ORDINANCE REGULATING THE USE OF FRENCH’S PARK
This Amendment to the 1987 Ordinance Regulating the use of French’s Park at Lake Massasecum in Bradford, NH as approved by vote of the Town Meeting of March 9,1988 under article 20, section D, is adopted pursuant to the Settlement Agreement between the Town of Bradford, Friend of French’s Park, Director of Charitable Trusts for the State of New Hampshire and known heirs to the late John French, as approved by the Merrimack County Superior Court on August 3,1989 (88-E-00372-B), said Agreement stipulating the following guidelines:
1. Admission to the park on the daily will be on a first come, first admitted basis with a cap on the maximum number of persons to be admitted at any time set based of safety, sanitation, parking, traffic and health considerations;
2. Admission will be open to all residents of Bradford and their immediate family who own real property in Bradford according to the Town’s Tax Records, whether said residency is seasonal or on a full-time basis;
3. If accompanied by a tax payer, non-taxpaying guests may be admitted;
4. The hours, seasons and other details of Park operation may be set by the Selectmen, in their discretion, based upon consideration of health, safety, and other relevant factors.
Therefore, the Town of Bradford, New Hampshire, by its duly elected Selectmen, pursuant to enabling legislation and said Settlement Agreement, order and ordain as follows.
SECTION I
French’s Park, owned wholly by the Town of Bradford, New Hampshire, is a PICNIC AREA.
Swimming, bathing, diving from the beach front and utilization of the French’s Park facilities is done at the individuals own risk—in the case of children at the risk of the parents, guardians, or responsible adult. THE TOWN OF BRADFORD ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY, WHATEVER, FOR BODILY INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THOSE UTILIZING THE FRENCH’S PARK FACILITY.
Boat launching and water skiing are expressly forbidden from the Park’s beachfront or elsewhere in the park.
SECTION II
Admission to French’s Park will be open to all inhabitants of the Town of Bradford. For the purposes of this Ordinance, the term “inhabitants” shall include all residents of Bradford and their immediate family who own property in Bradford, according to the Town’s Tax Records, whether said residency is seasonal or on a full-time basis.
The term “immediate family”, for the purpose of this Ordinance, shall include all persons residing full time with a Bradford taxpayer at their legal domicile, said domicile not having to be located within the Town of Bradford, and shall include all persons residing seasonally with a taxpayer in Bradford. A picture I.D. and/or a motor vehicle registration showing an address identical to the mailing address of a Bradford Taxpayer, as listed in the Town Tax Records, shall be adequate proof that an individual is immediate family. For those residing seasonally with a taxpayer in Bradford, the host taxpayer shall submit to the Selectmen, in writing, all information pertinent to the seasonal residency (name, relationship term(s) of residency, circumstances of residency) and the Selectmen will determine if the subject individual is an inhabitant of the Town as defined herein and within the spirit of this Ordinance.
All persons renting or leasing property within the Town, and are living in said property on a full time basis, are inhabitants of the Town and are entitled to the use of French’s Park.
Persons renting or leasing property or leasing trailer space on a seasonal basis within the Town, if not otherwise inhabitants or immediate family as defined herein, are not entitled to enter or use French’s Park.
SECTION III
Identification stickers, issued to each inhabitant family upon request, shall regulate entrance to French’s Park. Said stickers are to be permanently affixed to the resident’s vehicle and displayed, when asked, by any Police Officer, or Town Official, at the entrance to or in the park. Refusal to display such an identification tag, upon request, shall be sufficient grounds to deny entrance to the park.
A motor vehicle registration and other positive identification, as may be required by the Selectmen, are necessary for each sticker issued. All stickers shall be issued at the Selectmen’s Office or Transfer Station. Stickers will be issued at a two-dollar ($2.00) fee. All stickers shall be permanently affixed to the lower left corner (passenger side) of the front windshield of the vehicle and be readily visible to the attendant. If a stickered vehicle is sold, the sticker should be scraped off, and if done and the remnants of the sticker are produced for verification, a replacement sticker will be issued for the registered replacement vehicle at no charge.
With proper identification, persons residing seasonally with a taxpayer in Bradford(as approved by the Selectmen—discussed above), inhabitants without a driver’s license and inhabitants who do not own a registered vehicle will be issued a pass card for admission and use of the park. Inhabitants and immediate family without a sticker or a pass card will be permitted entry into the park only if known to be inhabitants or immediate family by the park attendant.
SECTION IV
Inhabitants and immediate family must accompany guests to the park. In fairness to other inhabitants, the number of guests should be limited to three (3) per inhabitant.
Large groups of guests or organized activities shall be permitted only with written permission from the Selectmen.
SECTION V
Parking of motor vehicles within the park shall be limited to 35-50 depending on available space.
If overcrowding occurs at the park, raising safety and/or health concerns, the Selectmen shall determine the maximum number of people that the park can accommodate and shall amend this Ordinance accordingly.
Admission to the park shall be on a first come basis.
SECTION VI
The park will open at 10:00am and close at 9:30pm.
No animals, and/or pets of any kind, no glass containers nor alcoholic beverages, are allowed within the limits of the park.
Proper attire shall be always worn and there shall be no changing of clothes other than in the designated areas.
SECTION VII
Anyone not entitled to the use of French’s Park under the terms of this Ordinance shall be considered a TRESPASSER and may be subject to arrest.
Misuse of stickers or passes shall result in loss of Park privileges for one (1) year.
Upon conviction, anyone violating any section of this Ordinance shall be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00).
Signed this 9th day of July, 1990 by the Bradford Board of Selectmen.
Revised on this 21st day of October, 2024 by the Bradford Board of Selectman