Agenda - Council Work Session - 04/24/2012

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CC Work Session Meeting Date: 04/24/2012 By: Jo Thieling, Administrative Services 2. 1. Title: Discuss Request for Special Events Permit Background: Staff received a request for a Special Events Permit from SPM Properties, The Penalty Box Bar & Grill, located at 14077 St. Francis Boulevard NW, Ramsey. They are requesting permission to host a tent party for Friday and Saturday nights, June 22 and 23, 2012. Their plan is to have a live band in the tent both nights and they are requesting the party hours of 8:00 p.m. to midnight. Staff (City Clerk Thieling, Police Chief Way, Fire Chief Kapler, and Director of Public Works Olson) met and discussed some of the items/issues that have come up from past tent parties at this location. A brief history is as follows: In 2009, a Special Events Permit was granted to The Penalty Box for Friday and Saturday nights, May 8 and 9. A request was made to have the live bands play from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Two officers worked each night. On Friday night, the officers worked from 7:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. The crowd was described as "light" by the officers. One person had to be escorted from the property and told not to return. This was taken care of by bar security. One anonymous complaint was made to dispatch a little after 7:00 p.m. regarding loud music. On Saturday night, officers worked from 7:00 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The Penalty Box requested the officers stay an additional hour because of the large crowd. Officers were asked by Penalty Box staff to remove one disorderly person from the location; he left without incident. Officer indicated most went well and the crowd was mostly well behaved. People attending the event parked wherever they could find a spot in the area which included by businesses in the area and on the street. No vehicles were towed for illegal parking. One very upset person called dispatch to complain about the loud music at 9:42 p.m. The caller indicated she was going to contact Councilmembers about the permit. Prior to the event, Chief Way received one call from a citizen who had questions about the event. He answered the questions which related to parking and trash clean-up on private property. A few complaints were received from other tenants in the mall with regard to the parking spaces. Mr. McManus of The Penalty Box requested a second Special Events Permit for a tent party and live music for Friday and Saturday nights, August 21 and 22, 2009. The request was for the band to be allowed to play until midnight which is later than allowed by City Code, but can be deviated from with Council approval. Since there had been a few complaints received from other tenants in the mall where The Penalty Box is located, staff requested Mr. McManus notify his neighbor tenants of his proposed event. Mr. McManus did that and brought in a notification signed by each of the neighboring tenants. Staff discussed parking options with Mr. McManus and offered the use of City property located on the northeast corner of 142nd Avenue and Highway #47 as well as the "old Amoco" site. Mr. McManus would take care of mowing that property to allow parking. The City Attorney wrote up an indemnification agreement with regard to the use of that site. No fee was charged for the parking site or Mr. Goodrich's time to write up the agreement. Fire Chief Kapler had suggested erecting the tent closer to the building, eliminating a drive lane between the tent and The Penalty Box and Mr. McManus agreed to that location. Council approved the Special Events Permit which included allowing the bands to play until midnight, with the condition that the volume of the amps be turned down at 11:00 p.m. A Ramsey Police Officer physically checked the volume at 10:30 p.m. and again at 11:00 p.m. to make certain Mr. McManus complied with Council's directive; Mr. McManus was in compliance. Chief Way reported there were no noise complaints received. A Special Events Permit was requested by The Penalty Box to host a tent party on Friday and Saturday nights, May 7 and 8, 2010. Staff recommended the location of the tent be the same as at the August 2009 event - closer to the