Ventura, CA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Closing time
- Set by parks and recreation director
- Reopens
- Sunrise the following day
- Permitted-activity exception
- Open 30 minutes past event end
- Emergency closure authority
- Council, director, fire chief, or police chief
- Code origin
- Code 1971 § 6284
Summary
City parks in Ventura close to the public at a time set by the director of parks and recreation and stay closed until sunrise the next day, under Municipal Code Section 20.50.040. Anyone who enters or stays in a closed park without authorization from the city council, the director, or their representative is violating the chapter.
A. Generally. ... Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, city park properties, as determined or designated by the director of parks and recreation, shall be closed to public use at a time to be determined by the director of parks and recreation and shall remain closed until sunrise the following day. ... B. ... Entering or Remaining After Closing Time. No person shall enter or remain in any city park or portion thereof at any time when the same is closed to the public unless such person is authorized to do so by the city council, the director of parks and recreation, or the authorized representation of any of the above.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 2026-008, passed May 12, 2026).
Full Breakdown
S. Forest Service, or simple lack of use. 030 requires the director to post signs or markings giving notice of closures. 040(C) keeps that portion open to the activity's authorized participants, observers, and attendees until 30 minutes after it ends, while the rest of the park and all buildings remain closed at the regular time to everyone else. 040(D) gives the city council, the director, the fire chief, or the police chief emergency authority to close a park, or part of one, to protect public safety, property, or natural resources from imminent damage, or where there is a clear and present danger of a breach of the peace, and bars anyone from entering after notice of that closure. 020. The closing-hours rule traces to Code 1971 Section 6284.
Violations & Fines
Entering or remaining in a Ventura city park after its posted closing time, without authorization from the city council, the parks and recreation director, or an authorized representative, violates Section 20.50.040(B). Ignoring a properly posted closure sign or a park regulation issued under Section 20.50.015 is also a violation of the chapter, and each unauthorized entry can be cited separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Ventura's city parks close?
Can I stay in a park after closing if I'm attending a permitted event?
Why would the city close a park early or during the day?
What counts as an emergency park closure in Ventura?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ventura
California rules heatmap·Compare Ventura to another location·View the California curfew laws overview
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Park Curfew in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Ventura County handle park curfew.