Parks Rules and Regulations

• Alcoholic Beverages: Possession or consumption of any alcoholic beverage, open or unopened, except where allowed by a special event permit issued by the City's Liquor Licensing Authority in Civic Center Park, Oak Street Plaza Park or Legacy Park.
• Animals/Birds: Violating any provision of Chapter 4 of the City Code:
  • License required
  • Rabies vaccination required
  • Removal of animal waste required
  • Animals at large prohibited
  • Disturbance of peace and quiet prohibited
  • Public nuisance prohibited
  • Trapping restricted. Fort Collins is a wild bird sanctuary; killing or capturing wild birds is unlawful.
• Ashes: Scattering cremated remains of any human or animal.
• Bathing: Bathing or washing people or objects.
• Fires: Violating any provision of Chapter 9 of the City Code:
  • Lighting a campfire, bonfire or other fire except for fires in grills provided by the City or fires in portable grills or stoves on tables provided by the City, or as authorized by a permit.
  • Burning of refuse or rubbish is prohibited.
  • No fire shall be left unattended.
• Fishing Without a Valid License.
• Glass Bottles/Containers: Bringing in or possessing.
• Golf Balls: Driving, hitting or throwing golf balls.
• Miscellaneous Offenses: Violating any provision of Chapter 17 of the City Code:
  • Trespassing
  • Littering
  • Discharge of weapons
  • Depositing bodily waste
  • Disturbing the peace
  • Disorderly conduct
  • Harassment
  • Nudity
• Special Events: Violating any provision of Chapter 23.5 of the City Code, including but not limited to holding a special event without a permit.
• Trash: Discarding or releasing any waste or hazardous substance except for trash generated from activities in the park, which must be disposed of in marked trash receptacles. Tampering with trash containers is prohibited.
• Vandalism/Tampering: Removing, destroying, mutilating, modifying or defacing any City property.
• Vehicles: Operating or parking a motor vehicle anywhere other than on established roadways or in designated parking areas, or violating any provision of the Fort Collins Traffic Code.
• Wildlife: Harassing or permitting the harassment of wildlife.
• Smoking: See Fort Collins’ restrictions on smoking in public areas.

The following activities are prohibited in or on City parks and trails unless a sign has been posted permitting such use:

• Horses: Riding or having a horse more than 10 feet from a designated trail or roadway, or on any irrigated turf grass.
• Ice: Walking, skating or otherwise entering the ice on any waters.
• Motorized Models and Rockets: Operating a motorized model boat, car, truck, aircraft or other motorized model vehicle or launching a model rocket in, onto or over a park or trail.
• Skating and Skateboarding: Skateboarding or in-line skating, except on a sidewalk, roadway, parking area or designated trail.
• Swimming: Swimming or wading in the water.
• In addition, no person shall engage in any activity when a sign has been posted by the Parks Department stating that such activity is not allowed in that area.

The following activities are prohibited in or on City parks and trails unless authorized by a permit issued by the Parks Department:

• Boats: Operating a motorized boat.
• Camping.
• Collecting or Removing Materials: Collecting seeds, cuttings or plants or removing archaeological, geological or paleontological materials.
• Commercial Activities: Performing a service for commercial gain or selling or offering to sell any item for commercial gain.
• Constructing a Structure.
• Depositing Rocks, Wood or Dirt.
• Feeding Wildlife: Feeding songbirds, squirrels, ducks, geese or any other wildlife species.
• Group Events: Conducting or sponsoring an event expected to include 100 or more people requires a Special Events Permit [link].
• Hours of Usage: Entering a park between 11 p.m.-5 a.m. (specific hours for use of various park facilities such as ballfields, tennis courts, etc. will be posted outside the facilities).
• Planting: Planting trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers or other plants.
• Posting Notices: Posting a notice or sign, including fastening, displaying or depositing cards, posters or other written materials or erecting a display.

Mobility devices: Electronic Personal Assistance Mobility Devices (EPAMDs) are permitted in City parks, hard surface trails and outdoor recreation facilities when used by a person with a mobility disability.

1. Parking or driving on turf (grassy) areas and sidewalks is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. You are NOT allowed to drive up to any of the shelters for loading, unloading or parking. Any violations may result in police ticketing. If you need to load or unload meal items or equipment, contact the parks office (970-221- 6660) to receive proper instructions.

2. The following City ordinances must be followed by anyone using a park and/or shelter:

• There is no alcohol (consumption or containers) allowed in the parks.
• There is no smoking of any type (cigarettes/marijuana) allowed in the parks.
• There is no glass products of any type allowed in the parks.
• Dogs are not allowed off leash in the parks, except in fenced designated/signed dog park areas. Owners are responsible for removal of animal waste on public property.

3. Miscellaneous:

• Electrical Outlets - Please use caution when using the outlets in the shelters. Overloading the outlets with coffee makers, crock pots, etc. will trip the circuit breakers.
• Grills - All reservable shelters have grills. The drop-in shelters may or may not have grills available for use. If you bring your own charcoal or propane grill, please set it on a tarp/cardboard to catch any grease spills and set it on a hard surface (not the grass). DO NOT discard charcoal in the park’s trash can.
• Music/Announcements – Music played via an electronic device and/or radio is allowed if the sound is not amplified to a level that disturbs other park users.
• Yard Games – Feel free to play yard games in the surrounding grassy areas near the shelter. Do not stake deeper than 6” in the ground.

4. Decorations:

• You may decorate with balloons, streamers, tablecloths, etc. but you are responsible for cleaning up these items at the end of your event and properly discarding them in the trash cans before you leave the shelter.
• Please do not use confetti.
• Marking of any type (chalk, paint, etc.) on turf or hardscape in the Parks or on adjoining City property such as trails, streets or sidewalks is not allowed.
• Personal lawn chairs and small popup tents (not staked) can be set up in the surrounding grassy area near the shelter.

5. A Park Event Permit is required if any of the following will be a part of your event. Permit must be obtained at least 10 days prior to the event.

• Amplified Sound/Music – Use of amplification and/or live band will require approval and noise variance exception from the City’s Compliance Office.
• Inflatables or Other Apparatuses – These items require a $1M certification of liability insurance. • Food Truck – Use of a food truck for your event will require a security deposit.
• Size – The event increases to more than 200 people.
• Please note that staking deeper than 6” into the ground requires line locates. Utility Locates (UNCC at 811 or 1-800-922-1987) must be contacted two weeks before the event to arrange the locates.
• Please contact the Parks Office at 970-221-6660 if the scope/size of your event changes so that we can work with you in providing proper permitting to ensure your event is successful.

6. If you have a Shelter Reservation or Park Event Confirmation:

• Be sure to bring your reservation confirmation paperwork with you to the park/shelter on the day of your event so you have documentation proving you have exclusive use of the area if there is any conflict.
• The shelter is only scheduled/reserved for one group per day.
• Shelter reservations will be noted on a kiosk by the shelter.
• Each shelter is available for drop-in use if it is not scheduled/reserved for that day. Exception: If a reservation showing in the kiosk notes the end time of 5 p.m. and no one is at/using the shelter, then it is available for drop-in.

Field Request Date & Time Details

• Ballfield/diamond sports practices will be allowed one (1) scheduled practice per week/per team for 1.5 hours.
• Turf sport practices will be allowed two (2) scheduled practices per week/per team for 1.5 hours.
• Scheduled practices Monday-Friday must take place within the time slots noted below.
  • 4-5:30 p.m.
  • 5:30-7 p.m.
  • 7-8:30 p.m.
• Weekends (Saturday-Sunday) can be scheduled for any time of day.

Cancellation Policies

If game/practice is canceled as a game/practice time decision due to weather by team/coach, the cancellation must be submitted to parkshop@fcgov.com or by calling 970-221-6660 by the next business day to keep from being charged for the field.

• Examples when game/practice should be cancelled: Standing water on the fields; Fields are slippery or unsafe; Turf tears underfoot; Use of infield would cause ruts

If a game/practice is cancelled by team/coach, non-weather related, the cancellation notice must be submitted to parkshop@fortcollins.gov or by calling 970-221-6660 at least 2 days prior to the cancellation to keep from being charged for the field. For a practice being cancelled a credit will be held on the reservation to allow for another practice to be booked in the future. If the credit is still on file at the "end of the season"; the credit card on file will be credited back.

Weather Cancellations by The City

If City makes the decision to cancel fields due to weather, the contact on the reservation will be emailed alerting them of the cancellation, and the field will be cancelled by staff. The City will provide information by noon on the day of the practice/game - if field(s) conditions warrant cancellation. After noon, the cancellation becomes a team/coach decision. It will be the responsibility of the organization/contact on the reservation to then inform participants, parents, coaches and their staff of the field cancellations made by the City. Refunds are not given for non-weather-related cancellations.

Notice: Any party bringing privately owned items into any City owned park facility agrees that any items placed and/or left in any City park shall not be in or cause a dangerous condition; the party providing such items assumes all risk of injury to any persons using any privately provided equipment.