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001 <br />ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: June 14, 2012 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. 1 <br />SUBJECT: Draft Mass Gathering Ordinance — Review and Discussion <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Services, County PUBLIC HEARING: (Y /N) No <br />Attorney and Planning & <br />Inspections <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />A) Draft Mass Gathering Ordinance <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />F.R. Montes de Oca, 245 -6100 <br />Annette Moore, 245 -2317 <br />Craig Benedict, 245 -2592 <br />PURPOSE: To review and discuss a draft Orange County Mass Gathering Ordinance <br />addressing the request for, planning for and management of mass gatherings within Orange <br />County for sporting, cultural or other purposes in order to protect the health, safety and welfare <br />of the public. <br />BACKGROUND: Orange County regularly experiences public gatherings celebrating cultural, <br />religious, historical and sporting events. While many have minimal effect on traffic and services, <br />some have the potential to affect health and safety in the immediate area as well as residents <br />and businesses in the surrounding areas. Currently, promoters and those who desire to host <br />mass gatherings access different points of contact within the County to schedule, apply for <br />permits and seek approval. The absence of a consistent process frustrates the public and <br />business promoters, causes inordinate staff time and effort to play "catch -up" and oftentimes <br />results in inappropriate planning by County departments. <br />In 2011 a promoter planned a music festival that had the potential for 24 hour camping, alcohol <br />consumption, public food preparation and musical acts from throughout the region. The <br />promoter estimated attendance in excess of 5,000, which would have caused significant traffic <br />impacts, posed potential health problems and burdened emergency services agencies. <br />Advertised as the Tobacco Alley Biker Rally, many County agencies were notified of the <br />planned event several weeks after the planning started, which placed a burden on limited <br />resources and could have resulted in a less than positive outcome. Although, the event was not <br />as successful as planned, it demonstrated the need for County agencies to develop an <br />instrument to plan with better precision, allow sufficient start-up time, improve review of all <br />health and safety systems and ensure a better chance of a successful, safe event. NC General <br />Statute § 130A, Article 8, Part 7 addresses public gatherings over 5,000 attendees. <br />However, events with attendees of less than 5,000 can often cause a burden on service <br />providers, unhealthy situations and disrupt traffic patterns slowing response and causing <br />