Parents of minors caught vandalizing, being in parks during closed hours or violating other city offenses could face punishment under a proposed new ordinance in Northglenn.

Council unanimously approved the first reading of the Parental Responsibility for Acts of Minor Children ordinance during its regular meeting Monday. Ward IV Councilman Gene Wieneke was absent.

City attorney Corey Hoffmann explained that this legal tool would only be used in appropriate circumstances and not as a matter of course.

“It’s intended to be something, if adopted, to be used for more focused or specialized cases where the parent is responsible.” he said.

The ordinance gives a municipal judge the authority to assign community service or other penalties to not only the minor who violated the city ordinance, but to his or her legal guardian as well.

Council also unanimously approve the first reading of an ordinance that moves up the closing time for all city parks to 10 p.m. Currently the parks close at 11 p.m.

Both ordinances are set for public hearings before council’s second and final vote during its Jan. 28 meeting at 7 p.m. in City Hall, 11701 Community Center Drive.

The pair of park-related ordinances are part of the city’s efforts to increase safety in the area of the Don Anema Memorial Skate Park and E.B. Rains following citizen complaints last year about a rise in criminal activity.

Council gave the OK during its Jan. 7 study session for staff to spend $550 for additional signage and $6,800 to run irrigation at the perimeter of the skatepark after hours. The additional signage will include a large sign detailing the rules of the park at the south entrance and six additional smaller signs posted around the skatepark, stating the park hours and associated penalties.

The cost for running irrigation after hours includes a new pump, master valve, clock and additional sprinkler heads that would direct the irrigation system to cover most of the concrete surface of the skatepark for about 10 minutes. Staff expects the wet surface to discourage skaters from using the park.

Staff also suggested spending about $66,000 on thorny vegetation to line the area of the park to create a barrier. Council as a whole was not in favor of this expenditure and directed staff to look

into grant funding.