The county commission’s Parks Committee asked County Attorney Allen Coup last week to draft a revised set of rules and regulations for Laurel Run Park that are more in sync with the park’s intended use.
Last year Laurel Run Park (LRP) hosted a Jeep Show which allowed T-shirt sales, food trucks, and other vendor activities. Now other event organizers are expressing an interest in holding similar events at LRP.
In addition to seeking revised ruled and regulations from Coup, the committee also placed a moratorium on public events at the park such as car shows and fundraisers. The committee asked Coup to present his recommended revised rules and regulations for LRP within 60 days for further consideration.
County facilities manager Sarah Davis told the Parks Committee at its Feb. 26 meeting that if someone rents a shelter at LRP they receive a copy of the current rules and regulations so they know what they can and cannot do there.
The question presented to the committee was if it want to allow people to have organized fundraisers and/or commercial events in the park.
“There are ways to categorize the type of activities we’re probably trying to prohibit,” Coup told the committee. “One is to give a definition of commercial activity or commercialization, and conclude that with a broader definition to include things like car shows. You can include other things in there that would disrupt the normal flow of the park.”
Coup added, “I guess I would take some direction from you about what type of events you do not want to see there, and then it ca be drafted up legally that those would not be permitted.”
Former County Attorney Jim Phillips, who was working on revised LRP rules prior to his death last year, had proposed the addition of a line in the rules and regulations which states, “No solicitations or payments required shall take place either prior to or on the date of an event in the park in any manner whatsoever. No food trucks or catering of any kind are allowed in the park at any time.”
Coup added, “We’re trying to keep the character of the park, which is starting to look like it’s changing because of the type of activities.”
Parks Committee chairman Jeff Barrett noted that there are already plenty of parks in Hawkins County where events such as car shows, music festivals, and fundraiser are not only welcomed, but encouraged. A good example is Rogersville City Park which holds public events throughout the year.
Laurel Run Park is more of a nature preserve, Barrett noted.
County Mayor Mark DeWitte added, “When you think about the difference between maybe Rogersville City Park or Mount Carmel City Park — where there are concerts and activities that are more commercial based than what we would have at Laurel Run. It’s not like if we told them they couldn’t do it there that there’s nowhere else to do it. I think there are plenty of places to have park activities versus preserve activities.”
Sarah Davis noted that the county also has St.Clair Park where activities such as car shows are welcome.
“You can have two different sets of rules and regulations for those parks possibly,” Sarah Davis said.
Commissioner Glenda Davis, who is a substitute teacher at Hawkins County Schools, said LRP is much too precious to allow commercialization.
“It doesn’t need people in there selling stuff,” Glenda Davis said. “We took a classroom up there last year, and the kids had a ball. They had classroom activities. They taught them things. If you start getting commercialized you’re going to take all that away. You’re going to have too many people in there wanting to sell and have events, and these kids won’t be able to get in there when they need to.”
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