The city of Warrenton is cutting some red tape for groups that hold annual gatherings and special event fundraisers.
Warrenton aldermen approved changes to the city’s rules for special event …
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The city of Warrenton is cutting some red tape for groups that hold annual gatherings and special event fundraisers.
Warrenton aldermen approved changes to the city’s rules for special event permits at their March 21 meeting. The new rules will allow repeated annual event permits to be approved by city staff, rather than the board of aldermen
Prior to this, organizers for events from parades to cornhole tournaments had to go through multiple rounds of approval before receiving their permit. The permit process starts with the city’s planning zoning commission, a board of appointed citizens that only meets once per month. Permits then go before aldermen for approval. And then the next year, organizers had to do it all over again.
The ordinance approved March 21 reduces that process to a city staff review for any event that was permitted in a prior year.
City Clerk Melody Rugh said the city zoning officer will be able to approve the permits after consulting with Warrenton’s Police and Public Works departments.
“Any new permits that have never happened before would have to go before planning and zoning (commission) and the board of aldermen,” Rugh added.
Aldermen said they approved the effort to streamline permitting for local groups.
“That’s a great idea. I think it’s extremely user-friendly,” commented Ward 2 Alderman Gary Auch. “It’s saying to people, ‘We support you and we don’t want to create a web for you to go through and have to come (to city hall) again.”
Those seeking a permit for a new event must submit an application at least 10 days prior to be heard by the planning and zoning commission. The commission then makes recommendations about whether aldermen should approve a permit.
