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Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 2.A
Meeting Date: December 13, 2023
From: Ryan Hunt, Communications and Events Manager
Title: Special Use Permit Procedure Discussion
City Council
RECOMMENDATION:
This is a presentation only. There is no formal action required.
BACKGROUND:
Communications & Events is seeking guidance from the City Council related to the Special Use Permit (SUP) process. As it stands currently, all events (no matter the scale or location) require City Council approval. Staff are hopeful that some of the smaller scale events or annual events we routinely approve of can be authorized administratively with a checklist approved by the City Council.
Staff are also hopeful the City Council can work with Communications & Events to develop rental fees for venues currently free of charge to book for events. The City doesn’t want to be cost-prohibitive to applicants hosting events in Cathedral City, but we need to ensure the City recovers costs.
DISCUSSION:
Currently, Communications & Events is finding it hard to process SUPs in a timely manner for event applicants due to every event requiring City Council approval. It can take weeks to find placement on a City Council agenda, which limits the event organizer’s ability to promote their event until they receive formal approval.
Communications/Events staff is also concerned about losing opportunities to other venues and believes a more streamlined process would be helpful for both efficiency and necessary staff time currently utilized for developing staff reports for each event submitting an SUP.
With a checklist endorsed by the City Council, events like CCHS Homecoming Parade, one-day events like DAP Volunteer Appreciation and the Autism Acceptance Walk in our community amphitheater, are just a few examples of smaller scale events that could be approved administratively.
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Communications & Events would also like to explore additional fees for venues outside the Community Amphitheater. Right now, we don’t have any rental fees associated with Downtown venues like Town Square Park, the Festival Lawn, Avenida Lalo Guerrero, and other City venues. To protect the City from liability in the future, the City also needs to ensure proper cleaning fees are in place.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Action F-6: Promote additional community events and celebrations.
ATTACHMENTS:
DRAFT RECOMMENDATIONS SUP PROCEDURE DISCUSSION