Delaware County Parks UFA Preemption Violation

[stimrob]

Took a picnic lunch to the park over the weekend and saw this (picture attached):

Prohibited
...
Possession or discharge of any type of firearm
...


What county officer should I be contact to inform them of the violation?

[FNG19]

What county officer should I be contact to inform them of the violation?

You can find the list of County Council members here. I would email the chairman, and CC both the vice-chairman and the County Parks Director (contact info).

In fact, if you look at the page I linked to for the contact info for the Parks Director, you'll see that the "Park Rules and Regulations" shows their standard parks sign, which includes the prohibition. It may in fact be that every park in the Delaware County system is in violation. Conveniently, they've included a list of all parks on that page, including both "major" and "municipal" (whatever that distinction is about) parks.

[Curmudgeon]

I would look into the township or county council where the park is located.

Before you do, you may wish to find the printed ordinance for this. Very often the prohibition has been brought to their attention and even corrected "on the books", but they have not yet corrected the sign. If such is the case you can bug them about getting around to correcting the sign.
.

[stimrob]

It's possible you are correct curmudgeon. On the document from the delco website it states:

"6. The use of firearms, air guns, slingshots, bows and arrows, and fireworks is
prohibited."


Which is worded differently than the actual sign. Possibly, implying possession is not a crime. At the very least, it's worth checking up on.


Thanks for the help guys.

[FNG19]

Before you do, you may wish to find the printed ordinance for this. Very often the prohibition has been brought to their attention and even corrected "on the books", but they have not yet corrected the sign. If such is the case you can bug them about getting around to correcting the sign.
.

Great point! It looks like the prohibiting ordinance is still on the books. According to eCode 360:

§ 141-5. Firearms, weapons and fireworks.
Possession or discharge of explosives, bows and arrows, air guns, slingshots, rockets, any type of firearm, weapon or fireworks is prohibited.

It may also be that the individual municipalities within Delco also have similar language on their books, but that's a different fight than getting the County corrected.

[Dannytheman]

Or they just forgot to make a new sign and change it out.

Send a letter with signs location and incorrect wording and send along a picture.

Good catch!

Where is this sign?

[Remington788]

I cannot believe they prohibit dog training.
I can't go to the park and teach my dog to fetch?

[Remington788]

Or they just forgot to make a new sign and change it out.

Or it isn't in the park budget to do it.

[jerkin]

It would seem to me that even if they changed the law but left the signs up that it should still be considered a preemption violation. It would be similar to one of the PA counties posting 45mph speed limit signs on their section of the Turnpike. I don't think a response of "Well, it's not actually the law, we just have signs to make you think it is" would fly.

[mjfletcher]

Only advice I can give is to repeat FNG19's advice from HERE.

In my opinion, it's best to word this as a compliance issue, not a violation issue. "Compliance" requests a change of behavior. "Violation" is an accusation. You can always ratchet up the language later if you need to.

Honey/Vinegar and all that.