The purpose of this chapter is to provide reasonable supervision of any movement of persons or vehicles within the limits of the city by way of runs, parades, street dances, and other similar special events, for the protection of persons and property. The intent of this chapter is to allow community-based organizations to sponsor special events on public thoroughfares and in parks, and to provide guidelines that protect the public's health, safety and welfare. Events held on private property that may affect or impact public property or thoroughfares may be subject to the temporary use permit requirements under EMC § 18.50.070.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
"Applicant"
means any person or organization who seeks a special event permit from the city to conduct or sponsor a special event governed by this section. An applicant must be 18 years of age or older.
"City"
means the City of Edgewood.
"Event sponsor"
means the person responsible for the special event to be held.
"Person"
means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or organization of any kind.
"Significant impact on city services"
means a material increase in the amount, scope, or level of necessary fire, police, traffic control, crowd control, or other public services above those that would normally be required without the event. With respect to police resources, significant impact on city services means resources for crowd management or traffic control required for an event over and above the normal deployment of police in that geographic area of the city at the time of day during which the event will occur.
"Significant impact on public property"
means an event would preclude in whole or in substantial part the public's normal and customary use of such public property, including, but not limited to, public rights-of-way.
"Special event(s)"
include any activity which is to be conducted on city-owned property (including a public right- of-way) that would have a direct significant impact on traffic congestion, or traffic flow to and from the event over public streets or rights-of-way, or would require a significant impact on city services, such as police, fire, or medical aid. Any event on private property that involves an open invitation to the public to attend or events where the attendance is by private invitation of 100 or more people are each presumed to be an event that will have a significant impact on public property or significant impact on city services, and are subject to the temporary use permit requirements under EMC § 18.50.070. Special events may include but are not limited to: fun runs/walks, athletic competitions, auctions, bike-a-thons, public fundraisers, parades, carnivals, festivals, shows, or exhibitions, film/movie events, circuses, block parties and fairs.
"Special events protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments"
include any event involving political or religious activity intended primarily for the communication or expression of ideas.
"Use"
shall mean to construct, erect, or maintain in, on, over, or under any street, right-of-way, park, or other public place, any building, structure, sign, equipment, or scaffolding, to deface any public right-of-way by painting, spraying, or writing on the surface thereof, or to otherwise occupy in such a manner as to obstruct the normal public use of any public street, right-of-way, park, or other public place within the city, including a use related to special events.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
A special event permit is required for any special event as defined herein. A safety plan is required to be submitted with an application for a special event permit and the appropriate application fee set forth in the city's fee schedule. Such special event permit and safety plan shall be in addition to any street use, or any other regular permits as may be required by ordinance.
B. 
For special events protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments, the special event permit application shall be processed reasonably promptly, without charging a fee, and without imposing conditions that impermissibly infringe upon constitutionally protected rights pursuant to EMC § 12.09.070.
C. 
Exemptions: A special event permit will not be required for the following activities on city-owned property or public right-of-way:
1. 
Special events that occur exclusively on city-owned property and are sponsored or conducted in full by the City of Edgewood as set forth in EMC § 12.10.045;
2. 
Funeral and wedding processions;
3. 
Groups required by law to be so assembled;
4. 
Gatherings of 50 or fewer people outside of a public right-of-way, unless merchandise or services are offered for sale or trade; and
5. 
The exhibition of films or motion pictures outside of a public right-of-way.
D. 
Any person desiring to sponsor a special event must apply for a special event permit by filing an application with the city at least thirty (30) days, but no more than three hundred sixty-five (365) days, prior to the date on which the event is to occur, unless a shorter timeframe is permitted by this chapter.
E. 
Waiver of Application Deadline. Upon a showing of good cause or at the discretion of the city, the city shall consider an application that is filed after the filing deadline if there is sufficient time to process and investigate the application and obtain police and other city services for the special event. Good cause can be demonstrated by the applicant showing that the circumstance that gave rise to the permit application did not reasonably allow the participants to file within the time prescribed, and the event is a special event protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments.
F. 
Issuance of a special event permit under this chapter does not obligate or require the City to provide services, equipment, or personnel in support of a Special Event.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
The city may deny an application for a special event permit if:
1. 
The applicant provides false or misleading information;
2. 
The applicant fails to complete the application or to supply other required information of documents or the applicant declares or shows an unwillingness or inability to comply with the reasonable terms or conditions contained in the proposed permit;
3. 
The proposed special event would conflict with another proximate special event, interfere with construction or maintenance work in the immediate vicinity, or unreasonably infringe upon the rights of abutting property;
4. 
The proposed special event would unreasonably disrupt the orderly or safe circulation of traffic and would present an unreasonable risk of injury or damage to the public; or
5. 
There are not sufficient safety personnel or other necessary city staff to accommodate the special event.
B. 
In the event either subsection (A)(3) or (A)(4) of this section applies, the city shall offer the applicant the opportunity to submit an alternative date, time, or place for the proposed special event before denying the application.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
The city may condition the issuance of a special event permit by imposing reasonable requirements concerning the time, place, and manner of the event, and such requirements as are necessary to protect the safety and rights of persons and property, and the control of traffic. The city may apply the following conditions to all special event permits:
1. 
Alteration of the time, place, and manner of the special event proposed on the application;
2. 
Conditions concerning the area of assembly and disbanding of an event occurring along a route; and/or
3. 
Conditions concerning accommodation of pedestrians or vehicular traffic, including restricting the special event to only a portion of the street or right-of-way.
B. 
Further, conditions that may be applied to all special events that are not special events protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments include, but are not limited to:
1. 
Requirements for the use of traffic cones or barricades;
2. 
Requirements for the provision of first aid and/or sanitary facilities;
3. 
Requirements for use of event monitors and providing notice of permit conditions to event participants;
4. 
Restrictions on the number and type of vehicles, animals, or structures at the event, and inspection and approval of floats, structures, and decorated vehicles for fire safety;
5. 
Compliance with animal protection ordinances and laws;
6. 
Requirements for use of garbage containers, cleanup, and restoration of city property;
7. 
Restrictions on the use of amplified sound and compliance with noise ordinances, regulations, and laws;
8. 
Notice to affected residents and/or businesses regarding any activity that would require a street closure or may otherwise impede reasonable access to their homes and/or businesses no less than ten (10) days before the event, including the date, time, and general purpose of said event;
9. 
Restrictions on the sale and/or consumption of alcohol;
10. 
Elimination of an activity that cannot be mitigated to a point as to ensure public safety and welfare, or that causes undue liability risk to the city;
11. 
Requirements regarding the use of city personnel and equipment;
12. 
Requirements for liability insurance and additional insured endorsements naming the city as an additional insured;
13. 
Requirements for a City of Edgewood business license endorsement pursuant to EMC § 5.05.040;
14. 
Compliance with any other applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation; and/or
15. 
Payment of special event fees.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
The applicant shall have the right to appeal the denial of a special event permit or a permit condition. The applicant shall also have the right to appeal the amount of fees or clean-up deposits imposed, or a determination by the city that the submitted insurance does not comply with the requirements specified within this chapter.
B. 
An administrative appeal shall be filed with the city clerk within three (3) business days after receipt of a notice of denial or permit conditions from the city. The appeal shall set forth the specific grounds for the appeal and attach any relevant documents for consideration. It shall also be accompanied by the requisite appeal fee, as set by the city's fee schedule. The city clerk shall forward the appeal to the mayor, who shall hear the appeal on the record provided from the designated city official. The hearing shall be scheduled no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of a timely and proper appeal.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
No fee, deposit, indemnification agreement, or insurance requirements shall be imposed when prohibited by the First and/or Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Special events for political or religious activity intended primarily for the communication or expression of ideas shall be presumed to be special events protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments. Factors that may be considered in evaluating whether or not an event is a special event protected under the First and/or Fourteenth Amendments include, but are not limited to: the nature of the event; the extent of commercial activity such as the sales of food, goods, and services; product advertising or promotion, or other business participation in the event; the use or application of any funds raised; whether the event is part of any annual tradition or series; previous events in the sequence; and the public perception of the event.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
Prior to the issuance of a special event permit, the event sponsor must agree to reimburse the city for any costs incurred by it in repairing damage to city property and indemnify, defend, and hold the city, its officers, employees, volunteers, and agents harmless from all causes of action, claims, or liabilities occurring in connection with the permitted event, except those that occur due to the city's sole negligence. Such indemnification agreement must be in a form acceptable to the city attorney and the city's risk manager.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
Insurance with limits and scope of coverage as determined appropriate by the city's risk manager shall be required for all approved, special events. Written proof of such insurance shall be provided prior to permit issuance. The insurance policy shall be written on an occurrence basis, shall name the city as an additional insured using ISO form CG 20 26, or coverage at least as broad, shall be written for a period not less than twenty-four (24) hours prior to the event and extending for a period not less than twenty-four (24) hours following the completion of the event. The applicant and/or event sponsor shall provide the city and all additional insureds for the special event with written notice of any policy cancellation as soon as practicable within their receipt of such notice.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
Upon approval of a special event permit, the city may provide the applicant with an estimated cost of providing city personnel and equipment for the special event. When said estimate is provided, the applicant/event sponsor shall prepay these estimated costs no later than ten (10) days prior to the special event. City services and equipment may include, but are not limited to: the use of police officers and public employees for traffic and crowd control, pickup and delivery of traffic control devices, picnic tables, extraordinary street sweeping, any other needed, requested, or required city services, and the cost of operating the equipment to provide such services.
B. 
If the actual cost for city services and equipment on the date (s) of the special event is less than the estimated cost, the city will refund the difference to the applicant and/or event sponsor in a timely manner. If the actual cost for city services and equipment on the date(s) of the special event is greater than the estimated cost, the applicant/event sponsor will be billed for the difference.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
The applicant and/or event sponsor of a special event involving the sale of food or beverages for immediate consumption, erection of structures, horses or other large animals, water aid stations, or any other event likely to create a substantial need for cleanup, shall be required to provide a cleanup deposit prior to the issuance of a special event permit. The amount of the deposit will be established by condition of the permit.
B. 
The cleanup deposit will be returned after the special event once the area used for the permitted special event has been cleaned and restored to the same condition as existed prior to the special event.
C. 
If the property used for the special event has not been properly cleaned or restored, the applicant and/or event sponsor shall be billed for the actual cost by the city for cleanup and restoration. The cleanup deposit shall be applied toward the payment of the bill.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
Any permit issued under this chapter may be summarily revoked by the city at any time when, by reason of disaster, public calamity, riot, or other emergency or exigent circumstances, the city determines the safety of the public or property requires such immediate revocation. The city may also summarily revoke any permit issued pursuant to this chapter if the city finds that the permit has been issued based upon false information, when the permittee exceeds the scope of the permit or fails to comply with any condition of the permit, or when the special event is being conducted in violation of any law. Notice of such action revoking a permit shall be delivered in writing to the permittee via personal service, electronic mail, or hard copy mail to the address provided in the permit application.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to sponsor or conduct a special event in violation of this chapter or the terms and conditions of any permit.
B. 
Any person or organization violating the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a penalty of a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment of not more than ninety (90) days, or both such fine and imprisonment. In addition, each and every day during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this chapter is committed, continued, or permitted by any person constitutes a separate offense.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)
The Mayor or their designee is authorized to promulgate additional rules and regulations that are consistent with and that further the terms and requirements set forth within this chapter and the provisions of law that pertain to the conduct and operation of a special event.
(Ord. 26-0700, 3/24/2026)