Lancaster staff proposes Central Events District ordinance; council asks for capacity, noise and fee clarifications

City staff presented a draft Central Events District ordinance on June 17 that would add downtown public‑space rules, a special events coordinator and a fee schedule adapted from Sugar Land’s ordinance.

Assistant city manager Dorey Lee and city attorney staff walked the council through proposed boundaries (Third Street to State Street to Center to North Dallas Avenue), five rentable zones (breezeway, Center Street, First Street, Heritage Park, Historic Town Square) and a fee schedule that differentiates open‑to‑public and closed/private events with resident, nonprofit and nonresident rates.

The draft proposes standard site‑plan requirements, insurance and a 30‑day minimum application timeline. Staff said fees were set to be competitive with other city facilities, but council members raised concerns that base fees might not fully cover staff time, barricade rental and off‑duty police costs for larger events. The council asked staff to estimate total event costs for typical scenarios (including security and barricade needs) and to ensure the fee schedule will not leave the city subsidizing large private events.

Council debated whether to allow open containers in limited areas and whether to extend event hours past the draft 10 p.m. cutoff; staff said changing the district’s hours would require a corresponding change to the city‑wide noise ordinance or a district‑specific carve‑out. The council directed staff to: include the museum parking lot and Red Bud lot in the map, determine maximum capacities for Heritage Park and Town Square with the fire marshal, and strike the draft section that would have required a permit for any sound amplification anywhere in the district. Staff will return with an amended ordinance and recommended fee structure.