Board reviews rewrite of Chapter 17 (parks code); drone, scooter and special‑event language flagged for refinement

The Angleton Parks & Recreation Board continued its review of a redraft of City of Angleton Code of Ordinances Chapter 17 (parks and recreation), discussed several drafting gaps and flagged items for legal review and public hearings.

Staff said the rewrite is intended to modernize the 1965 code and to consolidate disparate additions made over decades; it is a clean version that will next go to the city attorney for legal review and then to council with two planned public hearings. "We pretty much started from ground zero," parks staff said, noting that definitions, authority, and program standards were substantial areas of update.

Key discussion points: board and public commenters raised several substantive policy questions: - Drones and remote‑controlled devices: speakers discussed federal FAA restrictions and local enforcement options. Aaron Thor (board member) urged a permitting approach that requires proof of FAA authorization for certain operations and suggested a small permit fee and enforcement mechanism rather than an outright ban. Staff and other board members said the rewrite should treat UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) consistently with other motorized recreation or refer to FAA rules; they also raised concerns about privacy, noise and safety during large events. - Electric bicycles and scooters: the draft at one point listed e‑bikes and scooters but the language was duplicated or left incomplete; staff noted these are addressed under motor‑vehicle definitions elsewhere in the document and suggested removal of the stray reference. - Minors and supervision: the board identified missing words that change meaning in the minors/children subsection; staff said the provision is intended to hold guardians responsible for children's behavior when present but not to create new liability for unrelated adults. - Special‑event permits and mass‑gatherings: staff said a new special‑event permit (not yet adopted) will be referenced in the code; board members asked how activities such as drone flights would be handled during mass gatherings and recommended cross‑referencing FAA regulations and the pending special‑event permit language. - Standards of care for youth programs: the draft references annual program standards (ratios, restroom access and other requirements). Staff clarified that the standards are specific to city‑run programs (youth camps, leagues) and that third‑party groups using city facilities operate under different arrangements.

Next steps: staff will correct the drafting errors identified by the board (minors language, duplicated e‑bike reference), send the draft to the city attorney for legal review and schedule public hearings before the council. The board also asked staff to research enforcement approaches and comparable municipal practices for drones and remote‑controlled vehicles before the legal review is finalized.