SPECIAL EVENTS.

Austin City Code tit. 14, ch. 14-8, art. 2

in effect

Austin City Code § 14-8-21 PERMIT REQUIRED.

§ 14-8-21 - PERMIT REQUIRED. (A) A person may not temporarily close any portion of a public right-of-way to conduct, start, participate, or assist in a special event, unless the person obtains: (1) a closure permit under this chapter; (2) a special event permit issued under Chapter 4-20 (Special Events); and (3) any other permit required by the City Code. (B) For purposes of this article, applicant means the person who applies for a special event permit under Chapter 4-20 (Special Events) and requests a closure permit. (Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18)

Austin City Code § 14-8-22 RESTRICTIONS ON APPROVAL OF CLOSURE PERMIT.

§ 14-8-22 - RESTRICTIONS ON APPROVAL OF CLOSURE PERMIT. The director may not approve a closure permit for a special event: (1) that would exceed the maximum number of special events, as established by Council, for which a particular public right-of-way may be closed during a calendar year; (2) for which the applicant has not paid the required fees; or (3) that requires council action under Section 14-8-28 (Approval of Permit). (Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18)

Austin City Code § 14-8-23 RIGHT-OF-WAY CLOSURE RULES.

§ 14-8-23 - RIGHT-OF-WAY CLOSURE RULES. (A) The director may adopt rules that establish criteria for safe and appropriate right-of-way closures for special events. (B) The director will adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 1-2 (Adoption of Rules). (C) The Urban Transportation Commission may hold a public hearing on the proposed rules. (D) The Urban Transportation Commission may provide a recommendation to the director on proposed rules within 30 days after the director files a notice under Chapter 1-2 (Adoption of Rules). (E) As a condition of a closure permit, the applicant shall comply with any applicable rules established by the director under this section, under Chapter 4-20 (Special Events), or by separate ordinance. (Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18)

Austin City Code § 14-8-24 GENERAL RESTRICTIONS.

§ 14-8-24 - GENERAL RESTRICTIONS. (A) A permittee may not block off a street in a manner that prevents the free movement of pedestrians into and out of the area included in the closure permit. (B) If the director or the director's designee to the Austin Center for Events determines that a permittee has violated or failed to comply with the terms of a closure permit approved under this chapter, the director may immediately halt the special event activities and reopen the public right-of-way. (Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18)

Austin City Code § 14-8-25 DEADLINE TO REQUEST A CLOSURE PERMIT.

§ 14-8-25 - DEADLINE TO REQUEST A CLOSURE PERMIT. An applicant must submit a request for a closure permit to the Austin Center for Events by the deadlines in Chapter 4-20 (Special Events). (Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18)

Austin City Code § 14-8-26 SECURITY DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT OF REQUIRED FEES.

§ 14-8-26 - SECURITY DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT OF REQUIRED FEES. (A) An applicant shall pay an application fee and safety inspection fee set by separate ordinance. (B) Unless the department requires the applicant to provide a traffic control plan, an applicant shall pay a traffic control plan fee set by separate ordinance. (C) Unless the department requires the applicant to use a private barricade entity, an applicant shall pay the actual costs of city-contracted services for barricades, signs, and devices to be used for redirecting traffic around the area included in the closure permit. (D) If required by the director, an applicant shall pay a security deposit, established by separate ordinance, before a special event begins. (E) A permittee may provide a written request to the director for a refund of any unused portion of the deposit following the special event. The director shall make such refund no later than 30 days following the receipt of the written request. Source: Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18.

Austin City Code § 14-8-27 DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS.

§ 14-8-27 - DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS. (A) An applicant must submit a request for a closure permit that includes the following information: (1) the proposed closure areas; (2) the proposed use of the closure areas; and (3) the proposed closure hours. (B) The department may require an applicant to provide: a traffic control plan signed and sealed by a professional engineer licensed in the State of Texas that shows the location of all barricades, signs, and devices to be used for redirecting traffic around the area included in the closure permit; or a letter from a private barricade entity stating that all devices to be used during the closure will be set up and removed by the barricade entity in accordance with the City's Transportation Criteria Manual and the conditions of the permit. Source: Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18.

Austin City Code § 14-8-28 APPROVAL OF PERMIT.

§ 14-8-28 - APPROVAL OF PERMIT. (A) Except as provided in Subsection (B), the director shall approve a closure permit if the director determines that the application complies with this chapter, rules adopted under this chapter, and Chapter 4-20 (Special Events). (B) The director must request council action on a request for a closure permit if, within 14 calendar days from the date notice is provided, Austin Center for Events receives objections from: (1) 20 percent or more of the interested persons who were provided notice; or (2) a neighborhood association. (C) Before council considers a request for a closure permit, the director must prepare a report that: (1) summarizes the objections received; (2) describes any application modifications Austin Center for Events will require to address the objections; and (3) states the director's recommendation, which must be based upon whether the application complies with this chapter, rules adopted under this chapter, and Chapter 4-20 (Special Events). (D) In considering a closure permit, council shall consider the director's report and apply the same criteria used by the Austin Center for Events in Section 4-20-34 (Approval or Denial of a Special Event Application). (E) A special event that has been held for 5 or more years and has not received a violation or changed its character, nature, location, or route shall be approved under Subsection (A). (F) A closure permit is not effective unless the Austin Center for Events approves the companion special event permit. Source: Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18; Ord. No. 20230420-007, Pt. 4, 5-1-23.

Austin City Code § 14-8-29 APPEAL OF DENIAL OF APPLICATION.

§ 14-8-29 - APPEAL OF DENIAL OF APPLICATION. (A) If an application for a closure permit is denied, the applicant may file an appeal complies with the requirements established in Section 4-20-35 (Appeal of Special Event Application Denial). (B) Except as provided in Subsection (D), an appeal under this section shall be processed in the same manner as an appeal described in Section 4-20-35 (Appeal of Special Event Application Denial). (C) In considering an appeal, the appeal team shall apply the criteria described in Section 14-8-28(A) (Approval of Permit). (D) If the appeal team upholds the director's denial, ACE shall notify the applicant in writing as soon as practicable. A notification sent by electronic mail complies with this subsection. (E) The applicant may submit a written request for council action no later than 10 business days after ACE notifies the applicant as required in Subsection (C). The request must be submitted to the director. (F) Before council considers the applicant's request, the director must prepare a report that describes why the application does not comply with the requirements in Section 14-8-28(A) (Approval of Permit). (G) The council shall consider the applicant's request at the next available scheduled meeting. (H) In considering the applicant's request, council shall consider the director's report and apply the same requirements used by the director in Section 14-8-28(A) (Approval of Permit). Source: Ord. No. 20180510-018, Pt. 3, 5-21-18.

Source: City of Austin, City Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/austin/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT14USSTPUPR_CH14-8TECLSPEVBLPA_ART2SPEVFetched: 10/27/2026