Sedgwick County, KS Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Sedgwick County Code Sec. 20-109(a)(1)
- Permittee age
- 21 years or older
- Payment deadline
- 30 days before use date
- Deposit
- $300 for Shelters #1, #2, #5 and pavilion
- Permit fee
- $220/day (Shelter #1); $110 first day others
- Issuing authority
- Park superintendent (Sec. 20-108)
Summary
Reserving a shelter house, pavilion or group gathering space at a Sedgwick County park requires a permit and deposit from the park superintendent. Sedgwick County Code Sec. 20-109 sets fixed fees and deposits for Lake Afton Park's shelter houses and pavilion, due 30 days before the use date, with a nonrefundable permit fee and a deposit refundable only after inspection.
The permit fee and the deposit fee shall be paid to the park superintendent, by the permittee who shall be a person over the age of twenty-one (21) years. The deposit and permit fee must be paid at least thirty (30) days in advance of the use date. Failure of a proposed permittee to pay the deposit fee and the permit fee thirty (30) days in advance of the use date shall cause a forfeiture of the use date. A permit fee shall be non-refundable, except upon the permittee's proof of extraordinary circumstances acceptable to the park superintendent. The deposit fee may be refunded after the use date to the permittee upon restoration of the premises to pre-use condition, subject to the park superintendent's approval of the restoration and the refund.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 22 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Sedgwick County Code Sec. 20-109(a)(1) requires anyone reserving a shelter house or pavilion at Lake Afton Park to pay both a permit fee and a deposit to the park superintendent, who under Sec. " The permittee must be at least 21 years old, and both fees are due at least 30 days before the use date; missing that deadline forfeits the reserved date outright. The permit fee is nonrefundable except where the permittee proves extraordinary circumstances to the superintendent's satisfaction, while the deposit, set at $300 for Shelters #1, #2 and #5 and the pavilion, is refunded only after the superintendent confirms the site has been restored to its pre-use condition.
50 after that. Permittees reserving campsites near Shelters #1, #2 or #5 must pay all camping fees along with the shelter deposit and permit fee in the same 30-day window. The park superintendent, per Sec. 20-108(c), can also revoke a permit outright for rule violations, disruptive conduct, disobeying a lawful order, or failing to pay a fee owed, and a revoked permit's fee is not refunded. Anyone whose permit is pulled may petition the Board of County Commissioners in writing for reinstatement, but revocation stands for the balance of the permit term regardless.
Violations & Fines
Using a shelter, pavilion or park facility without paying the required permit fee and deposit, or violating the terms of an issued permit, lets the park superintendent order the person to leave and revoke the permit under Sec. 20-108(c)(5), with no refund of the forfeited fee. Broader park-rule violations are enforced as county code violations under Sec. 20-107, prosecuted through a uniform notice to appear in county court, with fines set by the county's general violation schedule in Sec. 8-5 and each day of a continuing violation treated as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance do I need to reserve a shelter house at a Sedgwick County park?
Can I get my deposit back after the event?
How much does a shelter reservation cost at Lake Afton Park?
Can the county cancel my permit after it's issued?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sedgwick County
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