camping area and properly disposed of outside of the county-owned or managed land.

(4)

Tents shall be stand-alone type and may not be attached to trees or any other vegetation or structure with any guy wire, rope, extension brace, support, fastener or any other device.

(e)

Fishing. Fishing is prohibited except in those public areas designated for such activity. Persons fishing shall obey all state and federal laws pertaining to fishing as well as any posted rules and regulations. Fishing is prohibited from beaches in any area where bathing and swimming are permitted. No person shall leave the area without disposing of unwanted fish and bait on piers, catwalks, or other areas where fishing is authorized. Excluding saltwater fish as defined in F.S. § 379.101 as may be amended, non-target organisms, including but not limited to turtles, birds and frogs, that are incidentally captured using standard techniques (i.e. bycatch) shall be released unharmed. Cast netting or use of traps within or from the bank of any freshwater body in any county-owned or managed land is prohibited.

(f)

Bathing and swimming. Swimming, bathing, or wading is prohibited except in those public areas designated for such activity. Further, no person shall:

(1)

Use soap or other cleansers in any swimming area or any other waters, including but not limited to beaches, lakes, streams, and stormwater facilities;

(2)

Erect any tent, shelter, or structure on or in any beach, or bathing or wading area in such a manner that a guy wire, rope, extension, brace or support connected or fastened from any such tent, shelter, or structure to any other structure, stake, rock, or object is necessary; any tent, shelter, or other such structure must provide an unobstructed view of the interior from at least two sides; or

(3)

Possess, carry, or transport any glassware, bottles, or any other potentially dangerous or sharp objects into any beach, or bathing, wading, or swimming area.

(g)

Picnicking.

(1)

Use of park and environmental lands property, including picnic shelters, tables, and benches generally follows the rule of first-come, first-served, unless reserved beforehand through the department's reservation program. Picnicking is permitted only in areas specifically designated for such use.

(2)

All refuse, waste, and trash shall be placed in disposal containers where provided in all county-owned and managed lands. Where no disposal containers are provided, or where the containers provided are full, all refuse shall be carried away by the user of the picnic facility and properly disposed of outside of the county-owned or managed land.

(h)

Audio devices. Radios, electronic musical players or instruments, and all other audio devices are permitted so long as they are played at volume levels that do not disturb, annoy, injure, or endanger the comfort, health, peace, or safety of the wildlife or reasonable persons of ordinary sensibilities or unnecessarily detract from a peaceful atmosphere. Such noise shall not be heard within any county-owned or managed land from a location more than 50 feet from the source of the noise, unless a special event permit has been issued for such use.

(i)

Nudity. It shall be unlawful for any person over the age of four years old to appear nude in any county-owned or managed land, provided that a person may appear nude:

(1)

In a restroom, dressing, locker or shower facility, provided, however, that except as permitted by section 70-214 of the Code, no person over the age of six shall occupy or enter any such facility which is reserved or designated by the department for the exclusive use of the opposite sex without adult supervision;

(2)

In a privately owned, fully enclosed, temporary dwelling used for camping at campsites;

(3)

When the conduct of being nude cannot constitutionally be prohibited by county ordinance because it is otherwise protected pursuant to the United States Constitution or the Florida Constitution under existing judicial decisions; or

(4)

When breastfeeding a baby, and then only the extent reasonably necessary to allow breastfeeding.

(j)

Hunting and weapons.

(1)

Firearms as defined in F.S. § 790.001 are exempt from this article and regulation is pre-empted to state law.

(2)

No person shall carry, use, or possess weapons, toys, or instruments that discharge projectiles, including but not limited to air rifles, spring guns, bows and arrows, paint guns, water cannons, slingshots, and boomerangs except as a participant in a program approved by the board.

(3)

Knives or other blades used exclusively for fishing, camping, and other authorized outdoor activities are permissible. All other melee weapons or instruments that pose a threat to human safety or wildlife are prohibited.

(4)

Parents or guardians will be held strictly responsible and accountable for the actions of minors with regard to the prohibitions in this and other subsections of this article.

(k)

Alcoholic beverages. Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages within any county-owned or managed land is prohibited, except that, notwithstanding contrary provisions of the Code, possession is permitted at county boat ramp facilities and public marinas, and consumption is permitted onboard a vessel moored at a public marina. This prohibition may be waived if:

(1)

The county has approved a contract or issued a permit, which by its terms allows the sale and/or consumption of alcoholic beverages in a specified area or place; or

(2)

The board by resolution has temporarily waived the prohibition for a special event or activity in a specified area or place.

(l)

Pets.

(1)

No pets, except horses accessing and utilizing trails designated for horseback riding, are permitted in any environmental land.

(2)

Within parks, department-managed facilities, and public marinas, pets, shall be caged or on an adequate leash not greater than six feet in length. Pets shall not be left unattended or off of a leash except in designated areas posted by signage.

(3)

The owner or person in charge or in control of the pet shall immediately remove all feces deposited by such animal and dispose of same in a sanitary manner.

(4)

The owner or person in charge or in control of the pet shall be held responsible for the pet's behavior and actions at all times.

(5)

Except where expressly allowed, no pets are permitted in any playgrounds, swimming areas, beaches, boardwalks, bathrooms, showers, and dining areas. The department may designate further areas where pets are prohibited. Those persons in possession or control of pets within any county-owned or managed land shall obey all county ordinances including but not limited to chapter 14 of the Code except where chapter 14 is less restrictive than the provisions of this article.

(m)

Exotic wildlife and state licensed wild animals.

(1)

No livestock or class I, II, or III exotic wildlife, as defined by Florida Statute, shall be permitted in any county-owned or managed land unless expressly authorized by the administrator or designee.

(2)

No wild animals for which a state license is required are permitted in any county-owned or managed land.

(n)

Gambling. No person shall engage in any form of gambling as prohibited by state law.

(o)

Pollution. Any act resulting in pollution is prohibited, including, but not limited to, the use of fountains, ponds, lakes, streams, bays or any other bodies of water adjacent to or within county-owned or managed lands, or the tributaries, storm sewers or drains flowing into them as dumping places for any substance, including fuel, which will or may result in the pollution of said waters.

(p)

Metal detectors. The use of metal detectors is prohibited except on beaches in parks.

(q)

Aircraft. No person operating, directing, or responsible for any airplane, helicopter, drone, glider, hang glider, hot air balloon, dirigible, parachute or other aerial apparatus, including those radio controlled or otherwise unmanned, shall take off from or land in or on any county-owned or managed land, except for purposes of public safety or where written permission has been obtained from the administrator or designee.

(r)

Bounce houses. No person shall possess or erect a bounce house without a permit issued by the department. When permitted, bounce houses shall only be erected and used at areas designated for such use by the department.

(s)

Miscellaneous. No person shall engage in any activity within any county-owned or managed land that is dangerous to the health, safety or welfare of any person or that could foreseeably damage private or county property, including but not limited to hitting golf balls, racing or speeding in a dangerous manner, and diving or jumping from bridges or catwalks. Nor shall any person engage in any activity within any county-owned or managed land that interferes with the use and enjoyment of the county-owned or managed land and its facilities by other patrons. No person shall possess helium-filled balloons in any county-owned or managed land, except in enclosed buildings, provided, however, that the helium balloons shall be properly secured when bringing balloons into and out of enclosed buildings. The department reserves the right, within the confines of applicable law, to limit other activities within any county-owned or managed land when, at the department's sole discretion, an area is deemed unable to support such activities.

(Ord. No. 10-44, § 1, 9-28-10; Ord. No. 16-40, § 7, 7-19-16)