HomeMy WebLinkAboutPart 11 Parks Recreation and Cultural Affairs
Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs
PART 11
PARKS, RECREATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS
CHAPTER 1
ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL OF PARKS
Section 11-101 “Park Property" Defined
Section 11-102 City May Refuse Gift of Land
Section 11-103 Gifts May be Made to City; Control
Section 11-104 Park Curfew
CHAPTER 2
CEMETERY
Section 11-201 Cemetery Department Created
Section 11-202 Authority to Purchase and Regulate
Section 11-203 Power to Acquire and Control Land for Cemeteries
Section 11-204 Conveyance of Cemetery Lots; Abandoned Lots
Section 11-205 Rules and Ordinances; Penalties and Fines
Section 11-206 Cemetery Care Fund; Purchase of Lands; Investment of Funds
Section 11-207 Lien on Cemetery Lots for Upkeep Charges; Enforcement
Section 11-208 Removal of Remains to Other Gravesites; Unmarked Graves
Section 11-209 Appointment of Sexton; Duties
CHAPTER 3
SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING
Section 11-301 Definitions
Section 11-302 Special Event Permitting
Section 11-303 Special Event Permit Fees
Section 11-304 Film Production Permit
Section 11-305 Film Permit Fees
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CHAPTER 1
ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL OF PARKS
Section 11-101 “Park Property" Defined
Section 11-102 City May Refuse Gift of Land
Section 11-103 Gifts May be Made to City; Control
Section 11-104 Park Curfew
SECTION 11-101 "PARK PROPERTY" DEFINED
The term "park property" includes all parks, street parkings, squares, and areas of land within the
management of the city; and all buildings, structures, improvements, seats, benches, fountains,
boats, floats, walks, drives, roads, trees, plants, herbages, flowers and other things thereon, and
enclosures of the same; and all shade trees on streets or thoroughfares, resting places, water
stations, playgrounds, or the like; and all connecting parkways and roads or drives between
parks; and all avenues, roads, ways, drives, walks, with all trees, shrubbery, vines, flowers, and
ornaments of any description, or objects of interest or instruction, and all tools and implements,
placed in or on any of such enclosures, ways, parkways, roads, or places; and the included
terms shall be liberally construed. (Ord. No. 379, 2/16/88; 970, 7/20/10)
SECTION 11-102 CITY MAY REFUSE GIFT OF LAND
The city shall not be compelled to accept any gift or offer of land which, in its judgment, is
unsuitable for park purposes, or the improvement of which would entail an injudicious outlay
unless it has the approval of the city council and city manager. (Ord. No. 379, 2/16/88; 970 7/20/10)
SECTION 11-103 GIFTS MAY BE MADE TO CITY; CONTROL
Real and personal property may be granted, bequeathed, devised, or conveyed to the city, for
the purpose of the improvement or ornamentation of the parks or approaches, or for the
establishment or maintenance of the parks or approaches, or the establishment or maintenance
therein of museums, zoological or other gardens, collections of natural history, observatories,
monuments, statues, fountains, or other works of art, upon such trusts and conditions as may be
prescribed by the grantors or devisors thereof, and accepted by the city council of the city. All
property so devised, granted, bequeathed or conveyed, and the rents, issues, profits and
income thereof shall be subject to the management, direction and control of the city pursuant
to direction given by the city council. (Ord. No. 379, 2/16/88; 970, 7/20/10)
SECTION 11-104 PARK CURFEW
It shall be unlawful for any person to be on or within the premises of any city park property
between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. (Ord. No. 945, 8/18/09; 970, 7/20/10)
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CHAPTER 2
CEMETERY
Section 11-201 Cemetery Department Created
Section 11-202 Authority to Purchase and Regulate
Section 11-203 Power to Acquire and Control Land for Cemeteries
Section 11-204 Conveyance of Cemetery Lots; Abandoned Lots
Section 11-205 Rules and Ordinances; Penalties and Fines
Section 11-206 Cemetery Care Fund; Purchase of Lands; Investment of Funds
Section 11-207 Lien on Cemetery Lots for Upkeep Charges; Enforcement
Section 11-208 Removal of Remains to Other Gravesites; Unmarked Graves
Section 11-209 Appointment of Sexton; Duties
SECTION 11-201 CEMETERY DEPARTMENT CREATED
The cemetery department shall be in the charge of a sexton who shall work under the direction
of the city manager and perform such duties as are now or may hereafter be prescribed by
ordinance. The city manager may employ occasional labor during the spring and summer
seasons as the work at the cemetery may require, and may employ such additional permanent
employees as may be authorized by the mayor and city council.
SECTION 11-202 AUTHORITY TO PURCHASE AND REGULATE
The city shall have the power to purchase, lay out and regulate cemeteries. The powers over
cemeteries include, but are not limited to, cemeteries used or dedicated for interment of animal
remains.
State Law Reference: Similar provisions, 11 O.S. Sections 26-101 et seq.
SECTION 11-203 POWER TO ACQUIRE AND CONTROL LAND FOR CEMETERIES
A. The city may acquire by purchase, donation or otherwise, and may control lots or parcels of
land within or without the limits of the municipality as the city deems necessary for cemetery
purposes.
B. When lots or parcels are so acquired by the city, the title shall vest in the city.
C. The city may subdivide or plat any of the lots or lands into suitable parcels for burial
purposes and make such disposition thereof as will in the judgment of the governing body
of the city best serve the purpose for which they were acquired.
D. Any lands so acquired shall thereafter be exempt from taxation, and the city may pay and
discharge any assessments against the lands for the improvements of streets or the
construction of sewers.
E. The city shall provide for the grading, fencing, ornamenting and improving of all burial and
cemetery grounds owned by the city and the avenues leading thereto.
F. The city may construct walks and plant and protect ornamental trees and shrubs and
provide for paying the cost thereof. (Prior Code, Sec. 6-2)
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SECTION 11-204 CONVEYANCE OF CEMETERY LOTS; ABANDONED LOTS
A. Lots in the municipal cemetery shall be conveyed by certificate signed by the mayor and
countersigned by the clerk under the seal of the city.
B. The certificate shall show the price for which the lots are sold and specify that the person
to whom it is issued is the owner of the lot or lots described therein by number, as laid down
in the plat, for the purpose of interment.
C. The certificate shall vest in the purchaser and his heirs a right to the lot or lots for the sole
purpose of interment, under the regulations as the city council may, from time to time,
promulgate or establish by resolution.
D. The certificate shall be entitled to record in the office of the county clerk of the county in
which the lot is situated without further acknowledgment and the description of lots by
number shall be sufficient for the purpose of record.
E. All abandoned lots or spaces of lots shall revert to the city.
SECTION 11-205 RULES AND ORDINANCES; PENALTIES AND FINES
A. The city may pass rules and ordinances to regulate, protect and govern the cemetery, the
owners of the lots therein, visitors therein and to punish trespassers therein.
B. The city council, by resolution, may limit the number of lots which may be owned by one
person, corporation or association at the same time and may prescribe such rules by
resolution for enclosing, adorning, and erecting monuments and tombstones on cemetery
lots; but no religious test shall be made as to the ownership of lots, the burial therein, or the
ornamentation of graves or lots.
C. The city may prohibit any division of the use of lots and any improper adornment thereof
by its rules or resolutions.
D. The officers of the city shall have full jurisdiction and power to enforce such rules,
ordinances and resolutions as if they related to the city itself.
E. Penalties and fines as provided in Section 1-108 of this code may be imposed for violation
of such rules and ordinances.
SECTION 11-206 CEMETERY CARE FUND; PURCHASE OF LANDS; INVESTMENT OF FUNDS
A. In all cemeteries owned by the city where lots are sold or charges made for interments, not
less than twelve and one-half percent (12.5%) of all monies received from the sale of lots
and interments shall be segregated and set aside as a cemetery care fund.
B. The cemetery care fund shall be expended in purchasing lands for cemeteries and for
making capital improvements when necessary. The balance of the fund may be invested
by the city council in the manner provided in Section 348.1 of Title 62 of the Oklahoma
Statutes for investment of municipal funds.
C. Only the interest from the investments shall be used in improving, caring for and
embellishing the lots, walks, drives, parks and other necessary improvements on such
cemeteries. (Ord. No. 475, 1/4/94)
SECTION 11-207 LIEN ON CEMETERY LOTS FOR UPKEEP CHARGES; ENFORCEMENT
A. The city shall have a lien on any unused lot in a cemetery owned by the city when a
written contract provides for upkeep payments on such lot and the upkeep payments
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have been unpaid for a continuous period of five (5) years. Where more than one lot has
been purchased in a group of lots, and at least one of the lots has been used in that group
of lots, the provisions of this section shall not apply.
B. After filing the lien with the clerk of the district court in the county in which the cemetery lot
is situated, the lien may be enforced by civil action. The practice, pleading and
proceedings for foreclosure in such action shall conform to the rules prescribed by the
Code of Civil Procedure as far as they may be applicable.
SECTION 11-208 REMOVAL OF REMAINS TO OTHER GRAVE SITES; UNMARKED GRAVES
A. When the bodily remains of an unknown person are discovered in an unidentified and
unmarked grave of a cemetery owned or operated by the city the remains may be
removed to some other grave site within the cemetery, at the expense of the city, if no
record exists as to a sale or conveyance of the lot and the city is without knowledge that a
body has been buried in the grave site, in the event the lot is sold to another person.
B. An application for approval of the disinterment and removal of the bodily remains shall be
first filed with, and approval obtained from the state health department.
SECTION 11-209 APPOINTMENT OF SEXTON; DUTIES
A. A sexton shall be appointed and be under the supervision of the city manager of the city.
B. The duties of the sexton shall be to show parties the cemetery who contemplate the
purchase of a lot and give whatever assistance that may be required in getting parties to
dig graves and, when convenient, furnish the city clerk the name and age of the parties
buried and he shall collect the price of lots sold and shall deliver the same to the city clerk.
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CHAPTER 3
SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING
Section 11-301 Definitions
Section 11-302 Special Event Permitting
Section 11-303 Special Event Permit Fees
Section 11-304 Film Production Permit
Section 11-305 Film Permit Fees
SECTION 11-301 DEFINITIONS
Special Event is defined as any organized activity involving the use of, or having impact upon
public property and /or facilities, including but not limited to streets, sidewalks, parks, and trails,
or the use of private property in a manner that requires the provision and coordination of city
staff, resources, and services. (Ord. 1136, 11/6/18)
SECTION 11-302 SPECIAL EVENT PERMITTING
It shall be unlawful for any person, business, or non-profit entity to engage in the conduct of any
special event on public property without first obtaining a Special Event Permit and paying the
applicable fee(s).
A special event permit may be issued for multiple dates of the same reoccurring event within the
same calendar year. Applicable fees will be assessed per occurrence listed on the special event
permit.
The City Manager shall from time to time promulgate additional rules and regulations for said
special event permit as considered necessary.
(Ord. 1136, 11/6/18; 1229, 12/17/2024)
SECTION 11-303 SPECIAL EVENT PERMIT FEES
The schedule of fees related to Special Event Permits shall be determined by Resolution of the
Owasso City Council. Events conducted by the City of Owasso are exempt from payment of
fees. (Ord. 1136, 11/6/18)
SECTION 11-304 FILM PRODUCTION PERMIT
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any process conducted to make motion
pictures, television programs, video games, commercials, or film productions, involving the use of
public facilities or having an impact upon public property, without first obtaining a Film Permit
and paying the applicable permit fee(s).
The City Manager shall promulgate rules and regulations for said film permit as necessary.
(Ord. 1229, 12/17/2024)
SECTION 11-305 FILM PERMIT FEES
The schedule of fees related to Film Permits shall be determined by Resolution of the Owasso City
Council. Events conducted by the City of Owasso are exempt from payment of fees.
(Ord. 1229, 12/17/2024)
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