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Review and consideration of amendments to Chapter 7.50 of the Wauwatosa Municipal Code related to special events and the establishment of a provision for Temporary Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas (TDORA)
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Submitted by:
Melissa Weiss, Deputy City Administrator
Zach Kessler, Director of Municipal Services
Shane Wrucke, Police Captain
Jennifer Tate, City Attorney
Department:
Administration, Municipal Services, Police, and City Attorney
A. Issue
Special events provide opportunities for residents, businesses, and visitors to gather and celebrate. These events contribute to community identity, economic activity, tourism, and quality of life.
As the number and complexity of special events in Wauwatosa have increased, so too have the demands placed on City staff, public safety resources, residents, businesses, and neighborhoods. In recent years, the City has experienced challenges related to the impacts of recurring events in the same neighborhood, increased demands on public safety personnel, and inconsistencies in communication with affected residents and businesses.
To address these concerns, staff have reviewed Chapter 7.50 of the Wauwatosa Municipal Code and are recommending amendments intended to strengthen the special event review process, improve predictability for event organizers and City staff, better balance community impacts with event benefits, and provide additional tools for managing City resources.
Staff are also proposing the establishment of a Temporary Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (TDORA) provision for special events. A memo from the City's Tourism division is included as an attachment.
B. Background/Options
Included in the agenda packet is a red-lined version of Chapter 7.50, outlining the proposed changes.
Proposed amendments to Chapter 7.50 include:
• Application review considerations and limitations on run/walk and event frequency in the same neighborhood.
• Consideration of cumulative staffing and operational demands placed on public safety and other City employees.
• Extension of the minimum application submission deadline to 90 days before the event and establishment of a requirement that permit decisions be issued no later than 30 days before the event.
• Removal of the ability of an applicant to request that extraordinary service fees be waived.
• Clarification on the required notice that must be given to neighboring residents, property owners, and businesses before an event.
• Consideration of prior failures to notify affected residents, property owners, or businesses, and the occurrence of multiple run/walk events within the same neighborhood during a calendar quarter.
• The codification of an event blackout date process to protect public safety and City resources.
• Allowing event organizers to pay extraordinary service fees within 30 days after the event.
When taken together, these amendments provide clearer expectations for event organizers, strengthen the City's ability to manage cumulative neighborhood and operational impacts, improve communication with affected residents and businesses, and provide greater predictability in the application review process. The proposed TDORA provisions also create additional opportunities to support tourism and economic development.
C. Strategic Plan (Area of Focus)
Priority Area One: Economic Development
Priority Area Two: Public Safety
Priority Area Five: Quality of Life
D. Fiscal Impact
TDORA application and sticker fees will be created and charged for special events requesting approval of a TDORA. No changes are proposed to special event application or extraordinary service fees.
E. Recommendation
Staff recommend the Common Council approve the proposed amendments to Chapter 7.50 of the Wauwatosa Municipal Code.