Traverse City passes a prowling ordinance and three-day park bans on a 4-3 vote, after an assault and vandalism at Hull Park

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Traverse City police have two new tools for trouble after dark and in city parks, after the City Commission voted 4-3 on Monday, Oct. 19, to adopt a prowling ordinance and tougher trespass penalties for people who break park rules.

Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ness and Commissioners Heather Shaw, Kenneth Funk and Jackie Anderson voted yes, 9&10 News reported. Mayor Amy Shamroe and Commissioners Mitchell Treadwell and Lance Boehmer voted no. The commission introduced both measures Oct. 5, as The Mitten Daily reported.

What passed. The prowling ordinance makes it a misdemeanor to be on someone else’s private property after dark, without the owner’s or tenant’s consent, while “willfully lurking about, lying in wait or moving stealthily about private property as if in search of prey or plunder.” Before an arrest, an officer has to let the person explain why they are there, unless the person runs or the situation rules that out. A violation carries up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine. The parks change lets police order someone caught breaking park rules out of that park for three days, and a person who refuses to go can be arrested.

Why now. The push came from Hull Park on Boardman Lake, where Traverse Area Community Sailing keeps its boathouse. One of the program’s instructors was assaulted there in September, 9&10 News reported. Mike Wills, the group’s vice president, told commissioners it has also dealt with a stolen outboard motor, graffiti, human waste left on boats and fires lit beside the boathouse, mostly at night. “It’s not targeting anyone except for the criminal behavior that occurs when it shouldn’t,” Wills said.

A second try. Police Chief Matt Richmond first brought a prowling ordinance to the commission in December 2024, and commissioners rejected an earlier park trespass change 3-4 in April 2025, according to his Sept. 27 memo to the city manager. The city attorney reviewed the language before this vote. “We are very comfortable that they comply with Michigan law, that they are enforceable and they are defensible,” City Attorney Dan Kelly said.

Supporters. “Doing nothing is not a policy choice, and we have seen the consequences of doing nothing for the last two years,” Shaw said. “Homelessness is not an excuse for unlawful behavior.” Ness said the ordinances won’t solve homelessness, but added: “We have to recognize that our residents deserve safe parks and neighborhoods, and that our public safety officers need the tools to enforce those rules.”

Opponents. In an Oct. 14 letter, the ACLU of Michigan, the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness and the National Homelessness Law Center called the prowling language unconstitutionally vague and said the trespass rule removes people from parks without notice or a hearing. Michael Naughton, an ACLU of Michigan board member, called the measure “shortsighted” and said it gives police “way too much discretion.” Hannah Wescott of the Jubilee House day shelter tied the park’s problems to the city’s closing of the Pines encampment.

What’s next. Commissioners rejected Boehmer’s last-minute amendment to define prowling more narrowly, as peering into windows, testing locks or hiding on private property, because it had not had a full legal review, Interlochen Public Radio reported. City Manager Benjamin Marentette said the commission could take it up again later.

Sources:
9&10 News, “Traverse City approves prowling and park trespass ordinances in 4-3 vote,” Oct. 19, 2026, https://www.9and10news.com/2026/10/19/traverse-city-approves-prowling-and-park-trespass-ordinances-in-4-3-vote/
Interlochen Public Radio, “Traverse City passes prowling ordinance amid ACLU concerns over homelessness, police discretion,” Oct. 20, 2026, https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/ipr-news/2026-10-20/traverse-city-passes-prowling-ordinance-amid-aclu-concerns-over-homelessness-police-discretion
UpNorthLive (WPBN/WGTU), “Traverse City commissioners approve trespassing, prowling ordinances amid safety concerns,” Oct. 20, 2026, https://upnorthlive.com/news/local/traverse-city-commission-approves-trespassing-prowling-ordinances-hull-park-safety-homelessness-grand-northern-michigan-housing-upnorthlive
City of Traverse City, Police Chief Matt Richmond, “Safety Ordinance Amendments” memo, Sept. 27, 2026, https://traversecitymi.civicweb.net/document/369612/
Photo: Babelball, “Hull Park, Traverse City, MI.jpg,” Aug. 1, 2024, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0, cropped and color-adjusted, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hull_Park,_Traverse_City,_MI.jpg

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Tags: Up North · Traverse City · Public Safety · Hull Park · City Commission · Homelessness