13 Tex. Admin. Code § 16.4 - Rules of Visitor Conduct

(a) Visitors will observe posted hours. No visitors are allowed on the site between closing and opening hours except for site special events, permitted campers in designated areas, or overnight stays in designated lodging.

(b) Historic resources including buildings, structures, objects, and archaeological specimens shall not be damaged, moved, unearthed, collected, or removed from the historic site. No metal detecting or other archeological investigations may be conducted on a State Historic Site without an Antiquities permit for archeological work issued by the Commission under Texas Natural Resources Code, Chapter 191.

(c) Visitors are required to pay the established entrance fees except with a complimentary admission approved by the Executive Director or his/her designee.

(d) All vehicles and trailers must be operated and parked in designated areas only, unless otherwise specified by site employee.

(e) Visitors may not exceed the posted speed limit on site roads and will observe all traffic signs. Where no speed limit is posted visitors may not exceed 15 MPH on site roads.

(f) No vehicles are allowed to remain in historic site parking lots after normal operating hours except vehicles associated with permitted camping or lodging or with the express written permission of the site manager.

(g) Visitors will not display or discharge firearms, ammunition, fireworks, or explosives.

(h) Visitors may not hunt, trap, catch, or remove wildlife except fish. Fishing must be conducted in accordance with state law and rules.

(i) Visitors shall not use camp stoves or build, light, or maintain a fire except in a designated area and in facilities provided for such purposes. When an extreme fire hazard/burn ban has been posted fires must be approved by the site managers and under close supervision.

(j) No smoking is permitted within the boundaries of the historic site except in smoking areas explicitly designated by the Site Manager.

(k) Visitors shall not willfully injure, destroy, cut or remove any plant or plants from a state historic site.

(l) No pets are allowed in any buildings except for service animals and in kennels provided for the purpose (fees may be charged). All pets outside, including dogs and cats, must be in a carrier, or secured on a leash not exceeding 6 feet in length and under control of the owner at all times. Owners must clean up after their pets. No animals may be released on the site.

(m) No alcoholic beverages may be consumed or displayed at a historic site except as provided by this chapter.

(n) Visitors may not engage in commercial activity, including selling, recruiting, soliciting or promoting products or services.

(o) Visitors may not dispose of trash, junk, garbage, refuse or other solid waste except in designated receptacles. Only a reasonable amount of trash, associated with the visitor's use of the site, may be left in such a receptacle.

(p) Any vehicle, boat trailer, or other property found parked, stored or left in a historic site may be removed and stored at the owner's expense. After a period of 30 days such vehicle or property may be disposed of by the Commission through sale or other methods.

(q) Off road or all-terrain vehicle use is prohibited.

(r) No photography is allowed in non-public areas within Commission facilities, including office areas, residences, maintenance, safety and storage or restroom facilities, except as authorized by the site manager to meet program requirements.

(s) Photography is allowed in public areas of THC facilities when it is done using personal, hand-held cameras, camera phones and video equipment to take images for personal use only, except:

(1) where it would interfere with the conduct of programs, tours or other use of the facility;

(2) include other individuals who object to being photographed or where it would invade their privacy or embarrass another;

(3) where it would compromise security of the buildings or artifacts.

(t) In the case of commercial photography involving use of specialized photographic equipment including stationary lights and tripods, involvement of more than one person in a photographic crew, for commercial use, publication or for the purpose of making a reproduction of an artifact, approval may be required as described in either § 16.2(d) of this chapter (relating to Routine or Low Impact Events) or § 16.2(e) of this chapter (relating to Major or High Impact Events). A fee may be charged.

(u) Additional rules that may be required for the safe and efficient operation of any individual site may be adopted by the site manager with the approval of the Executive Director or his/her designee. Such rules may include, but are not limited to:

(1) Rules regarding equines and demonstrations;

(2) Rules regarding photography/flash photography; or

(3) Rules regarding camping or use of camping equipment such as portable camp stoves.

Notes

13 Tex. Admin. Code § 16.4

The provisions of this §16.4 adopted to be effective August 31, 2010, 35 TexReg 7727; amended to be effective December 31, 2013, 38 TexReg 9499