Special Event Permits

Fees for the Special Event and Potential Waivers of Fees:

The applicant for a permit under Sections 95.02 and 95.03, if such permit is for a parade, activity or public event (hereafter referred to as “event”) which requires the temporary closing or obstruction of all or a portion of any street, shall, prior to the issuance of a permit, pay a fee in the following amount, as applicable, unless such fee is partially or fully waived by the Town Council in accordance with this section: 

1. An event sponsored by the Town, including the 4th of July parade, Christmas parade, homecoming parade for Appalachian State University and homecoming parade for Watauga High School, or other event designated by the Town Council as one that is sponsored by the Town – no fee; 
2. An event not sponsored by the Town which requires the temporary closing or obstruction of all or a portion of any street for less than one hour - $250.00; 
3. An event not sponsored by the Town which requires the temporary closing or obstruction of all or a portion of any street for one hour or more - $1,500.00. 

Potential Waivers:

The fees imposed by Section 95.06(A) may be partly or wholly waived by action of the Town Council. In waiving such fees in part or in full, the Town Council may consider, among others, the following factors: 

1. The capacity of the event sponsor to defray the costs of the fee through admission fees, participation fees, advertising fees and/or sponsorship contributions; 
2. The number of people the event is likely to bring into the Town and the expected economic impact of the event on the Town and Town merchants; 
3. The possible and expected impact of the event upon the Town’s image and reputation; 
4. Any features of the event which will either reduce or increase the normal expenditures of services and equipment which the Town must utilize in connection with the event; and 
5. Such other factor as the Town Council may determine justifies the Town’s bearing of a portion or the full costs of the extraordinary services or equipment necessitated by the event. 

Standards for Issuance of Permits:

The Town Clerk shall issue the permit authorizing the event unless it finds that: 

1. Conduct of the event will require the assignment of so many police officers that the remainder of the town cannot adequately be protected; or 
2. The event will interfere with the movement of emergency vehicles to such an extent that adequate police, fire, or other emergency services cannot be provided throughout the town; or 
3. The applicant has failed to obtain any necessary permits or licenses, including any required building permit or privilege license, or the applicant is otherwise in violation of any town ordinance; or 
4. The event will work a severe hardship on persons occupying property adjacent to the site, location, or route of the event as a result of the denial of access to property or for other substantial reasons; or 
5. The event, if held at the time or at the location or along the route proposed, will cause an unreasonable and unwarranted disruption to vehicular or pedestrian traffic; or 
6. The applicant has failed to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter, including the payment of any fees required. 

If a permit is issued in accordance with the requirements above, the Town Clerk may attach to it any reasonable conditions.  

If the Town Clerk finds that they cannot issue the permit for reasons specified above, they may request the applicant to modify its application to remove any objections to the issuance of the permit, and the applicant may do so without further notice or hearing. 

Any event conducted pursuant to a permit issued under this section shall be conducted strictly in accordance with the terms of the permit, including any conditions attached hereto. 

If the Town Clerk denies or revokes a parade permit, this action shall be final unless the applicant or permittee shall, within two days after the receipt of notice of the denial or revocation, file with the Town Manager written appeal. The Town Manager shall, within 24 hours after the appeal is filed, consider all evidence in support of or against the action appealed and render a decision either sustaining or reversing the denial or revocation.

Sponsor's Responsibilities:

The sponsor of the event shall be responsible for cleaning up any litter caused by the event, removing all temporary obstructions, and in general returning the area where the event takes place to the condition that existed prior to the event. The Town Clerk may require the sponsor to post a bond or other sufficient security to guarantee compliance with this section.

Street Closure:

If the Town Clerk finds that the permit should be issued and that, to conduct the event, it is necessary to close a street or to reroute traffic, the Town Council may pass a resolution authorizing this to be done. No such resolution shall be passed affecting streets that are part of the state street system without the approval of the State Department of Transportation. 

Appropriate Notice(s):

The resolution shall identify the street or portion thereof to be affected and shall indicate the date and time when the street or portion thereof is to be closed or traffic thereon is to be limited in some way. The resolution shall also direct the manager to have appropriate traffic-control devices installed to give notice of the temporary traffic controls. 

The Town Clerk shall, by any adequate means, notify persons occupying property abutting the street where the event is to take place of the contents of any resolution passed in accordance with this section.

Vehicle Operations:

No person may operate any vehicle contrary to the traffic-control devices installed in accordance with the section above.