City's Special Event Process Changes

Because the process for obtaining special event permits has changed, the city of Roswell will hold an open house for special event organizers next week to assist applicants with the new process.

Under the new guidelines, a permit is only necessary if the event will affect the ordinary use of parks, public streets, rights-of-way, or sidewalks, disrupt the flow of traffic on public streets or sidewalks, or include alcohol service or sales where it is not normally permitted. Events on private property which will make no use of city streets other than for lawful parking do not require a special event permit. 

In addition, application deadlines have been adjusted as follows: 

• Two weeks prior to an event if city resources are not required;
• Thirty days prior to a recurring event if city resources are required;
• Sixty days prior to a new event or recurring event with a change in venue/route if city resources are required; and
• The same as the sponsorship deadlines for organizers requesting sponsorship of city resources.

Applications may be submitted up to a year prior to the event and early submission is encouraged in order to secure the applicants preferred date because the city can only accommodate one road closure per day.

In order to better manage the increasing requests for in-kind sponsorship of city services for special events, the Roswell Mayor and City Council have established a grant process for these sponsorships. 

• Grants will be given for 90 percent of the cost of city resources and capped at $2,700 worth of City resources. 
• Sponsorship requests are due by Sept. 30 for events occurring January through June of the following year. 
• Sponsorship requests are due by March 31 for events occurring July through December of the same year. 
• Sept. 30, 2012 is the deadline to request sponsorship for events being held between Jan. 1, 2013 and June 30, 2013. 

The meeting to go over the new process will take place on Aug. 29 at two different times – 2 p.m.-3 p.m. and 6 p.m.-7 p.m. at 38 Hill Street, Room 220. For more information, visit the city's website.