Newport council debates special‑events permit policy; councilors ask staff for more data

The Newport City Council heard a staff presentation Feb. 2 on a proposed special‑events permitting policy that would standardize event tiers, set application timelines, require proof of insurance at approval and institute a Tourism Room Tax (TRT) reimbursement process instead of up‑front fee waivers.

Ali Anderson (city recorder/staff) outlined major elements in the draft policy: events would be tiered by anticipated attendance, applications should be submitted at least 60 days before an event, and organizers must provide a certificate of liability insurance plus an endorsement naming the City of Newport as an additional insured at least 14 days prior to the event. Staff proposed a general liability minimum of $2,000,000 per occurrence for most events and a $50 application fee. The draft replaces inconsistent prior fee waivers with a reimbursement program to reimburse up to 50% of eligible costs based on measurable tourism outcomes such as visitor attendance and hotel stays.

Several councilors raised concerns that the $2,000,000 insurance minimum and the timing for documentation could be prohibitive for small nonprofits. One councilor said, "a $2,000,000 insurance policy per event is costly" and noted that smaller organizations often operate with limited cash flow and sometimes pay for a single annual liability policy. City staff said event costs are calculated case‑by‑case (police hours, barricades, inspections) and that the TRT reimbursement would be awarded after verifying eligible expenses and tourism impact.

Tiffany (staff) reminded the council that the city potentially bears liability when it does not require insurance and noted the $2,000,000 level is consistent with the city’s recommended contract liability standard and the current tort liability cap the city faces.

A councilor moved to approve the policy as presented and a second was recorded. Because multiple councilors said they needed more information and community engagement, the mayor proposed tabling the item and asked staff to return with data on past waivers, typical insurance costs for small nonprofits, and a clearer breakdown of how the city would calculate service costs for events. Staff said gathering historical permit data will take time and agreed to follow up.

The item was not adopted Feb. 2; councilors requested additional outreach and a staff report with the requested cost and waiver history before taking final action.