Committee backs safety-first approach for Downtown Days and Oktoberfest; favors permit review over strict ordinance

Lee's Summit — The Community and Economic Development Committee on Jan. 14 discussed proposed carnival restrictions for Downtown Days and Oktoberfest and broadly endorsed a staff- and organizer-led approach to tighten safety while avoiding a prescriptive ordinance.

Julie Cook, events and promotions director for Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street, told the committee that organizers and the city have already taken several safety steps — removing four major thrill rides in 2025, reducing game density, adding barricades, hiring private security and installing additional lighting. "Closing the entire festival at 9PM would be a beneficial step for us to take," Cook said, proposing wristband and ticket cutoffs earlier in the evening and a consolidated festival-close time so crowds disperse during civil twilight.

Cook relayed vendor concerns about overly restrictive rules on ride types and hours. She said the carnival provider warned that rides and late-evening sales are critical to profitability and customer experience and therefore recommended that ride approvals be handled through the Special Event Permit review process rather than by black-and-white ordinance language. "We could have a plan where only the rides that are approved would be allowed for 2026," she said.

Megan Gray of the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce echoed a preference for environmental and enforcement changes before eliminating attractions. Gray emphasized a suite of operational proposals including repositioning the police command station, adding floodlights, increasing private-security presence (Titan Security), erecting temporary fencing to remove problem congregation areas and publishing a festival code of conduct. She proposed a minor curfew requiring minors under 17 to be accompanied by a chaperone after 7 p.m., allowing one chaperone for up to three teens.

Travis Forbes, Lee's Summit chief of police, supported using the permit review to draw in multiple departments for traffic, fire and public-safety scrutiny but cautioned about enforcement limits for noncriminal rules: "We enforce the law," he said, noting private security and visible command presence are practical tools for enforcing social rules and deterring trouble.

Committee members pressed for clarity about financial trade-offs if the carnival were substantially limited or removed. Estimates discussed during the meeting placed direct carnival-related revenue impacts to the Chamber and Downtown Main Street in the range of $25,000–$30,000 if the carnival were eliminated, and organizers said the indirect economic impact on food and beverage sales could be substantially larger (presenters gave a broad estimated range, acknowledging uncertainty).

After discussion the committee signaled consensus to proceed administratively through the Special Event Permit process, asking staff and event organizers to refine the plan, coordinate enforcement with Titan Security and LSPD, and return with any needed clarifications. Chairperson Hodges summarized: the committee is "good with going forward this year with this set of recommendations, essentially ... with some tweaks and modifications" and requested after-action reviews following events.

What happens next: Staff will work with Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street, the Chamber and public safety partners to finalize the special-event permit, security plan and communications for the June festival. The committee requested post-event reviews to assess whether the changes reduced incidents and met safety goals.