32:14-20 Operation and use of facilities of park; licenses, privileges or franchises; rules and regulations; violations.

32:14-20. a. (1) Palisades Interstate Park Commission may erect and operate elevators and escalators at such places in the park as it may deem necessary or expedient. The commission may provide and operate or provide by lease, charter, concession, exclusive or nonexclusive privilege, or otherwise, for the operation of such other facilities, including hotels, restaurants, stands, booths, amusements, docks, wharves, and any and all means of transportation to, from or in the park, for the use and enjoyment of the park by the public and for increasing the accessibility thereof to the public as it may deem to be necessary or expedient. The commission may also provide at its discretion, by proper rules or regulations, the terms upon and the manner in which those facilities may be used. The commission shall not issue or consent to licenses, privileges, or franchises to individuals or corporations for the operation for private profit of any facility, utility, or device within the portions of the park in this State, except upon terms which will limit the operation of those licenses, franchises, or privileges to a period not exceeding 20 years in any event.

(2) No such license, privilege, or franchise shall be authorized or awarded except after proper advertisement and to the responsible person who will, in open competition, offer to pay to the commission the highest return therefor.

(3) All proceeds derived from the operation of those facilities or from any of the operations of the commission in this State shall be used by the commission for the development and management of the portions of the park in this State.

b. (1) The commission shall have power to make, alter, amend, and repeal rules and regulations for the use and government of the park as located within the limits of the State of New Jersey, and of those parts of the State, county, and other public highways as lie within the boundaries of those portions of the park and of all lands, parks, and parkways in this State under the jurisdiction of the commission. No rule or regulation made by the commission relating to traffic on the roads under the jurisdiction of the commission in the State of New Jersey shall require the approval of any other commission or of any board, nor the holding of a public hearing in connection with the adoption of the rule or regulation. No rule or regulation heretofore made by the commission relating to traffic shall be deemed to have required the approval of any other commission or board, or the holding of any public hearing in connection with the adoption of the rule or regulation.

c. (1) If a person violates any rule or regulation adopted or issued by the commission pursuant to subsection b. of this section, the commission may institute a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prohibit and prevent the violation and the court may proceed in a summary manner.

(2) (a) A person who violates any rule or regulation adopted or issued by the commission pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall be guilty of a petty disorderly persons offense.

(b) In addition, a person who violates any rule or regulation adopted or issued by the commission pursuant to subsection b. of this section shall be liable to a civil penalty of not less than $50 nor more than $1,500, plus restitution if applicable, for each offense, to be collected in a civil action by a summary proceeding under the "Penalty Enforcement Law of 1999," P.L.1999, c. 274 (C.2A:58-10 et seq.) or in any case before a court of competent jurisdiction wherein injunctive relief has been requested. The Superior Court and municipal courts shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine violations of subsection a. of this section. If the violation is of a continuing nature, each day during which it continues shall constitute an additional, separate, and distinct offense. If the violation results in pecuniary gain to the violator, or the violator willfully or wantonly causes injury or damage to property, including but not limited to natural resources, the violator shall be liable to an additional civil penalty equal to three times the value of the pecuniary gain or injury or damage to property.

(c) Penalties assessed pursuant to this paragraph shall be in addition to any other civil or criminal penalties that may be applicable pursuant to law.

Amended 1939, c.191, s.21; 1952, c.259, s.1; 1955, c.216; 1956, c.84; 2005, c.330, s.3.