Guns and e-scooters in parks? Washington City works to bring code into compliance with state

ST. GEORGE — After reviewing local regulations related to what is allowed in parks and on trails in Washington City, a City Council member is pushing for updates to city code covering concealed firearms and electric scooters.

L-R: Jordan Hess, Washington City’s public information officer, and City Council member Kimberly Casperson during a meeting of the Washington City Council, Washington City, Utah, April 27, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

Washington City Councilwoman Kimberly Casperson told the City Council last Wednesday that the code she had reviewed was out of date and needed revision. Specifically, she pointed to the city code that prohibits the possession of firearms in public parks and on city trails, as well as the use of electric scooters and skates on the same.

Casperson said she spoke with law enforcement officers, state representatives and women who were the victims of assault about being able to have a gun in a city park or on its trails.

“I respect and value the rights of citizens to possess and use firearms in a constitutional and lawful and responsible way, and I feel the right of self defense must be protected,” Casperson said.

Under the current code, no one is allowed to have a knife with a blade over three inches long, BB guns, darts guns, air guns, a bow and arrows or firearms of any sort in a public park.

Casperson then equated the parks to “gun-free zones” under the current ordinance, and quoted  U.S. Rep. Tom Massie, R-Ky., saying, “Gun-free zones make people less safe by advertising vulnerable groups to deranged criminals who are looking for defenseless victims.”

Jordan Hess, the city public information officer, shared data he had gathered at Casperson’s request concerning mass shootings.

According to the numbers he cited from a study from the Heritage Foundation, mass killings made up 0.2% of homicides and 1.0% of homicide victims. Many of these incidents also either involved someone killing themselves and their family along with them, or those caught in the middle of a gang turf war, Hess said.

Washington City Police Chief Jason Williams addresses the Washington City Council, Washington City, Utah, April 27, 2022 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

While incidents of mass shootings have slightly increased in recent years with the numbers remaining similar to the 1980s and 1990s, Hess added, over 90% of public mass shootings happened in designated gun-free zones.

“These statistics show that one way to prevent mass killings is to allow a person to carry (a firearm) in these so-called gun-free zones,” he said. “It would be a good idea to update our code to mirror state code.”

State code allows Utah residents to open carry a firearm, as well as those 21 and over to conceal carry without a state-issued license, thanks to a recent law crafted by  St. George Rep. Walt Brooks.

Another law, passed earlier this year, also prevents municipalities from regulating firearms in a fashion not allowed by the state, said Councilman Kurt Ivie, noting the city should be careful how it proceeds.

After further discussion and consulting with City Attorney Thad Seegmiller, the council reached a consensus to update the city code to match the state, thereby allowing conceal-carried firearms in the city parks and on its trails.

However, openly carrying a firearm within the parks or on the trails remains prohibited.

“When we’re talking about our parks, we want to talk about the activities that might cause public alarm,” said Seegmiller, adding the city may not regulate the possession of a gun in the park but may still regulate how it is used.

While no vote was taken on the pending revisions to the city code, the mayor directed city staff to see to the ordinance revisions.

E-scooter launch event on the Dixie State University campus, St. George, Utah, March 7, 2019 | Photo by Joseph Witham, St. George News

Casperson also noted that current city code did not allow e-scooters and skates on city trails and sidewalks or in the parks. With the increasing popularity of e-scooters and the city even contracting with Spin for their use by residents, a code revision is needed, she said.

“So the way that it (the code) reads is antiquated,” Ivie said.

Updating the code is also considered necessary for safety reasons as council members said they would rather see e-scooters on the trails and sidewalk rather than in the road. E-scooter riders and skaters will be required to yield the right of way to pedestrians.

The incoming Wheels Park in Washington Fields along the Southern Parkway, which is slated to feature a skateboard park, a bicycle course and other additional wheel-based facilities, also requires the existing, out-of-date code be addressed, Ivie said.

The meeting ended soon after with city staff instructed to revise this part of the city code as well. Once revised, it will be taken to the City Council for approval.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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