Brown want's to streamline events approval

[Cheshire Cat]

Credit where credit is due.  This can only be a good thing for the core and Jacksonville. Click link below for full story.

As downtown boosters try to stage more events that attract people to the core, Mayor Alvin Brown is seeking to cut back the red tape those groups face when seeking city approval.

Legislation filed Thursday by Brown would make a series of changes in the city's checklist for approving special events staged on public property downtown, such as parks or along streets.

"The legislation protects taxpayers while removing some of the barriers local businesses and organizations face when hosting a special event in our city," Brown said in announcing his proposal.

Brown's proposals won endorsements from Downtown Vision, JAX Chamber and the Riverside Arts Market, which are among the organizations using outdoor events to stir up interest in going downtown.

Tony Allegretti, director of downtown engagement for JAX Chamber, said real estate redevelopment deals take time to pull together, but special events "are something we can do now, and there's a huge demand."

"We've had some onerous and overlapping and probably too far-reaching requirements for special events, and it was prohibitive in some circumstances," he said.

"My hope is that this will knock down some of the barriers for smaller event producers and for people who are bringing first-time events downtown," said Kat Hardwick, director of marketing for Downtown Vision.

The legislation would modify the city's insurance regulations, provide faster conditional approvals for events, and allow event organizers to pay for city personnel costs closer to the event date, according to the Mayor's Office.

Read more at Jacksonville.com: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2013-10-17/story/mayor-brown-seeks-streamline-approval-privately-sponsored-events#ixzz2i5t