SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE JUNE 15, 2022 – 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT CENTER – ROOM 1406 6310 E WILHELMINA DELCO DRIVE AUSTIN, TEXAS Some members of the Special Events Task Force may be participating by videoconference. Public comment will be allowed in-person or remotely by telephone. Speakers may only register to speak on an item once either in-person or remotely and will be allowed up to three minutes to provide their comments. Registration no later than noon the day before the meeting is required for remote participation. To register, please contact Brydan Summers at 512-974-4854 or Brydan.summers@austintexas.gov. CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS: Members: James Russell (Co-Chair), Jeff Smith (Co-Chair), Bobby Garza, Cindy Lo, Laurel White, Shelley Phillips, Heath Riddles, Mandi Thomas, Dan Carroll, Ingrid Weigand , Frances Thompson Ex Officio Members (City Staff): Brydan Summers, SETF Staff Liaison; Sara Henry, Austin Center for Events Communications; Bill Manno, Special Events Program Manager; Brian Block, DSD Program Manager, Music Office; Mike Jones, Police Sergeant; Robert Alvarado, Code Division Manager; Frances Hargrove, ATD Special Events Manager; Tony Hernandez, DSD Program Manager; Jason Maurer, PARD Sales and Events Manager; Kevin Parker, EMS Commander; Quentin Prior, Fire Battalion Chief; Iby Setzer, ARR Planner Senior; Bryan Walker, DSD Planner II AGENDA CALL TO ORDER PUBLIC COMMUNICATION 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2. OLD BUSINESS a. City Staffing for Special Events, Non-Public Safety b. Special Event Reporting c. Special Event Ordinance Performance During Spring Festival Season d. Update from Organizers Currently Planning Events e. Direction on Sending Approved Recommendations to Council 3. NEW BUSINESS a. Temporary Road Closures, Including Block Parties b. Waste Planning and Emissions c. Sale of Goods FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS ADJOURNMENT The City of Austin is committed to compliance with the American with Disabilities Act. Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications will be provided upon request. Meeting locations are planned with wheelchair access. If requiring Sign Language Interpreters or alternative formats, please give notice at least 2 days (48 hours) before the meeting date. Please at Brydan.summers@austintexas.gov or 512-974-4854, for additional information; TTY users route through Relay Texas at 711. For more information on the Special Events Task Force, please contact Brydan Summers at Brydan.summers@austintexas.gov or 512-974-4854. the Development Services Department, call Brydan Summers at
SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE - RECOMMENDATION 20220615-2A Seconded By: Date: 6/15/22 Subject: Recommendations to City Staffing to Support Special Events Motioned By: Description of Recommendations to Council: Encourage funding for positions needed to process ACE applications and provide on site staffing for special events. RECOMMENDATION The Special Event Task Force encourages City Council and ACE departments to increase funding, as needed, for positions that support special event permit application reviews and on- site staffing for special events. Rationale: In addition to an increase in special event applications in 2022 as the industry emerges from the pandemic, the City of Austin has added three new high-capacity venues that regularly program large events. As the City enters the budget cycle, the Task Force stresses the importance of ACE departments to identify where there are gaps in staffing, communicate their needs to the Budget Office, and for Council to fund these positions. Special event permit applicants benefit from timely reviews that allow for preliminary approval, and adequate review and on-site staffing ensures events can take place on their desired date and be successful. Vote For: Against: Abstain: Absent: Attest: 1 of 2 Brydan Summers Special Events Task Force Liaison Development Services Department 2 of 2
SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE - RECOMMENDATION 20220615-2B Seconded By: Date: 6/15/22 Subject: Recommendation to Include Post-Event Reporting in the Special Events Ordinance Motioned By: Description of Recommendations to Council: Recommendation to include a requirement in the Special Events Ordinance that City staff collect data on large events, which is then made available to the public. RECOMMENDATION Amend the Special Events Ordinance to include the following: 4-20-37 Post-Event Reporting (A) ACE will collect data on Tier 3 and Tier 4 events for the purposes of reporting. (B) Information about these events will be made available to the public within 60 days of the final day of the event. (C) The implementation of this reporting requirement shall take place before 2026. (D) Information that will be collected and reported includes: a. Event history, including years in existence. b. If the event has taken place multiple years, the first year it was established c. Name of the event producer and/or production company d. The number of attendees per even day and in total e. Time of the event, including which days and times of the day f. Length of the event in days and hours g. Length of time for the set-up/take down h. Whether or not neighborhood barricades were required. i. Information on any road closures that took place in connection to the event. j. Length of time that road closures and barricades were in place, including set- up/take down time. k. Whether or not the event was free or required a ticket purchase. l. Whether or not the event had amplified sound. m. Whether or not a parking plan was required. n. Whether or not alcohol was served o. Which of the following City resources were needed: Police, Fire, EMS, Solid Waste Services, Parks and Recreation Department, Entertainment Services Division. p. Complaints received via 311 1 of 2 q. Whether or not ACE departments would recommend approving the event again under the same application, including any comments or changes that are recommended or required. Rationale: The Task Force believes that post-event reporting is necessary to promote transparency, accountability, continuity, and a reliable basis for future decisions on events. The reporting should be consolidated and accessible to interested members of the public. Recognizing that such reporting places an additional burden on staff, the task force recommends that the necessary additional resources be provided to implement this important task. Vote For: Against: Abstain: …
SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE - RECOMMENDATION 20220615-2A Seconded By: Mandi Thomas Date: 6/15/22 Subject: Recommendations to City Staffing to Support Special Events Motioned By: Ingrid Weigand Description of Recommendations to Council: Encourage funding for positions needed to process ACE applications and provide on site staffing for special events. RECOMMENDATION The Special Event Task Force encourages City Council and ACE departments to increase funding, as needed, for positions that support special event permit application reviews and on- site staffing for special events. Rationale: In addition to an increase in special event applications in 2022 as the industry emerges from the pandemic, the City of Austin has added new high-capacity venues that regularly program large events. As the City enters the budget cycle, the Task Force stresses the importance of ACE departments to identify where there are gaps in staffing, communicate their needs to the Budget Office, and for Council to fund these positions. Special event permit applicants benefit from timely reviews that allow for preliminary approval, and adequate review and on-site staffing ensures events can take place on their desired date and be successful. Vote For: James Russell, Jeff Smith, Shelley Phillips, Mandi Thomas, Frances Thompson, Ingrid Weigand, Laurel White Against: Abstain: Absent: Dan Carroll, Bobby Garza, Cindy Lo, Heath Riddles-Sanchez Attest: Brydan Summers 1 of 2 Brydan Summers Special Events Task Force Liaison Development Services Department 2 of 2
SPECIAL EVENTS TASK FORCE REGULAR CALLED MEETING MEETING MINUTES 15, JUNE, 2022 The Special Events Task Force convened in a regular meeting on 15, June, 2022, at 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Drive in Austin, Texas. Chair Smith called the Special Event Task Force Meeting to order at 2:01 p.m. Task Force Members in Attendance: Co-Chair Jeff Smith, Shelley Phillips, Mandi Thomas, Frances Thompson, Ingrid Weigand, Laurel White, Board Members/Commissioners in Attendance Remotely: Co-Chair James Russell, Health Riddles-Sanchez PUBLIC COMMUNICATION: GENERAL No public communication was offered. 1. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OLD BUSINESS 2. The minutes from the meeting of 5/18/2022 were approved on Member Weigand’s motion, Member White second, and on a unanimous vote. A. City Staffing for Special Events, Non-Public Safety Mr. Summers clarified that on-site staffing in this instance was for non-public safety departments such as PARD, ATD, Code, or any instance where City staff are present during special events. The Task Force considered the following recommendation language proposed by Co-Chair Russell: Description of Recommendations to Council: Encourage funding for positions needed to process ACE applications and provide on site staffing for special events. 1 RECOMMENDATION The Special Event Task Force encourages City Council and ACE departments to increase funding, as needed, for positions that support special event permit application reviews and on-site staffing for special events. Rationale: In addition to an increase in special event applications in 2022 as the industry emerges from the pandemic, the City of Austin has added three new high-capacity venues that regularly program large events. As the City enters the budget cycle, the Task Force stresses the importance of ACE departments to identify where there are gaps in staffing, communicate their needs to the Budget Office, and for Council to fund these positions. Special event permit applicants benefit from timely reviews that allow for preliminary approval, and adequate review and on-site staffing ensures events can take place on their desired date and be successful. The Task Force discussed if an expedited process should be included and whether staff had concerns about their staffing. Mr. Summers (ACE) said staff would consider working on an expedited process, but the Task Force should take action if they want to direct us to create one, he also indicated staff felt they were regularly bringing their staffing needs in budget proposals but would welcome support of the event community to emphasize the importance of funding staff in the future. …
