Staff seeks to move park special-event rules into ACME chapter to clarify roles and expand multi-day permitting

City staff from the Austin Center for Events (ACME) and Austin Parks and Recreation (APR) briefed the Climate, Water, Environment & Parks Committee on draft amendments to the municipal code that would consolidate park-related special-event rules into chapter 4-20 under ACME.

Angela Means, ACME director, introduced the briefing and said the move aims to make roles and responsibilities clearer for city staff, event producers and park partners by placing park special-event permitting and administration in a single code chapter. Erica Shevali, ACME’s music and entertainment division manager, outlined the history (Parkland Events Task Force, 2015; Office of Special Events in code 2018; ACME formed in Feb. 2025) and said staff returned with a revised draft after direction from the committee in May.

Josh Jacobs, special-events staff, summarized technical changes: event-day limits for sites that already have them would remain; event-day transfers would be tightened to limit selling or leasing awarded dates; the draft allows the city manager discretion to approve up to 25 additional event days above the existing 17-day limit for multi-day nonrecurring events; definitions and the official event roster would be updated to reflect current practice; ACME would manage special events while ACE remains the permitting authority. Staff noted one specific reclassification: the dragon boat race would be reflected as a single-day event to match actual operations.

Staff detailed the practical rollout: the Auditorium Shores request for applications was posted May 22, closed June 11, scored June 12 and notifications went out June 26; staff plan individual meetings with partners who hold existing contracts (for example, the Trail Conservancy) to review and uphold contract terms. Because downtown parks are near capacity for recurring events, staff said they will work with community stakeholders to identify incentives and alternative locations for large events and to coordinate wraparound services (public safety, transportation, public works, CapMetro).

Staff said the RCA with the ordinance updates is scheduled to return to council for consideration on July 23. The briefing did not include a committee vote; staff requested additional stakeholder input and confirmed steps to preserve existing contracts and to refine roles between ACME and APR.