Lawrence, KS Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Standard park hours
- 6:00 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
- Burcham Park hours
- 5:00 a.m. - 10:30 p.m.
- After-hours presence
- unlawful without written variance
- Article II reenacted
- Ord. No. 10104, Feb. 4, 2025
Summary
In the City of Lawrence, public parks close overnight under City Code § 15-204: normal hours run 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., while Burcham Park keeps a shorter window of 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Anyone other than city staff on duty who's present in a park outside those hours is committing an unlawful act unless the parks department granted a written variance.
With the exception of Burcham Park, all public parks within the city limits shall be open daily to the public from 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Burcham Park shall be open daily to the public from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. It shall be unlawful for any person, or persons (other than city personnel conducting city business), to occupy or be present in Burcham Park between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. and in all other city parks between the hours of 11:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Upon written request, the department may issue a variance from those hours of operation.
Full Breakdown
m. , is unlawful for anyone who isn't city personnel conducting city business. The department can excuse someone from the posted hours, but only on written request and only if it agrees to issue a variance beforehand; there's no walk-in exception. This curfew sits in Article II of Chapter 15, the parks, recreation and culture article that Ordinance No. 10104 repealed and reenacted in full on February 4, 2025, replacing hour rules that had been on the books since the 1979 code, formerly numbered at section 15-204 and, before that, section 14-708.
00 fine for that separate offense. A curfew violation instead falls under the city's general penalty, § 1-113, which covers any offense the code declares unlawful without spelling out its own punishment.
Violations & Fines
Being in a Lawrence park during closed hours without a written variance is a municipal offense. Because § 15-204 sets no fine of its own, § 1-113's general penalty controls: a misdemeanor punishable by $1.00 to $1,000.00, up to 180 days in jail, or both, for anyone caught in a city park, or in Burcham Park specifically, after posted closing time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Lawrence parks close?
Can I get permission to be in a park after hours?
What's the fine for being in a park after curfew?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Lawrence
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