Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: APPROVAL OF 2024 CITY OF COTATI KIDS DAY EVENT IN LA PLAZA PARK.
Date: April 9, 2024
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2024 City of Cotati Kids Day Parade & Festival.
Background
The Annual Kids Day Parade and Festival has been an ongoing event for many years in Cotati.
This year, the City will once again be producing this annual event, the 31st Annual Cotati Kids Day Parade and Festival, to take place on Saturday, July 13th, 2024.
Analysis/Discussion
Below is a summary of the event. The logistics, operation and participants are anticipated to be very similar to the 2023 event. The request includes the following: 1) exclusive use of La Plaza Park; 2) closure of public streets, including parking spaces; 3) live, amplified entertainment as well as dogs and other animals (ponies and reptiles) and inflatable jump houses in the park; 4) food truck and other vendor sales in the park.
Event Attendance Dates/Times (including set-up)
Kids Day Parade & Festival 3,000 Saturday, July 13th, 7:00 am - 7:00 pm California Vehicle Code Section 21101 (e) authorizes the temporary closing of any street for celebrations, parades, local events and other purposes when, in the opinion of local authorities having jurisdiction, the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing. In these instances, the public street would be heavily used for the parade, vendor logistics, porta-potties and equipment, so closure would be in the best interest of public safety. The Police Department will notify the appropriate public and emergency response agencies of the closures.
The Kids Day Parade and Festival is a yearly event that brings thousands of children and adults together. The parade will begin at 10:00 am with staging at the Community Center on East School Street, continuing east on West Sierra Avenue to Henry Street to Old Redwood Highway where it will turn north to terminate at La Plaza Park. Participants will then enjoy multiple activities and events for children in La Plaza Park, including amplified live entertainment, until 3:00 pm. In order to maximize the safety of those attending, the Police Department would need to temporarily close certain streets during the parade portion of the event.
Financial Considerations
This event is widely marketed and has increased the number of visitors to the City. The increased visitation is evidenced at the event and local businesses. The event provides increased opportunities to promote economic development and increased sales tax revenue.
Financial considerations for the City would be expenditures of approximately $16,480 in supplies, vendors, and staff costs accommodated in the current FY 23-24 budget and anticipated for the upcoming FY 24-25 budget. The costs are comprised largely of supplies and vendors ($4,000), Recreation staff ($5,840), Public Works staff ($2,400), and Police staff ($4,590) and are broken out below. Appropriation will be requested with the forthcoming FY 24-25 budget. Summary if the costs by department and function are included below:
Supplies/Vendors - estimated cost $4,000
Emcee – $500
Decorations - $3,000
Prizes - $500
Staff Time Recreation & Public Works - 100 hours, estimated cost $8,240 Recreation Staff prep work & day of event – 80 hours
Install overhead banner at Old Redwood Highway - 3 hours Street closures installing and removing cones, bollards - 12 hours Next day cleanup - 5 hours
Staff Time Police - 20 hours, staff costs $4,240
Meals- $350
Meals will need to be provided for police volunteers (mutual aid, cadets and explorers).
Much of the costs associated with hosting the event are recovered through sponsors and fees collected by vendors attending the festival. The 2023 event brought in $10,845 in revenues for sponsorships and vendor fees. The revenues for 2024 are expected to be similar.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.