Scott County approves temporary parking changes for Renaissance Festival with safeguards

The Scott County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 on July 22 to adopt Resolution No. 2025-180, approving an amendment to the conditional use permit (CUP) for Mid America Festivals Corporation that changes on‑site parking rules for the Renaissance Festival for the 2025 season and includes safeguard language giving county staff authority to revert the changes if traffic congestion is detected.

The amendment increases the permitted number of daily on‑site parking passes by 10%, from 7,000 to 7,700, and allows the festival’s parking operator, Interstate Parking, to “backfill” or resell parking passes during the event day without a required 1:30 p.m. start time. County staff and multiple consultants discussed the operational and traffic implications during a lengthy public presentation and hearing.

Brad Davis, director of planning and resource management, said the county’s staff recommendation was to deny both amendments. "At a staff level, we are recommending denying both amendments," Davis said, citing the county’s 2022 goals to favor transit over additional vehicle trips and the modeled site capacity thresholds used when the 7,000 limit was set.

Supporters of the change, including the festival’s traffic consultant and the contracted parking operator, said two years of on‑site…