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Select board debates tighter mass-gathering rules, sets attendee threshold at 300 in draft
Summary
Select board members reviewed a rewritten mass-gathering ordinance covering definitions, exemptions (agricultural fair), a proposed 300-person threshold, 30-day application lead time, insurance minimums and a debated $5,000 bond requirement.
The Acton Select Board spent a large portion of its meeting reviewing revisions to a proposed mass-gathering ordinance, focusing on who should be exempt, what counts as a mass gathering and the permitting thresholds.
Staff presented a draft definition that would treat any event attended by 300 or more persons as a mass gathering that requires a permit. The board discussed exempting agricultural fairs ("agricultural fair" was suggested as the explicit exemption) and leaving year-round venues such as stadiums or auditoriums to conditional-use or planning-board review rather than blanket exemption in the ordinance. "It says a mass gathering attended by 300 or more persons, may create a hazard to public health and safety," one staff speaker summarized during the review.
Members debated application lead time and fee structure. The board discussed moving from the existing seven-day notice to 30 days to give departments and legal staff time to review applications; several members argued 15 days could be workable but the board leaned toward 30 days. The current draft shows a $100 permit fee, and staff said other towns had higher, tiered fees. A bond of no less than $5,000 for operators drew skepticism: one committee member called the bond "more work than help," noting the town already requires insurance certificates. Insurance thresholds described in the draft remain substantial (discussed at levels such as $500,000).
Board members also outlined operational details the permit should include—traffic control, fire-rescue coordination and whether private security companies can substitute when law enforcement is unavailable. Staff said the fire chief would provide recommendations for traffic and emergency staffing for specified attendance levels. The board tasked staff to refine the draft language on exemptions, permit timelines, insurance/certificate requirements and minimum security arrangements and to return with a cleaned-up draft for further review.
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