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Council reviews proposed public‑conduct ordinance for parks, discusses hours and vehicle restrictions
Summary
Parks and police staff presented a draft parks‑conduct ordinance setting park hours (5 a.m.–11 p.m.), banning vehicle operation off designated park roads and authorizing enforcement; councilmembers discussed signage, park‑by‑park closures and penalty language.
City parks and public‑works staff told the East Grand Forks City Council that a proposed public‑conduct ordinance would give the city tools to address vandalism, off‑roading, late‑night loitering and unauthorized vehicle access in parks and greenways.
"The hours that would be set in the ordinance are 5:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., which would also coincide with the hours of the greenway space," Mr. King said, describing coordinated work between the parks and police departments.
The draft ordinance would make operating a motor vehicle illegal in park areas unless the vehicle is on a designated park road or lot. Councilmembers asked whether the city could post notices or kiosks (including QR codes) in high‑use parks and whether the city could set different hours or limits park‑by‑park when problems arise. Mr. King said the ordinance language allows park‑specific time limits and that kiosks or QR codes could be used to direct the public to the ordinance text.
Mayor Olstead and several councilmembers pressed staff on penalties; staff said the parks ordinance would follow chapter‑10 enforcement conventions and could be written as a misdemeanor or petty misdemeanor depending on the council's preference. Council members also asked how the police would respond to vehicles driven down greenway routes (for river access) and were told officers would respond to calls and enforce the ordinance based on the location and circumstances.
Staff recommended the council authorize the draft for further review and return with finalized penalty language and signposting plans.
Next steps: staff will refine the draft, include options for signage and park‑specific hours, and present recommended penalty language at a future meeting.
