The Union County Commission voted unanimously Monday night to ban events from county parks that are judged "obscene," "sexualized," or "not suitable for young children."
Commissioners approved the changes with no discussion. Commission Chair Melissa Merrell and other commissioners did not respond to requests from WFAE for comment.
Under the new rules, county parks will not host events that violate any of the following new prohibitions:
- Events exceeding the occupancy of the reserved space in a county park;
- Involve noxious odors;
- Produce harmful or distracting lights (including laser or strobe lights);
- Involve illegal activity, including the "display of material or actions" that violate North Carolina's sodomy and obscenity laws;
- Display, exhibit or present content judged "obscene" under North Carolina's obscenity law;
- Involve activities, programming or materials "not suitable for young children and minors who may be in or around the reserved space, such as alcohol, illicit drugs, nudity, sexualized conduct or attire, or profanity."
Jim Chaffin, director of Union County Parks and Recreation, did not respond to requests for comment.
The changes come after Union County Pride, a local LGBTQ organization, held a Pride festival and parade in Chestnut Square Park in September 2024. The park is operated by the town of Indian Trail, which is in Union County, although the park is not a Union County park.
The event ruffled feathers among some Indian Trail council members, who voiced concerns ahead of the event that families and children would be welcome to attend, WCNC-TV reported.
The Indian Trail Town Council considered adding restrictions to the Pride event, or amending the town's agreement with Union County Pride, but ultimately took no action.
Liz Cooper, a spokesperson for Union County, provided a statement that did not address the motivations behind the rule changes.
Commissioners "approved a couple of policy changes on March 17 to ensure consistency with our Facility Use Policy, which the board approved on April 1, 2024," the statement said. "The updates approved last night align the policies for clarity and streamline procedures across the departments."
Representatives with Union County Pride did not return requests for comment.
