CITY COUNCIL ACTION REQUEST
DEPARTMENT(S)
City Manager’s Office of
Economic Development
and Cultural Affairs
CEQA
Not a Project, File No.
PP17-011, Temporary
Special Events
resulting in no
changes to the
physical environment.
COORDINATION
City Attorney's Office,
City Manager’s Budget
Office, Planning,
Building and Code
Enforcement
Department, Public
Works Department
Director Approval
Jen Baker
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S)
Citywide
CMO Approval
2/19/2026
SUBJECT: Retroactive Approval of “Free Use” of City Hall East and West Plazas for the Sonic Loveway Event
REASON FOR ADDENDUM
This item requires immediate action to retroactively approve the "Free Use" of City Hall Plazas for the Sonic Loveway event held on Saturday, February 14, 2026. This activation is a key partnership with Opera San Jose designed to breathe life into our public spaces and boost local economic development. As a result of activations in alignment with the major sporting events taking place in 2026, the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs has exhausted the “Free Use” allotted to the department for the 2026 calendar year. Internal coordination to identify an alternative department sponsor to support this event resulted in the need for retroactive approval.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution retroactively authorizing “Free Use” of the City Hall East and West Plazas on Saturday, February 14, 2026, for the Sonic Loveway event, co-hosted by the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs and Opera San Jose.
BASIS FOR RECOMMENDATION
In June 2019, the City adopted the Schedule of Fees Resolution No. 79138, Section 13.080 for free use of City Hall facilities and the plaza. Presently, the resolution allows City Council and City departments to have free use of the facilities for events that: 1) qualify as official City business; 2) are free and open to the public; 3) occur on a Sunday through Friday; and 4) are booked 30 days in advance. Resolution No. 79138 does not apply to free use requests for events on a Saturday, and as such, City Council approval is required to authorize free use for the Sonic Loveway event on the City Hall East and West Plazas on Saturday, February 14, 2026.
Sonic Loveway is a community-focused activation of the Sonic Runway public art piece, produced in partnership with Opera San Jose. This partnership will help drive economic development to make San José a more vibrant place to live, work, and visit. Holding the event on a Saturday will maximize public participation by allowing residents of all ages, families, local artists, and visitors from across San José and beyond to attend and fully engage in this unique experience. Approval of this memorandum will enable the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs and partner organizations to proceed with the reservation of City Hall East and West Plazas for the Sonic Loveway event.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION AND INPUT
No commission recommendation or input is associated with this action.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 2/24/26
FILE: 26-189
ITEM: 2.12
COST AND FUNDING SOURCE
Pursuant to the Schedule of Fees Resolution No. 79138, City departments may exercise a free city use option for qualifying events up to five times each year. Approval of the action associated with this memorandum will count towards one of the Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Department’s free use options. The estimated total cost for the reservation is $9,777, of which $7,821 would be waived because of the approval of this “Free Use” request. The remaining $1,956 fees will be paid by the City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs 2025- 2026 Operating Budget for the application, staffing, and security costs associated with the use of the plaza(s).
FOR QUESTIONS CONTACT: Zacharias Mendez, Senior Events Coordinator, Public Life and Events Manager, City Manager’s Office of Economic Development and Cultural Affairs at (408) 893-8237 or [email protected]