Jonesboro, AR Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Reservation basis
- Exclusive use of a posted area
- Hours authority
- Director may extend/shorten closing time
- Security exclusion
- Director, police chief or mayor
- Enforcement
- Park rangers, code enforcement
- Default penalty
- Up to $500.00 (§ 1-7)
Summary
Jonesboro lets an area of a city park be reserved for the exclusive use of a group, and the parks director can extend a park's normal closing hours to accommodate a permitted activity. Non-reserved visitors can be excluded once an area is posted.
Sec. 50-21. - Extended or shortened time. The closing time of any park, or any portion thereof, may be extended or shortened by the director of parks, recreation and cemeteries when necessary to accommodate or regulate any permitted activity.
Sec. 50-23. - Reserved areas. Whenever any area of any park has been reserved for the exclusive use of another, that area may be posted as being closed to the use of all other persons and persons not associated with exclusive use may thereby be prevented from using or entering that area of the park.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 50-23, once part of a park has been reserved for another's exclusive use, that area may be posted as closed to everyone else, and people not tied to the reservation can be kept from entering or using it for the duration of the reservation. That reservation authority connects directly to § 50-20 and § 50-21: gated parks otherwise run on posted normal hours, but the code carves out an exception for "prearranged, special group activities," and the director of parks, recreation and cemeteries may extend or shorten a park's closing time specifically to accommodate or regulate a permitted activity.
Security backs up any reservation: § 50-22 lets the director, chief of police or mayor exclude the general public from a reserved area, or any portion of a park, on a temporary basis when necessary to protect public safety or property, and entering a park or portion ordered closed is itself unlawful under § 50-24. Park rangers assigned to the code enforcement division, added by Ord. No. 25:028 in 2025, patrol city parks to enforce these posted-closure and reservation rules and may issue citations or warnings under § 50-40.
Violations & Fines
Using or entering a reserved park area without authorization, or ignoring posted closure signage, is enforced as a park-closure violation under §§ 50-22 through 50-24 by park rangers and code enforcement officers. Because chapter 50 does not set a specific fine for a reservation violation, the general penalty in § 1-7 applies: a fine of up to $500.00, doubled for repeat offenses, or up to $250.00 per day for a continuing violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I reserve an area of a Jonesboro city park for a private event?
Can Jonesboro extend park hours for my scheduled activity?
What happens if someone ignores a reserved-area sign in a Jonesboro park?
Does the ordinance list a reservation fee?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jonesboro
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