Explanation
This legislation is necessary to address after-hour use of parks with ponds and situations where individuals are harvesting fish by nets and buckets for commercial purposes in park ponds. With reports of this happening at several ponds in the Recreation & Parks system, leading to depleted fish stock and an unbalanced ecosystem, many residents have become upset. Police had been contacted; however there is no specific code precluding net or bucket fishing and without this code change, even parks with ponds are never really closed to fishing. This legislation will ensure that fishing can still be done early in the morning and late at night in reservoirs, creeks and rivers, but that parks with smaller bodies of water, like ponds, will be closed except upon written approval by the director.
Fiscal Impact: NONE
Title
To amend Chapter 919 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, to limit offshore and shorebound fishing and associated trailering activities between the hours of 11:00pm and 7:00am to reservoirs, creeks, and rivers, clarify that written permission by the director is necessary before engaging in sales activities associated with the parks, and to prohibit the use of nets, buckets, or methods other than pole fishing to harvest fish from ponds.
Body
WHEREAS, fishing is a relaxing recreational sport enjoyed by many Columbus park users, especially children and seniors; and
WHEREAS, the Recreation and Parks Department has constructed ponds in the parks for the aesthetics of the park landscape and the opportunity for recreational fishing close to home; and
WHEREAS, these ponds are located in parks throughout the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, fishing from these ponds before 7:00am and after 11:00pm, outside of normal park hours, creates a disturbance and safety concern; and
WHEREAS, harvesting fish by nets and buckets rapidly depletes the stock of fish in the ponds, robbing numbers of people from the enjoyment of fishing, as well removing fish in large volumes without regard to species can create negative impact to the pond; and
WHEREAS, The Recreation and Parks Department and the Recreation and Parks Commission support this code change in order to protect the natural resources in a park and the experience of the park user ; now, therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS
Section 1. That section 919.05 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
919.05 - Restrictions
(A) Parks shall be open daily between the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. with the following exceptions:
(1) Upon written approval by the director.
(2) Camping pursuant to Section 919.12
(3) Offshore and shorebound fishing and associated trailering activities at reservoirs, creeks, and rivers.
(B) The director or any law enforcement officer may close or restrict to public use and evacuate a park, facility or area when necessitated by reason of and in the interest of the public health, safety, welfare, maintenance or any other reasons deemed necessary for public interest.
Section 2. That section 919.07 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
919.07 - Commercial Activities
a. No person shall engage in or solicit business within any park without written permission from the director.
b. The department, and nonprofit corporations, and/or other groups specifically established to enhance the programs and facilities of the department may engage in sales only with the written permission from the Ddirector.
Section 3. That section 919.14 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, is hereby amended to read as follows:
919.14 - Fishing
No person shall:
a. Engage in fishing in violation of Ohio R.C. Chapter 1533
b. Bowfish except on Hoover Reservoir north of the second bridge upstream from the dam.
c. Use nets, buckets, or methods other than pole fishing to harvest fish from ponds which are solely contained within Park boundaries, except Antrim Lake.
Section 4. That prior existing sections 919.05, 919.07, and 919.15 919.14 of the Columbus City Codes, 1959, are hereby repealed.
Section 5. That this ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after the earliest period provided by law.