Carlsbad reviewing event permits at Holiday Park

By: PHILIP K. IRELAND - Staff Writer | Thursday, August 25, 2005 11:05 PM PDT ∞

CARLSBAD ---- In the wake of two highly publicized gatherings in Carlsbad over the last two months, city officials said this week they're taking another look at policies surrounding special-event permits.

Since July 31, separate gatherings planned for 250 people and 400 people mushroomed into crowds of more than 1,000 people. A man was fatally shot in Holiday Park on July 31 after a large cultural event. And on Aug. 11, human-rights advocates and illegal-immigration opponents squared off in front of the Carlsbad Cultural Arts Center during a forum on illegal immigration hosted by Sen. Bill Morrow. More than 150 police officers from eight jurisdictions kept screaming protesters on both sides apart outside the forum.

Neither Morrow nor the cultural-event organizers were required to apply for a special-use permit.

"We are revising the special-event (permit process)," said Carlsbad police Capt. Mike Shipley.

Councilman Matt Hall said Thursday that he supports a renewed look at the city's policies that trigger the requirement for a permit.

"Yes, I would support a (review) not only for this situation, but other events in the city that would warrant it," he said.

City Manager Ray Patchett could not be reached for comment.

The special-event permit essentially gives someone permission to use city property and to charge for extra security, and it serves as an alert to city departments that may be required to provide services.

When planning a large party, wedding, corporate event or political gathering, for example, organizers must submit a 26-page special-event application with details of the planned event to the police chief. The Police, Public Works and Fire departments and other city agencies review the application to determine what city resources will be required. The special-use permit must be filed at least 60 days before the event.

According to current city policy, any one of three conditions would trigger the need for a special-event permit: use of a city facility, anticipated crowds of more than 1,000 people, or any activity likely to affect traffic.

Although the Holiday Park party and the immigration forum exceeded the city's 1,000-person limit for triggering a special-event permit and affected traffic, neither Morrow nor the organization hosting the Holiday Park party was required to get a special-event permit because neither event was expected to draw that many people.

In the case of the immigration forum, Morrow's staff told school officials they were not expecting more than 400 people.

"The initial request didn't trigger the (need for an) event (permit)," Shipley said. "The original request was for 400 people."

However, Shipley said that in the days before the forum, the department determined there was the potential for clashes between protesters, leading to the need for more police at the event and a street closure.

Even then, police did not ask Morrow ---- or the Carlsbad Unified School District, which manages the cultural arts center ---- for a special-event permit.

"We probably could have," Shipley said.

He said the department was more concerned at that point about the free-speech rights of the forum's organizers and the safety of its participants.

"It's not our option to say you can't do it," Shipley said.

Contact staff writer Philip K. Ireland at (760) 901-4043 or pireland@nctimes.com.