Creators of smartphone games such as Pokemon Go need to get a permit before they can use park locations, according to an ordinance approved last week by the Milwaukee County Board. The permit requirement, adopted by the board Thursday, is in response to the County Parks Department's inability to hold Niantic Inc. and its Pokémon franchise financially accountable for damage done at Lake Park after swarms of players flocked to the park last summer, Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. County officials said they weren't notified when Niantic placed game characters at numerous historic landmarks within the park. Parks director John Dargle in August wrote a letter to the company, ordering it to "deactivate and remove all Pokemon GO sites, including Poke stops and Gyms within Milwaukee County parks." Wasserman said county taxpayers were stuck paying for "thousands of dollars" of damage to the park. Neighbors of Lake Park took photos and recorded videos of empty beer cans, trash piles, trampled turf and overflowing toilets. There were also complaints of late-night activity, traffic congestion and unauthorized vendors. Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson said the permit requirement targets game creators and doesn't restrict public access to the parks.

Creators of smartphone games such as Pokemon Go need to get a permit before they can use park locations, according to an ordinance approved last week by the Milwaukee County Board.

The permit requirement, adopted by the board Thursday, is in response to the County Parks Department's inability to hold Niantic Inc. and its Pokémon franchise financially accountable for damage done at Lake Park after swarms of players flocked to the park last summer, Supervisor Sheldon Wasserman told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

County officials said they weren't notified when Niantic placed game characters at numerous historic landmarks within the park. Parks director John Dargle in August wrote a letter to the company, ordering it to "deactivate and remove all Pokemon GO sites, including Poke stops and Gyms within Milwaukee County parks."

Wasserman said county taxpayers were stuck paying for "thousands of dollars" of damage to the park.

Neighbors of Lake Park took photos and recorded videos of empty beer cans, trash piles, trampled turf and overflowing toilets. There were also complaints of late-night activity, traffic congestion and unauthorized vendors.

Supervisor Marcelia Nicholson said the permit requirement targets game creators and doesn't restrict public access to the parks.