City attorney outlines proposed rewrite of Meridian parks code, including short‑term vendor rules, noise policy and new arborist duties

The Meridian City Council heard an overview April 8 of a proposed rewrite of the parks and recreation code that would move those chapters into Title 5 of the Meridian City Code and streamline permitting, enforcement and tree care provisions.

Deputy City Attorney Emily Kane led the presentation and said the rewrite is part of the citywide 2021–2025 strategic plan to review ordinances and simplify processes. "One thing that I'm recommending is that we move the parks and recreation code from title 13 to title 5," Kane told the council.

Why it matters: the proposed code would change permit timeframes, clarify enforcement authority and penalties, set clearer rules for commercial activity in parks and add a city arborist role and tree‑care standards. Those changes affect how park reservations, vendors, amplified sound, pathway use and tree damage are handled by city staff and police.

Key proposed changes and clarifications: - Reorganization: Parks provisions currently in Title 13 would move to Title 5; certain fire‑related and administrative provisions would be relocated to Title 4 or Title 1. - Short‑term concession permits: Kane proposed shortening the processing period for short‑term concession permits (food trucks/vendors tied to park reservations) and clarifying when a temporary use permit (TUP) is required. The draft would allow one short‑term concessionaire per reservation; two or more vendors would trigger a TUP. Kane said the change "cuts out the middleman" by vesting invitation authority with the reservation holder rather than the director. - Permit timelines and denial criteria: The draft reduces certain permit processing times (Kane cited a reduction from 21 days to 14 days for some concessions, and a change to 7 days for amplified sound permits) and adds explicit grounds to deny short‑term concession permits when insurance, health requirements, or exclusivity with a city concessionaire are not met. - Amplified sound policy: The draft ties allowable decibel levels to a park‑by‑park policy prepared by staff; Kane said staff member Garrett White has prepared a policy setting measurement distances by park, and that decibel meters are now widely available on smartphones for enforcement testing. - Commercial use of parks: The draft would more clearly restrict general commercial activity in parks unless a permit or special authorization is in place; the code would differentiate short‑term concessionaires (food trucks at a reservation) from broader commercial uses. - Pathways and motorized devices: The rewrite proposes prohibiting licensed motor vehicles, UTVs and golf carts on pathways, with discussion focused on whether devices that can be licensed for road use should be allowed on roadways instead of pathways. Kane said the draft follows a "reasonableness" standard similar to that used by Ada County and would permit enforcement based on location and congestion. - Enforcement, ejectment and exclusions: The draft consolidates fines into a general $100 infraction for most park violations, clarifies verbal park ejectment and written exclusion notices, and recommends extending exclusion periods (from 7 to up to 14 days) to reduce repeat incidents. - Arborist and tree protections: The draft formalizes the city arborists duties, references national tree care standards (International Society of Arboriculture) and adds construction‑near‑tree notification requirements. Kane said the changes help meet Tree City USA criteria. - Penalties for tree damage and climbing: The draft would make damage to public trees a misdemeanor to allow courts to order restitution for costly tree replacement. Councilman Geller said a provision prohibiting climbing trees raised concern; Kane responded that the prohibition was intentional to protect both tree health and public safety.

Public process and next steps: The deputy city attorney said she presented the draft to the Parks and Recreation Commission in February and incorporated commission feedback into the draft before presenting it to the council. Kane and council members discussed whether certain provisions (for example, criminalizing tree climbing) should be refined before a public hearing. Mayor and council said they want additional outreach and time to provide comments; the council indicated the next step will be a public hearing at a future meeting.

No formal vote was taken April 8; staff will return with a public‑hearing date after additional review and feedback.