The Seattle Board of Park Commissioners held a public hearing Thursday, May 14 to hear the community’s response to a possible proposal that would standardize city park operating hours, which aims to increase safety and decrease illegal activities.

The purpose of the proposal would be to reduce confusion about operating hours and alleviate safety issues such as alcohol use, graffiti and noise, according to the parks department. The department also says it would provide police and park rangers with an additional tool for solving issues in parks.

Under the new proposal, park hours would be standard but vary by type of park. Regional parks, such as Green Lake and Golden Gardens, would be open 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. year round. Neighborhood and pocket parks would be open one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. This would set winter hours at 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and summer hours at 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Downtown parks would be open one hour before sunrise to 10 p.m. year round.

Alternatives have also been considered. One would standardize park hours at 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. in the summer and 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the winter, allowing for seasonal variation.

Only one woman, Rebecca Weiss, spoke at the hearing. She represented the Friends of Prentis I. Frazer Park. The park, located in Capitol Hill, is considered one of the exceptions to local park hours. It's hours were changed in 2005 from 4 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. This was to accommodate nearby residents who complained about noise.

Weiss expressed concern toward the possible change in neighborhood park operating hours.

“What the proposal does to us, closing parks at 5:18 p.m., that doesn’t make any sense,” she said.

Closing the parks early, she explained, would not allow for neighborhood caroling; a local tradition usually enjoyed during the evening at local parks. It would also allow the parks to open at 4 a.m., exposing nearby residents once again to early morning basketball games. Weiss told the board that she almost brought a basketball with her to the hearing so they could hear what she hears early in the morning.

She asked that the board not standardize park hours.

“Every park that has varying hours has a story like mine,” she said. “Think about those stories.”

According to Eric Friedli, a Seattle parks policy and business analysis manager, Weiss is only the fifth Seattle resident to attend a public hearing. Three previous hearings have already been held at the Green Lake Community Center, the Miller Community Center and the Jefferson Community Center.

Zero residents attended the Green Lake and Miller meetings with four attending the Jefferson hearing.

Members of the board questioned the lack of public interest.

Board member Terry Holme recommended that they rethink the current outreach plan and come up with a public process that would get the necessary information out to Seattle residents.

“As important of an issue it is, we’re not getting the feedback I would want as a board member,” Holme said.

Friedli said one change that has been made is an extended public response period. Residents now have until June 9 to submit comments. Additional public hearings may also be scheduled.

The board will hold the next discussion and recommendation on May 28.

For more information, contact community connections manager Mickey Fearn at (206) 684-8035 or mickey.fearn@seattle.gov or visit seattle.gov/parks/parkboard.