The ordinance would regulate downtown special events that require street closures, according to Downtown Development Coordinator Amy McWhorter.
“This is in response to an increasing number of events put on in the downtown area and some concerns from businesses about the impact and how they’re being notified,” McWhorter said.
If approved, the ordinance would establish a permit application process that would allow for review by relevant city departments.
The ordinance would seek to mitigate traffic impact from downtown events, allow the city to recover costs associated with events, help avoid event street closures on consecutive days and establish a notification mechanism for property owners adjacent to proposed street closures, McWhorter said.
Additional details of the ordinance include a $200 application fee; an application deadline of 120 days prior to the event; and various application requirements, such as a map of the event, event description, statement of community benefits, attendance estimates and a public safety plan.
“Once that application comes in we would have an application review meeting,” McWhorter said. “It’s similar to a predevelopment meeting we would do for a commercial business coming to town.”
City events would remain exempt from the ordinance, and the city would have the option to sponsor an event, McWhorter added.
The first reading of the proposed special events street closure ordinance is expected to take place at a City Council meeting Nov. 25. A second reading is scheduled for Dec. 9.
