DATE: 08/05/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Services Department
2026-132
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTERS 9.20 AND 12.24 OF THE CORONA MUNICIPAL
CODE REGARDING SPECIAL EVENTS AND ADOPTION OF NEW USER GROUPS
CLASSIFICATION
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Staff recommend that the City Council approve the first reading of Ordinance No. 3433, amending chapters 9.20 and 12.24 of the Corona Municipal Code (CMC). The proposed amendments clarify existing code language, designate a single primary point of contact for the special event permit process, and establish standardized user group classifications to ensure consistent application review and evaluation across all City departments.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council introduce, by title only, and waive full reading of Ordinance No. 3433 amending Chapter 9.20 (Special Events) and Chapter 12.24 (Parks and Recreation Areas) of the Corona Municipal Code to codify applicant group priority classifications, to rename Chapter 9.20, to change the special event permitting authority from the Police Department to the Community Services Department, and to make other clarifying updates.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The City of Corona has historically allowed individuals, organizations, and businesses to rent public facilities and spaces for special events. The Corona Municipal Code (CMC) provides the authority for regulating these uses and establishes the framework for permitting, oversight, and enforcement.
Over time, the City’s policies and facility guidelines have been updated to meet practical operational needs, provide application timelines, ensure appropriate insurance and security, and keep events within capacity limits. Larger or higher-impact events, such as those with amplified sound, street closures, or large crowds, also require added coordination among multiple City departments to ensure safety and compliance. When necessary, the City may deny, suspend, or revoke permits to protect public welfare and keep facilities available for appropriate use.
The City uses a tiered fee and user-group classification system, outlined in the Master Fee Schedule, to balance broad community access with responsible cost recovery. This system aligns fees with the level of public benefit and the resources required to support each type of use. Currently, departments use different qualifiers when determining user-group classifications, which can lead to inconsistent interpretations and fee assessments. Standardizing these qualifiers in the CMC will give all departments a shared set of definitions and criteria, making the process clearer for applicants and improving consistency and alignment across the organization.
Due to increasing demand for parks, community centers, and other public venues, updates to the CMC and existing special event procedures are needed to ensure equitable, efficient, and safe use of City assets.
ANALYSIS:
The City’s special event permitting process is guided by the CMC, primarily Chapters 9.20 and 12.24, which currently require groups of 25 or more to obtain a special event permit through the Police Department and follow all applicable procedural requirements. As part of the CMC updates, staff worked with the City Attorney’s office to review these chapters to clarify language, remove outdated provisions, and improve consistency so the code better reflects how the City manages special events today.
While many of the updates are minor cleanup and clarifications, several changes are more significant. The ordinance now designates the City of Corona Community Services Department, rather than the Police Department, as the primary point of contact for special event rentals, giving applicants a clear, centralized starting point while allowing Police, Fire, Public Works, and other City departments to continue reviewing applications within their respective areas of responsibility. This amendment aligns the CMC with current business practices without changing the City's interdepartmental review process.
In addition, the ordinance authorizes administrative policies to establish detailed submittal requirements and operational standards, rather than listing every application requirement within the code. The City’s administrative policy governing special events addresses these requirements and establishes standardized procedures for special event applications and administration, outlining the required documentation, submittal standards, and procedural steps for obtaining a special event permit. By aligning the code with the policy’s defined requirements, such as insurance, safety plans, site plans, and operational details, the permitting process becomes more consistent, transparent, and easier for applicants to navigate. This alignment ensures that both the ordinance and the administrative policy support a unified process for reviewing and approving special event applications.
With the proposed updates to the CMC, user-group classifications will now be formally included in Chapters 9.20 and 12.24. Codifying the user-group categories ensures that all departments apply the same definitions and criteria when reviewing applications, helping standardize fees, support consistent decision-making, and improve transparency for applicants. This addition strengthens alignment between the Master Fee Schedule, the CMC, and the City’s operational practices.
The user group classifications are listed below. It is important to note that Group II (Everyone Plays Youth Sports Non-Profit Organizations) applies only to youth sports organizations for athletic facility allocations and does not qualify for special event rentals.
User Group Description
Group I – Co-Sponsored
/ Governmental Users
City-sponsored or co-sponsored activities, CNUSD, and
other approved government agencies. Non-City groups
pay any direct costs.
Group II – Everyone
Plays Youth Sports
Non-Profits
Corona-based youth sports non-profits with at least 65% resident participation and an “everyone plays” model. Must provide required non-profit documentation and residency verification.
Group III – Resident
Non-Profit Groups
Corona-based non-profit organizations with documentation showing good standing and at least one year of
establishment.
Group IV – Resident
For-Profit Groups /
Non-Resident Non-Profit
Groups
Resident for-profit groups with a Corona address or
non-profit groups located outside city limits. Non-profits must provide required documentation.
Group V – Non-Resident
Individuals & For-Profit
Groups
Individuals or for-profit groups located outside Corona city limits.
The proposed ordinance modernizes Chapters 9.20 and 12.24 by updating outdated code language, aligning the CMC with current operational practices and administrative policies, and establishing consistent applicant priority classifications. These revisions improve transparency, provide applicants with a clear point of contact, support consistent permit administration across City departments, and create a more efficient and user-friendly special event permitting process while maintaining appropriate public health, safety, and operational review standards.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The City’s special event rental program is designed so that the cost of using City-owned facilities and public spaces is covered by the applicant. All fees and deposits are established in the Master Fee Schedule, ensuring that staffing, utilities, maintenance, and administrative needs related to rentals are fully reimbursed. As a result, there is no direct cost to the City or impact on the General Fund. Liability insurance requirements provide additional protection by covering potential property damage, non-compliance, or liability claims. Revenue from rentals is tracked within the City’s operating budget and supports ongoing maintenance and improvements to public facilities.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the common-sense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action amends Chapters 9.20 and 12.24 of the Corona Municipal Code to clarify the special event permitting process, and there is no possibility that approving this ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: MONIQUE LEON, RECREATION SERVICES MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: DONNA FINCH, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Ordinance Amending Corona Municipal Code Chapters 9.20 and 12.24 (Redline)
2. Exhibit 2 – Ordinance Amending Corona Municipal Code Chapters 9.20 and 12.24 (Clean)
3. Exhibit 3 – Special Events Administrative Policy
4. Exhibit 4 – Presentation