Janesville, WI Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)

Section 26-17 of the Janesville Code of General Ordinances bars any person or vehicle from park premises between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., with exceptions only for people using through streets that cross a park or anyone holding written special permission from the Park Director. The section singles out several parks for earlier closures. Lustig Park, described as south of the Rock River, west of Pearl Street and Chatham Streets, north of State Street and east of Monterey Lane, closes at 9:00 p.m. Rotary Gardens, bounded by South Randall Avenue on the east, Palmer Drive on the south, Lions Beach on the west and Rotary Pond on the north (excluding its parking lot), also closes at 9:00 p.m., though the ordinance allows approved activities authorized by the Rotary Council to continue.

The upper portion of Palmer Park, bounded by Arbor Drive, Harmony Drive and East Racine Street, and Fourth Ward Park each close at 9:00 p.m. as well, all reopening at 5:00 a.m. The Janesville Police Department, which also carries the City's animal control duties, is the practical enforcer of after-hours violations since Parks Division staff are not stationed on site overnight. Because Section 26-17 is not among the exceptions carved out in Section 26-40, an after-hours park violation is punished under that chapter's general forfeiture provision.

Chapter 26 pairs the hours restriction with related park rules: alcohol is barred citywide in parks except in designated pavilion areas under a paid permit (Section 26-13), camping requires written Parks Director permission (Section 26-23), and unlicensed motorized vehicles are barred from park land except for government vehicles (Section 26-25). Anyone needing after-hours access must obtain the Park Director's written permission in advance.