(A) Recreational activities.
(1) Golf. It shall be unlawful for any person to play or practice golf in, or to a hit a golf ball in, from, or into, any public park or playground within Louisville Metro, except in areas laid off and designated by the Director of Parks as public golf courses and practice areas.
(2) Riding horses. It shall be unlawful for any person to ride or drive a horse in any public park or on any public property except in those areas thereof laid off and designated as bridle paths. It shall further be unlawful for the owner or person having general care and custody, whether by contract for stabling or otherwise, of any horse to permit another person to ride or drive such horse in any public park or on any public park property except in those areas thereof laid off and designated as bridle paths. There is created a prima facie presumption that the owner or person having care and custody of a horse permitted such action whenever any other person is found riding or driving the horse in violation of this section. Provided, that this section shall not apply to: (a) horse patrols of the Louisville Metro Police Department, or others, as authorized by the Director of Parks and while performing informational, security, or search and/or rescue and other emergency services, or employees of the Parks Department, or other Metro Government agencies while performing official duties; (b) horse-drawn carriage companies holding proper permits, who may apply to the Director of Parks for permission to use public rights-of-way through parks.
(3) Hang-gliding. It shall be unlawful for any person to launch or land (except for unplanned emergency landings) a hang-glider within the boundaries of any Metro Government park or playground area, except in areas specifically designated for such activity by the Director of Parks. For purposes of this section, a "Hang-glider" shall be defined as a sail plane or aircraft without an engine operated by an operator who hangs or is suspended from the craft.
(4) Sledding and ice skating. It shall be unlawful for any person to sled or ice skate within the boundaries of any Metro Government park or playground area, except in any areas specifically designated for such activity by the Director of Parks. Provided, that this section shall not apply to any person participating in search and/or rescue or other emergency operations, or to employees of the Louisville Metro Parks Department, the Louisville Metro Police Department, or other Metro Government agencies while performing official duties.
(5) Swimming. It shall be unlawful for any person to swim in any body of standing or running water, or to wade or swim in any Parks Department-operated fountain, reflecting pool, or similar facility, except for areas and facilities specifically designed, maintained, and designated for those purposes and authorized for such use by the Director of Parks. Provided, that this section shall not apply to any person participating in search and/or rescue or other emergency operations, or to employees of the Louisville Metro Parks Department, the Louisville Metro Police Department, or other Metro Government agencies while performing official duties.
(6) Boating. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any boat, canoe, raft, or other similar water vessel on any body of standing or running water, or in any Parks Department-operated fountain, reflecting pool, or similar facility, within the boundaries of any Metro Government park or playground, with the exception of areas specifically designated for such activity by the Director of Parks. Provided, however, that in no event shall a water vessel powered by a gasoline engine be operated in any Metro Government park, with the exception of Otter Creek Park. Provided, however, that this section shall not apply to any person participating in search and/or rescue or other emergency operations, or to employees of the Louisville Metro Parks Department, the Louisville Metro Police Department, or other Metro Government agencies while performing official duties.
(7) Hunting, fishing, or trapping. It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt, fish, or trap wildlife within the boundaries of any park or playground in Louisville Metro, except in areas specifically designated for such activities by the Director of Parks. Provided, that this section shall not apply to any person participating in search and/or rescue or other emergency operations authorized by the Director of Parks or the Louisville Police Department to locate, contain and remove sick and dangerous animals or other Metro Government agencies while performing official duties.
(8) Operation of bicycles, skateboards or skates. No person shall operate a bicycle, skateboard, or skates on any section of public park or playground, except on a roadway, in areas designed for parking, or on trails and in other areas specifically designated for such activities by the Director of Parks.
(B) Motor vehicles.
(1) Trucks and buses. It shall be unlawful for any truck or bus weighing in excess of 30,000 pounds to enter the boundaries of any Louisville Metro park or playground area without a written permit from the Director of Parks and Recreation, with the exception of vans, tour buses, pick-up trucks and school buses.
(2) Other motor vehicles. No operator of a motor vehicle, which shall include all terrain vehicles, shall operate the vehicle in any public park except on a roadway or in a parking area, and no operator of a motor vehicle other than a golf cart shall operate the vehicle on any public golf course, except on a roadway or parking area authorized for that purpose. All golf cart operators must abide by cart policies as established by the Director of Parks. However, this prohibition shall not apply to an emergency vehicle, to Parks Department vehicles, or to those persons or firms who have been granted specific authority to operate a motorized vehicle off of a roadway or parking area within a public park by the Director of Parks.
(C) Other restrictions.
(1) Removal of natural resources. It shall be unlawful for any person to remove any natural resource including, but not limited to, plant material, animals, birds, soil, rocks, water, or other natural resources (but excepting fish where fishing is authorized by the Director of Parks) from any park, parkway or playground in Louisville Metro.
(2) Burning.
(a) For the purpose of this section "open fire" shall mean any intentionally ignited bonfire, recreational fire, or maintenance burn conducted in parks by the Parks Department, or those or any other similar burn conducted by any other person in the open air in parks within the boundaries of Louisville Metro. Any maintenance burn shall require a permit from the Air Pollution Control Board.
(b) No person shall kindle or maintain an open fire within any park or playground in Louisville Metro, with the exception of: (1) recreational fires in area specifically designated by the Director of Parks for such fires, and only if approved in advance by the Director of Parks and the Fire Chief of the Division of Fire or a Fire Protection District, as the case may be, and; (2) maintenance burns conducted by the Parks Department. The Director of Parks shall designate to the Fire Chief of the Division of Fire or a Fire Protection District areas appropriate for recreational fires, and areas where the Parks Department proposes to conduct maintenance burns. The Fire Chief of the Division of Fire or of a Fire Protection District may authorize recreational fires only in areas specifically approved by the Director of Parks, and may authorize maintenance burns conducted by the Parks Department in areas proposed by the Director of Parks. Open recreational fires shall be attended at all times by a person not less than 18 years of age.
(D) Camping and facilities.
(1) Camping. It shall be unlawful for any person to camp in any Metro Park at any time of day without a permit issued by the Director of Parks, and then only in areas specifically designated for camping by the Director of Parks. For the purposes of this subsection camping shall mean the use of a park location for temporary living accommodation purposes by the habitation of the park location through the use of temporary shelters, and/or motor vehicles.
(2) Facilities. Except when park facilities have been expressly reserved through the Parks Department, no person shall prevent the shared use of park facilities or assets which are otherwise open to the public from being used for the facility’s intended purpose. For the purposes of this subsection, “facilities” include athletic fields, athletic structures, lodges, restrooms, community rooms, picnic shelters, clubhouses, and other permanent structures.
(1994 Jeff. Code, §§ 42.02, 42.04, 42.05) (Jeff. Ord. 3-1998, adopted and effective 1-13-1998; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 101-2003, approved 5-30-2003; Lou. Metro Am. Ord. No. 199-2022, approved 12-15-2022) Penalty, see § 42.99