City reviews proposed street-closure policy for special events; staff seek clearer notification rules

City staff presented a draft special-event street-closure policy and sought commission feedback on notification standards, applicant responsibilities and city support for closures in the Central Business District.

The presenter said the city currently lacks a uniform street-closure policy and that staff solicited feedback from economic-development partners, Main Street, the Chamber and event coordinators while drafting the proposal. Staff noted recurring problems: businesses and residents reporting they were not notified of closures that affected access; approved closure areas larger than needed; last-minute requests for dumpsters or electrical hookups that strain city resources; and operational questions about how and when the city's equipment and police would support a closure.

Key elements of the draft policy presented by staff include: an application form and a business/resident signature-approval form; a nonrefundable $25 application fee; an eight-week minimum submittal window before the event; city provision of barricades (dropped the day before) with applicant responsibility for set-up, monitoring and return; city assistance to move cars parked in closure areas to a designated location (staff clarified cars are not impounded); police placement of reminder flyers on cars several days before closures; limited city support such as one 20-ton roll-up dumpster and pre-event emptying of city trash cans within the closure zone; and a requirement that applicants supply other logistics such as temporary restrooms, electricity, picnic tables, and vendor set-up.

Commissioners and staff discussed several operational and equity issues: whether applicants should be required to collect signed approvals from all affected residents and every tenant (including second- and third-floor renters), how the city will verify signatures, and whether a signature requirement would be practicable and intrusive. Some commissioners expressed concern about door-to-door signature collection for apartment tenants and said a notification postcard or a delivered flyer could be an acceptable alternative if the application included evidence of distribution. Staff said the intent is to reduce the repeated complaint that residents and businesses learned of closures only after the roads were closed and cars moved.

Staff also said the city had set aside $5,500 in CVB funds to help cover costs of moving cars for downtown events in 2025 and that the city would attempt to notify businesses and residents directly after staff approval. No final policy vote occurred; staff will revise the draft to address commission feedback and return with a clarified timeline and options for notification and verification.