The following words and terms, when used in this article, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Applicant.
A person who has filed a written application for an event permit.
Block party.
A small social or recreational gathering for which a public street, alley or sidewalk is temporary closed to vehicular traffic within a residential district and the participants either reside within the area of the street closing or are guest of such a resident.
Event permit.
A written authorization from the chief of police or designee to hold the requested event.
Event.
A cumulative term that means and refers to any or all of a block party, special event, motorcade, race, parade, or any combination thereof.
Mass gathering.
The promotion of attractions for a common purpose including but not limited to, street fairs, arts and crafts shows, carnivals, circuses, rallies, public entertainment, musical exhibitions, performances, and shows of any kind expected to attract 250 persons or more within any four (4) hour period, or results in the temporary aggregation of people at any event which is held that includes activities conducted outdoors and which interferes with the normal flow or regulation of pedestrian or vehicular traffic; or any event that requires special city services, including but not limited to, street closures, provision of barricades, special parking arrangements, special electrical services or special police services, or temporary alteration of a certificate of occupancy from a nonassembly building occupancy type to an assembly occupancy type.
Motorcade.
Any organized procession of vehicles, upon any public street, sidewalk or alley that would need to disregard normal traffic-control devices to proceed but would not require the closing of the street, sidewalk, or alley to other traffic.
Parade.
Any march or procession consisting of people, animals, vehicles of any type, or combination thereof, upon any public street, sidewalk, or alley or combination thereof, which does not comply with normal and usual traffic regulations or controls.
Permittee.
Person to whom an event permit is granted.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
The following events are exempt from the permitting process:
(1) 
An event conducted entirely on the property of an educational institution;
(2) 
An event wholly contained on property specifically designed or suited for the event and which holds a certificate of occupancy for such use including adequate parking;
(3) 
Funeral or dignitary processions;
(4) 
Athletic events that are held in facilities designed for athletic events;
(5) 
City-sponsored events.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
Applicant seeking a permit shall file an application with the city on forms provided by the city, which shall be accompanied with an application fee as currently established or as hereafter adopted by the city council from time-to-time.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
Applications shall be filed with the city according to the following timeframes and deadlines:
(1) 
Application shall be filed not more than 180 days before the commencement of the proposed event.
(2) 
Applications for an event permit shall be filed not less than thirty (30) days prior to the event.
(3) 
The city may consider event applications submitted after filing deadlines where good and compelling cause is shown.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
An event permit will be required and approved by the city. Permits are issued in accordance with said standards and section 4.04.005 of this code.
(1) 
The event will not unnecessarily interrupt the safe and orderly movement of traffic near its location or route.
(2) 
The event will not require the diversion of a number of regular on-duty police officers to properly police the event locale or line of movement and the adjacent areas as to prevent adequate police protection for the city.
(3) 
The concentration of people, animals, and vehicles at assembly points will not unduly interfere with proper fire and police protection or ambulance service to areas near such assembly points or the city.
(4) 
A parade or motorcade is scheduled to move from its point of origin to its point of termination without unreasonable delays in route.
(5) 
It is not likely to cause injury to person or property.
(6) 
There will be adequate sanitation facilities and parking spaces available in or adjacent to any public assembly area for the estimated number of event attendees.
(7) 
Other licenses and permits, restrictions, regulations, safeguards or other conditions deemed necessary by individual city departments, county officials, or state or federal agencies, for the safe and orderly conduct of the event are requested, submitted, and approved (i.e. health permit applications, agreement with police department for police coverage, and agreement with public works, etc.).
(8) 
Compliance with all applicable local, state, or federal requirements is demonstrated.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
(a) 
The city shall deny issuance of an event permit if:
(1) 
The event will conflict in time or location with another previously permitted event;
(2) 
The applicant fails to comply with, or the event will violate, any city ordinance or any other applicable law;
(3) 
The applicant makes or allows the making of a false or misleading statement or omission of material fact on an application;
(4) 
The applicant has violated this article or has had an event permit revoked within the preceding twelve (12) months;
(5) 
The applicant fails to provide proof of a license or permit required by any city ordinance or by other applicable law for the event;
(6) 
The event would severely hinder the delivery of normal or emergency public services or constitutes a public threat;
(7) 
The sole purpose of the parade or motorcade is the advertising of any product, goods, wares, or merchandise and is designed to be held purely for profit;
(8) 
City officials make a finding contrary to the findings required to be made for issuance of a permit;
(9) 
The applicant refuses to agree to, abide by, or to comply with all conditions of the permit and refuses to pay any additional costs as may be required by the city.
(b) 
An event permit shall be revoked upon the following conditions:
(1) 
If any city official finds that any of the provisions of this article, another city ordinance, or other applicable law is being violated;
(2) 
When, in the judgment of any city officials, a violation exists which requires immediate abatement, the city official shall contact the chief of police to revoke a special event permit;
(3) 
The applicant made or allowed to be made a false or misleading statement or omission of material fact on an application that was not discovered until after the permit was issued;
(4) 
Any permit issued pursuant to this article may be summarily revoked by the city any time when by reason of disaster, public calamity, riot or other emergency, city officials determine that the safety of the public or property requires such revocation.
(c) 
No event permit shall be denied nor shall the applicant be given less favorable consideration as to time, manner, or place based upon:
(1) 
Any protected class as defined by state or federal government.
(2) 
The message of the event, or the identity or associational relationships of the applicant and/or participants; or
(3) 
Any assumption or predictions as to the amount of hostility which may be aroused in the public by the content of speech or message conveyed by the event, provided that reasonable accommodation as to time, manner, and place may be required in order for the city to provide the resources necessary for police, fire and emergency services to preserve and protect public health, safety and welfare.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
(a) 
The city shall act upon a complete event application within ten (10) working days after the filing thereof. If the application is not approved, applicant will be notified via mailed letter and/or electronic communication notification, of the reasons for the permit denial.
(b) 
Applicants may appeal denied permit application to the city council within five (5) days of receipt of denial notification. Upon such appeal, the city council may reverse, affirm, or modify in any regard the determination.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
The event permit shall be maintained at all times on the premises, and shall be made available to any city official.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
The city has the authority to require that applicant send notices, and provide documentation of notification, of the event to abutting property owners when in city officials' judgment, that special event is on a scope and nature that will impact those owners.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
No person shall knowingly join or participate in any event conducted under permit from the city in violation of any terms of said permit, nor knowingly join or participate in any permitted event without the consent and over the objection of the permittee, nor in any manner interfere with its progress or orderly conduct.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
In the event that city departments, upon a review of the application, determine that an event may require the involvement of city personnel or facilities, the applicant shall be notified of the associated cost.
(1) 
The chief of police shall determine whether and to what extent additional police services are reasonably necessary for events for traffic-control and public safety. The decision will be based on:
(A) 
Size, location, duration, time and date of the event;
(B) 
History of the particular event;
(C) 
Need to detour or preempt citizen travel and use of streets and sidewalks;
(D) 
Presence of alcohol at the event.
(2) 
If possible, without disruption of ordinary police services or compromise public safety, regularly scheduled on-duty personnel will police the event.
(3) 
In the event it is determined, upon review of the application, that an event may require the special attention and involvement of city personnel or facilities which cause the city to incur additional expenses, the applicant shall be notified. Prior to the issuance of an event permit, the applicant shall pay the estimated charges associated with the additional city expenses to the city and shall agree to pay any additional costs, which may arise, to the city as a result of the event within five working days of the date upon which the city informs the applicant of the amount of such additional charges. Should the applicant not pay such additional cost, no future event permits shall be issued to the same applicant, organization, or group for a period not to exceed a period of two years. Nothing herein shall preclude the city from enforcing any legal or equitable remedy against the applicant for recovery of such additional costs.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
(a) 
Security for the event shall be required, at the cost of the promoter. The number of security officers necessary is determined by the following factors:
(1) 
The availability of alcohol.
(2) 
The number of expected attendees.
(3) 
Type of event.
(b) 
Generally, one commissioned security officer shall be required for every fifty (50) expected attendees or one (1) officer, commissioned by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, for every one hundred (100) expected participants. Depending on the number of security personnel and the size of the event, at least one (1) of the required security staff will be required to patrol the designated parking area.
(c) 
It is the responsibility of the permittee to provide the city with name and telephone number of the security service to be used. The chief of police shall make contact with the security service, to verify the agreement to provide security and set a time to meet with and develop a plan of action in the event of an emergency, prior to the start of the event.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
Applicant, in tending its application and receiving a permit, agrees and contracts with the city that it will comply with all of the terms of the permit for the purpose of maintaining and assuring the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the city.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
In addition to other requirements set forth herein, the applicant shall furnish suitable evidence of his/her intention and ability to comply with all conditions included in event application and this article.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
(a) 
No event permit shall be issued for a special event, parade, or race, until the applicant has filed a certificate of insurance, indicating that the required insurance to repair or replace any damage to publicly owned property within or adjacent to the event. Insurance policy shall be in force and effect during the period of time of the event. Such insurance policy must be in the face amount of not less than two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000.00), and issued by a company licensed to issue such policy in the state. This provision may be satisfied by either a special policy issued solely for the event or, by a standing liability policy maintained by the applicant yearround, so long as it meets the requirements of this subsection. Applicants have the right to show cause when the insurance requirement should be reduced or waived, and to attach such request with the submitted permit application. The city will review requests and may increase, lower, or drop the insurance requirement based upon review of the event application.
(b) 
An applicant may be required to furnish additional liability insurance based upon the type of event, equipment, machinery, location, alcohol related exposures, number of people involved, and other pertinent factors or risks associated with the event. Final determination of the amount of additional insurance necessary will be made by the city.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
(a) 
Applicant shall submit evidence that sufficient parking will be available to accommodate the projected number of event participants. The number of spaces deemed sufficient, as determined by the chief of police, will be determined by the nature of the event, number and age of people attending, and event staff during peak times. When adequate parking is not available at or immediately adjacent to the site, off-site parking with attendee transportation plans may be submitted. The city council has the authority, as addressed in this article, to prohibit parking along permitted parade routes, and may do so when reasonably necessary, as determined by the chief of police.
(b) 
Applicants shall further ensure that the parking area is well lit. This may be accomplished by the use of lighting already in place in the parking space, or the rental of portable, telescoping light plants, at the cost of the applicant.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
Rides and/or attractions with special events shall conform to all associated local, state, and federal statutory rules and regulations.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
An event may be conducted only between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. daily. The police department shall be responsible for enforcing this provision. The city council may waive the time limitations on certain special events when good cause is demonstrated by the applicant and the request is made prior to the awarding of the event permit.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
Where food or beverage service is provided or sold, said operators shall be in compliance with all provisions of the food and beverage establishment ordinances of the city, as well as all other applicable state and local laws.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
No event shall be operated under a permit authorized herein for more than three calendar days or forty-five (45) hours during a calendar year. City-sponsored events are exempt from length of permit restrictions. Another permit shall not be granted to the same permittee for the same location until at least 90 days have elapsed from the expiration of the previous permit. The city may waive the time limits on certain events when good cause is demonstrated.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)
It is the policy of the city that immediately upon arriving at the premises to be inspected, the city official, will ordinarily identify himself to an event employee/worker/volunteer. If there is no employee/worker/volunteer at the scene, the city official may enter any area that is open to the public at that time to perform an inspection.
(Ordinance 2023-002 adopted 6/12/2023)