Approved Minutes — original pdf

Approved Minutes

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. The Task Force discussed the concern that high-capacity venues do not typically need special event permits, but often require City services. Member Thompson suggested the number of high-capacity venues be removed to reflect that the number may change in the future, and just focus on the concern for them about staffing broadly. The Task Force agreed to edit the language to say “has added new high capacity venues” in the ‘rationale’ section. The recommendation was approved on Member Weigand’s motion, Member Thomas’s second, and on a unanimous vote. Mr. Manno (ACE) notified the Task Force that language about requiring high-capacity venues was considered when the Special Events Ordinance was created and that the Task Force may want to consider it again. B. Special Event Reporting The Task Force Considered the following recommendation language proposed by Co-Chair Jeff Smith: 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. 2 (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. j. Length of time that road closures and barricades were in place, including set-up/take Information on any road closures that took place in connection to the event. 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 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. Member Weigand inquired about the timeline; Mr. Summers explained the date reflected what would be three years out from when recommendations are submitted to Council. Member Weigand requested that the language be changed to say 2025 under (C). Mr. Summers expressed the list under (D) did not look like the rest of City Code and may put staff in a difficult position if they can’t accomplish the reporting, as they would be in violation of City Code. The Task Force discussed if this would be more appropriate in City Code or in the ACE Administrative Rules, Mr. Summers explained that staff initiate the rules process, whereas if this is adopted by Council staff must comply. Members began consolidating subsections under (D), and removing language about ‘set up’ and ‘take down days’ to say ‘load in’ and ‘load out. There was a motion by Member Weigand to change the date to 2025, that motion was withdrawn. The Task Force directed Mr. Summers to change the recommendation so that the subsections under (D) be included in the administrative rules and that it is clear to Council that this is to happen. Language was also modified to explain the intent of the rules. The Task Force adjusted language to replace the word 3 ‘impact’. Changes were made to better identify free versus paid events and who would collect certain data points. The agreed upon language changes to the recommendation was approved on Member Weigand’s motion, Member Thompson’s second, and on a unanimous vote C. Special Event Ordinance Performance During Spring Festival Season Nothing was discussed for this topic. D. Update for Organizers Currently Planning Events Nothing was discussed for this topic. E. Direction on Sending Approved Recommendations to Council Mr. Summers explained that only two recommendations that have been approved by the Task Force have been sent to Council, as it was indicated they are urgent. Mr. Summers asked the Task Force for clarification on whether the other recommendations should be sent right away or will be sent together with the final report. There was discussion on the possibility that recommendations may not make it to Council until after some members terms have ended, and that they likely are only concerned about items with budget implications for now. The Council decided to look at the recommendations in July, determine what has budget implications and send them, and hold the remainder until the final report. 3. NEW BUSINESS A. Temporary Road Closures Including Block Parties Ms. Hargrove’s (ATD) provided information on the impact of recent Council changes to managing street closures in residential areas. There was no further discussion on ACE related issues for this topic. B. Waste Planning and Emissions Ms. Setzer (ARR) explained how they collect and review waste reduction and diversion plans. The Task Force decided no further action was needed in regard to waste planning. C. Sales of Goods The Task Force decided to take on this topic in the next meeting. 4. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS  Expedited Process  High-Capacity Venue  Review previously approved recommendations to determine if they need to be sent to Council  Sale of Goods ADJOURNMENT – Motioned by Member Weigand, second by Smith, unanimous vote. 4 The minutes were approved at the 8/17/2022 meeting on Member Thompson’s motion, Member White’s second on a unanimous vote. 5