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Burbank board approves municipal code amendments to set park hours and align department name
Summary
On Feb. 13 the Burbank Parks and Recreation Board voted to approve proposed municipal-code amendments to standardize park closure hours at 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. and to align the municipal code with the department's current name, Parks and Recreation Department; the board's approval moves the changes toward formal codification with the City Council.
The Burbank Parks and Recreation Board voted Feb. 13 to approve proposed changes to the municipal code that set standard park closure hours and to request the code be updated to match the department's current name.
The vote followed a staff presentation that traced the department's naming history and explained problems enforcing a code that tied park hours to daily sunrise and sunset times. Paul Ohan, senior administrative analyst in the Parks and Recreation Department, told the board the proposal would replace variable sunset/sunrise closing rules with a uniform 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. closure for all parks.
Board members said the change was intended to improve clarity and enforcement. Robbie Brody, board member, moved to approve the proposed amendments. The motion passed on a voice vote; the transcript records affirmative responses but does not give a roll-call tally.
Why it matters: The municipal-code language that uses daily sunset and sunrise to set park hours can shift day to day and complicates enforcement by police or contracted security. Setting fixed hours aims to give visitors clearer guidance and make it easier for ambassadors and officers to enforce closures, staff said.
Board discussion and details Ohan said the department traces the current naming and code language to multiple changes over decades, including a 2014 administrative name change approved by a prior city manager and a municipal-code entry dating to 1983 that established variable closure times. He told the board that revising the code to read that parks are unlawful to occupy between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. would reduce confusion for both patrons and enforcement personnel.
During the item, a board member asked whether park parking lots would be included in the hours; Ohan said yes, the park parking lot rules would align with park hours because those parking areas are intended for park users. Ashley Ramsey, vice chair, asked whether the name change would carry fiscal implications. Marissa Garcia, parks and recreation director, answered that codifying the name would incur some city costs to update the municipal code and minor department rebranding (vehicles, uniforms, signage) but described the department-level cost as manageable.
Next steps The board's approval forwards the proposed code amendments and the recommendation to align the municipal code with the department's established name to the City Council for codification. Ohan said the city clerk and city attorney are coordinating the official code revision process.
