§ 14-25. Closing city-owned parks.

(a)

All city-owned public parks and appurtenant parking areas within the City of Athens shall close each night at 12:00 midnight and shall not reopen until 5:00 a.m. the following morning. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to be or remain within said public parks or appurtenant parking areas between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m.

(b)

Any person violating the provisions of this section, upon conviction, shall be deemed guilty of a class C [misdemeanor] and fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each violation hereof.

(c)

It shall be a defense to prosecution under this section that the actor was present in said public park or appurtenant parking area or within thirty (30) minutes after the end of participation in or attendance at an athletic event conducted under the auspices of an organization conducting athletic events in city-owned parks pursuant to contract with the City of Athens.

(Ord. No. O-38-00, 8-24-2000)