Spokane Municipal Code

Title 12 Public Ways and Property

Chapter 12.06A Park Code

The Park Board has established rules governing behavior on park property, and such rules may be enforced consistent with this ordinance.

Except when done in places designated and in the manner prescribed by rule, regulation or special permission of the park board or department:

1. Park Grounds and Maintenance

1. 1. No person may cut, trim, tag or in any way tamper with the trees or landscaping, or dig, stake, pierce or penetrate the ground of any park.

2. Vehicles and Watercraft

1. No person may ride or drive any motor vehicle in Riverfront Park without express permission from the director of the parks department or his or her designee. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the use of electric scooters, electric bicycles or other personal electric mobility devices in Riverfront Park.

2. No person may drive or ride any vehicle or animal on the grass or in any areas of the park other than designated drives, ways, boulevards or paths. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting a person from riding a mountain bike on established paths and trails in natural/conservation/undeveloped areas.

3. No person may park outside designated parking areas. Cars parked in turf areas, parked overnight or left for multiple days in parking lots may be deemed unauthorized pursuant to SMC 16A.07.060 and impounded by a registered tow truck operator at the direction of a law enforcement officer or other public official with jurisdiction.

4. No person may operate or drive any vehicle, including bicycles, skateboards and roller skates, in a manner which is likely to endanger persons and/or property.

5. No person may intentionally enter, swim, dive or float, with or without a boat, raft, craft or other flotation device, in or upon any pond in a park or the Spokane River at any point between the west line of the Division Street Bridge and the west line of the Monroe Street Bridge.

3. Speed

1. No person may ride or drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of five miles per hour in Riverfront Park.

2. At all parks other than Riverfront Park, no person may ride or drive a vehicle at a speed in excess of fifteen miles per hour unless otherwise posted.

4. Games and Athletics

1. No person may engage in, conduct, or hold any trials or competitions for speed, endurance, or hill climbing involving any vehicle, boat, aircraft, or animal in any park, except by permission of the director of the parks department or his or her designee.

2. No person may play or practice any game that involves the running or the throwing or hitting of a ball or other projectile such as golf, archery, hockey, tennis or baseball, when and where such activity is likely to be dangerous.

3. No person may operate remote controlled vehicles, unmanned air systems or other hobby craft in a manner that is dangerous to persons or property.

4. Swimming pools, wading pools, golf courses, softball diamonds and basketball courts may be used only during hours designated by the director of the parks department or his or her designee.

5. Animals

1. No person may allow any animal to run at large in any park or enter any pond, pool, fountain or stream thereof except within a designated off-leash area. A violation of this section is a class 4 civil infraction. 

2. All persons bringing pets to a park must provide for the disposal of animal waste from their pets. Failure to do so is a class 4 infraction.

3. No person may tease, annoy, disturb, attack, catch, injure, or kill, throw stones or any object at, or strike with any stick or weapon, any animal, bird, fowl or other wildlife in any park.

4. Fishing shall be allowed in rivers and creeks adjacent to parks, but shall not be allowed in the ponds of any park.

5. No person may feed any wildlife in any park. A violation of this section is a class 4 civil infraction.

6. Drugs and Alcohol

1. Except as specifically authorized by the director of the parks department or his or her designee, no person shall open the package containing liquor or consume liquor in a public park. A violation of this section is a class 3 civil infraction.  

2. As provided in RCW 69.50.445, it is unlawful to open a package containing marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates, or consume marijuana, useable marijuana, marijuana-infused products, or marijuana concentrates, in any park. A violation of this section is a class 3 civil infraction.

3. For the safety and protection of all park users, the use and distribution of drug paraphernalia is prohibited in city parks. In addition to penalties provided in state or local law, violators shall be subject to exclusion from one or more city parks for one year.

7. Weapons and Projectiles

No person may shoot, fire, throw or explode any fireworks, explosive, bow and arrow, slingshot or other weapon, toy or real, which discharges a pellet or other object with harmful force.

8. Food

1. 1. Except as provided in SMC 10.51.040(A), no person may sell food inside or adjacent to a park without first obtaining the following:

1. Written authorization from the director of the parks department, or his or her designee, to vend at a particular location or locations, as required by SMC 10.51.070 and SMC 17C.390.030; and

2. A valid a mobile food vendor’s permit as required by SMC 10.51.010.

1. Events

1. Special events held in a city park require a park reservation and must also be authorized by a special event permit issued by the director of the parks department under the procedures and requirements for special events as provided in Chapter 10.39 SMC.

2. Regardless of whether an event requires a special event permit, park reservations are required to reserve park space and to serve or distribute food for groups of over fifteen people.  There is no cost to submit reservation application for events that do not include the use of a shelter, but the application requires the submission of a clean-up plan and may be subject to cost recovery for the actual costs of clean-up by park employees. 

10. Other Uses of Park Property and Facilities

1. No person may use or occupy park property to sleep, store property or for any other purpose when done in a manner that obstructs or prevents others from its use and enjoyment.

2. No person may build a fire in a park during official burn bans or where fire restrictions are otherwise imposed. All fires must be contained to designated fireplaces and park-supplied barbecue pits.

3. Where the park board has provided for the collection of fees, rents or charges for the use of park facilities, including municipal golf courses, no person may enter upon or use such park facilities without paying such required fees, rents or charges.

4. No person may be in a City park during the hours of closure without the express permission of the director of the parks department or his or her designee. All City parks shall be closed from ten p.m. to six a.m., except Riverfront Park, which shall be closed from midnight to six a.m. throughout the year.

5. No person may sell or barter any goods or services without prior permission of the director of the parks department or his or her designee.

11. No person may violate such rules and regulations as may from time to time be promulgated by the park board or the director of parks and recreation pursuant to and in supplementation of the City Charter and this code.

Date Passed: Monday, July 26, 2021

Effective Date: Monday, July 26, 2021

ORD C36091 Section 7