HomeMy WebLinkAbout20080721 - VI-13To: Mayor Hicks and City Councilmembers
From: Melanie Mesko Lee
Date: July 17, 2008
Re: Oktoberfest Amendment by Downtown Business Association
Council Action Requested:
To approve a request by Downtown Business Association for an Oktoberfest event on Saturday,
September 27, 2008, designating the event as a "community civic festival and celebration". As
part of the request, also approve the following:
• Close off 2°d Street at RJ's east to Sibley Street, 12 noon to 12 midnight;
• Close off 2°d Street from Sibley Street east to Ramsey Street from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
• Designate the two-day event as a "community civic festival and celebration" under the
City Code 111.25. This designation would allow the City to issue a permit for a variance
from the provision prohibiting consumption or possession of a liquor container on any
street or other public property. The proposed beer garden parameters would be from RJ's
east to Sibley Street. The attached map and memo from DBA President Kevin Hoeschen.
• Music (DJ in the afternoon, band in the evening) is proposed to end at 11:00 p.m.
• Staff's conditions regarding access, control, clean-up, etc.
Background Information
The Downtown Business association has approached the City about hosting an Oktoberfest
celebration on Saturday, September 27, 2008.
• Serving liquor-there is a provision in City Code which allows the City to issue a permit
for a variance from the prohibition of serving or consuming alcohol on City streets or
public property. The request must. come from anon-profit civic organization, having
their principal place of business within the City of Hastings, and for the sole purpose of a
community civic festival and celebration (City Code 111.25). Additionally, state statute
allows that the governing body may authorize the holder of a retail on-sale liquor license
to dispense alcohol at a "social affair" conducted on the premises owned by a
municipality {MN Stat. 340A.404.subd.4).
The request by the Downtown Business Association (a non profit organization, located
in Hastings) is to allow the Busted Nut (holder of an on-sale liquor license) to serve
alcohol, via a beer trailer, on 2°d Street from Sibley Street, west one block. To allow
sales, as described above, the City Council would need to designate the event as a
"community civic festival and celebration".
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• Police-The DBA will hire two full-time officers as contract security (one to monitor the
bar area and one to roam the overall one block area), and one/two reserve officers to
assist the contract officers.
• Public Safety-Installation of a snow fence on the east and west ends of the blocked off
area to control access; snow fence installed in such a way that emergency vehicles have
easy access to the site in the event that is necessary.
• Restroom access-provide Port-a-Potties within the fenced off area for patron use.
• Insurance-provide proof of acceptable insurance coverage by both the DBA and the
Busted Nut.
• Garbage-the DBA will be responsible for collecting and removing all garbage generated
by the event.
• Glass-no glass will be allowed
• Monitoring-all patrons would be checked for identification at the limited access points.
The Friday event would be limited to those who are 2 i years of age or older. Wrist bands
would be required by all patrons within the allowable area.
The DBA sponsored a similar request in 2007; according to staff, there are not any concerns with
the DBA's 2008 request and approval is recommended with the conditions outlined.
If you have any questions about this memo or staff's recommendation, please let me know.