MARYSVILLE — With the approaching good weather of spring and summer drawing more people out to explore Marysville’s parks, new park laws will be in effect to ensure a more peaceful and leisurely visit.

The Parks Department and City Attorney’s Office, with approval from the Park Board and City Council, developed a Park Code that was adopted into the Marysville Municipal Code penal code.

Mayor Jon Nehring said the new laws and policies will “let park visitors and families recreate more soundly knowing that police and parks personnel have more tools now to deal with vandals, trouble-makers and scofflaws who can disrupt an otherwise pleasant day at the park.”

Parks and Recreation Director Jim Ballew said that the code will assist in maintaining safe use of parks for the enjoyment of everyone. Already put to the test this spring, enforcement of the new policies has already resulted in reductions of loitering and vandalism.

The new code provides clear language to enhance the use of parks, programs and community events conducted on park properties. The code helps police officials and park administration in enforcing current policies and laws intended to preserve and protect our parks for the benefit of park-users.

The code covers several areas of concern including:

• Defacing of property.
• Littering.
• Unleashed or abandoned animals.
• Weapons.
• Trespassing for scofflaws who have already been banned from a park or are there after closing hours.
• Limits on facility use and reservation of park facilities.

Violators are subject to a civil infraction and police enforcement and/or administrative sanctions, with immediate expulsion from a park ranging from a 7-day ban for a first offense, 90 days a second time, and a year for more than two offenses. A wide range of illegal disorderly behavior can turn a park into an unwelcome, unattractive and ultimately unsafe public space that carries added public safety and park maintenance costs.

The new code in part was prompted by random assault incidents and illegal disorderly behavior that occurred in downtown Comeford Park last year.

The city of Marysville parks system consists of 32 parks totaling 527 acres.