Fort Collins parks: Topless? OK. Golfing? Hold up.

Summer is nearly here, Fort Collins, so our already busy parks will be getting busier with special events and folks just getting outdoors to enjoy some recreation and relaxation.

But locals and visitors should keep in mind that the parks, while free and open to all, are not open to free-for-alls.

There are many things one may not do in a park under city code. Those include smoking, possessing or consuming alcohol, lighting fires except in authorized grills, and operating a motor vehicle anywhere other than established roadways and parking lots.

One may not allow one’s dog to be off-leash, except in a designated dog park, or fail to clean up after that dog. And there’s no flying radio-controlled rockets, models or drones unless a sign is posted stating it’s permitted.

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There’s also no scattering of cremated remains. And as is the case everywhere in the city, activities such as trespassing, littering, discharging weapons, depositing bodily waste, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace and harassment are illegal.

Nudity is illegal, although the city’s ban on women appearing topless in public places is not being enforced while a lawsuit challenging the ban works its way through the federal court system. We’ll see where that ends up.

And there’s no golfing, which is limited to golf courses. Hitting or throwing golf balls in a park is illegal, probably because it is dangerous.

Nevertheless, it happens. Park rangers are on the lookout for outlaw golfing and see it from time to time, said Steve Lukowski, manager of parks.

When rangers come across someone practicing golf shots, such as chipping, they’ll let the golfer know the rule. The goal is to educate people rather than to write them up, he said.

Fort Collins police also are aware of the no-golfing-in-parks rule, or at least they are now.

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In May, a man who lives near Troutman Park became upset when golf balls hit from the park wound up in his yard. He told me it’s happened before.

One of the balls nicked his ear, causing it to discolor and swell, he said. Imagine what would have happened if it had struck his temple. The man went to the park and confronted some youths who were hitting golf balls.

A police report on the incident presents conflicting versions of what happened next. But the bottom line is the resident wound up getting ticketed for allegedly throwing a golf ball at one of the youths, striking his leg and leaving a mark.

The man stands accused of third-degree assault, a charge he denies and plans to fight in court. And he’s not letting up on the case.

He questioned police about why the young golfer wasn’t ticketed for hitting golf balls in the park as is prohibited by code.

A supervisor told the man not all police officers are aware of parks regulations and the matter would be reviewed, according to the report. Two weeks after the incident, police issued a summons to the youngster for allegedly golfing in a city park.

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I don’t know where this case will end up. But I do know people need to be aware of what is not allowed in parks.

Of course, there are lots of things one may do in a park, including walking, biking, picnicking, throwing discs, flying kites, playing all manner of sports, and – at least for a while – taking off one’s shirt.

Have fun on these long summer days. Just try not to do it at the expense of others.

Kevin Duggan is a Coloradoan senior reporter. Follow him on Twitter @coloradoan_dugg and on Facebook at Coloradoan Kevin Duggan.