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MEMORANDUM
January 18, 2002
TO: Billy Campbell, City Manager
FROM: Kevin Hugman, Director of Community Services (x1527)
SUBJECT: Revision to Park Use Policy to define hours of operation for City parks.
Action Requested: City Council approval of proposed revisions to the Park Use Policy
concerning posted hours of operation for Southlake parks.
Background
Information: Currently, the city regulates the times the public is allowed on park
property through its adopted Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article II,
Sec. 12 -32, 95, which states:
"Time limitations on public use of park. Except for a city- sponsored event,
it shall be unlawful for any person to use, enter into or be within a city park
during any posted hours which the park is closed."
Provisions are allowed in the ordinance to grant exceptions to the hours
and use of the parks. As it stands, Bicentennial Park is the only public park
with posted hours (closed between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m.). At this time,
staff would like to establish parameters for hours of operation that will help
guide the development of the existing city parks and neighborhood parks,
especially considering park sign packages are currently being researched.
As you can surmise from the attached Table 1: Examples of Area Park
Hours area parks generally share the same range of hours of operation. To
further control potential nuisances, staff would propose that individual
parks in Southlake would have hours akin to their classification (i.e. lighted
city parks vs. unlighted neighborhood parks). Staff recommends not
changing the City Code of Ordinances language above (would require
processing of ordinance revision), but rather establishing the hours of
individual parks through signage and the noted revision in the Park Use
Policy.
The proposed hours of operation for the individual parks are listed in Table
2: Proposed Hours of Operation for Southlake Parks Also, it is worth
noting that these hours can be amended from time to time, if certain
problems seem to arise.
Billy Campbell, City Manager
January 18, 2002
Page 2
Financial
Consideration: Only financial consideration may be for possible permit fees for groups
wishing for extended hours, though none are proposed with this
amendment.
Citizen Input/
Board Review:
• Park Board recommended approval 5 -2 at their regular meeting on
January 14, 2002. Dissenting voters expressed the desire to close
Bicentennial Park at an earlier hour.
Legal Review: N/A
Alternatives: Any combination of recommended modification to proposed hours of
operation in city parks.
Supporting
Documents:
• Table 1: Examples of Area Park Hours
• Table 2: Proposed Hours of Operation for Southlake Parks
• Park Use Policy, amended to add statement about park hours
Staff
Recommendation: City Council approval of proposed hours of operation for Southlake parks.
Billy Campbell, City Manager
January 18, 2002
Page 3
TABLE 1: EXAMPLES OF AREA PARK HOURS
City
Neighborhood
City
Notes
Park
Park
(Open — Close)
(Open — Close)
Bedford
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
6 a.m. -12 a.m.
No distinction by park type.
Special requests processed
through Park Board.
Cedar Hill
5:30 a.m. — 11:30 p.m.
5:30 a.m. — 11:30 p.m
No distinction by park type.
Special requests processed
through Parks Director.
Colleyville
30 min. before sunrise
6 a.m. — 10 p.m.
— 30 min. after sunset'
Coppell
6:30 a.m. — sunset
6:30 a.m. — 11:30 p.m.
Special requests processed
through Parks Director.
Grapevine
30 min. before sunrise
5:30 a.m. — 10 :00
Special requests processed
— 30 min. after sunset
p.m.
through Parks Director.
Hurst
30 min. before sunrise
6 a.m. — 10 p.m.
Special requests processed
— 30 min. after sunset
through Parks Director.
Southlake
None posted
(Bicentennial)
No distinction by park type.
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
Special requests processed
through Park Board.
Includes certain small -scale facilities such as the Nature Center
Lighted fields open until 11:00 p.m.
3 One neighborhood park. All others 6 -10.
4 One park until 11:00, 12:00 a.m. (Fri -Sat)
Billy Campbell, City Manager
January 18, 2002
Page 4
TABLE 2: PROPOSED HOURS OF OPERATION FOR SOUTHLAKE PARKS
Park
Classification
Proposed Hours
Notes
(Open — Close)
Bicentennial
City Park (lighted)
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
Currently closes at midnight.
No change proposed
Bob Jones
City Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
(partially lighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Distinction made between lighted
(lighted fields close at
and unlighted areas.
11:00 p.m.)
Royal and
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
Annie Smith
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Park is undeveloped.
Chesapeake
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset.
Developed park near subdivision.
Noble Oaks
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Park is undeveloped.
Sheltonwood
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Park is undeveloped.
Koalaty
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Multi -use practice areas near
subdivision and school.
Lonesome
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
No current park hours.
Dove
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Developed park near subdivision.
Rustin /Family
Special Purpose Park
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
No current park hours.
Parks
(some lighting)
Latest business hours are 11 p.m.
Billy Campbell, City Manager
January 18, 2002
Page 5
Proposed amendment to Park Use Policy, adding a new section VIII and renumbering
accordingly:
VIII. Posted Park Hours
The city regulates the times the public is allowed on park property through its adopted
Code of Ordinances, Chapter 12, Article II, Sec. 12 -32, 95, which states: "Time
limitations on public use of park. Except for a city - sponsored event, it shall be
unlawful for any person to use, enter into or be within a city park during any posted
hours which the park is closed." In general, posted park hours shall be the following:
Park
Classification
Hours
(Open — Close)
Bicentennial
City Park (lighted)
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
Bob Jones
City Park
30 min. before sunrise
(partially lighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
(lighted fields close at
11:00 p.m.)
Royal and
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
Annie Smith
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Chesapeake
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset.
Noble Oaks
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Liberty Park at
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
Sheltonwood
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Koalaty
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Lonesome
Neighborhood Park
30 min. before sunrise
Dove
(unlighted)
— 30 min. after sunset
Rustin /Family
Special Purpose Park
6 a.m. — 12 a.m.
Parks
(some lighting)