Columbus, Georgia

UPTOWN COLUMBUS, INC.

CENTRAL RIVERFRONT DISTRICT

Special Event Permit

Guidelines



Purpose and Intent:



The City of Columbus, UPtown Columbus, Inc?s, and the Uptown Columbus Business

Improvement District?s (BID) special event program helps create a dynamic and

vibrant retail environment, increases pedestrian activity, and promotes the

Uptown area as a destination for the citizens in the region. These special

event guidelines assist in making sure that all events conducted support the

needs of the entire Uptown community and the citizens of Columbus, Georgia.

The specific purposes of the guidelines include the following:



1. Protect the public health, safety and welfare of Uptown workers, merchants,

residents and visitors during special events.

2. Facilitate and assist in the development of well planned and executed

special events by providing rules and procedures to follow to obtain licenses,

permits, liability insurance, and other requirements as authorized in the

guidelines.

3. Conduct high quality special events that create a vibrant and attractive

pedestrian environment, increase immediate and long term business for Uptown

merchants, enhance the unique character of the Central Riverfront District, and

promote the cultural and historic heritage of Columbus.

4. Produce an appropriate number and mix of events to avoid saturation,

financial risk, boredom by the public and a negative physical impact on City

property due to overuse.





APPLICATION GUIDELINES



Organizations and agencies wanting to conduct public gathering or

events on the City of Columbus? property in the Uptown area must obtain event

permit approval in advance from the City Manager. In order to ensure the

fullest consideration and to provide for adequate preparation and promotion,

the special event application should be submitted to Uptown Columbus, Inc. not

less than 120 days prior to the start of the event. Uptown Columbus must

forward the fully completed application to the City Manager, with a

recommendation to approve or disapprove, within 30 days of receipt of each

fully completed application. The City Manager will attempt to respond to the

applicant, with a copy to Uptown Columbus, within 30 days of receipt of the

recommendation from Uptown Columbus. Applicants should make every effort to

place their event on the Uptown Columbus, Inc. Annual Event Calendar, which is

developed each November/December prior to the year of execution.



Special Event Permits must be obtained for the following events and any like

activities held on City owned property or on public rights of way (except areas

controlled by City Parks and Recreation) within the Uptown area:

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Block Parties Carnivals Road Closings Ceremonies

Concerts Festivals Performances





?

The City of Columbus has priority use on any city property or right-of-way in

the CRD. Other applications for Special Events Permits are processed in order

of receipt. The use of a particular area is generally allocated in the order

in which fully executed applicants are received.



? Applicants who have held an event in the previous year will have the first

priority for the same time and location. This right should not apply if the

event did not follow established guidelines the previous year.



? Special Event permits will not be issued for a time period of more than (3)

days. Any permit beyond the 3 day limit will fall under Article IV of City

Ordinance No. 96-39 which covers special events lasting at least 4 successive

days.



? To ensure public safety and protection for the City of Columbus, Uptown

businesses and citizens, and avoid conflict between events by assigning the

same time and location to two or more events, the City of Columbus may refuse

or require alterations to permit applications.



? Special Event permits for activities along the Riverwalk must be processed

through Parks and Recreations and coordinated with Uptown Columbus, Inc..



? Special Event permits for the use of the Rankin Courtyard must be processed

through Columbus State University (CSU).



? Events held in City Parks must follow guidelines set forth in the City Parks

Policies.



? Times may be changed at the sole discretion of the City, due to weather,

infrastructure requirements, repair to utilities, participant behavior, and

considerations for safety of persons, property and good public order.



? Any misrepresentation in the application or deviation from the final agreed

upon method of operation described on the application may result in immediate

revocation of the permit.









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EVENT REQUIREMENTS



Any organization/agency/business/individual seeking to hold special events on

City property must submit an application through Uptown Columbus, Inc. to the

City Manager. Uptown Columbus, Inc. will notify the appropriate City staff

agencies of the application and make a recommendation to the City Manager

within 30 days of receipt of a fully completed application. Each applicant

will be charged a non-refundable application fee of $50 which will be paid to

UpTown Columbus, Inc. to cover expenses incurred in processing application.

In addition, each application must be accompanied by a check in the amount of

$1,500 for CRD members and $2,500 for non-CRD members, for the use of City of

Columbus property. Checks will be deposited three days after approval of the

event by the City Manager. In addition, the event.







sponsor will remit 20% of the revenue produced on city property during the

event. This is in addition to the 10% tax on alcohol required to be paid under

city code to the City of Columbus.

Riverfest will be exempt from the rental and revenue fee. The rental fee and

revenue fee for

events in the CRD will be paid to the City of Columbus and be redirected back

to Uptown Columbus, Inc. to be used for the improvement of the CRD. At least

80% of the rental fee and revenue fee will be deposited in a special checking

account and used by UpTown Columbus, Inc., as advised by the Special Events

Committee (see below), to market the CRD.



An CRD Special Events Committee, consisting of merchants and business owners in

Uptown Columbus and appointed by Uptown Columbus, Inc., will serve in an

advisory capacity to Uptown Columbus, Inc. for the purpose of making

recommendations on the scheduling and holding of such special events in

Uptown Columbus on city property. This committee will also provide oversight

on all such special events held in the CRD on city property and make

recommendations on marketing the CRD.



Uptown Columbus will provide oversight of all such special event activities

held on city property within the CRD. Uptown Columbus shall, within one week

of the conclusion of each event, provide to the Special Events Committee and

the City Manager an unofficial report on all revenues and expenditures

associated with the event and within 30 days a certified, comprehensive report

that provides a full accounting of all revenues and expenditures associated

with the event. Uptown Columbus shall be required to maintain certain

financial records and other documentation supporting event revenues and

expenditures. The City will have complete and free access to all such

financial records at all reasonable times for purposes of review and audit.

The City may also require submission of a budget and spending plan prior to

authorizing such event. Revenue derived from the event will be held in a

restricted account to provide reserve funds for future events and for the

benefit of the CRD.





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The following requirements apply to all special events held on City property.



1. Security. Sponsors of any event held in Uptown Columbus on public

property, including public rights of way, must demonstrate that they can

provide adequate security for the event from start to finish. A security

plan, which may require the use of off-duty law enforcement officers, must be

approved by the Chief of Police and must accompany the application.



2. Litter Free Event: All events held in the Uptown area will adhere to the

Keep Columbus Beautiful concept of litter free events. The event sponsor will

be responsible for removal of all litter and debris from City property, within

one block of the event, immediately after the event. The sponsor is

responsible for all costs should the City or the BID be required to clean

following the event. A $500 cleanup/damage deposit will be required.



3. Containers: All alcoholic beverages will be sold/served in plastic

containers. Non-alcoholic beverages can besold/ served in cans or plastic

containers. No glass containers containing any beverage are allowed.



4. Portable Restrooms: The event sponsor will be responsible for the

placement, location, service and upkeep of portable restrooms during any

special event.



5. Noise: An application for permission to include music or amplified sound,

including megaphones, outside in the Uptown area must be approved by the

Columbus Police Department. The City reserves the right to limit music and

sound amplification equipment so that it will not unreasonably disturb people

in the Uptown area. Complaints of loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise can

result in the immediate revocation of the permit.



a) Private Property: Sound amplifying equipment shall be operated only

between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. of each day unless an extension of

such hours is authorized by the chief of police? [Columbus Code 14-204, (m)]



b) Public Property:



It shall be unlawful for any person, other than personnel of law enforcement

or governmental agencies, to install, use, or operate within the city a

loudspeaker or sound-amplifying equipment in a fixed or movable position or

mounted upon any sound truck for the purposes of giving instructions,

directions, talks, addresses, lectures or transmitting of music to any persons

or assemblages or persons in or upon any street, alley, sidewalk, park, or

public property without first filing a registration statement and obtaining

approval thereof as set forth in this section. [City Code 14-205 (a)]



The operation of sound-amplifying equipment shall only occur between the hours

of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. each day except on Sundays and legal holidays. No

operation

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of sound-amplifying equipment shall be permitted on Sundays or legal

holidays. The operation of sound-amplifying for noncommercial purposes on

Sundays and legal holidays shall only occur between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and

10:00 p.m. (Columbus Code 14-205, (d) (2)



(c) The prohibitions of this article shall not apply to ?functions authorized

or licensed by the consolidated government or other governmental agency.

(City Code 14-207)



6. Insurance and Liability Requirements: The applicant assumes all risks

incidental to or in connection with the permitted activity and shall be

responsible for injury, of whatever kind or nature to a person, directly or

indirectly arising out of or in connection with the permitted activity or in

the conduct of the applicant?s operation. Applicant must ensure that all

subcontractors or agents of the applicant have adequate liability insurance

that is appropriate to the task they are accomplishing. Permittee agrees to

hold the City, Uptown Columbus, Inc, and Business Improvement District, it?s

officers, agents, employer, and representatives harmless from any penalties for

violations of law, ordinance and from any and all claims, suits, losses,

damages or injuries arising out of or in connection with the permitted activity

or its operation. A

Certificate of Insurance, showing liability insurance in the amount of

$1,000,000 naming the City of Columbus, Uptown Columbus, Inc, and the Business

Improvement District as an additional insured must be provided within seven (7)

days after the applicant is notified by the

City Manager of approval of the application for events held on property owned

and controlled by the City. Additional insurance may be required, as deemed

necessary by the City Manager, depending on the size and type of the requested

event. Failure to present proper proof of insurance shall be grounds for

revocation of the permit



7. Consumption and sale of Alcohol on Public Property:



(a) (Section 14-5.1 of Columbus Code). Except as authorized by city license

or by regulations promulgated by the City Manager or the Columbus Council, it

shall be



unlawful for any person to drink alcoholic beverages on the streets and

sidewalks or on the parks and playgrounds or on any other public property,

either inside or outside of any vehicle or building; and this prohibition shall

extend to parking lots and other outdoor premises of private businesses, either

licensed to sell alcoholic beverages or otherwise licensed to conduct business,

where such areas are normally open to the general public patronizing said

businesses.



(b) Permission to serve or consume alcohol may be granted by the City Manager

as part of the Special Event Permit approval. However, such service requires

the sponsoring non-profit organization to obtain a State of Georgia, Department

of Revenue, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Unit Special Event Permit which allows the

Special Event Permit licensee to sell alcohol in the event area. A copy of the

State Special Event Permit must be posted in the event area. The City reserves

the right to revoke the Special Event

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Permit or require its applicant to discontinue alcohol sales whenever

participants regularly demonstrate excessive, obnoxious, and inappropriate

behavior during or after the event.



(c) (Section 3-12.i of Columbus Code) Mixed drinks licensees may sell

outside of the licensed premises for catering services to conventions,

conferences, sales meetings, seminars, banquet groups, cultural events, private

parties or other events where the sale of alcoholic beverages is allowed under

regulations promulgated by the city manager. An additional rental fee of ten

(10) percent of the gross receipts received by the caterer shall be paid by the

renter to the treasurer of Columbus, Georgia, in care of the director of parks

and recreation. (It should be noted that the regulation of the transportation

and sale of alcohol is different under catered events than for special events

See Chapter 11 of the State Code on Alcoholic Beverages).



8. Road Closures: Blocking of all or a portion of a street will require a

street closure application approval by the Columbus Police Department and

the Columbus City Council. Blocking City streets and holding events on public

right of ways is such a privilege that City Council approves all street

closures. The Traffic Engineering Division or police department will place

barricades near closure sites. The event organizer will be responsible for

placing & removing the barricades from the streets subject to direction of the

Police Department . If blocking a street is necessary, applicant must provide

public notification to all businesses in the area where parking and traffic

flow is affected.



9. Food Service: Any applicant using vendors as caterers must contact the

Columbus Health Department at (706) 321-6170.



10. Vendors: Any proceeds from an event, which generates revenue, including

the sale of food or beverages, must be applied in support of Uptown Development

to benefit the entire community or for a specific non-profit organization.

Event organizers must generate an income

and expense sheet for the event to ensure event revenues benefit the

community. All applicable rents shall be paid to the city pursuant to

appropriate Columbus Codes.



11. Discrimination: Events held on City property must not discriminate on a

basis of race, sex, national origin, color, creed, religion, or handicap.



12. Runs, Races, Walks, Parades: All events of this type, which are

non-profit in nature, are exempt from the rental fee and revenue percentage

fee. However, these events must be coordinated with Uptown Columbus, Inc. and

processed through City Parks & Recreations and Columbus Police Department to

City Council.







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Special Events Committee Approval Criteria

The City of Columbus has no obligation to issue permits for the use of its

streets, sidewalks, buildings parks and other facilities for special events.

The City Manager, in deciding whether to issue a permit, and in resolving

possible conflicts between applicants will use the recommendation of Uptown

Columbus, Inc. and its advisory committee which will use the following criteria:



? The public health, safety and welfare of citizens and visitors



? Benefit to the entire Uptown community and the impact on other business and

organizations.



? The overall goal, mission and economic impact of the event.



? Appropriateness of City property for the intended use.



? Impact on City Budget.



? The likely impact on City property of the Special Event.



? Anticipated traffic conditions.



? Responsible supervision of the event.



? Where any revenue from the event goes and its accountability.



? Availability of City personnel whose presence may be required.



? Whether the proposed Special Event conflicts or is duplicative of other

events offered by the City of Columbus or another organization.



? How well the Special Event promotes the image of the Uptown area, tourism,

and quality of life in Columbus.



? Recommendation of the Uptown Columbus, Inc



? Impact on positive local, regional and national media exposure.



? Impact on the cost to the City to provide additional security and sanitation

support.



? Other factors as deemed appropriate.

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If the permit is approved, the applicant shall be subject to all City, State,

and Federal laws and regulations as they apply to the event.





For Additional Information/Questions:

Contact UPtown Columbus, Inc.

P.O. Box 1237

Columbus, GA 31902



Phone: (706) 596-0111

Fax: (706) 596-0012