March 29, 2013 -- A ban on Nativity scenes and holiday decorations in public parks saved the City a considerable amount of work this past holiday season, according to City officials.

When the City extending an ordinance that bans unattended displays in public parks to the Nativity scenes that had lined Palisades Park for nearly 60 years, Community and Cultural Services staff cut down the number of hours spent on the displays from 245 over several months in 2011 to 80 in 2012, according to a staff report.

However, the amount of time spent by staff on the displays in 2011 was mostly spent on “administering the application and approval process for unattended Winter Displays in Palisades Park.”

That year, the City received an unprecedented number of applications for displays in the park with a large number coming from atheist groups.

The City held a raffle to assure that the slots along the two blocks of Palisades Park were given to applicants randomly, rather than based on the content of their proposed displays.

The vast majority of the permits went to the atheist groups, which put up displays decrying religion as a myth, wishing people a happy solstice or just simply leaving the spaces blank.

The City Council then decided that, to avoid further controversy and difficulty for City staff, no more displays would be allowed in the parks.

“With the elimination of private unattended displays in Palisades Park and at the recommendation of City Council, community members found alternative avenues for religious and other displays during the past holiday season,” staff said.

People put on live Nativity displays or constructed traditional ones on private property. Several menorahs also popped up around the city, all on private property or as part of an attended event.

As people get used to the new ordinance, staff anticipates that their workload related to holiday displays will continue to dwindle.