Jacksonville Beach, FL Public Conduct: Public Urination (2026)

The rule is item (19) of the prohibited activities list in § 20-13(c) of the Jacksonville Beach Code: no person may "Discharge or deposit human waste, except in toilet facilities provided by the city." The list applies in any park or other area officially designated by the city council as a park and posted as such. Section 20-13(a) names the covered parks, including Oceanfront Park, Seawalk Pavilion and Latham Plaza, South Beach Park and Sunshine Playground, Penman Park, Rotary Park, Wingate Park and Paws Dog Park. The only carve-out in the lead-in is for activities of the city undertaken within the scope of its governmental authority, plus anything specifically permitted by authorization from the city manager under the article.

The code does not use the words urination or defecation in this item. It prohibits discharging or depositing human waste, and the single permitted place is a city-provided toilet. Park hours also matter: § 20-13(b) sets operation from sunrise to sunset, except Paws Dog Park, which opens at 5:00 a.m. and closes at 10:00 p.m. Under § 20-4, no one may enter or remain in a park during closing hours without a permit.

Two neighboring provisions cover other places. Section 6-45(l) says "No person shall place or deposit, or permit to be placed or deposited, any human waste on the Atlantic Ocean beach." Section 32-42(b), in the utilities chapter, says "No person shall dispose of human excrement except in a toilet." Section 20-5 makes parents or guardians strictly responsible and accountable for the actions of minors under the park article, and § 20-3 bars interfering with city personnel enforcing the beach and park rules. Under § 20-6(a), the city manager's posted directions have the effect of local law and are enforced by city police officers and employees.