City of Baltimore - File #: 23-0181R

• File #: 23-0181R
• Version: 0
• Name: Informational Hearing - Special Event Permitting Processes
• Type: City Council Resolution
• Status: In Committee
• File created: 7/17/2023
• In control: Ways and Means
• Title: Informational Hearing - Special Event Permitting Processes For the purpose of inviting representatives from the Department of Transportation, Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Public Works, Baltimore Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Human Resources, City Administrator’s Office, and any other relevant parties to come before the City Council to: (1) detail the causes of widespread challenges with the City’s special events permitting processes, including application backlogs, staff shortages, and system irregularities; (2) outline solutions to ensure that these backlogs, staff shortages, and irregularities do not continue to impact beloved City events and public safety; and (3) outline reasons for permit denials and detail the City’s strategy for responding to unpermitted events.
• Sponsors: Zeke Cohen, Phylicia Porter, John T. Bullock, Sharon Green Middleton, Mark Conway, Ryan Dorsey, Odette Ramos, James Torrence, Antonio Glover, Kristerfer Burnett
• Indexes: Informational Hearing, Special Event Permitting Processes

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Fire Department
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Dept. of Human Resources
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Baltimore City Administrator
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to City Solicitor
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Dept. of Transportation
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Dept. of Recreation and Parks
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Dept. of Public Works
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Police Department
7/20/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Refer to Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement
7/17/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Introduced
7/17/2023	0	Baltimore City Council	Assigned

* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*

City of Baltimore
Council Bill R
(Resolution)

Introduced by: Councilmembers Cohen and Porter



A Resolution Entitled

A Council Resolution concerning
title
Informational Hearing - Special Event Permitting Processes
For the purpose of inviting representatives from the Department of Transportation, Department of Recreation and Parks, Department of Public Works, Baltimore Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Human Resources, City Administrator’s Office, and any other relevant parties to come before the City Council to: (1) detail the causes of widespread challenges with the City’s special events permitting processes, including application backlogs, staff shortages, and system irregularities; (2) outline solutions to ensure that these backlogs, staff shortages, and irregularities do not continue to impact beloved City events and public safety; and (3) outline reasons for permit denials and detail the City’s strategy for responding to unpermitted events.
body

Recitals

The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated challenges within City special events permitting procedures and caused some processes to grind to a halt. Many of these have never resumed or recovered and, as a result, have threatened the cancellation of major events, including the 2022 Mayor’s Christmas Parade, and have contributed to unsafe, unpermitted events, including Brooklyn Day in 2023.

City permitting processes protect public safety. When festivals, block parties, demonstrations, races, parades, and other...