Plan on illegally dumping in a Milwaukee County park? You could soon face a $5,000 fine.

Plan on dumping that old TV or piles of rubble from your driveway remodel?

Milwaukee County residents could soon be hit with a $5,000 fine if they are caught illegally dumping in county-run parks, according to a resolution pushed forward by County Board Supervisor Shawn Rolland.

The resolution calls for a change in the county's ordinances to raise the original civil penalty of $200 for each day the dumping remains on county property to $5,000. The ordinance, which has not been adjusted since 1997, would match what the City of Milwaukee currently imposes if approved by board officials this month.

During a Parks and Culture Committee meeting in May, the Parks Department's director of operations and skilled trades, Peter Bratt, told county supervisors that widespread dumping over the last three years has resulted in 600 hours of staff time devoted to cleanup every year at an annual cost of $14,000, which does not include the cost of hiring outside vendors to clear medical waste.

What type of illegal dumping has been found across Milwaukee County?

Bratt showed more than a dozen photos of illegal waste, including garbage bags, medical waste, mattresses, broken concrete, tires, furniture, clothes, plywood, as well as TVs and electronics.

Which Milwaukee County parks have been hit hardest?

The county has documented 60 instances of large-scale illegal dumping in recent years.

Some of the areas most affected by illegal dumping include the Little Menomonee River Parkway, Lincoln Creek Parkway, McGovern Park and Washington Park.

What steps has Milwaukee County already taken to combat dumping?

To head off illegal dumping the county has removed vehicle access to some of the hardest-hit parks, including installing barriers, and has fostered partnerships with the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and local friends and community groups to increase surveillance of parkland.

The county has also previously tapped into federal dollars to fund trail conversions to replace road access with a hike and bike trail between West Appleton Avenue and West Mill Road in the northwest side Little Menomonee River Parkway.

The Urban Ecology Center has installed video surveillance in Washington Park.

Contact Vanessa Swales at 414-308-5881 or vswales@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Vanessa_Swales .

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Plan on illegally dumping in a Milwaukee County park? You could soon face a $5,000 fine.