Metropolis Council proposal would come with particular permits for occasions and software charges in Denver | enterprise

A proposal going through the Denver City Council would set up the Office of Special Events as a municipal agency that would allow the office to approve and collect application fees for special events.

The proposal was approved by the Council’s Business Committee on Wednesday and will be examined by the full Council in the coming weeks.

The Office of Special Events coordinates and approves around 700 events, photo shoots and film productions annually on public property in Denver. As it is now, the office cannot issue special permits, said office member Katy Strascina.

Currently, the city is asking event planners to apply for and meet the requirements for special event permits, but they do not have the enforceability of the permits, Strascina.

“The special event profile for Denver is growing. The events are becoming more complex, more exciting, more interesting, more people take part, ”said Strascina. “The industry standard is to have special permission for events and we believe we are ready to create and enforce this.”

Converting the office into a municipal authority would give it the power to issue and enforce special permits for events. With these approvals, a new registration fee for the event would arise.

The registration fee is between $ 25 and $ 250 based on attendance at the event. Strascina said average event apps would cost around $ 75. The fees would cover processing costs and limit requests for events that don’t happen, saving time and resources, Strascina said.

The fee would double if applicants late submitting applications or approval requests within 60 days of the event.

If the proposal is passed, the fee for events held in 2023 wouldn’t go into effect until September 2022, so Denver residents can be informed of the new fees and budget impact planned, Strascina said.

During the public feedback process, the organizers declined the fees; However, the majority of them appreciate the city’s centralized process and would like the office’s support, Strascina said.

Some council members also expressed concern about Wednesday’s fees.

“The organizations that host events in my district are often short of money,” said Councilor Jamie Torres. “This is not a rock and roll marathon in District 3, it’s usually a church or nonprofit trying to do something.”

Strascina said that qualifying events set by the Office of Social Justice and Innovation and the prosecutor would have exemptions from application fees and discounts.

The specific qualifications were not available on Wednesday; However, officials said they would prioritize events that are “community-driven for the community.”

In addition, events on private property would not require an application and they can continue to receive support from the Office of Special Events, Strascina said.

Strascina said the office’s granting of special permits would make events safer, improve workflows in the city, fill accountability gaps and make the office’s business model more sustainable.

“There are 22 city agencies that have special event requirements,” said Strascina. “Our approval ensures that every event has worked with every agency it has to work with and their requirements have been met. So we will have a safer event. “

The proposal was unanimously approved by the business committee. It will be submitted to the full council on August 16 and August 23 for two final votes. If passed, the new permit would come into effect on September 1st.