Council approves ordinance introduction to let city manager extend park hours after amendment for staff consultation

The Southgate City Council on March 24 introduced an ordinance that would modify municipal code section 7.49.150 to permit the city manager to extend park hours for permitted activities at parks without buildings, with limits and reporting requirements.

Acting Parks and Recreation Director Tina Del Rosa told the council most Southgate parks currently close at sunset and the proposed changes would allow permitted programming at passive parks to continue past sunset — but not past 10 p.m. — without full council action for each event. She described a specific request from Street Soccer USA to keep the fields at Hollydale Regional Park open later to host practices and programs that would otherwise be limited by a dusk‑to‑dawn rule.

The ordinance as introduced includes: delegation to the city manager (or authorized representative) to extend hours for permitted activities, a 10 p.m. ceiling unless council approval is sought and a requirement to notify council in writing within five business days of implementation. The code also codifies city manager authority to close a park area when there is an apparent danger to public safety.

Numerous residents urged the council to tighten oversight. “I don’t trust this city manager’s judgment,” said resident Dominguez during public comment, calling for prior council approval and arguing that neighborhood notification and police input should be mandatory. Another resident, Jimmy Za, said the single‑party notification timeframe constituted “rubber‑stamp” oversight, given the city’s ongoing fiscal issues and the risk of unbudgeted overtime and security costs.

Council members pressed staff for safeguards: how residents would be notified of recurring events, mitigation for lighting/noise/traffic, the role of police and parks staff in operational decisions, and whether the Park & Recreation Commission should have a formal review. In response the city manager and staff said library of safeguards would be employed and that the proposed ordinance specifically allows the manager to act “in consultation with appropriate staff” — language added as an amendment and adopted by council.

The council voted to introduce the ordinance as amended to add the consultation requirement, with councilmembers emphasizing quarterly reporting and the ability of council to override administrative action. Supporters said the flexibility will allow the city to host beneficial programming (notably an externally funded Street Soccer USA facility at Hollydale) without requiring a full ordinance change for every permitted event. Opponents urged more advance community notice and prior council approval for large or citywide hour changes.

What happens next: The ordinance was introduced (first reading) with an amendment that requires the city manager to consult appropriate department heads (police and parks & recreation) before implementing extended hours; staff will bring final ordinance language back to council for adoption.