1 STAFF REPORT
DATE: June 10, 2025
TO: Justin Hess, City Manager
FROM: Marisa Garcia, Park, Recreation and Community Services Director VIA: Grace Coronado, Assistant Park, Recreation and Community Services Director
BY: Paula Ohan, Senior Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: Introduction of an Ordinance to Amend Burbank Municipal Code Section 5- 3-410 Unlawful To Be In Parks When Closed
RECOMMENDATION
Introduce AN ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK AMENDING ARTICLE 410 UNLAWFUL TO BE IN PARKS WHEN CLOSED IN CHAPTER 3 MORALS AND CONDUCT, TITLE 5 POLICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY OF THE BURBANK MUNICIPAL CODE (Attachment 1).
BACKGROUND
Effective January 3, 1983, Burbank Municipal Code (BMC) 20-41.1 (a) of Article 4, Chapter 20, Unlawful to be in Parks when Closed, established public park closure hours from 11:00 p.m. to sunrise . Exceptions included Wildwood Canyon Park , Buena Vista Park and Bel Aire Ballfield, which closed 30 minutes after sunset.
In response to concerns regarding unlawful behavior and public safety, and to better align park closure times with the City’s 10:00 p.m. curfew for minors, the City Council (Council) adopted Ordinance No. 3421, effective December 9, 1995. This ordinance amended the BMC to establish a 10:00 p.m. closure time for most park facilities, while allowing certain parks to retain the 30-minutes-after-sunset closure policy.
DISCUSSION
While Ordinance No. 3421 helped improve consistency across City parks, the current language regarding park closure times continues to create confusion for the public and enforcement challenges for staff. The references to “sunset” and “sunrise” in the BMC are vague and vary throughout the year, creating challenges in interpretation. This has made it difficult for the Burbank Police Department (BPD) and the City’s contracted park patrol security, Allied Universal Security Services (Allied), personnel to effectively monitor and
2 enforce BMC Section 5-3-410. The inconsistency in closure times has led to uncertainty among park users, as different parks operate under different rules for when it is unlawful to be present after hours.
In an effort to improve public safety, clarity, and consistency, the Parks and Recreation Department (Department) evaluated evening programming across City parks and determined that most scheduled activities conclude by 10:00 p.m . The Department also surveyed park hours in neighboring cities and found that many municipalities , such as Glendale, Pasadena, Anaheim, and Torrance , utilize fixed closure times to reduce ambiguity and improve enforcement. While each city’s approach is tailored to its unique needs, the Department selected the proposed hours based on local community needs and Department’s programming.
Based on this review, the Department proposes establishing uniform park hours by closing all City parks daily from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. This change would apply to all 27 City parks (Attachment 2):
• 5 Points Art Monument
• Abraham Lincoln Park
• Bel Aire Ballfield
• Brace Canyon Park
• Compass Tree Park
• Earthwalk Park
• George Izay Park
• Johnny Carson Park
• Maple Street Playground
• McCambridge Park
• Miller Park
• Mountain View Park
• Larry L. Maxam Park
• Palm Park
• Ralph Foy Park
• Robert E. Gross Park
• Robert E. Lundigan Park
• Robert R. Ovrom Park
• Santa Anita Playlot
• Stough Nature Center
• Stough Canyon Park
• Valley Park
• Verdugo Park
• Vickroy Park
• Whitnall Highway Park North
• Whitnall Highway Park South
• Wildwood Canyon Park
Implementing standardized hours will improve the Department’s ability to monitor park usage and allow for more efficient deployment of security resources. Allied will be able to
3 conduct routine checks and manage opening and closing duties with greater consistency, ensuring that parks are safely secured each evening and reopened in the morning.
Beyond enforcement benefits, clear defined hours will enhance the visitor experience.
Park users will be able to plan activities with confidence, knowing the exact operating hours. Event organizers can coordinate programming more efficiently, without the uncertainty of variable closing times.
To ensure the community is informed of this change, the Department will engage in a comprehensive public outreach strategy. This will include updated signage at all affected parks, a press release, and a coordinated communication campaign utilizing the City’s website, social media channels, and direct email notifications.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Staff presented the proposed Amendment to the Park, Recreation, and Community Services Board (Board) on February 13, 2025 (Attachment 3). The Board recommended Council adopt the proposed Amendment by a vote of 5-0.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Amendments to these existing o rdinances has no potential to result in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and as such, is not a “project” subject to the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) 14 Cal. Code Regs § 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact related to these BMC amendments.
CONCLUSION
The proposed amendments will update BMC Section 5-3-410 to provide clear and formal regulations on park closures within the BMC.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Proposed Ordinance BMC § 5-3-410
Attachment 2 – Redline BMC § 5-3-410
Attachment 3 – Park Board February 13, 2025 Staff Report