Event promoters will be happy to hear that the city’s application process for outdoor festivals could get a little simpler. A new bylaw in the works would streamline the permitting process, and allow for exceptions for noise. Community Living Director Garry Roth says right now the noise bylaw has restrictions for outdoor events.
“So there was a conflict between the two, so one of the ways to resolve that conflict is just to create an exemption in the noise bylaw, that would take away that legal right to have to tone the noise down.”
Roth says promoters would pay a deposit based on the size of the event, up to $5000, while non-profit organizations and free events would be exempt from paying permit fees and deposits.
“So that way the larger scale events we can look at the municipal costs like policing, fire, and traffic control. For those kinds of costs that the city would bear, we can set an appropriate deposit that would cover us, but then for smaller events we can scale the deposit back.
City Council will look at approving the new bylaw at its next meeting.