5.10.040 Staff Review and Approval.
A. The special event permit application shall be received and date stamped at City Hall by the Mayor or their designee, who shall coordinate the process of City department review. Copies of the application shall be sent to representatives of the Public Works, Planning, Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, and Snohomish Police Departments, as well as Snohomish Fire District 4.
B. Any representative from a City department, the Snohomish Police Department or Snohomish Fire District 4 may recommend conditions that are considered necessary to protect the public health and safety. Representatives of the Public Works, Planning, Community Engagement and Strategic Initiatives, and Snohomish Police Departments, as well as Snohomish Fire District 4 shall each review the special event permit and must approve the plans as amended by staff conditions. Events that require a facility use contract for the Snohomish Carnegie Building will require review and approval by the Community Services Program Specialist or their designee.
C. The applicant shall have the opportunity to respond to all comments and conditions of the special event permit and/or special events contract either in writing or at a meeting with staff within a two-week period of receiving comments and/or conditions.
D. Administrative approval of a special event permit for single events of a duration of one day or less, contained on a single site or involving no interruption of normal traffic flow or impact to City right-of-way may be administratively approved by the Mayor or their designee.
E. The City may condition the issuance of a special events 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.
1. The following conditions apply to all special events permits:
a. Alteration of the time, place, and manner of the event proposed on the application.
b. Conditions concerning the area of assembly and disbanding of an event occurring along a route.
c. Conditions concerning accommodation of pedestrian or vehicular traffic, including restricting the event to only a portion of the street or right-of-way.
2. Conditions on special events permits not protected under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution may include, but are not limited to:
a. Requirements for an approved traffic plan created by an authorized Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) for Streets and Highways vendor.
b. Requirements for the provision of first aid or sanitary facilities.
c. Requirements for use of event monitors and providing notice of permit conditions to event participants.
d. 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 safety.
e. Compliance with animal protection ordinances and laws.
f. Requirements for use of garbage containers, cleanup, and restoration of City property.
g. Restrictions on the use of amplified sound and compliance with noise ordinances, regulations, and laws.
h. Notice to residents and/or businesses regarding any activity which would require street closure.
i. Restrictions on the sale and/or consumption of alcohol and requirements for the applicable licenses and/or permits under Chapter 66.24 RCW.
j. Elimination of an activity which cannot be mitigated to a point as to ensure public safety and welfare, or which causes undue liability to the City.
k. Requirements regarding the use of City personnel and equipment.
l. Compliance with any other applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation, including the other provisions of this chapter.
m. Provisions for adequate security and traffic control services; provided, that:
i. Said number of police officers may be increased or decreased by the Chief of Police in accordance with the Chief’s written assessment of the event’s public safety risks based on past experience with the special event in question or with similar events; and
ii. Special event sponsor at their expense must hire off-duty uniformed deputies for security and traffic control from the Snohomish County Deputy Sheriff’s Association; and
iii. For City sponsored special events, the City’s financial contribution to the event may include the City absorbing some or all of the cost of providing said number of police officers.
n. Event sponsor is authorized to control the event parking for traffic control, event staging, and configuration. Where appropriate, the event sponsor shall clearly post temporary parking restriction/no-parking signs applicable for the event. Where appropriate, event sponsor is authorized and responsible to arrange for the towing of vehicles violating the posted event parking restrictions. Event sponsor may use the tow company of their own choosing for event towing purposes. Event sponsor shall be responsible for all towing appeals made by the event sponsor. Event sponsor shall indemnify, defend, and hold the City harmless for all costs and damages related to event sponsor tows. (Ord. 2051, 2004; Ord. 2233, 2012; Ord. 2341, 2017; Ord. 2463, 2023)