Gardena, CA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Curfew hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily, all year
- Violation
- Misdemeanor to be present during closed hours
- Exemptions
- City-sponsored events and permitted park activities
- Signage requirement
- Posted at every entrance, 2-inch type minimum
- Enforcement
- Gardena Police Department, called by park staff
- Citation
- Gardena Municipal Code § 11.04.030
Summary
In the City of Gardena, every city park closes to the public between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. every day of the year, and being in a park during those hours is a misdemeanor. Signs posting the hours must appear at every park entrance. City-sponsored events and permitted activities are exempt from the curfew.
§ 11.04.030. Park hours. Gardena parks shall be closed to the public every day of the year between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. It shall be a misdemeanor to be in the park during these hours. This information shall be posted throughout each park and at each park entrance in typeface not less than two inches in height. This section shall not apply to an individual who is in the park during prohibited hours for an event or activity which is sponsored by the City or an event or activity for which a permit has been issued by the City.
Full Breakdown
Gardena Municipal Code Section 11.04.030 closes every city park every day of the year between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and it is a misdemeanor to be inside a park during those hours. The city must post the closure notice throughout each park and at every entrance in type at least two inches tall, so a posted sign is part of how the rule is enforced. The curfew does not apply to anyone present for a City-sponsored event or for an activity for which the City has issued a park use permit under Section 11.04.020, so an evening softball league or a permitted concert can legally run past 10:00 p.m.
The identical closure rule is repeated later in the chapter at Section 11.04.340, a holdover from an earlier code renumbering, and both sections trace to the same 2001 ordinance. Section 11.04.350 gives the park director, park supervisor, and appointed recreation leaders authority to refuse entry or order a visitor to leave for breaking any park rule, including the curfew, and Section 11.04.360 directs staff to call the Gardena Police Department when a person will not comply, so the police handle the actual citation once park staff have made the request.
The curfew sits inside the same chapter that designates ten named parks, including Rowley Memorial Park and Recreation Park, as drug-free zones under Section 11.04.370.
Violations & Fines
Being in a Gardena park between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. without a City-sponsored or permitted event is a misdemeanor under Section 11.04.030, punishable under the general penalty at Section 1.16.010 by a fine of up to $1,000, up to six months in the city or county jail, or both, unless the city attorney elects to charge it as a lesser infraction. Gardena police cite curfew violators after park staff or posted notice have made the closure known.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the penalty for being in a Gardena park after hours?
Can I be in a park after 10 p.m. for a scheduled event?
How are the park hours posted?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Gardena
California rules heatmap·Compare Gardena to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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Park Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle park curfew.