The board of county commissioners declares it to be the public interest, and for the protection of the health, welfare and property of the residents of Yakima County, to provide for the orderly and lawful conduct of festivals to include, but not limited to, festivals, entertainments, amusements, and assemblies catering to the general public, that certain rules and regulations be established, and further that there is a danger to the people attending the gathering if proper sanitary, police, fire and other health and safety measures are not adequately provided for. In addition, the purpose of this chapter is to provide an effective administrative process for the review and enforcement of these standards to protect the safety and general welfare of the community. Therefore, festivals are subject to the following minimum requirements.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 1, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the indicated meanings:
(1) 
"Applicant"
means the promoter who has the right of control of the conduct of a festival who applies to the appropriate legislative authority for a license to hold a festival.
(2) 
"Board"
means the board of county commissioners.
(3) 
"Festival"
means an indoor or outdoor assembly of persons at a given place and time, generally a planned social occasion to bring people together in a group for a public or private performance, entertainment, affair, function, occasion, social function, or special occasion where the predicted total number of persons on the site is 500 persons or more, except:
(a) 
Festivals at a structure or facility such as a stadium, athletic field, arena, auditorium, coliseum, or other similar permanently established place of assembly that has been permitted for assembly purposes under the land-use, building safety, fire safety and health safety regulations of Yakima County and other applicable state or local regulation;
(b) 
Government-sponsored fairs held on regularly established fairgrounds;
(c) 
Circuses, traveling amusements, or carnivals, rodeo, animal show or rides, and all other occasional amusements, sporting events, or shows required to be licensed under other county ordinances including YCC Chapter 5.16.
(4) 
"Person"
means any natural individual, partnership, corporation, association, society, or fraternal or social organization. The singular shall include the plural.
(5) 
"Promoter"
means any person issued a permit to conduct a festival.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 2, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
No person shall knowingly allow, conduct, hold, maintain, cause to be advertised, or permit a festival in the unincorporated area of the county unless a valid permit has been obtained as required by this chapter. One such permit shall be required for each festival. A permit may be granted for a period not to exceed 16 consecutive days, and a festival may be operated during any or all of the days within such period.
A person may apply for a festival permit for an event which would not otherwise be required to obtain one due to having a predicted total number of persons on site below 500. The application will be processed as a festival and the permitting requirements will be those required of festivals.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 3, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Application for a festival permit shall be in accordance with the provisions set forth below.
(1) 
Except as provided herein, a complete application shall be submitted in writing to the Yakima County Public Services Planning Division at least 60 days prior to the proposed first scheduled day of the festival and shall be accompanied with a permit fee in the amount identified in the fee schedule listed in YCC Title 20. An application may be submitted less than 60 days prior to the proposed first scheduled day of the festival; however, if an application is delayed due to incompleteness or deficiencies in the application, an appeal may not be available due to the limited time. Application for a festival permit shall include:
(a) 
A completed application form signed by the owner(s) of record and the festival promoter (if applicable). The application form shall be provided by the Administrative Official. The name of the person or other legal entity on behalf of whom said application is made; provided, that the applicant shall be 18 years of age or older;
(b) 
The nature of the business organization of the applicant;
(c) 
Names and addresses of all individuals or other entities having a 10% or more proprietary interest in the festival;
(d) 
The principal place of business of the applicant;
(e) 
The address or parcel number(s) of the land to be occupied, the name and address of the owner thereof, together with a document showing the consent of said owner to the issuance of a permit, if the land is owned by a person other than the applicant;
(f) 
The scheduled performances and programs;
(g) 
Written confirmation that the Yakima Health District health officer has reviewed and approved plans for the festival site in accordance with rules, regulations and standards adopted by the State Board of Health;
(h) 
Written confirmation from the sheriff's office that traffic control and crowd protection policing have been contracted for or otherwise provided by the applicant in accordance with the applicable regulations and policies enforced by the sheriff;
(i) 
Written confirmation from the county fire marshal's office that the application and site plans for the festival site have been reviewed and approved as complying with the provisions of the fire code and the rules and policies of the fire marshal's office;
(j) 
A written statement of consent from the applicant that all State and Yakima County law enforcement officers, fire-control officers and other necessary governmental personnel shall have free access to the site of the festival;
(k) 
A narrative describing the proposed festival, including the nature of the festival, anticipated number of attendees, proposed days and hours of operation, methods of controlling ingress and egress, and any other measures designed to minimize impacts on surrounding properties and road systems;
(l) 
The Administrative Official may require additional information, such as environmental consideration, if deemed necessary;
(m) 
The verification of the applicant warranting the truth of the matters set forth in the application to the best of the applicant's knowledge, under the penalty of perjury.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 4, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
(1) 
Within 15 days after the filing of the complete application for a festival permit, the Administrative Official shall, in writing, recommend approval, denial, or approval with conditions of the applicant's permit. Deficiencies identified by the Administrative Official as part of application review shall be forwarded to the applicant for correction. The applicant shall have 15 days after the receipt of such notice, or such additional time as the Administrative Official shall grant, to correct the deficiencies set forth in the notice. The Administrative Official shall either approve or deny the permit application within 15 days of receipt of the submitted corrections to the application. Any denial shall set forth in detail the specific grounds therefor.
(2) 
After the Administrative Official has issued a final decision to approve or deny the permit, the decision may be appealed to the Board of County Commissioners as provided in Chapter 36.70C RCW.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 5, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
(1) 
After an application for a festival has been approved, the promoter shall deposit with the county treasurer the sum of $10,000 cash, or surety bond in like sum. The bond or deposit shall be used to pay any costs or charges incurred to regulate health or to clean up afterwards outside the festival grounds, or any extraordinary costs or charges incurred for law enforcement or to regulate traffic or parking.
(2) 
Bond or other deposits shall be returned to the promoter when the board is satisfied that no claims for damage or loss will be made against said bond or deposit, or that the loss or damage claimed is less than the amount of the deposit, in which case the uncommitted balance thereof shall be returned; provided, that the bond or cash deposit or the uncommitted portion thereof shall be returned not later than 30 days after the last day of the festival.
(3) 
The promoter shall furnish proof of occurrence basis liability insurance in an amount of not less than $500,000 per occurrence and $1,000,000 in the aggregate property damage and bodily injury coverage covering any officer, employee, volunteer, member, agent or representative of the promoter while acting in the performance of his or her duties. The policy shall name Yakima County as an additional named insured.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 7, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
(1) 
Revocation of any permit granted pursuant to this chapter shall not preclude the imposition of penalties as provided for in this chapter and the laws of the state of Washington. Any permit granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter to conduct a festival shall be summarily revoked by the issuing authority when it finds that by reason of emergency the public peace, health, safety, morals or welfare can only be preserved and protected by such revocation.
(2) 
Any permit granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter to conduct a festival may otherwise be revoked for any material violation of this chapter or the laws of the state of Washington after a hearing held upon not less than three days' notice served upon the promoter personally or by certified mail.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
All temporary facilities or structures shall not be started more than 14 days prior to the beginning of the event. The Administrative Official shall inspect the structures for safety standards prior to the first day of the event. Should the temporary facility fail to meet the standards approved in the proposed plans, the event permit approval may be withdrawn. All temporary facilities or structures shall be completely removed within 10 days of the completion of the event.
(Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
No festival shall be operated in a location which is closer than 300 feet from any house, residence or other human habitation as measured from the sound source; provided, however, that this section shall not apply if the owner of each residence within said distance waives this requirement in writing. The applicant shall provide such waivers at the time of application submittal.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 10, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Sounds created by a festival permitted by this chapter shall be exempt from the provisions of YCC Chapter 6.28 from 6:00 a.m. to 12:01 a.m.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 11, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Any vibration generated by the event, other than that caused by vehicles or equipment as part of the approved permit, which is discernible without instruments at the property line, is prohibited.
(Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Repealed by Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 12, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016)
Any permit granted pursuant to this chapter shall be posted in a conspicuous place on the site of the festival. A permit issued pursuant to this chapter shall not be transferable or assignable.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 13, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Festivals may be conducted between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:01 a.m. Monday through Sunday. The hours and days may be adjusted as determined by the Administrative Official review of the application, public and agency comments based upon the public health, safety, and welfare.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Title, or violating or failing to comply with any order issued or made pursuant to its provisions shall severally and for each and every violation and non-compliance respectively, be subject to a civil infraction as provided for by Chapter 7.80 RCW in the amount of not less than $500.00.
(Ord. 8-1976 § 1 (part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 17, 1995; Ord. 7-2010 § 1, 2010; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)
All event preparations required to be made by the provisions of this chapter on the festival site shall be completed prior to the first day scheduled for the festival. If a material violation exists, the board shall move to revoke the festival permit in the manner provided by Section 8.10.080.
(Formerly 8.10.180; Ord. 8-1976 § 1(part), 1976; Ord. 3-1995 § 18, 1995; Ord. 2-2016 (part), 2016; Ord. 4-2025, 12/9/2025)