DATE:
September 23, 2025
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Community Services
TITLE: Street Closure, Sound Amplification, and
Festival Area Designation for the German
International School of Silicon Valley
German Holiday Market
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a Resolution of the City Council of the City of Mountain View: (1) Approving a Special Event Permit and Sound Amplification Permit for the German Holiday Market Special Event, Subject to Conditions; (2) Approving the Closure of Certain Public Streets in the Downtown Area on Friday, December 12, 2025 at 12:01 p.m., through Sunday, December 14 at 1 a.m., for the German Holiday Market Special Event Pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 21101 (e); and (3) Delegating Authority to the Community Services Director for Future German Holiday Market Events, to be read in title only, further reading waived (Attachment 1 to the Council report).
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
In 2013, the German International School of Silicon Valley (GISSV) was approved to hold the first German Holiday Market on Civic Center Plaza and Pioneer Park through a Special Event application and in accordance with Council Policy K -14, Special Event Policy. In April 2019, the event was brought back to Council for approval of an expanded footprint, which includes Civic Center Plaza, Pioneer Park, and Mercy Street from Bryant Street to Hope Street, and Castro Street from California Street to Church Street. Since 2019, the event has been successfully held at the same location with a pause in 2020, 2021, and 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 2019 it has retained that same footprint and, accordingly, subsequent special event permits have been administratively approved by the Community Services Director as authorized by Section 7(c) of Council Policy K-14.
A Special Event application was submitted on June 20, 2025 by the GISSV for the German Holiday Market on December 13, 2025.
This year, the GISSV is requesting, in addition to the footprint that has been place since 2019, to close Mercy Street from Bryant Street to Castro Street and Mercy Street from Hope Street to Castro Street at 12:01 p.m. on Friday, December 12, through 1 a.m. on Friday, December 14, 2025
Special Event, Sound Amplification Permit, and Street Closure for Holiday Market September 23, 2025
to allow for 12 additional hours for set -up of the event (Attachment 3 – Traffic Control Plan).
Castro Street will remain open to vehicular traffic during this time.
Per Council Policy K -14, new and/or first -time special event requests shall be approved by City Council; recurring similar events can be approved administratively. Due to the changes in location and street closures, the German Holiday Market event requires City Council approval of the Special Event permit, which staff recommends with conditions (Exhibit A to Attachment 1 of this report). If approved, future Holiday Market events similar in size and scope would not come back to Council but would be processed administratively.
California Vehicle Code Section 21101(e) provides that a City may temporarily close all or a portion of any street in its jurisdiction for “celebrations, parades, local special events, and other purposes when, in the opinion of local authorities having jurisdiction or a public officer or employee that the local authority designates, by resolution, the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing.” The attached Resolution to this report would continue to authorize street closures that have been in place since 2019 and include the additional closures of Mercy Street from Bryant Street to Castro Street and Mercy Street from Hope Street to Castro Street at 12:01 p.m. on Friday, December 12 through 1 a.m. on Friday, December 14, 2025, as requested by the GISSV, pursuant to the Vehicle Code, and also authoriz e the Community Services Director to make this finding if future Holiday Market events have the same proposed street closures and remain similar in size and scope, in accordance with Council Policy K-14.
In addition to approval of the event under Council Policy K -14, the application also states that there will be live entertainment at various times, necessitating a sound amplification permit pursuant to City Code Section 3.17(2), subject to conditions (which are included in Exhibit A to Attachment 1 to the report). These conditions align with Council Policy K -14 and are consistent with previous years’ conditions with only minor additions for clarification that have been made since the event was last brought before Council in 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total estimated cost of reimbursable City service expenses - including Police, Fire, Streets , and Community Services - plus a five percent (5%) administrative fee, is approximately $21,000.
This amount will be fully reimbursed by the applicant.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent Special Event, Sound Amplification Permit, and Street Closure for Holiday Market September 23, 2025
financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website: www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to- play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
☒ Other permit, license, or entitlement for use
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not approve the special event permit, sound amplification permit, and additional closure of Mercy Street from Bryant Street to Castro Street and Mercy Street from Hope Street to Castro Street at 12:01 p.m. on Friday, December 12 through 1 a.m. on Friday, December 14, 2025
2. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING
Agenda posting and notice (Attachment 5-Public Noticing Letter was delivered by hand or mail by the GISSV on Friday, September 12, 2025 to all affected businesses and residents.
Prepared by:
Michele Petersen
Recreation Supervisor
Colin James
Recreation Manager
Approved by:
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
Attachments: 1. Resolution
2. Special Event Application
3. Traffic Control Plan
4. Event Layout
5. Public Noticing Letter