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Operations committee proposes requiring event organizers to pay for traffic closures; invites hosts to discuss
Summary
The committee reviewed proposed special-event permit changes and tentatively agreed to require event organizers to cover traffic-closure and detour costs and include traffic-control contractor contact information on applications. Members will invite event hosts back for discussion before forwarding a final draft to the Board of Aldermen.
The Operations Committee on Oct. 24 reviewed revisions to the special-event permit application that would make event organizers responsible for traffic closures and detours and require applicants to provide traffic-control contractor contact information. Hal Shulman, a city staff member, said the draft has gone through multiple departments and the city attorney and ‘‘appears to be complete’’ but still needs direction on next steps.
Public Works Commissioner Bergman and street-department staff argued the frequency of events has placed a sustained burden on city crews. Bergman said the city’s crews are ‘‘setting stuff up, taking stuff down’’ week after week and suggested that for non-city-sponsored events ‘‘the cost of traffic closures and detours would be the event organizer responsibility’’ and that the permit include the ‘‘name and contact information of the traffic control company to do the work.’’
Committee members raised operational and fairness questions. One member cautioned that adding a contractor requirement would add coordination and logistics demands and suggested soliciting views from event hosts before finalizing language. Another member said some municipalities keep traffic closures within public-works operations for short, temporary events.
Alderman Meadows moved to invite event hosts and businesses to the next operations meeting so the committee could ‘‘hear all the points, not just what’s here today;’’ Alderman Stewart seconded the motion and the committee approved it. The body also approved a separate motion asking Commissioner Bergman to ask the mayor to begin recruiting replacements for two street-department positions expected to be vacated by retirement.
Next steps: staff will incorporate suggested changes and invite interested event hosts to the next operations meeting; the committee intends to forward a refined draft to the city attorney and then to the Board of Aldermen for consideration.
