A new special events application would expedite council’s current six week system of approving special events as well as place a quick price tag for the city’s consideration.
Those looking to put on special events in Athens’ streets might soon have to test the waters of a new city permitting system.
The new application process would expedite Athens City Council’s current six-week system for approving special events and would allow the city to quickly assess its expenses for such an occasion.
“(The new application) just makes it so that everything is there to look at and be reviewed in a logical process,” Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said at council’s Monday night meeting.
The new system would require event organizers to go through a checklist of requirements, which will include health and safety issues, sanitation, sound levels, vending and insurance.
“It gives step-by-step what the city expects,” Councilwoman Michele Papai, D-3rd Ward, said.
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The outline would cover all the bases that council would normally cover if organizers spoke to them about holding an event prior to planning.
“It’s a way of making sure that people are planning for the health and safety of not only the participants but the city in general,” Fahl said. “Many of these things… are the things you need to think about anyways.”
Fahl said that would also help alleviate scheduling multiple events on the same weekend.
“When we are getting two or three or four festivals, our services are really thin,” Fahl said.
Council members previously voiced concerns regarding stretching police forces thin during Number Fest, the International Street Fair and Athens Beautification day — all of which are set to occur this weekend.
Additionally, the new system would help ensure that organizers contracted their own private security.
“It isn’t the job of Athens City police to run private security for these festivals,” Fahl said.
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When events have private security, it lowers the cost of the event to the city, Fahl said. For the events that opt not to have security, the city could charge organizers for the Athens Police Department’s overtime.
“If you do not provide enough security, or there are concerns with health and safety, this would allow the city to charge,” Fahl said.
Fahl said the measure would also help “protect the tax payers” from having to cover these costs.
“(Event organizers) think they can privatize profit and socialize the cost,” Fahl said.
Other members of council expressed their approval for the new system.
“I very much like the fact that were moving towards a consistent policy,” Council President Chris Knisely said.
Despite wide council approval, Athens Mayor Paul Wiehl said the new process would move event permitting from the legislative branch of the city to the administrative branch.
“I’m a little thrown off at the part that you would have no say in this,” Wiehl said.
Event organizers would only be allowed to appeal to council if their event request was denied.
According to Fahl, the proposed system would not take effect until 2016.
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