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Department of Natural Resources - General Provisions - Definition of terms.


Published: 2018-01-26

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Whenever used in any division of parks and watercraft rules the following terms, unless otherwise therein expressly defined, shall mean and include the following:

(A) "Air propelled powercraft" means any powercraft propelled by machinery which produces a current of air for the purpose of locomotion and direction control on water or marsh areas.

(B) "Airfoil" means a device designed to provide lift. For the purposes of this division, an airfoil includes any device designed to be towed behind a vessel or vehicle that allows a person or persons to be lifted into the air.

(C) "All purpose vehicle" as used in these rules shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 4519.01 of the Revised Code.

(D) "Area manager" means a person designated by the chief of the division to be responsible for the supervision, operation, protection and maintenance of an area of land or water under the administration of the division.

(E) "Beach," "bathing beach," or "bathing area" means any area designated by the division as such, including the actual sand beach, if any, and the adjoining land area as well as the adjacent waters used for bathing, swimming and wading.

(F) "Bridle path" or "bridle trail" means any path or trail designated for persons riding on horseback.

(G) "Camping" means utilization of any piece of equipment for sleeping in or upon, including, but not limited to, a sleeping bag, hammock, station wagon, car, van, motor home, bus, trailer, tent, tarp, truck, house vehicle, pickup camper, or watercraft, for the purpose of occupying a portion of state land or water for transient and temporary outdoor living.

(H) "Chief" or "chief of the division" means the chief of the division of parks and watercraft, department of natural resources, state of Ohio.

(I) "Closed zone" means any water area wherein the presence or operation of any recreational vessel is prohibited, and is marked as provided in section 1547.08 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Danger zone" means that water area wherein are located navigation hazards requiring reduced operating speeds.

(K) "Department" means the state of Ohio, department of natural resources.

(L) "Designated areas" means any location, place, site, region, facility, zone, or space identified by the chief. Information about these areas is on record and available to the public at the "Office of the Chief, 2045 Morse Road, Building C, Columbus, Ohio 43229-6693," Monday through Friday, between the hours of eight a.m. and five p.m.

(M) "Director" means the director of the department of natural resources, state of Ohio.

(N) "Division" means the state of Ohio, department of natural resources, division of parks and watercraft.

(O) "Dock" means any structure a part of which is over or on the water of the division which may be used for the moorage of recreational vessels.

(P) "Field trial" means the using or working of hunting dogs that are being tested or judged in their field performance by persons other than the owner.

(Q) "Guest dock" means dock space or tie-up space rented for a period of twenty-four hours or any part thereof. Any dock space or tie-up space not being rented on a seasonal basis may be designated by the chief of the division as a guest dock.

(R) "In season" means the period April first through October thirty-first annually.

(S) "Horsepower" means the horsepower rating published by the manufacturer for the power unit involved.

(T) "Ice boat" means any contrivance used or designed to skim over frozen bodies of water and which is driven along by sail, propeller, motor, or jet engine.

(U) "Lock" means the lock walls, chamber, gates and the adjoining areas in the immediate vicinity of any enclosed part of a canal, river, stream, or other waterway, equipped with gates so that the level of the water in the chamber can be changed to raise or lower boats from one level to another.

(V) "Nature trail" is any trail in any area administered by the division that is so designated and so marked at a point on the trail.

(W) "No motor zone" means any water area wherein the operation of powercraft is prohibited. No motor zone buoys shall be lettered "No Motors."

(X) "Open zone" means any water area whereon watercraft activities may take place which are not specifically restricted by either the Revised Code or Administrative Code of the division of parks and watercraft.

(Y) "Operator" means any person who operates or is in actual physical control of a vehicle which includes, but is not limited to, a snowmobile or all purpose vehicle, motor vehicle, bicycle, or watercraft.

(Z) "Organized group" includes the following defined groups:

(1) "Youth group" means an assemblage of juveniles occupying any area administered by the division as an organized group under the supervision of one or more adult leaders responsible for the conduct and activities of the juveniles.

(2) "Adult group" means an assemblage of adults occupying any area administered by the division as a club, organization, or fraternal association.

(AA) "Owner" includes any person, firm, association, partnership, or corporation, owning, leasing, operating, or having the exclusive use of a vehicle, watercraft, animal, or any other property under a lease or otherwise, or any of the above who claims lawful possession by virtue of legal title or equitable interest therein which entitles him to such possession.

(BB) "Parking area" means any designated part of any park road, drive, dock, metered dock space, or special area, set apart for the standing or stationing of any vehicles or watercraft and marked as such.

(CC) "Person" includes any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or body politic, or any combination of individuals, except the United States and the state of Ohio, and includes any agent, trustee, executor, receiver, assignee, or other representative thereof.

(DD) "Powercraft" has the same meaning as found in section 1546.01 of the Revised Code.

(EE) "Primitive weapons" means weapons that are single-shot, muzzleloading rifles, thirty-eight caliber or larger; or muzzleloading shotguns using single ball; or longbow and arrow; or a crossbow having a working safety and a stock more than twenty-five inches in length.

(FF) "Shore zone" means that water area of a uniform width of three hundred feet lying parallel with and contiguous to the shoreline, except that as it pertains to and describes lake White, Salt Fork lake, lake Loramie, Dillon lake, and Delaware lake, "shore zone" shall mean that water of a uniform width of one hundred feet lying parallel with and contiguous to the shoreline.

(GG) "Ski zone" means any water area whereon engaging in towed watersports is permitted within the buoys so placed to designate the zone. Ski zone buoys shall be lettered "Ski Zone."

(HH) "Snowmobile" as used in these rules shall have the same meaning as set forth in section 4519.01 of the Revised Code.

(II) "Special water ski zone" means a ski zone designated for public use and wherein equipment or facilities for trick skiing may be placed or acrobatic skiing by more than one person acting together may be performed.

(JJ) "Speed zone" means any water area wherein powercraft may be operated at such speed as is reasonable, having due regard to traffic, surface and any hazardous conditions then existing. Speed zone buoys shall be lettered "Speed Zone."

(KK) "State trail" means any trail acquired by the director under Chapter 1519. of the Revised Code and any other trail on lands or waters administered by the division that the director designates as a "state trail" by entry in his journal.

(LL) "Unzoned area" means any water area that has not been zoned.

(MM) "Water" and "water area" means any and all bodies of water in a liquid or frozen condition which are administered by the division.

(NN) "Watercraft" has the same meaning as found in section 1546.01 of the Revised Code.

(OO) "Winter season" means the period from November first to March thirty-first annually.