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Council approves Rocktoberfest permit with two-officer requirement after accessibility dispute
Summary
Saint Joseph city council approved a special-event permit for Rocktoberfest on Sept. 27 with specified street closures and a requirement for two police officers; the event organizer had urged keeping College Avenue open to allow access to a private church lot for elderly attendees.
A public hearing and council vote on a special-event permit for Rocktoberfest culminated in approval of the permit with two officers required and the applicant allowed to hire an additional officer at their expense.
Chris Yazger, an event organizer for Rocktoberfest, told the council the event is fully fenced and raises money for the local Catholic school and asked the council not to close College Avenue so attendees could access a private church parking lot. “We’re exclusively raising money for the Catholic school,” Yazger said, and he argued that keeping College Avenue open would improve accessibility for elderly and mobility-challenged attendees.
City staff outlined a plan that would hard-close segments of Minnesota Street and College Avenue around the church property, with a soft closure on 1st Avenue to allow resident access. Chief Dwight Adenstein explained staff concerns about pedestrian exposure and vehicle traffic at the site and recommended closures that would remove vehicle traffic from key intersections.
Councilors asked staff to compare past event closures and consistency of practice; Yazger cited precedent where other events did not receive the same closures. After questions and a brief exchange about parking access and safety, the council approved the permit with two officers required on duty; the record notes the applicant may hire a third officer at their own expense if they wish.
The council took procedural action by motion and voice vote; the permit includes the specified road-closure plan and the two-officer staffing requirement. The decision resolves the immediate permitting question; the event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 27, from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m.
