Chapter 9 — SPECIAL EVENTS

• A. Title. This chapter may be referred to as the "City of Solvang Special Events Ordinance."

• B. Purpose. It is recognized that special events enhance the city of Solvang lifestyle and provide benefits to the citizens through the creation of unique venues for expression and entertainment that are not normally provided as a part of governmental services. The purpose of this chapter is to:

  1. Establish a coordinated process for managing special events on public property.

  2. Minimize the impact to regular and ordinary use of public property and facilities.

  3. Ensure the health and safety of persons attending an event as well as those using public property but not attending an event.

  4. Minimize conflicts between special events and other activities on public property.

  5. Prohibit illegal activities from occurring at special events.

  6. Protect the rights of special event organizers.

  7. Balance the rights of people to engage in expressive activities protected by the United States and California Constitutions and the rights of others in the city's public places by establishing a reasonable time, place, and manner regulation of constitutionally protected activities.

  8. Minimize the financial impact of special events on the city by providing cost recovery from special event organizers to the extent authorized by law, while not unduly affecting the viability of events.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

"City of Solvang Special Events Guidebook" is a policy document containing the rules, regulations, forms and processes for special events that implements the requirements of this chapter. The City of Solvang Special Events Guidebook is published and approved by the city manager and adopted by city council resolution.

"Clean-up activities" are defined as, but not limited to, the proper disposal of waste and garbage throughout the special event, removal of all equipment, booths, signage, fencing, and decorations brought in by the special event organizer or contracted service providers of the special event organizer.

"Expressive activity" is defined as conduct, the sole or principal object of which is the expression, dissemination, or communication of opinions, views, or ideas and for which no fee or donation is charged or is required as a condition of participation.

"Highway" is defined as a public right-of-way for the purpose of travel or transportation, including California State Route 246 maintained and operated by the California Department of Transportation.

"Large-scale special event" is defined as any event that the special event organizer expects to have 500 people or more in attendance, with one or more of the following characteristics: occupying a large area of city property over a period of one or more days; having a large and complex setup with significant impact to the event location; affecting adjacent street and other public areas; selling admission tickets; or charging participant fees.

"Non-vendor" is defined as a person or organization that is not selling or offering to sell any goods, food, beverages, merchandise, or services within a special event venue.

"Public property" is defined as any city streets, sidewalks, parking lots, parks, or any other property owned or controlled by the city.

"Set-up activities" are defined as, but not limited to, any equipment, booths, signage, fencing, and decorations brought in by the special event organizer or contracted services of the special event organizer.

"Sidewalk" is defined as a portion of a street, other than the roadway, set apart by curbs, barriers, markings, or other delineation for pedestrian travel.

"Sign" is defined as any sign, pennant, flag, banner, inflatable display, or other attention-seeking device.

"Special event" is defined as any temporary organized activity that takes place upon any public property, public right-of-way, sidewalks, parks, or streets in a manner that varies from its current land use or otherwise requires a permit. These events may include, but are not limited to, festivals, athletic events, fundraisers, concerts, public assemblies, or any organized formation, parade, procession, or assembly consisting of persons, animals, vehicles or any combination thereof, traveling in unison with a common purpose on a public street, highway, alley, sidewalk, or other public right-of-way which does not comply with normal and usual traffic regulations or controls.

"Special event organizer" is defined as any person, group or organization who conducts, manages, promotes, organizes, aids, hosts, or solicits attendance at a special event and has the personal legal capacity and responsibility for the special event and compliance with all permit terms and conditions.

"Special event permit" is defined as a permit issued under this chapter.

"Special event venue" is defined as an area or location for which a special event permit has been issued.

"Street" is defined as a way or place of whatever nature, publicly maintained and open to use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel.

"Tax-exempt non-profit organization" is defined as an organization that is exempted from payment of income taxes by federal or state law and which has been in existence for a minimum of three months preceding the date of application for a special event permit.

"Vendor" is defined as any person who sells or offers to sell, any goods, wares, personal property, food, beverages, merchandise, or services within a special event venue. (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

• A. A special event permit is required for all special events except as provided in subsection B of this section. A person or organization is qualified to apply for a special event permit if they are

the special event organizer.

• B. A special event permit is not required for an expressive activity; provided, however, that a special event permit is required for expressive activities that include any of the following:

  1. Erection of fencing, tents, stages, barricades, booths, or other structures and/or erection of signs or flags affixed to city property.

  2. Includes the distribution or sale of food, beverages, and/or merchandise.

  3. Use of electricity.

  4. The closure of all or a portion of any street or sidewalk.

  5. Diversion or control of vehicular traffic in order to provide for the safety of participants.

  6. Special events on private property that utilize city resources.

• C. For expressive activities that do not require a special event permit, the organizer of the expressive activity is encouraged to provide the organizer's contact information to the city.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

• A. Time for Submission. A special event organizer shall file an application for a special event with the city not less than 90 calendar days and no more than 365 calendar days before the proposed time of the special event. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where an expressive activity that requires a special event permit under Section 8-9-3 is prompted by a current event or other unplanned act or occurrence and the relevance of the expressive activity will be lessened or lost if the expressive activity cannot be held at the time and place and in the manner proposed, the special event organizer of such expressive activity shall notify the city at least 36 hours prior to the anticipated time and place of such expressive activity.

• B. Contents. An application for a special event permit shall include all information required by the City of Solvang Special Events Guidebook.

• C. Fee. A special event organizer shall include with submission of their application for a special event permit, a non-refundable application fee in an amount established by resolution of city council. The city council shall set a lower non-refundable application fee for tax-exempt nonprofit organizations.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

The following standards shall apply to all issued special event permits:

• A. Duration/Number of Days. The maximum duration of a special event shall be three consecutive days, including time for set-up activities and clean-up activities.

• B. Repetitions. Any one special event organizer shall be limited to two special event permits per year.

• C. Duration/Hours. Special events may occur between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., including set-up activities and clean-up activities but public attendance at a special event shall be limited to the hours between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.

• D. Frequency. Special events that close city streets and/or city parking lots must have a minimum of two weeks between the special events.

• E. Usage of Solvang Park. Special Events shall not occupy more than 75% of Solvang Park and shall not occupy the picnic benches, so that non-event participants can concurrently use the park.

• F. Variations. The city manager or their designee may grant variations from these standards if the following findings are made:

  1. The variation is required due to a special circumstance applicable to the special event that does not create a public health and safety issue.

  2. The variation will not conflict with the intent and purpose of this chapter or any applicable ordinances and policies.

  3. The special event organizer agrees to comply with all additional conditions imposed by the city manager or their designee in granting variations from these standards.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

• A. Deposit. Prior to issuance of the special event permit, and in addition to the non-refundable application fee required under Section 8-9-4 , the special event organizer shall pay to the city a refundable deposit, in an amount to be set by resolution of the city council not less than 30 days after approval of special event application. The city reserves the right to charge a higher deposit as determined at the discretion of the city manager if the event is large scale. This deposit will be returned to the special event organizer after the special event if the requirements of this code, the city of Solvang special events guidebook, and the special event permit terms were met and no damage to city property occurred.

• B. Additional Fees. Prior to the issuance of the special event permit, the special event organizer shall also pay to the city additional fees, of a type and in an amount established by resolution of the city council, to cover the city's actual costs in relation to the special event.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

Prior to issuance of a special event permit, the special event organizer must sign an agreement to reimburse the city for any costs incurred by it in repairing damage to city property occurring in connection with the permitted special event and proximately caused by the actions of the special event organizer, its officers, employees, agents, volunteers, or any person acting under the special event organizer's direction or control, insofar as permitted by law. The agreement shall also provide that the special event organizer shall defend the city against, and indemnify and hold the city harmless from, any liability to any persons resulting from any damage or injury occurring in connection with the permitted special event proximately caused by the actions of the special event organizer, its officers, employees, agents, volunteers, or any person who was under the special event organizer's control insofar as permitted by law and in a form consistent with this requirement and acceptable to the city attorney. For purposes of this section, a person who merely joins in a special event is not considered, because of that act alone, to be "under the direction or control" of the special event organizer.

(Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

• A. Prior to issuance of a special event permit, the special event organizer must possess or obtain liability insurance from a reliable insurance company authorized to do business in the state, to protect against loss from liability imposed by law for damages because of bodily injury and property damage arising from the special event. Such insurance must name on the policy or by endorsement as additional insureds the city of Solvang and it's elected and appointed officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers. Required coverage levels will be based on the size, scope and elements of the special event and will be determined by the city without regard to content or subject of the special event. Maintenance of this insurance shall be a condition of the permit.

• B. A copy of the policy or certificate of insurance along with all necessary endorsements must be filed with the city prior to issuance of the special event permit, unless the city, for good cause, waives the filing deadline.

• C. The insurance requirements shall be waived by the city for expressive activities upon the filing by the special event organizer of a verified statement that the cost of obtaining insurance is so financially burdensome that it would constitute an unreasonable burden on the right of First Amendment expression or that insurance coverage for the special event is not commercially available.

(Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

The city manager or their designee shall deny a special event permit application or revoke a special event permit only if they determine from a consideration of the application and/or other pertinent information that one or more of the following exists:

• A. The special event organizer has knowingly made a false, misleading or fraudulent statement of fact to the city in the application process.

• B. The special event organizer fails to complete the application form after having been notified of the additional information or documents requested.

• C. The special event organizer does not satisfy the requirements of this chapter, including failing to provide required insurance, indemnity or applicable fees; fails to comply with any special event permit term; or fails to meet any requirement of the City of Solvang Special Events Guidebook.

• D. The special event organizer has damaged city property and has not repaired such damage or paid in full for such damage or has other outstanding and unpaid debts related to a prior special event permit issued by the city.

• E. The city previously received an application to hold another event at the same time and location requested by the special event organizer, or so close in time and place as to cause undue traffic congestion or create an infeasible parking demand or the city is unable to meet the needs for necessary services for both special events.

• F. The concentration of persons, animals, and vehicles at the special event venue is reasonably likely to prevent proper police, fire, or ambulance services to the event.

• G. The special event venue is reasonably likely to substantially interfere with any construction or maintenance work scheduled to take place upon the proposed special event venue or with a previously granted encroachment permit.

• H. The special event is reasonably likely to occur at a time when school is in session at a location adjacent to the school, and the noise created by the activities of the special event would substantially disrupt the educational activities of the school or the ability to transport school age children to and from school.

• I. The size, scope and duration of the proposed special event is not compatible with the special event venue or surrounding neighborhood.

• J. There is insufficient time to plan or organize for the special event in a manner that is consistent with how the city permits special events and with the needs of public health and safety.

• (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

It is unlawful for any person to willfully interfere with or disrupt a special event permitted by this chapter.

(Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

Should the city manager or their designee deny an application for the special event permit or revoke a special event permit, the special event organizer for such application or permit may appeal the decision consistent with Title 1 , Chapter 6 of the Solvang Municipal Code. (Ord. 23-0371, § 1)

City of Solvang, CA Tuesday, July 7, 2026