Chapter 17.56 — SPECIAL EVENTS

Sections:

• 17.56.010 Title.

• 17.56.020 Purpose and intent. 17.56.030 Definitions. 17.56.040 Permit required. 17.56.050 Application submittal requirements.

• 17.56.060 Permit issuance. 17.56.070 Permit standards. 17.56.080 Permit revocation.

This chapter shall be known as the “special event ordinance” and may be so cited. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

A. The purpose of this chapter is to ensure the comfort, safety, and general welfare of the town citizens by controlling the number of special events and impacts of such events on the community and by providing a permit process.

B. The intent of this chapter is to protect residents from excessive noise, traffic, and other intrusions upon their privacy.

C. It is also the intent of this chapter to defray the costs of processing applications, responding to calls for service surrounding events, and providing extraordinary services related to the specific event.

The Atherton Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 677, passed February 18, 2026.

Page 161 of 192

Title 17 Zoning | Atherton Municipal Code

D. The city manager or his/her designee shall be responsible for enforcement of this chapter. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

Terms that are relevant to this chapter are defined in Chapter 17.60 (Definitions). (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

A. All special events held in the public right-of-way shall obtain a special event permit. Activities include, but are not limited to, processions such as walks, road races, bicycle rides, skate-a-thons, and similar activities.

B. A special event permit is required for any special event held on private property, occurring over the course of two or more consecutive days where members of the public are invited. Activities requiring a permit include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Motion picture filming;

2. House and garden tours;

3. Fundraisers;

4. Auctions;

5. Antique shows;

6. Concerts;

7. Other similar activities.

C. A special event permit is required for any special event held on private property, or public property that requires the assistance of the town for traffic control, public safety services, extraordinary parking control measures, waiver of any local, state, or federal ordinance, or other mitigation measures arising from the special event.

D. The following provisions shall apply to special events held at private or public schools and events held at country clubs:

1. Generally, events held at private or public schools and events held at country clubs will not require a special event permit from the town.

The Atherton Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 677, passed February 18, 2026.

Page 162 of 192

Title 17 Zoning | Atherton Municipal Code

2. The town has established by resolution event guidelines for school-related and non-school-related events at private or public schools and events at country clubs. Events held at private or public schools and country clubs must abide by school and country club special event guidelines.

3. Events that require the assistance of the town for traffic control, public safety services, extraordinary parking control measures or other mitigation measures due to the special event will require a special event permit.

4. Responsible parties shall notify the town of events that may result in additional impacts outside of the venue that require mitigation.

5. Responsible parties will be responsible for the direct costs of the town for extraordinary costs in response to the event. In such cases, the responsible party will be required to obtain an after-the-fact special event permit, with a penalty as established by resolution of the city council in addition to being financially responsible for the town’s direct costs related to the event.

E. Open house tours for the purpose of selling property in the regular course of a real estate transaction shall be exempt from the permit requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

The following items and information shall be submitted to the city manager or designee:

• A. Completed application (application form supplied by the town) submitted to the town at least sixty days prior to the event.

• B. Detailed description of the event.

• C. Contact person available prior to and during the event.

• D. Application fee (as set by resolution of the city council).

• E. The anticipated number of attendees and number of vehicle trips per day.

• F. An on- and off-site parking and staging plan including the placement of barricades, etc.

G. A deposit as determined by the town for the direct costs of the funding of any additional security measures not provided by the applicant.

H. A hold harmless agreement, naming the town, its officers, employees, volunteers, and agents, and a certificate of insurance in the amount of two million dollars naming the town as additional insured. The hold harmless agreement and certificate of insurance shall be reviewed and approved by the city attorney. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

The Atherton Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 677, passed February 18, 2026.

Page 163 of 192

Title 17 Zoning | Atherton Municipal Code

A. The city manager or designee may issue a special event permit when the event meets all of the requirements of this chapter. The city manager or designee may refer items to the city council when, in his or her opinion, the public interest would be better served by public review at a public meeting. The city manager or designee shall issue, deny, or refer a special event permit within thirty days of receipt of a completed application or final review by the city council if applicable. If the event will not be in conformance with this chapter, the application shall be denied.

B. If a special event permit is issued by the city manager or designee, he or she may impose any reasonable conditions to ensure the event will have a minimal impact on the community. Such conditions may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

1. Conditions designed to prevent:

   • a. Violations of the town’s noise or nuisance standards;

   • b. Violations of any of the town’s ordinances or policies;

2. Conditions to address:

   • a. Traffic mitigation; to include but not be limited to parking control measures, road guards, signage, barricade placement, etc.

   • b. Event timing; to include but not be limited to hours of operation, setup time, takedown time, etc.

   • c. Event signage; to include but not be limited to directional signage, information signage, display time, banners, etc.

3. Any other mitigation measures deemed necessary by the city manager or his/her designee. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

A. All special events held on private property shall be limited to no more than two consecutive weeks, including no more than two consecutive weekends. Any event for a longer period of time requires a conditional use permit.

B. All special events shall be publicly noticed at least ten days prior to the issuance of a permit, pursuant to the process outlined in State Planning and Zoning Law Section 65091, with a five-hundred-foot radius notification. However, if the event is not conducted on a single site, or is to be conducted within the public right-of-way, the applicant shall pay for the cost associated with the publication of the notice in a newspaper of general circulation at least ten days prior to issuance of a permit.

The Atherton Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 677, passed February 18, 2026.

Page 164 of 192

Title 17 Zoning | Atherton Municipal Code

C. No more than two special event permits shall be issued in a twelve-month period for special events on any single private residential property.

D. Commercial activity shall be required to remit appropriate license fees or sales taxes. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)

A special event permit may be revoked by the city manager or his or her designee in the event of any violation of the special event permit or this chapter. (Ord. 615 § 1, 2015; Ord. 582 § 1 (Exh. A), 2009)