The Maryland Heights City Council recently discussed a new ordinance relating to special events. 

The proposed ordinance seeks to define just exactly what a special event is and introduces a licensing process for parties interested in hosting a special event. 

The city defines a special event as a temporary event that includes bike races, marathons, parades, etc. A special event is any type of event involving 50 or more people which requires one or more of the following:

1. Closing a public street; 
2. Blocking or restriction of city-owned property; 
3. Sale of merchandise, food or beverages; 
4. Erection of a tent; 
5. Installation of a stage, band-shell, trailer, van, portable building, grandstand or bleachers; 
6. Placement of portable toilets; 
7. Placement of temporary no-parking signs in a public right-of-way; or 
8. Placement of pedestrian boundary markers on city-owned property.  
9. Any public gathering in which a fee is charged or funds raised for the primary purpose of entertainment, the sale of merchandise or fund-raising and for which no business license or solicitor's permit has been issued, not including political events for candidates for public office   
10. Any temporary public gathering that requires an inspection under City of Maryland Heights Municipal Codes or St. Louis County mechanical or health codes.  
11. Any gathering of people or an event in which a radio, phonograph, loudspeaker, sound amplifier or other device which produces a volume of sound audible at a distance of more than one hundred (100) feet from the device and would violate the provision of municipal code section 14-307   
12. Bonfires or recreational fires

To host a special event, a license is required. For $25 a license from the City Clerk can be obtained. Special events will be limited to four per year per organization or individual. All events should not exceed three days, unless modified by a conditional use permit. 

To obtain a license, a person need to file an application with the City Clerk at least 14 days before the date of the event. In the event of special circumstances, the city clerk and/or the chief of police, can approve an event that is submitted with less than 14 days notice.  The city clerk and the chief of police will review and approve, or deny, all requests for special event licenses based upon the information provided in the application. The chief of police also has the power to revoke a special event license. 

A license can only be obtained once the applicant produces an insurance policy naming the city of Maryland Heights as additional insured.

Once the license in obtained, the new ordinance requires the person in charge of the to have the license during the event.

The ordinance will take effect starting on Jan. 1, 2013.