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Board reviews 'good neighbor' policy and proposes curated uses for Heritage Park
Summary
Staff presented a draft downtown 'good neighbor' policy and a proposal to curate Heritage Park programming: restrict private rentals, require partner-organization approvals and insurance, limit vendor markets that compete with brick-and-mortar businesses, and ban certain temporary signage; the draft will undergo legal review.
The Main Street Advisory Board reviewed a draft downtown "good neighbor" policy and a related proposal to limit how Heritage Park is used, aiming to preserve the park for curated public programming and protect nearby businesses from competition by frequent vendor markets.
Staff outlined a proposal that would not allow private rentals (for example, private weddings) in Heritage Park and would instead require partner-organization status, insurance and security deposits for groups approved to use the stage and city equipment. "I propose we curate the content in the park as I have described," the staff member said, adding that partner organizations could be approved but would not remove Main Street-owned equipment from the site.
Board members debated vendor markets and permitting: some argued that vendor markets can hurt downtown merchants who pay rent and taxes while transient vendors pay a rental fee. "It's in direct competition with the businesses," staff said of recurring vendor-market operators, and recommended that larger vendor markets be treated as special events and directed to other parks or to the future 700 Block park space.
The draft good neighbor policy covered noise and music levels, cleanliness and waste removal, sidewalk dining and ADA access, and signage regulations. Staff explicitly recommended removing feather flags and limiting banners to temporary, permitted uses. "What we do have approved, so that you can show people you're open is American flags, yellow jacket flags, and the Denison flag," the staff member added.
Several members raised First Amendment questions about protests in public parks; staff said protests may occur on public property, but that the city could limit booked, organized events and that the city clerk would review the draft with the city attorney to ensure legal compliance. Staff also said the draft had been assembled partly from a ChatGPT template but emphasized local tailoring: "I started with ChatGPT... but I added Facebook group in there because we have the Facebook group."
Board members did not adopt final ordinance language at the meeting. Staff requested endorsement of the draft before sending materials forward for legal review and to council; staff will return with revised language after consultation with the city attorney.
