Solvang Event Ordinance Review

[Shortie]

A proposed ordinance that is aimed at updating the city's event permit policy has been considered by the Solvang City Council, the last time it was revised was back in 1999. Presented by Jenny McClurg, the Parks and Recreation Director, the new ordinance aims to establish guidelines that are clear for event appeals and approvals process.

The main focus is on distinguishing events that require permits protected by the First Amendment, with specific criteria for permit exemptions. Elizabeth Orona, Councilmember has expressed concerns about potential damage to the property in the city during the events, suggesting that event hosts on city property will require insurance.

The challenges posed by a requirement for First Amendment activities have been explained by Chelsea O'Sullivan, Assistant City Attorney.

A fee-free permit for large public gatherings to establish accountability has been proposed by Orona and the potential impact of the events on local businesses has also been discussed by the council. The results in the end were that the council voted to table the decision on the ordinance for further revisions and review which was a unanimous result, this is scheduled for a December 11th meeting.

You can read more regarding this here

 

[Winny]

In any event you run or host, no matter how big or small, you need to make sure you have some form of insurance. Otherwise you're stuck footing the bill if anything goes wrong. In regards to this news, I think it should be discussed. Some events can be damaging to local business and even the environment if big enough. So I think a little bit of insurance added in, would be a safe bet.

 

[Debashis]

It's encouraging to see the Solvang City Council taking steps to update their event permit policy. Clear guidelines and considerations for First Amendment activities are important. Taking time for further revisions and review shows a commitment to making informed decisions for the community.

 

[Nomad]

The proposed ordinance in Solvang is certainly a commendable effort to bring the city's event permit policy. How can they continue with something that was last updated in 1999? Times have changed, therefore, this move signifies a long-overdue commitment to modernizing regulations to better align with the current time.