Council Discusses Requiring Park Permit for Group Gatherings

The Town of Addison's Code of Ordinances do not preclude group gatherings of any size in parks, however, users are not currently allowed to reserve park space except at Les Lacs Pavilion and the covered area at the Addison Athletic Club outdoor pool. Special Events permits are required at Addison Circle Park and Vitruvian for events in excess of 1500 people. The Parks Department is contacted weekly by residents, businesses, and non-Addison residents who wish to reserve park space for a gathering, and issues with group gatherings in neighborhood parks are occurring on an increasing basis.
 
At the June 8 City Council Meeting, Parks and Recreation Director Janna Tidwell proposed creating a Park Use Permit that will direct group gatherings of over 20 people to appropriate locations and manage the impacts. The proposed permit would only be available for Addison residents and businesses and addresses the cost of a permit, hours of use, locations, group size, rules, and recourse if rules are broken.
 
Based on feedback from the Council, staff will now prepare an update to the Parks & Recreation Ordinance to include a Park Use Permit and present it to Council at a future meeting for consideration.