Definitions:
(a) Public place shall mean any place to which the general public has access and a right to resort for business, entertainment, or other lawful purpose, but does not necessarily mean a place devoted solely to the uses of the public. It shall also include the front or immediate area of any store, shop, restaurant, tavern, or other place of business and also public grounds, areas, or parks.
(b) Riot shall mean a public disturbance involving (1) an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three (3) or more persons, which act or acts shall constitute a clear and present danger of, or shall result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual or (2) a threat or threats of the commission of an act or acts of violence by one or more persons part of an assemblage of three (3) or more persons having, individually or collectively, the ability of immediate execution of such threat or threats, where the performance of the threatened act or acts of violence would constitute a clear and present danger of, or would result in, damage or injury to the property of any other person or to the person of any other individual.
(c) Incite a riot shall mean, but is not limited to, urging or instigating other persons to riot, but shall not be deemed to mean the mere oral or written (1) advocacy of ideas or (2) expression of belief, not involving advocacy of any act or acts of violence or assertion of the rightness of, or the right to commit, any such act or acts.
Disorderly conduct prohibited: A person shall be guilty of disorderly conduct if, with the purpose of causing public danger, alarm, disorder, nuisance, or if his conduct is likely to cause public danger, alarm, disorder or nuisance and he wilfully does any of the following acts in a public place:
(a) Commits an act in a violent and tumultuous manner toward another whereby that other is placed in fear of safety of his life, limb or health;
(b) Commits an act in a violent and tumultuous manner toward another whereby the property of any person is placed in danger of being destroyed or damaged;
(c) Causes, provokes or engages in any fight, brawl or riotous conduct so as to endanger the life, limb, health, or property of another;
(d) Interferes with another's pursuit of a lawful occupation by acts of violence;
(e) Is in a public place under the influence of an intoxicating liquor or drug in such condition as to be unable to exercise care for his own safety or the safety of others;
(f) Resists or obstructs the performance of duties by the Woonsocket Police or any other authorized official of the city, when known to be such an official;
(g) Incites, attempts to incite, or is involved in attempting to incite a riot;
(h) Addresses abusive language or threats to any member of the Woonsocket Police Department, any other authorized official of the City of Woonsocket who is engaged in the lawful performance of his duties, or any other person when such words have a direct tendency to cause acts of violence. Words merely causing displeasure, annoyance or resentment are not prohibited;
(i) Damages, befouls, or disturbs public property or the property of another so as to create a hazardous, unhealthy, or physically offensive condition;
(j) Fails to obey a lawful order to disperse by a police officer when known to be such an official, where one or more persons are committing acts of disorderly conduct in the immediate vicinity, and the public health and safety is imminently threatened;
(k) Uses violent and forceful behavior at any time in or near a public place, such that there is a clear and present danger that free movement of other persons will be arrested or restrained, or other persons will be incapacitated in the lawful exercise of business or amusement;
(l) Disturbs the peace of others by violent, offensive or boisterous conduct or language which said conduct or language was calculated to cause anguish or injury to another;
(m) Roughly crowds or pushes any person in any public place;
(n) Throws any stone, snowball, or any other missile upon or at any person, vehicle, building, tree, sign or other public or private property;
(o) Wantonly makes a false alarm with reference to the request of fire fighting apparatus or cries fire in any public place for the sole purpose of causing turmoil;
(p) Prowls or wanders upon the private property of another, peeks in the door or window of any inhabited building or structure located thereon without visible or lawful business with the owner or occupant thereof;
(q) Maliciously interrupts the speaker of any lawful assembly or impairs the lawful rights of others to participate effectively in such assembly or meeting when such conduct is calculated to provoke or tend to cause turmoil or disturbance;
(r) Acts in a manner which tends to cause or provoke a disturbance near any public building wherein matters affecting the public are being considered or deliberated, designed or having the effect and said conduct interferes with the said public matters;
(s) Frequents any public place with intent to obtain money from other persons by illegal and fraudulent schemes, tricks, artifices or devices;
(t) Displays any deadly weapon in a public place in a manner which is calculated to alarm or frighten other persons present;
(u) Stands or wanders in or near any public highway, street, alley or thoroughfare in the city, or any public or private place therein, and attempts to engage passersby in conversation, or stops or attempts to stop motor vehicles, for the purpose of prostitution or other indecent act, or to patronize or induce or otherwise secure a person to commit any such act;
(v) While an operator or passenger in a motor vehicle to stop, or attempt to stop another vehicle or pedestrian, or to engage or attempt to engage persons in another vehicle or pedestrians in conversation, for the purposes of prostitution or other indecent act, or to patronize, induce or otherwise secure another person to commit any such act.
Exemptions: This section shall not be construed to suppress the right to lawful assembly, picketing, public speaking, or other lawful means of expressing public opinion not in contravention of other laws. (Ch. No. 2526, Sec. 1, 5-4-70; Ch. No. 3076, Sec. 1, 3-17-75; Ch. No. 5331, Sec. 9-4-90; Ch. No. 7966, Sec. 1, 11-22-2016)
State law references--Disorderly conduct, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-11-1 et seq.; vagrants and drunkards, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-45-1 et seq.
Any person who shall be found intoxicated under such circumstances as to amount to a violation of decency shall for each offense be punished as provided in section 1-8. (Ch. No. 2526, Sec. 2, 5-4-70)
Cross reference--Possession of open alcoholic beverage container in public restricted, Sec. 3-3.
State law references--Vagrants and drunkards, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-45-1 et seq.; ordinances to punish indecent intoxication, G.L. 1956, Sec. 45-6-3.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter, loaf, wander, stand or remain idle either along and/or in consort with others in a public place in such manner so as to:
(1) Obstruction any public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building by hindering or impeding or tend to hinder or impede the free and uninterrupted passage of vehicles, traffic or pedestrians.
(2) Commit in or upon any public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building any act or thing which is an obstruction or interference to the free and uninterrupted use of property or with any business lawfully conducted by anyone in or upon or facing or fronting on any such public street, public highway, public sidewalk or any other public place or building, all of which prevents the free and uninterrupted ingress, egress and regress, therein, thereon and thereto.
(b) When any person causes or commits any of the conditions enumerated in subsection (a) herein, a police officer or any law enforcement officer shall order that person to stop causing or committing such conditions and to move on or disperse. Any person who fails or refuses to obey such orders shall be guilty of a violation of the section.
(Rev. Ords. 1928, Ch. 40, Sec. 37; Ch. No. 2829, Secs. 1, 2, 10-2-72)
Cross reference--Streets and sidewalks, Ch. 16.
State law references--Loitering on railroad or busline property, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-36-5; trespassing on railroad property, G.L. 1956, Secs. 11-36-6, 11-36-7; trespass and vandalism generally, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-44-1 et seq.
(Rev. Ords. 1928, Ch. 40, Sec. 9; Ch. No. 6718, Sec. 1, 5-15-00)
(a) No person or persons owning, employing or having the care, custody or possession of any musical instrument, radio set, television set, phonograph or other instrument, machine or, device for the producing or reproducing of sound, shall operate, use or permit to be operated or used such instrument, machine or device in such a manner as to be plainly audible to occupants of neighboring properties or the public at large.
No person operating or occupying a motor vehicle on any street, highway, alley, parking lot or driveway, either public or private property, shall operate or permit the operation of any sound amplification system, including but not limited to, any radio, tape player, compact disc player, loud speaker, or any other electrical device used for the amplification of sound from within the motor vehicle or, in the case of a motor vehicle so that the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 100 feet or more from the vehicle or , in the ase of a motor vehicle on private property, beyond the property line as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants. For the purpose of this section, “plainly audible” means any sound which clearly can be heard, by unimpaired auditory senses based on a direct line of sight of 100 feet or more, from the source of the sound and crosses a property boundary line or boundary between dwelling units, however, words or phrases need not be discernible and said sound shall include base reverberation. Prohibition contained in this section shall not be applicable to emergency or public safety vehicles, vehicles owned and operated by the City of Woonsocket or any utility company, for sound emitted unavoidably during job-related operation, or any motor vehicle used in an authorized public activity for which a permit has been granted by the appropriate agency of the City of Woonsocket.
Vehicles as used in this section shall be those as defined in Rhode Island General Law 31-1-3.
(b) Every motor vehicle shall at all times be equipped with a muffler in good working order and in constant operation to prevent excessive or unusual noise and annoying smoke. No person shall use a muffler cutout, bypass, or similar device upon a motor vehicle on a highway. Any exhaust system shall be deemed defective if any changes, modifications, alterations, deletions, or adjustments have been made which would cause the exhaust system to generate a higher or louder sound level than would be generated by the exhaust system customarily installed by the manufacturer as original equipment. For the purpose of this section only, it shall be considered a prima facie violation when any noise level reaches such a level so as to be plainly audible at a distance of 300 or more feet.
(c) Animal Noise. No person shall keep or maintain or permit the keeping of, upon any premises owned, occupied or controlled by such person any animal or fowl otherwise permitted to be kept which, by any sound, cry or behavior, which creates plainly audible noise across a residential or commercial property line. For the purpose of this section, animal or fowl shall include an animal or fowl that barks, bays, cries, howls or makes another noise continuously for a period of 15 minutes, or barks intermittently for % hour or more to the disturbance at any time of day or night regardless of whether the animal or fowl is physically situated in or upon private property. For the purpose of this section, the animal or fowl noise shall not be deemed a disturbance if a person is trespassing or threatening to trespass upon private property in or upon which the animal or fowl is situated or if the noise is for any other legitimate cause, such as someone teasing or provoking the animal or fowl.
(d) Truck Idling. No person shall operate an engine of any standing motor vehicle with a weight in excess of 6,000 (3 tons) pounds Manufacturer's Gross Vehicle Weight GVW for a period in excess of 10 minutes when such vehicle is parked on a residential premise or on a public or commercial premise so as to be plainly audible to the occupants of a residential structure, however, that vehicles confined and operated within an enclosed structure shall not be subject to the provisions of this subsection.
(e) Limitation on Operation of Outdoor Construction and Earth Moving Equipment.
(1) "Outdoor construction equipment" shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, "Bulldozers, graders, backhoes, jack hammers, and all other construction equipment used for the excavation, regrading and loading of topsoil, common borrow, gravel, stone and ledge."
(2) "Earth moving equipment" shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, "trucks with a capacity of greater than twenty (20) cubic yards for the delivery of removal of earth material."
(3) The operation of outdoor construction equipment and earth moving equipment, as defined in this section, and blasting or the discharge of explosives, shall not be permitted anywhere in the City during the following hours:
(a) weekdays from 9:00 PM to 7:00 AM
(b) weekends from 5:00 PM Saturday through 7:00 AM Monday
(4) This section shall not apply to prohibit the operation of outdoor construction equipment or earth moving equipment necessary for the performance of emergency utility and roadway work by either the City of Woonsocket, State of Rhode Island or public utility companies, or as otherwise authorized by the Director of Planning and Development or Director of Public Works.
(f) Prima Facie. It shall be considered prima facie violation when any noise level reaches such a level so as to be heard plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from any instrument, machine, device, building, structure or motor vehicle in which it is located, unless specifically permitted by ordinance or law or by an agency or department within the City of Woonsocket.
(g) Penalty for violation. Any person found in violation of this ordinance, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of $100 for the first offense. The penalty for the second offense within one calendar year shall be $200 and the penalty for the third and subsequent offense shall be not less than $300 nor more than $500.
(Ch. No. 5828, Sec. 1(Exh. A, Secs. 1--6), 11-1-93; Ch. No. 6182, Sec. 1, 1-2-96; Ch. No. 6713, Sec 1, 5-15-00; Ch. No. 6760, Sec. 2 - 7, 8-15-00; Ch. No. 7347, Sec 1, 8-6-07)
No person shall maliciously, wantonly or carelessly throw down, extinguish, or otherwise injure any lamp or lantern erected for the purpose of lighting any street, highway, building, public place, or grounds set apart for public purposes in this city, whether the same shall have been erected by the city, other corporation or by any individual.
(Rev. Ords. 1928, Ch. 40, Sec. 12)
Cross reference--Streets and sidewalks, Ch. 16.
State law references--Injuries to electric or communication lines, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-35-4; trespassing and vandalism generally, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-44-1 et seq.; breaking lamps, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-44-14.
No person shall maliciously, wantonly or carelessly daub with paint, cut, break, or otherwise injure, or by scratching or writing with paint, blacking, chalk or in any other way or manner deface any post, lamppost, fence, tree, tree-box, house, or other building situated in or upon any street, highway, bridge, public place, or grounds set apart for public purposes in this city or any ornament or appurtenance of such post, lamppost, fence, tree, tree-box, house or other building.
(Rev. Ords. 1928, Ch. 40, Sec. 13)
Cross reference--Buildings and buildings regulations, Ch. 7.
State law references--Injuring highway boundary markers, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-22-1; injuries to road signs--advertising on highway, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-22-2; injuries to electric or communication lines, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-35-4; trespass and vandalism generally, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-44-1 et seq.
No person, except police officers in line of duty and military officers in line of duty, shall discharge any rifle, pistol or air gun loaded with ball, bullets or slug within the borders of the city.
(Ch. No. 2526, Sec. 3, 5-4-70)
State law references--Weapons generally, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-47-1 et seq.; firing across highways prohibited, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-47-49; firing without landowner's permission--firing in compact area, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-47-50.
No person shall, for the purpose of swimming or bathing, unless properly clothed, go into any of the waters of the rivers, ponds or other waters lying within the limits of the city. Every person violating any of the provisions of this section shall be punished as provided in section 1-8. (Ch. No. 2526, Sec. 7, 5-4-70)
Cross reference--Water and sewers and sewage disposal, Ch. 18.
No property owner or builder shall pipe an existing brook or watercourse upon the premises of the owner, until a proposed design plan for the same is approved by the public works department of the city. (Ch. No. 2363, Sec. 1, 12-2-68)
Cross reference--Water and sewers and sewage disposal, Ch. 18.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person who, having been the owner of a container originally used for refrigerative purposes, fails to remove the door from the same before discarding or setting aside the same.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly permit or to cause an unused container of the type set forth in subsection (a), to be placed or to remain upon his property in such a manner that it shall become readily accessible to children, without removing the door from the same. (Ch. No. 1031, Secs. 1, 2, 7-7-54)
State law reference--Abandonment of refrigerator in place accessible to children, G.L. 1956, Sec. 11-9-10.
Any person refusing or neglecting to comply with the requirements of any subpoena or written order issued and served by the city council acting as the board of license commissioners shall, on conviction of such refusal or neglect, be punished as prescribed in section 1-8. (Ch. No. 1297, Sec. 1, 12-1-58)
State law reference--Subpoena of witnesses, G.L. 1956, Sec. 45-5-14.
(a) Violation. No person(s), firm, corporation, partnership or entity shall place, deposit, leave, store or keep or permit to be placed, deposited, left, stored or kept, or arranged to have placed, deposited, left, stored or kept any vehicle that is either partially or totally dismantled, unserviceable, damaged to such an extent as to be inoperable, abandoned, junked or discarded on any public property.
(b) Determination of Violation. Upon observation by the director of public works, or his designee, of any vehicle which reasonably appears to be in violation of this section.
(1) The director of his designee shall determine the vehicle identification number of the vehicle, and shall furnish that number to the Woonsocket Police Department for a determination as to whether or not the vehicle is stolen, and for a determination as to the last registered owner, if any.
(2) A vehicle which is determined to be in violation of this section shall have affixed hereto notice indicating that the vehicle is in violation of the law, and to be removed within three (3) days of the notice. The notice shall further indicate that should be vehicle not be removed within three (3) days it will be removed by the department of public works, or an authorized agent thereof, and that the costs of removal shall be borne by the owner. The notice shall also indicate that the vehicle may be redeemed by payment.
(3) If in the judgment of the public works director, his designee, or the police department a vehicle on a city street or public highway is creating a public safety hazard or is unduly obstructing traffic, said vehicle may be towed without notice.
(c) Failure to Remove Upon Proper Notice. If said vehicle is not removed within three (3) days, the department of public works, through a licensed towing company, shall have the vehicle towed to the place of business and/or storage of the tow company. If the name and address of the current registered owner has been determined, notice, consistent with subsection (b)(2), shall be sent by regular mail, postage prepaid, to that owner, which notices shall indicate the location at which the vehicle shall be redeemed within seven (7) days.
(d) Redemption of Vehicle Required.
(1) The owner of any vehicle removed under the terms of this section shall, within seven (7) days after removal, redeem the said vehicle from the tow company authorized by the department of public works. The costs of said removal shall be calculated at a rate for transport and storage in accordance with tariffs on file with the public utilities commission by the said tow company, and other conduct of the licensed tow company shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of the said commission and other existing law.
(2) If no claim for said aforedescribed vehicle is made in the manner provided aforesaid, said public works director may dispose of said vehicle in accordance with the provisions of title 31, chapter 42 of the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island, as amended.
(3) Neither the public works director nor his designee shall be liable for any loss or damage to any vehicle removed by either such person or entity pursuant to this section, whether caused in the removal of the vehicle or its subsequent storage or as a result of any subsequent sale or other disposition.
(e) Definitions.
(1) Abandoned motor vehicle means a motor vehicle that is inoperable and over eight (8) years old and is left unattended on public property for more than forty-eight (48) hours, or a motor vehicle that has remained illegally on public property for a period of more than three (3) days.
(2) Vehicles legally or physically incapable of being operated shall include those which have not been duly registered according to law or which lack the equipment in good operating condition as required by law to enable them to be registered or which do not display a current state certificate of inspection pursuant to section 31-38-4 of the General Laws of the State of Rhode Island of 1956 as amended and the rules and regulations of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, or which do not display a current state inspection sticker pursuant to the laws, rules and regulations of the state in which they are registered.
(3) Dismantled, junked or abandoned vehicles shall be deemed to include major parts thereof, including bodies, engines, transmissions, rear ends and the like.
(4) Public property shall include property owned by the city or state, property acquired by the city at tax sale, and all streets and highways within the city whether or not they are public highways.
(5) It shall be presumed that the last registered owner of any vehicle in violation of this section is the party responsible for placing said vehicle on city property.
(f) Penalty: Any person(s), firm, partnership, corporation or entity in violation of this section shall be punished by a fine not exceeding three hundred fifty dollars ($350.00) or imprisonment not exceeding thirty (30) days. Each day a violation shall continue shall constitute a separate offense. (Ch. No. 5057, Secs. 1--6, 12-19-88)
(a) Definitions:
(1) Public property shall mean any real property or fixtures of any kind and description to which the public has access regardless of whether it is owned by the federal government, the state or the city.
(2) Private property shall mean any real property or fixtures of any kind and description which is owned by a private party, entity or person.
(3) Ethnic slur shall mean any writing commonly referred to as graffiti which in any way shall cast a negative aspersion on any race, color, religious or ethnic group.
(4) Enhanced penalties for ethnic slur: Anyone found guilty of defacing of public and private property, by the use of ethnic, racial or religious slur shall be subject to enhanced penalties under this ordinance.
(b) Defacing of Public or Private Property: A person shall be guilty of defacing public or private property when he or she commits an act to deface or destroy, in whole or in part, any property, public or private using any means whatsoever, including but not limited to paint, ink or other type of marking which produces a visual effect.
(c) Penalties: A person found guilty under this section shall make full restitution to the owner of the property that is defaced or destroyed. Additionally, such person shall perform community service of ten (10) hours and be subject to additional fine which the municipal court may impose. Should such a person be found guilty of defacing public or private property using ethnic, racial or religious slurs, said person shall be subject to enhanced penalties of a mandatory two hundred dollars ($200.00) fine or thirty (30) hours of community service. (Ch. No. 5738, Sec. 1, 4-19-93)
No Drug and Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment may be located two hundred (200') feet or less from schools, child care facilities, parks and other locations frequented largely by children.
Any premises where drug and paraphernalia is displayed for sale, offered for sale or sold, shall be defined, for the purposes of this ordinance, as a "Drug and Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishment."
1. Drug and tobacco paraphernalia is defined as:
a. Including but not limited to one or more of those items identified in that list set forth in Subdivision c. below, shall mean any device designed primarily for use by individuals for the smoking or ingestion of tobacco, marijuana, hashish, hashish oil, cocaine or any other "controlled substance," as that term is defined by Rhode Island General Laws.
b. A device "designed primarily for" the smoking or ingestion set forth in subdivision a. above, is a device which has been fabricated, constructed, altered, adjusted, or marked especially for use in the smoking or ingestion of tobacco, marijuana, hashish, hashish oil, cocaine or any other "controlled substance," and is peculiarly adapted to that purposes by virtue of a distinctive feature or combination of features associated with tobacco or drug paraphernalia, notwithstanding that it might also be possible to use the device for some other purpose.
c. Includable items or devices:
(1) Metal, wooden, acrylic, glass, stone, plastic or ceramic pipes, with or without screens permanent or otherwise, heads or punctured metal bowls;
(2) A device constructed as to prevent the escape of smoke into the air and to channel smoke into a chamber where it may be accumulated to permit inhalation or ingestion of larger quantities of smoke that would otherwise be possible, whether the device is known as a "bong," or otherwise;
(3) A smokeable pipe constructed with a receptacle or container in which water or other liquid may be placed into which smoke passes and is cooled in the process of being inhaled or ingested;
(4) A smokeable pipe which contains a heating unit, whether the device is known as an "electric pipe," or otherwise;
(5) A device constructed so as to permit the simultaneous mixing and ingestion of smoke and nitrous oxide or other compressed gas, whether the device is known as a "buzz bomb,' or otherwise;
(6) A canister, container or other device with a tube, nozzle or other similar arrangement attached and so constructed as to permit the forcing of accumulated smoke into the user's lungs under pressure;
(7) A device for holding burning material, such as a cigarette that has become too small or too short to be held in the hand, whether the device is known as a "roach clip," or otherwise;"
d. Lighters and matches shall be excluded from the definition of tobacco and drug paraphernalia.
2. Nothing in the definition of Drug and Tobacco Paraphernalia Establishments is intended to, nor shall be interpreted as legalizing or applying to the delivery, furnishing, transferring, possessing or manufacture of drug paraphernalia or any use otherwise prohibited by state or federal law.
3. Penalties: Any business owner found to be in violation of this section shall be given a warning upon first offense. Upon second offense within a twelve-month period, a fine of one hundred dollars ($100) shall be imposed. Upon third offense within a twelve-month period, a fine of two hundred dollars ($200) shall be imposed. Any subsequent offense within a twelve-month period shall be punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500) for each offense. (Ch. No. 7596, Sec. 1, 4-8-11)