Trenton study session reviews special-events policy; staff to pursue 90‑day notice and business notifications

City staff reviewed Trenton’s special‑events policy at a council study session and said they will aim to require event applications 90 days ahead of an event and set up formal notifications to affected businesses to reduce last‑minute changes that can complicate emergency response and business operations.

Dean, a city staff member leading the review, said the current policy asks for applications 60 days in advance but noted the city has often waived that requirement. "Closing West and West Jefferson is gonna be, going forward, is gonna be very very difficult for the next probably 2 years until the new fire station is occupied and online," Dean said, pointing to limited street access, a permanent closure of 3rd Street and other routing constraints that complicate fire and ambulance response.

Council members and downtown business representatives raised competing priorities: several council members said they value street fairs and downtown activity but acknowledged closures can harm some businesses. "I love the events downtown ... but that's good for some businesses, like you said, and it's not good for others," Councilwoman Von Crooks said, urging use of alternate sites such as Elizabeth Park or municipal parking lots when construction disrupts the core downtown.

A downtown business owner and DDA participant said some events can sharply reduce sales for certain businesses. "The Trenton Street Fair decimates my business for 4 days," the business owner said, adding that consistent enforcement of approved plans and earlier notice would help planners and merchants.

Public‑safety staff described past and planned notice practices and the operational burdens of closures. A public‑safety official said the city has hand‑delivered notices for West Jefferson closures, keeps alley access open for emergency vehicles, and must plan around downtown permit parking. The official noted heavier, cement jersey barriers and other secure devices are more labor‑ and equipment‑intensive to deploy than older plastic barricades.

Staff proposed two administrative changes to address those tensions: a redundant, documented notification process for impacted businesses (email lists or direct delivery) and a move toward a 90‑day application target to reduce last‑minute approvals and midstream changes. "We're gonna shoot for 90 day in advance where the application is submitted so that we can go, alright, we've done a review and this is the date it's gonna go before council," Dean said, adding that any closures would still require coordination with the Department of Public Works and the police chief.

The discussion also covered practical steps: adding a city web link to the DDA page for special‑event forms, using municipal parking and farmers‑market lots to reduce street closures when appropriate, and rotating closures so the same block is not repeatedly affected. Dean said staff would try the 90‑day approach and redundant notifications and report back on how it works.

There was no formal council vote at the study session. The presiding member closed the session at 06:55PM and said the regular meeting would begin shortly.