Somerville, MA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances Sec. 12-48
- Closed hours
- 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. daily
- Exception
- City personnel on city business
- Default penalty
- $300.00 per offense (Sec. 1-11(a))
- Last amended
- Ord. No. 2019-02, eff. 1/24/2019
Summary
Somerville closes all parks and playgrounds to the public every night between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. under Sec. 12-48 of the Code of Ordinances. Only city personnel conducting city business may remain inside during those hours.
Sec. 12-48. Closing time of parks and playgrounds. Parks and playgrounds shall be closed to the public except city personnel conducting city business therein daily between hours of 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Zoning Ordinances: Revision - CodeBank PDF Post).
Full Breakdown
m. The rule traces back to former Code 1963 Sec. 12-78 and was last amended by Ord. No. 2019-02, effective January 24, 2019. The closure is citywide, applying to every city park and playground rather than a single site, and runs on a fixed clock rather than sunset-based hours. A companion section, Sec. 12-50, backs the curfew by making it unlawful to enter or obstruct a park, playing field, or court in a way that interferes with a permitted use, with the commissioner of public works overseeing permits for regular daytime use.
Sec. 12-51 separately lets the commissioner of public works post any park, playground or schoolyard "No Dogs Allowed" where dog entry is deemed inappropriate. Because Sec. 12-48 does not set out its own specific fine, a violation defaults to the citywide general penalty in Sec. 00 per offense, with each day of a continuing violation counted as a separate offense, unless a state law sets a higher maximum.
Violations & Fines
A person found in a park or playground after 10:00 p.m. or before 8:00 a.m. without city business is subject to the Code's general penalty under Sec. 1-11(a): $300.00 per offense, since Sec. 12-48 carries no separate fine schedule of its own. Each day a violation continues is a distinct offense, and the city may also pursue noncriminal disposition under G.L. c. 40, Sec. 21D.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Somerville parks close?
Is there a fine for being in a park after hours?
Can a group use a park after 10 p.m.?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Somerville
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