Sponsor: Parks & Recreation
Title
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Revised Parks & Recreation Ordinance - Waive the First Reading
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Recommendation
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Waive the first reading of the revised Parks & Recreation Ordinance.
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Background and Rationale
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The Ramsey County Parks & Recreation Ordinance (Park Ordinance) was adopted in 1992 and last amended in 2007. The purpose is to promote the safety, health, enjoyment, and welfare of everyone in their use of parks, and to protect park property and resources. The Park Ordinance requires routine updating to stay current and align with community needs. The ordinance revision process aims to:
• Respond to long-standing community feedback about park access.
• View the ordinance through a racial equity lens.
• Modernize the ordinance and address contemporary park issues.
• Make changes that result in an ordinance that is equitable, consistent and streamlined; promotes greater enjoyment of the parks; ensures user safety; and protects park facilities, property and natural resources.
The ordinance procedures in the Ramsey County Home Rule Charter require that a date for a public hearing will be set at the time of the first reading and the date shall be no sooner than 10 days after the first reading. In accordance with these requirements, the proposed revised Ramsey County Parks & Recreation Ordinance was provided to each commissioner on January 10, 2022 prior to its introduction on January 18, 2022.
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☒ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
A Phase 1 racial equity review process was completed early in the ordinance engagement with community partners, including the Ramsey County Equity Action Circle that identified specific priorities that would advance equity. Some of these priorities included writing the ordinance in plain language, expanding access to the parks, decriminalizing ordinance violations, allowing foraging, and restricting tobacco use. Parks continued to work with community partners to address these priorities in the proposed ordinance to advance racial equity.
Community Participation Level and Impact
Phase 2 community engagement focused on feedback from residents on the entire ordinance with special attention placed on three topics that needed detailed public input per guidance from Phase 1: Park access, smoking and tobacco use, and fines and penalties for violations.
Community engagement took place during the summer of 2021 and included the same content offered via community conversations and within an online survey. The community conversations had 45 participants and the online survey had 1,495 participants. Detailed results of the engagement can be found at <https://www.ramseycounty.us/residents/parks-recreation/21st-century-parks-initiative/park-ordinance-project>
☐ Inform ☒ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
Payments of penalties for administrative citations will accrue to the county, but during recent years just over 40 citations were issued annually despite there being roughly 6 million annual visitors to the park’s system. It is expected that few citations will continue to be issued resulting in a minimal fiscal impact. Any future civil penalty revenue will be deposited into the Ramsey County general fund, violations account.
County Manager Comments
No additional comments.
Last Previous Action
On November 2, 2021, a board workshop on Ramsey County Park Ordinance Revision was held with the Ramsey County Board.
On March 13, 2007, the Ramsey County Board approved amendments to the Ordinance for the Control and Management of Park, Creation and Open Space Areas and Facilities Under the Jurisdiction of the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and amendments were effective on April 27, 2007 (B2007-122).
Attachments
1. Park Ordinance Engagement Results Analysis
2. Ramsey County Park & Recreation Proposed Ordinance
3. Proposed Schedule of Events