2018-124 Park HoursDate: September 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-124
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
The purpose of this report is to provide the City Council with details regarding the current park
operating hours along with other communities within the DFW Metroplex.
DISCUSSION:
A survey of park operating hours was conducted by the Parks and Recreation Department staff in
August 2018. This survey focused on cities within the DFW Metroplex and was divided in the
categories based on population. Some special use facilities such as tennis centers, sport complexes,
golf courses, etc. can have special hours and were not accounted for in this study.
The City of Denton park operating hours are from 6am to 10pm. Based on the summary of survey
municipalities, park hours range from opening at 5:00am and closing at 11:00pm. The majority
of departments operate within the window of 6:00am to 10:00pm (total of 16 hours open daily)
and 5:00am to 11:00pm (total of 18 hours open daily).
1,000,000 + inhabitants
Dallas 5am to 11pm
Fort Worth 5am to 11:30pm
200,000 to 499,999 inhabitants
Arlington 5am to 10pm
Plano 5am to 11pm
Irving Varies
Garland 6am to 12am
100,000 to 199,999 inhabitants
Denton 6am to 10pm
Grand Prairie 6am to 10pm
McKinney 7am to 10pm
Frisco 30min before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset
Mesquite 6am to 11pm
Carrollton 5am to 10:30pm
Denton 6am to 10pm
Richardson 5am to 10:30pm
Lewisville 6am to 11pm
10,000 to 99,000 Inhabitants
Addison 5am to 11pm
Allen 5am to 11pm
Date: September 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-124
Anna 1hr before dawn to 11pm
Bedford 5am to 11pm
Benbrook 6am to 10pm
Burleson 5am to 11pm
Cedar Hill 5:30am to 11:30pm
Cleburne 7am to 12am
Colleyville 6am to 10pm
Coppell 30min before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset
Corinth 6am to 10pm
DeSoto 5am to 12am
Duncanville 5am to 11:30pm
Ennis 5am to 12am
Euless 5am to 11pm
Farmers Branch 10pm to 5am
Flower Mound 5am to 11pm
Forest Hill 6am to 11pm
Grapevine 30min before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset
Greenville 6am to 10:30pm
Hurst 6am to 10pm
Keller 6am to 10pm
Lancaster 8am to 5pm
North Richland Hills 5am to 11pm
Rockwall 5am to 10pm
Rowlett daybreak to 11pm
Southlake Posted per park
The Colony 5am to 10:30pm
Waxahachie sunrise to 10pm
Weatherford 6am to 12am / 6am to 10pm
White Settlement 6am to 11pm
Wylie 6am to 12:01am
Over time, sports tournaments are impacted by the park hours. At times, weather events can force
tournament schedules to be delayed thus impacting the event. Based on general operations,
extending the park hours from 5:00am to 11:00am would not be a negative impact to the
department’s operations. Expanded park hours, thus extending usage and lighting, could
negatively impact neighbors.
Date: September 14, 2018 Report No. 2018-124
During the hours from 10:00pm to 6:00am, the Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) depends
on the Police Department to provide support when situations occur during this time frame since
PARD staff is not on staff.
The Police Department (PD) has enforcement authorizations signed by PARD Director or designee
to ask anyone found in a PARD park outside of operating hours to leave the property in accordance
with Park Rules, Article II, Sec. 22-27 - Hours of operation. authorized by Code 1966, § 15-8. In
the event the person does not exit, ordinarily a warning citation for being in the park after hours
will be issued on the first offense. A citation will be issued on the second and any subsequent
offenses. The following chart shows the number of citations in City Parks after hours.
If the individual is experiencing homelessness, the officer will contact shelters open at that time to
locate an open bed and when a bed is available, the officer will offer to transport the person to the
shelter. If the individual does not wish to be transported to a shelter, then the officer will follow
steps as described above. If no shelter bed is available, the officer will only issue a written warning
citation for violation of park curfew regardless of any prior warning or citation.
Criminal Trespass Notices are only issued to persons at the direction of city staff that is in charge
of the property (e.g. Library Director/Librarian) or when staff is not available (e.g. in a park after
hours) officers could issue criminal trespass notices under the enforcement authorization. A notice
may be issued by an officer if the person receiving the notice has committed an offense that could
be deemed a breach of the peace or an offense other than a violation of the park curfew (e.g. Public
Intoxication, Fighting, Drug/Paraphernalia Possession). Notices will not be issued for simply
violating the park curfew.
Anyone who has been issued a criminal trespass notice may be arrested for the offense of criminal
trespass if the person returns to the property listed in the trespass notice. In last 3 years, only 2
criminal trespass arrests have occurred in a City park. Judge Ramsay will be establishing a
procedure to allow any person served with an order of a criminal trespass to appeal the notice of
trespass to Munipical Court. An internal team comprised of Police, Community Development,
Parks, Legal, and Municipal Court have met and are reviewing Criminal Trespass procedures.
STAFF CONTACT:
Gary Packan, Director, Parks and Recreation
(940) 349-7460
Sarah Kuechler, Director, Public Affairs
(940) 349-8356