Council votes down ordinance setting park hours; directs staff to set hours by resolution, plans 7 a.m.–8 p.m. for Campbell Park

The Lake City Council voted Monday to reject on final reading an ordinance that would have set park hours by ordinance and instead directed staff to return with an amended ordinance that removes hour-setting from the code and lets the council set hours by resolution.

The action followed public comment from nearby residents and others who said the current ordinance language — defined as 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset — created practical problems for parks that use automated gates and separate lighting schedules.

Resident Delbert Hudson told the council the posted language yields confusion because sunrise and sunset change daily and the gated boat ramp can open or close unpredictably. “This ordinance does not state times,” Hudson said. “It only 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset. Once again, this would be a hard task because the rising and setting of the sun changes daily.”

Resident Todd Sampson urged the council to use a resolution rather than an ordinance to set times and asked that Young’s Park and Lake Isabella Park be reviewed separately for lighting and public safety. “You could do that by resolution tonight,” Sampson said of adjusting hours.

City Attorney Clay Martin advised that the council could change the ordinance to allow hours to be set by resolution, but recommended not adopting a resolution immediately without staff drafting one for the record. The council then debated procedure and preferences.

On a roll-call vote on final reading, councilmembers voted to defeat adoption (Carter — nay; Young — no; Jernigan — no; Harris — no; Mayor Walker — no), meaning the ordinance failed. Councilmembers then directed staff to return at the next meeting with an ordinance that removes park hours from the code and also to present a resolution that sets a uniform schedule. During the discussion the mayor and staff indicated the council’s working direction is to set Campbell Park (Lake Montgomery) hours by resolution to 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Young’s Park courts were discussed as a carve‑out and would remain lit until 10 p.m. to allow recreational play.

Chief Butler also told the council he opposed earlier closing times for Young’s Park tennis and basketball courts because youth and other residents use lighting into the evening and the lights improve safety.

Next steps: staff will prepare (1) an amended ordinance removing park hours and (2) a draft resolution proposing uniform park hours with a specific carve‑out for Campbell Park (Lake Montgomery) and for Young’s Park courts; staff will return the items at the next meeting as directed.