DC Facilities Committee recommends parks ordinance to county board
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — The Dunn County Facilities Committee has approved sending an ordinance on county parks to the Dunn County Board for consideration.
The proposed ordinance prohibits camping in county parks and includes other regulations as well.
Managing the parks would be easier if there is something in writing that is enforceable, said Scott Nabbefeld, Dunn County facilities director.
Nabbefeld said he could send a sheriff’s deputy to a Dunn County park because someone was camping there, and the deputy is going to ask what law or ordinance is being enforced.
An ordinance will give something to refer back to, he said.
The proposed ordinance defines camping as “the use of a shelter such as a tent, trailer, motor vehicle, tarpaulin, bedroll or sleeping bag for temporary residence or sleeping purposes.”
The term park is defined as, “all lands and water, heretofore and hereafter acquired by the County for lake access, park, or recreational purposes, under the jurisdiction of the Facilities Committee; and includes, without limitation, parks, beaches, and privately owned lands, the use of which has been granted to the county for park, recreational, or like public purposes.”
Shooting ranges are excluded from the definition of “park” in the proposed ordinance.
The proposed ordinance prohibits people from entering or being in any county park or boat landing, except the Dunn County Rec Park in Menomonie, “during hours of darkness.”
The section of the proposed ordinance that prohibits people being in county parks or boat landings after dark does not refer to anyone who enters a county park or boat landing “for the sole purpose of fishing.”
The facilities department or the county sheriff’s department has the authority to close any park or a part of a park at any time in case of emergency or where circumstances require the park to be closed to protect the public or the park facilities, according to the proposed ordinance.
The proposed ordinance prohibits camping in county parks and boat landings, except the Dunn County Rec Park.
The facilities director is authorized by the proposed ordinance to issue overnight camping permits to any youth groups who are going camping for educational purposes in any county park except the Dunn County Rec Park.
The proposed ordinance prohibits any kind of fire in a county park or boat landing and also prohibits burning rubbish in county parks or at boat landings, as well as prohibits throwing away any cigarettes, cigars or pipe ashes without first extinguishing them — unless permitted by the facilities director.
Overnight parking also is prohibited in all county parks and boat landings except the Dunn County Rec Park.
The prohibition on overnight parking does not apply to vehicles and people at boat landings or parks with access to navigable water who are present for the sole purpose of fishing, according to the proposed ordinance.
Violating any of the provisions in the proposed ordinance carries a penalty of a fine not less than $100 and not more than $200, along with the cost of prosecution and restitution for damage. Each day a violation exists will constitute a separate offense, according to the proposed ordinance.
If an individual has donated land for a county park, use of the park “consistent with a donor’s retained rights of usage shall not constitute a violation of these regulations.”
The Dunn County Facilities Committee unanimously approved bringing the proposed ordinance to the Dunn County Board for consideration.
The Dunn County Board of Supervisors meets next on September 20.
