Special Event Permit ProcessMasterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Special Event Permit Process
DATE: January 19, 2012
Dubuque
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All-America City
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2007
Following the end of the 2011 special event season, the Special Event Permit
committee met to discuss issues regarding 2011 events and to suggest changes to the
existing permit process. The most notable areas of concerns for the committee
identified were as follows:
• "Late or Last - minute" applications being submitted or submitted well after the
required 60 -day requirement for initial submittal;
• Last minute food vendor applications;
• Event operations including: Food Vendor applications, waste and recycling
management; and
• Exemptions from the permit process.
Assistant City Manager Cindy Steinhauser and the Special Event Permit Committee are
recommending the following changes to the Special Event Permit Application process.
Recommendation #1: The current application fee of $25 be increased to $50 and that
this fee be doubled if a special event application is submitted within 30 days of a
planned event. In addition, in response to suggestions raised by the Safe Community
Task Force, it is recommended that the fee no longer be required for neighborhood
block parties.
Recommendation #2: The current food permit fee is $33.50 and the conditions are
prescribed by State Law. This fee is waived for food vendors at Parish Festivals and for
non - profits (depending on certain criteria). In order to discourage last minute submittal
of food vendor applications and to allow sufficient time to plan for food inspections at
community events, it is recommended that this fee double if the food vendor application
is submitted within seven days of an event.
Recommendation #3: The existing application process requires a deposit of either $50
or $300 depending on the event and if there is food or beverage involved. This deposit
is returned following an event. However, the City can hold back a portion of the deposit
if there is damage to public right of way or if additional cleaning of an area must be done
by the City following an event. It is recommended that this definition be expanded to
include if there is any damage to or loss of City equipment.
Recommendation #4: When the special event permit application process was
established, parish festivals and motorized rides or runs were exempted. City staff
involved with the process at the time was unable to find documentation justifying this
exemption. In 2011, the City experienced several motorcycle runs that impacted traffic
management and safety. In addition, a local church festival experienced a fire that had
the potential to become a significant incident. Both of these situations raised the
concerns that these events have an impact on public safety and should be required to
submit a special event permit. Recognizing that this is a new requirement for these
events, the committee is recommending that for the first year only, the special event
permit fees be waived for these previously exempted properties /events.
As part of these recommendations, City staff is proposing to host a special event permit
training /meeting to review the permit application process and go over the changes once
they have been approved by City Council. City staff from each of the department will be
in attendance to give tips in their area of expertise and to answer specific questions by
organizers. It is recommended that this meeting be a requirement for permits for the
large community festivals that occur in Downtown, the Port of Dubuque and AY
McDonald Park.
I concur with the recommendations and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
2
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO Michael C Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM Cindy Steinhauser,Assistant City Manager
DATE January 18, 2012
SUBJECT Special Event Permit Process
Dubuque
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NI- America City
'I 1 1 I'
2007
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to recommend changes to the existing special event permit process used by the city of
Dubuque
BACKGROUND
Attached is the City of Dubuque Special Event Permit application This application has been used for over 10 years for
events held on public right of way or for large events held on private property that have a significant impact to the general
public On average the City reviews over 100+ applications each year for events ranging from neighborhood block parties to
parades to community festivals The most significant review happens for the 15+ major community events that are held in
Downtown and the Port of Dubuque
These applications are processed through the City Clerk's Office and reviewed by a special event permit review committee
consisting of representatives from Dubuque Main Street and the following City departments City Manager, City Clerk, Police,
Fire, Health, Parking, Public Works, Engineering, Emergency Communications, Leisure Services and Parking Depending on
the nature of the event, the permit is also shared with the Dubuque County Shernff Department and the Dubuque Area
Convention and Visitors Bureau for information purposes only During the review staff look to make sure the event organizers
have carefully and thoughtfully planned for their event Our review looks at parking and traffic management, fire safety,
weather plans, food sales, recycling and refuse to name a few City staff provides technical expertise to organizers to hold a
safe event While the application process is open year- round, the mayor festival season runs from late April to October 31st
each year
DISCUSSION
Following the end of the 2011 special event season, the Special Event Permit committee met to discuss issues regarding
2011 events and to suggest changes to the existing permit process The most notable areas of concerns for the committee
identified were as follows
• "Late or Last - minute" applications being submitted or submitted well after the required 60 -day requirement for initial
submittal,
• Last minute food vendor applications,
• Event operations including Food Vendor applications, waste and recycling management, and
• Exemptions from the permit process
After much discussion the Special Event Permit Committee is recommending the following changes to the Special Brent
Permit Application process to try and alleviate the above concerns
Recommendation #1 The committee is recommending that the current application fee of $25 be increased to $50 and that
this fee be doubled if a special event application is submitted within 30 days of a planned event In addition, in response to
suggestions raised by the Safe Community Task Force, the committee is recommending that the fee no longer be required
for neighborhood block parties
Recommendation #2 The current food permit fee is $33 50 and the conditions are prescribed by State Law This fee is
warted for food vendors at Parish Festivals and for non-profits (depending on certain criteria) In order to discourage last
minute submittal of food vendor applications and to allow sufficient time to plan for food inspections at community events, the
committee is recommending that this fee double if the food vendor application is submitted within 7 days of an event
Recommendation #3 The existing application process required a deposit of either $50 or $300 depending on the event and if
there is food or beverage involved This deposit is returned following an event However, the city can hold back a portion of
the deposit if there is damage to public right of way or if additional cleaning of an area must be done by the city following an
event The committee is recommending that this definition be expanded to include if there is any damage to or loss of city
equipment
Recommendation #4 When the special event permit application process was established parish festivals and motorized rides
or runs were exempted City staff involved with the process at the time was unable to find documentation justifying this
exemption In 2011 the city experienced several motorcycle runs that impacted traffic management and safety In addition, a
local church festival experienced a fire that had the potential to become a significant incident Both of these situations raised
the concerns that these events have an impact on public safety and should be required to submit a special event permit
Recognizing that this is a new requirement for these events, the committee is recommending that for the first year only, the
special event permit fees be waived for these previously exempted properties /events
As part of these recommendations, city staff is proposing to host a special event permit training /meeting to review the permit
application process and go over the changes once they have been approved by City Council City staff from each of the
department will be in attendance to give tips in their area of expertise and to answer specific questions by organizers It is our
recommendation that this meeting be a requirement for permits for the large community festivals that occur in Downtown, the
Port of Dubuque and AY McDonald Park The committee is proposing to hold this meeting in March 2012 prior to the 2012
Festival Season To do so would require approval of these recommendations at a City Council meeting in February
RECOMMENDATION
City staff is recommending City Council approval of the four recommendations described above
cc
Special Events Committee