New rules approved for the big events

By Kristine Williams | Posted: Friday, February 15, 2013 9:46 am

http://www.calaverasenterprise.com/news/article_e5594fc6-7795-11e2-b8e8-0019bb2963f4.html

After months of fine tuning and tweaking, Calaveras County has a new special events permitting process. The ordinance was unveiled by the Planning Department at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting and is intended to result in a permitting process that is much easier to understand by those requiring an event permit. It will take effect March 12.

“We’re not looking to over-regulate,” explained Planning Director Rebecca Willis. “We’re trying to encourage economic development.”

The new three-tiered system was initially introduced in August 2012 during a joint meeting between the county’s Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors. Since August, the ordinance has been reviewed and discussed at length by board members, planning staff members and the public. Final changes were approved and adopted unanimously by all five supervisors Tuesday after a public hearing.

The three types of special event permits include: Temporary Use Permits – appropriate for small, one-time events with little environmental and community impact; Administrative Use Permits – appropriate for events that require review by multiple departments or any person or organization holding various events throughout the year; and Conditional Use Permits – required for events with adverse environmental and community effects, like Lake Tulloch’s Bump parties that garnered public outcry last summer.

Not every community event will require a call to planning staff, however. Those worried about neighborhood yard sales can carry on as usual as long as sales do not exceed six events per year – an “event” being defined as a three-day period.

Other events exempt from applying for permits include anything falling under the title of “Reoccurring and Historical Events” – events that have been lawfully held for at least 10 years, even those that have been occurring without proper permitting.

“If we have not issued them a citation, letter or some type of documentation saying they’re doing it unlawfully those (events) are clear,” said Willis. “A lot of the historical events that have been going on for 10 years, or 100 years in some cases, that have never been a problem, those are going to be presumed lawful.”

These events would be issued a type of master permit that would allow event organizers to renew the permit each year at no cost with a simple over-the-counter interaction.

The popular Lumberjack Day is one such celebration that would be granted a historical exemption. Lumberjack Day Committee member Bryce Randall of West Point applauded the new rules, commenting on their time and labor-saving benefits.

Other events exempt from new permit requirements include events held in existing public assembly facilities (e.g. theaters, town halls and music venues) with appropriate infrastructure and live music events held in food establishments that don’t violate the recently adopted noise ordinance.

Stuart Mast, owner of Brice Station Wines in Murphys which holds occasional live music shows, also commended the tiered process as it now eliminates his need to obtain a permit each time his business hosts a band.

“I appreciate you trying to be as painless as possible as far as bureaucracy goes. We all recognize the need for bringing people into the area and helping out the economy,” he said.

Large scale music festivals, like Ironstone Vineyards’ Summer Concert Series, that have a potentially large community impact do not fall under this exemption. According to the Planning Department, Ironstone Vineyards’ planning amendments and CUP, which were submitted in April 2012, are still undergoing review.

Special event permit overview

Posted: Friday, February 15, 2013 10:35 am

• Temporary Use Permit – A TUP is advisable for anyone looking to hold a one-time event that may not meet normal zoning uses of the property with no impact on the immediate neighborhood, community or environment that is handled exclusively by the Planning Department. The projected fee for a TUP is around $25.

• Administrative Use Permit – An AUP is required for events needing interdepartmental routing – requiring a road closure permit from the Public Works Department for example – and events that could potentially impact a neighborhood and community. This permit is also appropriate for anyone holding various events throughout the year, like a seasonal farmers’ market. Other examples provided within the ordinance include carnivals, car shows, and pedestrian or bicycle races. The projected fee for an AUP is about $100.

• Conditional Use Permit – A CUP is required for any event that may potentially adversely affect the surrounding environment and community. These events are typically characterized as drawing large numbers of attendees and occur routinely on a yearly basis – music festivals, concerts, overnight festivals and year-round markets were provided as examples. The projected fee for a CUP is about $4,500.

• Exemptions: Historical and reoccurring events that have been held for at least 10 years. These special events would be issued a type of “master” permit that could be renewed each year at no cost.