Council weighs one-time beer-garden waiver for park event, asks for non-consent review and police/fire details

The Pasco City Council on June 9 considered a request for a one-time waiver to allow a beer garden at a city-park event and signaled it will take extra time before making a final decision.

City staffer Miss Pichon and Miss Pashon (administrative services/parks staff) briefed council on a request under Pasco Municipal Code 9.40.02(e), which by default prohibits possession and consumption of alcohol in city parks unless the applicant secures a rental permit and the event is private-by-invitation only. Prior council resolutions had made limited exceptions at Peanuts Park, the Farmers Market and the softball complex. The current applicant is seeking a waiver to allow a controlled, temporary beer-garden area during a planned event at a city park.

Staff said the event organizer had submitted the special-event application, obtained required state liquor-control permits and proposed standard controls: fenced area, wristbands, security and additional staffing. Police and fire staff reported they reviewed event plans and that the applicant had agreed to the security and operational requirements the city typically imposes for alcohol-permitted events.

Several council members said they were uneasy with the late schedule: the waiver request arrived only about two weeks before the event, limiting the council's and community's chance to evaluate impacts. Councilmember Harpster and others asked that the waiver not be handled on the consent calendar and requested a separate vote next week. Councilmember Blaisdell raised safety questions about having a beer garden at a park while the pool remained open for the public, asking how the city would prevent swimming by intoxicated patrons; staff replied that pool rules already bar being under the influence and that event permits and on-site security would be required.

Legal counsel said the application included the required insurance and hold-harmless language, but noted the city should confirm insurance and contractual details and said staff will prepare any additional conditions to reduce potential liability. Council asked staff to provide a fuller briefing on security, police staffing, fire-service expectations and how the beer-garden perimeter and wristband procedures would be enforced.

No resolution was adopted at the workshop. Council directed staff to bring the waiver to the next regular meeting as a non-consent item with additional detail on police/fire staffing and permit conditions so the council can vote after full review.