Franklin Township, PA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Township Code § 16-102 sets park hours at sunrise to dusk, seven days per week, excluding major holidays, for any park operated by Franklin Township, a term the code defines broadly in § 16-101 to include parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, open space, recreation structures, facilities, and their entrances and approaches. Anyone found in a park after closing is subject to the penalties in Part 1 of Chapter 16, unless a Township representative (the Board of Supervisors, Township Manager, Assistant Township Manager, or someone they appoint) has granted written permission in advance.

The section also allows Township-approved special events to run in the park during hours it is normally closed, and lets a Township representative close a park at their discretion if it becomes hazardous due to weather, water, fire or other unforeseeable conditions. The traffic rules in § 16-104 reinforce the closing-hours rule for vehicles specifically: no car, truck or motorcycle may be left in a park after closing hours without written permission, and the Township is under no obligation to reopen a locked gate or lot to let a vehicle out early.

Park Hours was adopted by Ord. 2012-01 on April 18, 2012, and amended by Ord. No. 2019-03 on December 18, 2019. Violations of the park rules Part, including being in a park after hours, are enforced under § 16-106 with a fine of not more than $1,000 per occurrence plus costs of prosecution, and imprisonment not to exceed 90 days, with each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.