The Safe Parks Ordinance amends the Parks and Recreation Code, specifically Title 20.12. For the last 22 years, the City Administrator has had the authority to eject and exclude individuals from City-owned parks for violating its code of conduct and engaging in illegal activities. However, the current rules around exclusion need to be updated to be more effective.The Safe Parks Ordinance accomplishes several critical updates. It expands the timeline of the elevated violation exclusions to 90 days and applies them to a wider class of illegal behavior, specifically for drug possession, weapons possession, and certain types of abuse. This would allow for the City Administrator to bar the return of an individual who has violated City rules for a longer period, which both creates a greater deterrent for criminal behavior and provides for greater community safety during the high-attendance seasons of spring and summer. The ordinance extends the exclusion to City property and rights-of-way adjacent to a park, to prevent individuals who are violating the law from just moving to an adjacent sidewalk or thoroughfare and continuing the same behavior. The ordinance expands the definition of controlled substances to include "counterfeit substances" which is a term defined in state law (ORS 475.005) to include drugs that are manufactured or distributed by an individual not authorized to do so. Finally, the Safe Parks Ordinance adjusts the appeals process to remove the automatic stay of exclusion. Currently, if a person who has been issued an exclusion files a short form and required information to the City Hearings Office, they are granted an automatic stay of the exclusion for almost any City-owned park. This allows them to immediately return to the park and continue the same illegal behavior. The ordinance would remove the automatic nature of the stay and grant the City Hearings Officer the discretion to issue stays based on the unique circumstances of the case.The Safe Parks Ordinance is a response to community concerns about the safety and health of City-owned parks. This perception damages the use and the revenue-generating potential of a critical asset in the City's portfolio, and the livability in the neighborhoods adjacent to parks. It was drafted with consultation with the Portland Public Environment Management Office, Portland Police Bureau, and Portland Parks and Recreation.
Official proposal and impact statementShould Portland amend Prohibited Conduct Code to update ejections and exclusions for drug possession, weapon possession, and abuse in parks (amend Code Chapter 20.12)?
The Safe Parks Ordinance amends the Parks and Recreation Code, specifically Title 20.12. For the last 22 years, the City Administrator has had the authority to eject and exclude individuals from City-owned parks for violating its code of conduct and engaging in illegal activities. However, the current rules around exclusion need to be updated to be more effective.The Safe Parks Ordinance accomplishes several critical updates. It expands the timeline of the elevated violation exclusions to 90 days and applies them to a wider class of illegal behavior, specifically for drug possession, weapons possession, and certain types of abuse. This would allow for the City Administrator to bar the return of an individual who has violated City rules for a longer period, which both creates a greater deterrent for criminal behavior and provides for greater community safety during the high-attendance seasons of spring and summer. The ordinance extends the exclusion to City property and rights-of-way adjacent to a park, to prevent individuals who are violating the law from just moving to an adjacent sidewalk or thoroughfare and continuing the same behavior. The ordinance expands the definition of controlled substances to include "counterfeit substances" which is a term defined in state law (ORS 475.005) to include drugs that are manufactured or distributed by an individual not authorized to do so. Finally, the Safe Parks Ordinance adjusts the appeals process to remove the automatic stay of exclusion. Currently, if a person who has been issued an exclusion files a short form and required information to the City Hearings Office, they are granted an automatic stay of the exclusion for almost any City-owned park. This allows them to immediately return to the park and continue the same illegal behavior. The ordinance would remove the automatic nature of the stay and grant the City Hearings Officer the discretion to issue stays based on the unique circumstances of the case.The Safe Parks Ordinance is a response to community concerns about the safety and health of City-owned parks. This perception damages the use and the revenue-generating potential of a critical asset in the City's portfolio, and the livability in the neighborhoods adjacent to parks. It was drafted with consultation with the Portland Public Environment Management Office, Portland Police Bureau, and Portland Parks and Recreation.
Official impact statementSee the official legal title
Amend Prohibited Conduct Code to update ejections and exclusions for drug possession, weapon possession, and abuse in parks (amend Code Chapter 20.12)
What this proposal would actually do.
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Official matter recordThis proposal concerns transportation & public works and requires action through Portland’s public legislative process.
Official matter classification and recordAll Portland residents have a right to safely enjoy the public realm. Yet, Portland residents of all backgrounds regularly note illegal behavior in their local parks, particularly drug use, drug paraphernalia such as needles and pipes near children's playgrounds, and instances of individuals brandishing weapons or in some cases harassing, intimidating, and/or assaulting park users. By giving the City Administrator authority to use the exclusion tool more effectively, this code change should help reduce criminal behavior in City-owned parks and increase a sense of community safety. Because parks are embedded in neighborhoods, the reduced criminal behavior would positively impact homes, schools, businesses, and gathering spaces that are close to the parks.
Official community impact statementWhat the record establishes and what it does not.
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The proposed legal text currently moving through Council.
Open at Portland.govRead the full official text
The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:In March 2004, City Council passed Ordinance 178252 to update Code Chapter 20.12.265 to authorize the City Administrator to issue ejections and exclusions for certain illegal behaviors, to set the timeline for the exclusions, and the process for appealing the penalty.In January 2007, City Council passed Ordinance 180743 to update Code Chapter 20.12.040 to prohibit the possession of certain controlled substances in City-owned parks.In June 2019, City Council passed Ordinance 189576 to update Code Chapter 20.12.265 to adjust the timelines for exclusions, create exceptions for locations where automatic stay of appeals could apply, and grant authority to issue exclusions to a wider range of community safety agents.City-owned parks are world-famous and are intended to be enjoyed by all City residents and visitors. These areas bring in significant revenue and economic activity from tourism. City-owned Parks are a valuable asset which the City has a responsibility to protect.There is a heightened public awareness of unsafe behavior occurring in City-owned parks.Portland has seen a growing epidemic of fentanyl use, which is highly addictive and dangerous to both the individual using the substance and those who may accidentally come into contact with it. Controlled substances such as heroin and methamphetamines are also highly addictive and dangerous to those who interact with the substances. Many of the controlled substances identified in Oregon Revised Statutes 475.005 pose a danger to public health and community safety. A threat is also posed by the associated paraphernalia of these controlled substances, such as needles and pipes.Portland residents have noted concerns about the presence and possession of controlled substances in City-owned parks. This poses a risk to visitors and endangers public health and community safety within these City assets.Portland residents have noted concerns about the presence of certain weapons and illegal behavior in City-owned parks. These factors pose a risk to visitors and endangers public health and community safety within these City assets.This unlawful activity adversely impacts the health and safety of City residents, the reputation and economic activity linked to City assets, and the livability of neighborhoods.The City has a compelling and vested interest in protecting the health and safety of its residents and the value of its assets from dangerous and unlawful behavior.In order to protect public health, community safety and the reputation of City assets, City Code 20.12 provides tools for the City Administrator to address these concerns by ejecting individuals who engage in illegal behavior from City-owned parks, and excluding them from reentry for a certain period of time.The current provisions around ejection and exclusion are too narrowly-written to be effective. The exclusion timelines are too short. There are limitations that allow the violator to return to the same area, simply move to an immediately-adjacent area, or easily relocate to another park to continue the same illegal behavior. The current provisions hinder the ability of the City's community safety apparatus to remove dangerous behavior from City property and respond to the concerns of City residents.Reforming the current City Code to give more tools to the community safety apparatus will help to address the concerns of City residents and reduce unlawful behavior.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:Amend City Code Chapter 20.12 as shown in Exhibit A.One year following the enactment of this ordinance, PPB and PP&R shall report to City Council on the progress of its implementation. The report shall include the number of exclusions issued, the locations of the exclusions, the violations that triggered the exclusions, the process for officers to record the reasons why exclusions were not issued when violations occurred, a summary of the reasons why those exclusions were not issued, information on potential trespass enforcement actions for exclusion violations, and other relevant information made in consultation with the City Administrator.
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- First discovered
- Sep 10, 2026, 5:07 PM PDT
- Last checked
- Sep 10, 2026, 6:07 PM PDT
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- SOURCE UPDATED
Referred to Community and Public Safety Committee by Council President
- DOCUMENT PUBLISHED
Referred to Community and Public Safety Committee by Council President