Public Works committee backs placing Tumwater special-events permit ordinance on March 4 consent calendar

The City of Tumwater Public Works Committee on Feb. 20 recommended the City Council place Ordinance O2025-005, amending Tumwater Municipal Code Chapter 12.28 to formalize permitting for special events, on the March 4 consent calendar with a recommendation to approve and authorize the mayor to sign.

The ordinance would require a city application form for special-event permits, require applicants to provide proof of liability insurance and hold-harmless/indemnification and defense language, and ask whether an event will involve political or religious activity. The ordinance defines a special event to include events on public property or rights-of-way, or private events that would substantially impact public property or rights-of-way; events with more than 100 participants are deemed to impact the city right-of-way and trigger the permit requirement.

"This ordinance is just a really short ordinance that has to do with events permitting within the city," said Michael, a city staff member filling in for the regular presenter. He said the draft stems from a 2023 audit by WCIA that recommended clearer notification to applicants about insurance and indemnification requirements and that the city add a question asking whether an event involves political or religious activity. "We were provided with several models from around the state, that WCIA liked, and we did quite a bit of research. And this is, before you is what we determined, made the most sense for the city of Tumwater," Michael said.

Michael told the committee the draft ordinance includes standard appeal rights if a permit is conditioned or denied and a penalty section for noncompliance. Michael said the city is asking for a 60-day lead time for most permits so applications can be routed through relevant city departments and applicants can secure any required insurance or other permits. He added there is an ability to handle spontaneous events that are tied to council items on short notice.

Council members asked about which past events would have triggered the new threshold. Michael and another staff member said the city has issued event permits before and gave an example of a private event held last summer in a large gravel parking lot that went through the permitting process. Council members also asked how the public will be informed; staff said information is on the city's website and that applicants have applied there in the past.

Council member Jefferson moved that the committee place Ordinance O2025-005 (amending Tumwater Municipal Code Chapter 12.28) on the March 4 City Council consent calendar with a recommendation to approve and authorize the mayor to sign; the motion was seconded and passed by recorded voice vote.

The committee did not alter the ordinance language at the Feb. 20 meeting and recommended it proceed to the March 4 consent agenda for Council action.