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Coweta County amends parks code to allow bans for witnessed violations, director says
Summary
The Board adopted an amendment to the parks ordinance to expand who may observe noncompliant behavior and allow bans even when an individual was not removed at the time of the incident; appeals to the county administrator are preserved, staff said.
Coweta County commissioners voted unanimously to amend Chapter 46 of the county code to expand enforcement options for Parks and Recreation staff and association board members, broadening who may observe noncompliant conduct and allowing staff to ban individuals even if they were not physically removed from a facility at the time of the incident.
Kelly Mickle, who presented the item on behalf of Parks and Recreation, said the change replaces an existing subsection to clarify that action may be taken when violations are witnessed by staff or by an acting association board member or documented by video. Mickle said the change recognizes circumstances where removal was not possible but the conduct was still witnessed or recorded.
Commissioners asked how the amendment interacts with athletic associations’ own rules and about due process for someone who is banned. Mickle said facility agreements require associations to follow county ordinances and that the parks director ultimately makes any ban decision; the ordinance also permits a banned person to appeal the director’s decision to the county administrator. Mickle told the board that bans are rare and typically reserved for “pretty egregious” conduct; enforcement steps include asking an individual to leave and, if necessary, calling law enforcement.
Commissioners discussed enforcement practicality and community concerns that overzealous enforcement by association members could cause disputes. The board approved the amendment unanimously.
