1 City Council Meeting October 14, 2025 Santa Monica, California RESOLUTION NUMBER _________ (CCS)
(City Council Series)
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA
ESTABLISHING A SIGNATURE EVENTS CATEGORY, DESIGNATING SANTA
MONICA SIGNATURE EVENTS, AND AUTHORIZING WAIVER OF CITY EVENT
FEES FOR DESIGNATED SIGNATURE EVENTS
WHEREAS, the City of Santa Monica is a highly desirable year-round event venue for community events, and the City has received an increasing number of requests from a variety of organizations and event producers to waive certain fees for special events; and
WHEREAS, community events greatly enhance the cultural fabric of the City, and provide numerous public benefits, both tangible and intangible; and WHEREAS, the waiver of City fees can reduce the financial burden on event organizers and allow the City to establish mutually beneficial partnerships with community groups, however, such waivers can create funding gaps in the budgets of City Departments; and
WHEREAS, certain events have been traditionally celebrated or observed in the City, or are otherwise tied to the history of the community; and WHEREAS, such events draw widespread participation from residents of Santa Monica and its surrounding communities, as well as drawing tourists and visitors, and confer a benefit on the local economy; and
2 WHEREAS, the City may choose to selectively fund certain activities it believes to be in the public interest, without at the same time funding alternative programs, and in supporting the preferred programs, the City is not considered to be engaging in viewpoint discrimination (Rust v. Sullivan (1991) 500 U.S. 173, 193); and WHEREAS, in the interest of fairness and consistency, the Council wishes to establish specific, viewpoint-neutral criteria to identify its signature events, and set forth fiscally sustainable parameters for the benefits to such events.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA MONICA DOES RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Criteria. To be considered a Signature Event eligible for fee waivers pursuant to this Resolution, an event must meet the following criteria:
a. Takes place at a City-owned site.
b. Is produced by or benefits a nonprofit.
c. Is free and open to the public.
d. Demonstrates a commitment to the City of Santa Monica, as evidenced by having taken place at least annually for at least three years. e. Provides cultural, social, and/or recreational benefit to the residents of the City, and/or provides economic enhancement and positive promotion of the City.
f. Provides revenue generating opportunities for local business and City facilities.
g. The following shall be ineligible:
1. Events that are primarily political in nature.
3 2. Events that endorse religion or for which the waiver will directly fund religious worship, instruction, or proselytization. Cultural events hosted by a religious group but categorized primarily as a celebration of pluralism and diversity, rather than an endorsement of religion, are not prohibited.
3. Events whose principal component is merchandise
sales or exhibits, business promotions, or product or
service launches.
4. Events hosted by organizations based outside of Santa Monica, unless the demonstrated benefits or services
are primarily for the residents of Santa Monica.
SECTION 2. Signature Events. The Council finds the Signature Events attached hereto in Exhibit A currently meet the criteria set forth in this Resolution, and are entitled to the benefits set forth herein.
SECTION 3. Benefits. Signature Events are eligible for the following benefits:
a. A one-time waiver of outstanding debt for past events, effective as of the date of this Resolution.
b. The benefits set forth in Exhibit B, attached hereto.
SECTION 4. Rules and Regulations.
a. Following adoption of this Resolution, the Recreation and Parks Commission (RPC) shall be delegated the authority to review this Resolution bi-annually and decide whether any events should be added or removed from the list of Signature Events based on the criteria set forth in 4 this Resolution. The decision of the RPC may be appealed to the Director based on the procedure set forth in Santa Monica Municipal Code section
4.68.090.
b. Signature Events shall be responsible for the payment of all other fees required by the Community Events Ordinance, Santa Monica Municipal Code Chapter 4.68, or any other applicable state or local law or regulation. c. Funding for any Signature Event is not guaranteed from year to year, and is within the discretion of the Council and subject to budgetary appropriation.
d. The Council has not retained a role for itself in the permit application process and it has instead prospectively exempted certain events from paying fees or providing a subsidy to Signature Events based on the specific articulated criteria in this Resolution. The Council reserves no explicit authority to waive fees or grant a subsidy to events on an application-by application basis, but does reserve the right, through future action, to amend this Resolution.
e. Nothing in this Ordinance shall limit the City’s ability to produce, co-produce, or sponsor events pursuant to the process outlined in Administrative Instruction 4-21, or to waive fees pursuant to any existing agreement. f. Nothing in this Ordinance shall limit the City’s ability to waive fees for indigent persons as outlined in Santa Monica Municipal Code sections
4.68.080 or 4.68.140.
5 SECTION 5. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this Resolution, and thenceforth and thereafter the same shall be in full force and effect.
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________
HEIDI VON TONGELN
Interim City Attorney
Exhibit A
City of Santa Monica
Recreation and Arts Department
Signature Events 2025
Event Name Event Organizer
Pier 360 Santa Monica Pier Corporation
Locals Night Santa Monica Pier Corporation
Easter on the Promenade Downtown Santa Monica
Pride on the Promenade Downtown Santa Monica
Dia de Los Muertos on the Promenade Downtown Santa Monica Open Main Street - Summer Solstice Main Street Business Improvement Association Montana Ave Art Walk Montana Merchants Association
Open Main Street - Day of the Dog Main Street Business Improvement Association July 4th Parade Ocean Park Association
Festival of Chariots International Society for Krishna Consciousness LA Opera at the Beach LA Opera
Ice Grand Opening Day Downtown Santa Monica
Westside Unity Classic Car Show Pico Youth & Family Center Veteran’s Day Ceremony United States Army
Exhibit B
City Event Fees
All fees are subject to increase by annual resolution.
Waivable Event Fees
Department Fee Name Fee
CDD/Building & Safety Single Trade Permit $430.46
CDD/Building & Safety Plan check review $315.93
CDD/Planning & Zoning Temporary Use Permit (TUP) $1,147.41 CDD/Planning & Zoning TUP for re-occurring events or in private space
$491.99
DOT Metered Parking Space
Reservation
Posted meter rate
DOT One-day Valet Permit $889.28
DOT Temporary No Parking Sign
Issuance
$86.53
DOT Temporary “No Parking” Sign
removal
$240.70/sign
DOT Oversize Load Permit $16 (one-way)
$32 (two-way)
DOT Roadway Closure Permit $358.79
DOT Traffic Control Plan Standard
Review (Review 1 & 2)
$370.52/sheet
DOT Traffic Control Plan Standard
Review (Review 3+)
$391.96/sheet
DOT Traffic Control Plan Expedited
Review (Review 3+)
$484.74/sheet
DOT Parking Specialist Event Support $335.06/hr.
DOT Parking Manager Event Support $661.47/hr.
DOT Traffic Engineer Event Support $396.84/hr.
DOT/BBB Moving Bus Stop $797.83
FINANCE Business License $194.00
PW/RRR Event Coordination Fee (bins or
carts)
$319.31
PW/RRR Event Bin Rental (Trash,
Compost, or Recycling)
$325.90/bin
PW/RRR Event Cart Rental (Trash,
Compost, or Recycling)
$169.38/cart
PW/RRR Add’l Bin Service $138.50
PW/RRR Add’l Cart Service $110.19
RAD Application Fee $50-$380.57
RAD Administrative Fee $121.21-$886.61
Department Fee Name Fee
SMFD Fire Personnel Benefits portion of costs per
hour
SMFD Candles/Open Flame Permit $175.25
SMFD LPG/Propane Permit $128.30
SMPD Police Personnel Benefits portion of costs per
hour
SMPD Motorcycle $72.86/day
SMPD Police Horse $36.42/day
SMPD Rescue boat $291.49/4 hrs
$36.40 ea. add’l hr.
Non-Waivable Event Fees
Department Fee Name Fee
CDD/Building & Safety After-hours inspection – 2hrs. $631.86 CDD/Building & Safety After-hours inspection – 4hrs. $1,263.72 DOT Temporary “No Parking” Signs $1.98/sign
PW/RRR Refundable Beach and Park
Clean-up Deposit
$0-$1,500
RAD Neighbor Notification $229.75 – fixed venue
$0.78/per piece extending
beyond fixed venue
SMFD Fire Personnel Staff time is to be charged at the
hourly rate or overtime rate, as
applicable, excluding benefits
(base rate)
SMPD Police Personnel Staff time is to be charged at the hourly rate or overtime rate, as
applicable, excluding benefits
(base rate)