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Home My WebLink AboutA024 - Modifications to Municipal Code Chapter 19, Parks and Recreation, to clarify expectations of park useTo:Mayor & City Council From:Keith Abraham, Director of Parks & Recreation Date:December 16, 2025 Subject:Modifications to Municipal Code 19 - Parks & Recreation Item No. 28 MEMO The ordinance regarding Modifications to Municipal Code Chapters 19, Parks & Recreation to clarify expectations of park use is attached for the City Council's review and consideration of second reading. If the Council desires to clarify the Section 19.15 Swimming Prohibited per discussion on December 9, 2025, it would be appropriate to make a motion. Staff would suggest the following language: "No person shall swim in any city-owned bodies of water (lakes and ponds)". ATTACHMENT(S): DRAFT_Ordinance_Amending_Chapter_19_to_clarify_expectations_of_park_use.pdf City Clerk's Office 515.239.5105 main 515.239.5142 fax 515 Clark Ave. P.O. Box 811 Ames, IA 50010 www.CityofAmes.org 1 ORDINANCE NO. __________ AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY AMENDING SECTIONS 19.2, 19.7, 19.8, 19.10, 19.13, 19.15, 19.18, 19.19, AND 19.20, THEREOF, FOR THE PURPOSE OF AMENDING CHAPTER 19 PARKS AND RECREATION TO CLARIFY EXPECTIONS OF PARK USE, REPEALING ANY AND ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT TO THE EXTENT OF SUCH CONFLICT; PROVIDING A PENALTY; AND ESTABLISHING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ENACTED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa, that: Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa shall be and the same is hereby amended by amending Sections 19.2, 19.7, 19.8, 19.10, 19.13, 19.15, 19.18, 19.19, and 19.20, as follows: CHAPTER 19 PARKS AND RECREATION * * * Sec. 19.2. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS, TERM OF OFFICE. The Parks and Recreation Commission shall consist of seven (7) persons people appointed by the Mayor with the approval of the City Council. The term of office shall be three (3) years for six of the members, and one (1) of the members shall serve a special 1 one-year term. All terms shall run from April 1 of the year in which the appointment is made. The one year special term shall be applied to a position first becoming vacant after the date of this ordinance. * * * Sec. 19.7. SPECIFIC POWERS AND DUTIES. The parks and recreation commission shall have the following powers and duties: (1) Rulemaking. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter, the commission shall have rulemaking authority, and shall prescribe and promulgate all needed rules and regulations for use of or participation in the city parks, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities, programs, and activities. (2) Planning. Prepare, and revise at least once every five (5) years, a plan for the development and continuation of a system of city parks, pleasure grounds greenways, swimming pools, and other recreational facilities. (3) Gifts. May solicit, on behalf of the City of Ames, gifts of money or property for parks and recreation purposes. 2 (4) Rates Fees and charges. Whenever, and only so long as there are no revenue bonds or pledge orders outstanding which are payable therefrom, the commission shall have the power and authority to establish fees, rates and charges for the use of a city park, pleasure ground, swimming pool, or other recreational facility, or for participation in a recreational program or activity. However, the city council shall at all times retain and have power and authority to establish, impose, adjust and provide for the collection of rates fees and charges when such action is necessary to produce gross revenues at least sufficient to pay the expenses of operation and maintenance of a certain park, pleasure ground greenway, swimming pool, or other recreational facility, or to pay the principal and interest of any revenue bonds and pledge orders as they come due. (5) Joint projects. Subject to the approval of the city council, the commission may take action jointly with other public or private agencies as provided in Chapter 28E, Code of Iowa, 1977. (6) Contracts. The commission shall have power to authorize and execute on behalf of the City of Ames, without action of the city council, contracts with public or private entities for services relative related to recreational programs and activities. Such contracts shall be evidenced by a written document approved as to form by the city attorney and certified consistent with the current budget by the director of finance. (7) Leasing to organizations. The commission shall have authority to lease, under reasonable rules and requirements, a particular park or portion thereof, as follows: (a) For a period not in excess of ten (10) days to charitable, fraternal, and patriotic organizations, for the purpose of permitting such organizations to conduct celebrations, anniversaries, and entertainments. (b) For a period not to exceed six (6) months, for activities as the commission shall deem proper, for the purpose of permitting the playing of amateur or professional baseball or other athletic games. Sec. 19.8. DAMAGING PLANTS, PROPERTY IN PARKS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES. (1) It is unlawful for any person to willfully cut, rake, damage, destroy or interfere with any trees, shrubs, flowers, bush or other planting, or building, structure or other facility amenity in any public park or recreational facility. Interfering with park structures or facilities is specifically defined to include persons being on top of park shelters; placing picnic tables in water, using them as sleds, or placing them on top of shelters; and jumping or diving off pedestrian bridges. (2) Foraging edible plants, fruits and nuts is allowed within the park system. (3) Utilizing any structure, equipment, or facility for any purpose or in any manner other than for its intended use is prohibited. 3 Sec. 19.10. FIREARMS WEAPONS PROHIBITED; EXCEPTIONS. Except for police officers, while in the performance of duty, and as otherwise specifically authorized by the commission, it It is unlawful for any person to carry or have in their possession or under their control in any public park, pleasure ground greenway or recreational facility and/or space of the city any firearm of any kind whatsoever, BB gun, pellet gun, bow and arrow, sling shot, or any other device for shooting or throwing a projectile of any kind. Sec. 19.11. PARK HOURS. All city parks are open to the public from 6:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Only Parks & Recreation department employees or emergency personnel, including fire, police and utility workers, are authorized to be in the parks between the hours of 10:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m., unless advance written permission approval has been obtained from the Parks and Recreation Commission. * * * Sec. 19.13. DOGS AT HOMEWOOD GOLF COURSE. No person shall walk a dog or dogs or in any way bring a dog onto the Homewood Golf Course while the course is open to play. The Course shall be deemed open to play when the flag poles are in the cups on the greens. This section shall not prohibit a blind person officially documented service animals from coming onto Homewood Golf Course with the aid of the blind persons’s seeing-eye dog. * * * Sec. 19.15. Reserved. SWIMMING PROHIBITED. No person shall swim in any body of water on City owned property. * * * Sec. 19.18. BAIT DUMPING PROHIBITED. No person shall dump live fish bait into the water of the any lake, pond, river, or stream on City owned property at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. Sec. 19.19. BOAT MOTORS. Use of any boat motor, other than an electric motor, is prohibited at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. No person shall have any boat motor fueled by gasoline on the premises of that park. Exception for emergency watercraft as approved in advance by the Parks and Recreation Commission. Sec. 19.20. FISHING FROM THE BRIDGES PROHIBITED. No person shall engage in fishing from the any bridge within the park system at Ada Hayden Heritage Park. * * * Section Two. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall constitute a municipal infraction punishable as set out by law. 4 Section Three. All ordinances, or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict, if any. Section Four. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage and publication as required by law. Passed this day of , . ___________________________ _______________________________ John A. Haila, Mayor First Reading: Second Reading: Third Reading: Passed on: I, Renee Hall, City Clerk of the City of Ames, Iowa, hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a true copy of Ordinance No. ______________, passed by the City Council of said City at the meeting held on ______________________and signed by the Mayor on ___________________________, and published in the Ames Tribune on ___________________________. ________________________________ Renee Hall, City Clerk 5