16 Pa.C.S. Ch. 165

in effect

16 Pa.C.S. § 16501 Acquisition of land and buildings for recreation places.

(a) General rule.--The county commissioners may designate and set apart for use as recreation places, or for the enlarging or extending of recreation places, any lands or buildings owned by the county and not dedicated or devoted to other public use. (b) Extension or enlargement of recreation places.--The county commissioners may acquire lands or buildings, by gift or purchase, or may lease lands for use as recreation places or for the extension or enlargement of recreation places. (c) Private property.--The county commissioners may, in accordance with this part and 26 Pa.C.S. (relating to eminent domain): (1) In counties of the second class A, acquire private property for the purpose of establishing, making, enlarging, extending, operating and maintaining public parks and multiuse recreational trails within the limits of the county. (2) In counties of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh or eighth class, acquire private property by the power of eminent domain for use as, or the extension or enlargement of, recreation places. (d) Limitation.--The power to acquire lands or buildings, by gift or purchase, may not extend beyond the limits of the particular county, except upon the consent of the adjoining county and municipal corporation which would be affected. (e) Joint exercise of powers.--A county may exercise the powers granted in this part jointly with any political subdivision.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16502 Construction, equipment and maintenance and general powers.

The county commissioners may build, alter, extend, enlarge, manage, supervise, equip, ornament, operate and maintain recreation places and may vest the authority to do so in an existing body or board or in a park board, recreation board or fair board, any of which may be established by the county commissioners for any purpose, function and place as the county commissioners may determine. For the purpose of carrying out this chapter, the county commissioners, or any body or board vested with the authority of the county commissioners, may employ play leaders, recreation directors, supervisors, superintendents or any other officers or employees. The number and salary of the employees, to the extent that the employee's salary is paid from the money of the county, shall be determined by the salary board. All recreation places shall be kept in good order and repair.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16503 Fair, park and recreation boards.

The county commissioners may establish a fair board, park board or recreation board, which shall possess all the powers and be subject to all the responsibilities of the county commissioners in the management, supervision, operation and maintenance of recreation places. A board shall consist of a minimum of five individuals and a maximum of nine individuals. The members of the boards shall be appointed by the county commissioners for a term to extend no longer than five years and the terms of the members shall be staggered so at least one expires annually. Members of the board shall serve without pay. Vacancies in the board occurring otherwise than by expiration of term shall be for the unexpired term and shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16504 Officers of board.

The members of a fair board, park board or recreation board shall elect a chairperson and secretary and select all other necessary officers to serve for a period of one year and may, with the consent and approval of the county commissioners, employ individuals as needed under this chapter. The boards shall have the power to adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of all business within their jurisdiction.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16506 Indebtedness.

The county commissioners may issue bonds, in accordance with 53 Pa.C.S. Pt. VII Subpt. B (relating to indebtedness and borrowing), for the purpose of acquiring lands or buildings for recreation places and for the construction, extension, enlargement, alteration or equipment thereof. Cross References. Section 16506 is referred to in section 16507 of this title.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16507 Payment of expenses, taxation, annual fairs and State contributions.

(a) General rule.--Expenses incurred in the operation of recreation places established under this chapter shall be payable from the treasury of the county. The county commissioners may annually appropriate and impose a tax to raise money for any of the purposes authorized in this chapter, including debt service upon bond issues authorized under section 16506 (relating to indebtedness). In counties of the second class A, the amount of the tax may not exceed two mills on the dollar of the assessed valuation of taxable property in the county. (b) Annual fair or agricultural exhibition.--The county commissioners or the fair board may provide for and hold an annual fair or agricultural exhibition on county fairgrounds, and may accept aid or contributions from the Commonwealth under any act for the payment of premiums at any fair or exhibition. Cross References. Section 16507 is referred to in section 14970 of this title.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16508 Park buildings.

The county commissioners shall have exclusive power to lease all buildings and facilities within the park limits and to collect rent, fees and other consideration.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16509 Use of receipts.

All rents, license charges and fees, all fines, proceeds of sales and profits that are collected, received or realized from recreation places and buildings in any county, shall be paid into the county treasury. Money or property given or bequeathed to the county commissioners upon specified trusts shall be received and receipted for by the county treasurer and held and applied according to the trusts specified.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16510 Damages, forfeiture of leases and penalties.

(a) Liability for violation.--A person violating any rules and regulations adopted for recreation places shall be liable to the full extent of any damage committed by that person, in trespass or other action, and a tenant or licensed party who violates any rule and regulation, or consent to or permit the same to be violated on the premises, shall forfeit the lease or license and may be removed by a vote of the county commissioners. Every lease and license shall contain a clause stating that it shall be cause for forfeiture for a lessee or licensed party to violate or permit or suffer any violation of any rules and regulations. (b) Specific offense.--In counties of the second class A, the violation of any rules or regulations of the county commissioners for the government of public parks shall constitute a summary offense.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16511 Employees and police.

(a) Additional personnel permitted.--For the purpose of performing all necessary duties relating to establishing, making, enlarging, extending and maintaining public parks, buildings and other county-owned properties and for enforcing the rules and regulations ordained or resolved by the county commissioners or by any body or board of control if no penalty or fine is involved, the county commissioners may employ or appoint and equip proper persons as may be authorized by the salary board to do all necessary and proper work connected with the requirements of this subsection, including police or guard duty. (b) County park police.--The county commissioners of a county of the third class which is contiguous to a county of the second class may, by ordinance, create or disband a county park police force within the county. If a county park police force is created under this chapter, the county commissioners shall have power to employ the number of officers as may be fixed by the salary board of the county. The compensation of the county park police officers shall be paid by the county.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16512 Duty of police.

(a) Arrest and initial appearance.--The police, county park police or guards appointed to duty in a recreation place, building and other county-owned property may: (1) Arrest, without warrant, an offender against the rules and regulations, ordained or resolved by the county commissioners, that the police, county park police or guards appointed to duty may detect in the commission of an offense. (2) Take the offender before a magisterial district judge having competent jurisdiction. (b) Primary jurisdictional area for county park police.--In the ordinance creating a county park police force, the county commissioners shall designate a primary jurisdictional area where the county park police officers shall have jurisdiction. The primary jurisdictional area shall include only property owned, leased or controlled by the county, by a county municipal authority, county redevelopment authority, county industrial development authority or agency, county airport authority or by a community college of which the county is a local sponsor, whether the property is within or outside the territorial limits of the county. A county road, street or highway may not be designated or considered as a primary jurisdictional area unless it is located within the boundaries of a geographical area otherwise designated by ordinance as a primary jurisdictional area under this section. (c) County park police powers and duties.--County park police shall have the following powers and duties: (1) To enforce good order and protect the grounds and buildings within a primary jurisdictional area. (2) To exclude all disorderly persons from the grounds and buildings within a primary jurisdictional area. (3) To exercise the same powers that may be exercised under authority of law or ordinance by the police of the municipalities in which the primary jurisdictional area is located, including those powers conferred under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 89 Subch. D (relating to municipal police jurisdiction). (4) To prevent crime, investigate criminal acts, apprehend, arrest and charge criminal offenders and issue summary citations for acts committed on the grounds and in the buildings of the primary jurisdictional area and take the offender before the proper authority and issue charges against the offender under the laws of this Commonwealth. Except when acting under 42 Pa.C.S. Ch. 89 Subch. D, county park police shall exercise these powers and perform these duties only on the grounds of the primary jurisdictional area. (5) To order off the grounds and out of the buildings within the primary jurisdictional area all vagrants, loafers, trespassers and persons under the influence of liquor and, if necessary, remove them by force and, in case of resistance, transport the offenders to the proper authority. (6) To arrest an individual who damages, mutilates or destroys the trees, plants, shrubbery, turf, grass plots, benches, buildings and structures or commits any other offense on the grounds and in the buildings within the primary jurisdictional area and transport the offender to the proper authority and prefer charges against the offender under the laws of this Commonwealth. (d) Chief and other designations.--The county commissioners shall designate, from the county park police officers, the chief and other ranks or classifications of officers as desired by the county commissioners.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16513 Property held in trust.

(a) Conveyance to county.--If the owner of any real property adapted to the use or purpose of public agriculture fairs or exhibits is willing to convey or devise the real property to the county wherein located, to be held in trust for the citizens and inhabitants of the county, the county commissioners may take title of the real property and hold the real property in trust for the benefit of the residents of the county. (b) Acceptance of contributions.--The county commissioners may receive and accept contributions in buildings or materials for additional improvements on the real property conveyed or devised and held in trust. (c) Lease of real property.--The county commissioners may lease real property acquired under this section to any incorporated agriculture association willing and financially able to manage the premises, on condition that the premises shall be used annually for agriculture fairs and exhibitions without any liability or expense on the part of the county. Upon failure of a lessee to comply with the terms of any lease, the county shall retake possession of the leased property. (d) Sale of real property.--If, for a period of five years, public use of the real property as contemplated by the grant or gift to the county is not made, the real property may be sold on petition to the court of common pleas under this part for the sale of county real property.

16 Pa.C.S. § 16517 Appropriations to political subdivisions for recreation places.

The county commissioners in counties of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth class may appropriate money from the county treasury to aid municipal corporations in the purchase, construction, operation and maintenance of recreation places.

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://www.palegis.us/statutes/consolidated/view-statute?txtType=HTM&ttl=16Fetched: 10/16/2026