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Dallas committee asks staff to draft stronger 'clean zone' ordinance ahead of FIFA events
Summary
At a special May 12 meeting, the Dallas City Council ad hoc committee on professional sports and recruitment and retention heard a briefing asking staff to draft strengthened language for Chapter 42A, Section 11 (the city's "clean zone" rules) and to designate Convention and Event Services as the department responsible for establishing and enforcing the zones for large events, including FIFA-related activities.
Dallas — At a special May 12 meeting, the Dallas City Council ad hoc committee on professional sports and recruitment and retention heard a briefing asking staff to draft strengthened language for Chapter 42A, Section 11 (the city's "clean zone" rules) and to designate Convention and Event Services (CES) as the department responsible for establishing and enforcing the zones for large events, including FIFA-related activities.
The committee was briefed by Rosa Fleming, director for Convention and Event Services, and Jacqueline Justice, assistant director. Justice told the panel that "In 2019, the city council approved amendments to chapter 42 a, which included, for the first time, the addition of a section dedicated to establishing a clean zone." Fleming said the request responds to contractual requirements and operational suggestions from FIFA's Brand Protection Branch and aims to make enforcement clearer and more effective.
A clean zone is "a defined geographical area surrounding a permitted activity footprint, or an event venue, where temporary restrictions are enforced related to temporary advertising, signage, structures, transient merchants, vendors, or other licensed activities," Justice said. Staff gave examples the proposed language is intended to address: unauthorized vending (such as unpermitted food trucks), ambush marketing (companies distributing branded items without authorization), and sale of unaffiliated merchandise bearing event marks.
Staff described proposed features of the revised language: consolidating related violations into a single chapter to simplify enforcement; clarifying noncompliance consequences including citations, fines and seizure of counterfeit or unauthorized product; and naming CES as the responsible department so CES can coordinate with the city attorney's office, code enforcement, Dallas Police Department (DPD) and Dallas Fire-Rescue (DFR). Fleming said the city would work with the Dallas Sports Commission to secure the necessary field resources as required under the FIFA contract.
Committee members asked whether the change would be permanent or only for FIFA; Fleming and Justice said it would be a permanent addition to the city code usable for multiple large events. Members also asked whether the clean zone would cover private as well as public property; Justice said it would, consistent with how Chapter 42A is written. On enforcement, staff described "clean zone teams" composed of a DPD member, a CES/operations staff member, a code enforcement member and a DFR representative who would patrol event areas, respond to 311 reports and perform proactive enforcement.
On implementation and outreach, staff said they would provide maps of proposed clean zone boundaries and would return a memo to the committee with draft ordinance language, the maps and an engagement plan for businesses and neighborhood organizations. Fleming said staff aim to have language completed prior to January and would bring the draft to full City Council after committee review; committee members requested the draft language be circulated to the committee (by memo or return meeting) for review before it goes to Council.
Staff said costs for field enforcement are addressed in the city's contractual understanding with FIFA and that the Dallas Sports Commission would assist in ensuring resources are available; staff did not provide a detailed budget in the meeting. No ordinance text was adopted at the meeting and no formal council vote was recorded on the proposed amendments.
After the briefing, the committee recessed into executive session to discuss unrelated items, including real property at 1200 North Cockrell Hill Road and a business recruitment matter labeled "Project X3"; the meeting returned to open session and adjourned.
Ending: Staff will send the committee a memo with draft language, maps and an outreach plan; committee members requested early-fall follow-up so any ordinance can be considered and finalized before January.
