Montgomery Parks will present an updated Athletic Field Use Permit Policy to the Montgomery Planning Board on Thursday, February 5, 2026, marking the first major revision to the policy since 2013.
The updated policy is designed to reflect how athletic fields are used today and to clarify and streamline the permitting process for organizations, teams, and individuals who rely on Montgomery Parks fields throughout the year. The policy serves as the primary framework for how athletic fields are managed and permitted across the park system.
Public outreach played a significant role in shaping the revisions. Montgomery Parks gathered input from athletic field user groups between winter 2024 and fall 2025 through an online survey, multiple focus groups, and several in-person park pop-ups aimed at reaching onsite field users. More than 100 users provided feedback that helped guide the changes.
The revised policy incorporates that input and introduces updates in several key areas. These include clearer field classification standards, a refined order of consideration for field permits, equity updates to the Priority Use process, and the introduction of online sales for available permits through what are known as “Go Live” events. The policy also addresses ghost permitting, which refers to reserving a field without actually using it, and updates the permit cancellation and change fee structure.
Several existing rules will remain unchanged. These include holiday closures for certain fields, the prohibition on practicing on fields designated as game-only, and policies related to extending the playing season. “With this new policy, Montgomery Parks provides better transparency in our processes and provides a more equitable permitting process to increase fair field access,” said Carl Weber, athletic field planner for Montgomery Parks.
If approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board, the updated Athletic Field Use Permit Policy would take effect beginning with the Spring/Summer 2027 season.
