County sets first new event policy since 2007

Christian County now has a new event policy. On Tuesday, Aug. 1, the county commission approved a new policy which will include an updated application for paid public events and what is required for public gatherings on private property. The policy is included at the bottom of this article.

“We have to be careful with not violating private property owners’ rights,” Lynn Morris, county presiding commissioner, told the CCT, citing an incident where a gathering of hundreds of people on private property in rural Christian County got out of hand with drugs, alcohol, noise and frolicking. The biggest concern was that the event was a paid event, and was supposed to be around 50 people, but law enforcement discovered more than 500 participants doing things that were questionable and potentially disruptive.

“I’m pleased that we responded in this way to this incident and were able to stop a future incident from occurring,” Morris told the CCT. “This new event policy is a result of a citizen work study session.”

Since January, Morris has been listening to citizens on what kind of issues are important, followed by work sessions where citizens come up with solutions together on issues they find concerning.

New 2023 Event Policy

ORDER OF THE

CHRISTIAN COUNTY COMMISSION

OZARK, MISSOURI

DATE ISSUED:

August

2023

SUBJECT:

Special Event Permits

Order No.

WHEREAS, pursuant to RSMo. §§ 49.266 through 49.270, the Missouri

legislature has recognized the authority of County Commissions to enact Orders to

manage and control county property, including roadways and other areas in which the

public may gather, for the safety, health, prosperity, peace and good order, comfort

and convenience of the county and its inhabitants, and for the protection of the

property thereon; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to RSMo. § 192.300, et. seq., the Missouri legislature

has recognized the authority of County Commissions to enact Orders as will tend to

enhance the public health, especially as it relates to large gatherings of people; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to RSMo. §§ 64.341 through 64.345, the Missouri

legislature has recognized the authority of County Commissions in counties of the first

class to enact Orders and make and promulgate regulations for the regulation of areas

of public use and recreational areas, including regulating the hours, conditions,

method, and manner of such use; and

WHEREAS, pursuant to RSMo. § 44.080, et. seq., the Missouri legislature has

recognized the authority of County Commissions to establish local Offices of

Emergency Management, and to enter Orders to effectuate the purposes of that

chapter; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri legislature has otherwise provided County Commissions in counties of the first class with the authority to enter Orders that

promote and enhance the general welfare and public safety of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, the Christian County Commission has previously passed an Order

regarding Emergency Management, which provides, among other things, that the Office of

Emergency Management is tasked with conducting an evaluation of the need for coordinated

planning and the potential for on-site public safety operations in cases where special event

permitting is required; and

WHEREAS, the Christian County Commission has previously passed an

Order, Order No. 03-05-07-1, requiring certain individuals or entities to apply for a

special event permit in the qualifying event is being held; and

WHEREAS, the Christian County Commission now seeks to amend that

Order, to provide for enhanced penalties in the event an individual or entity fails to

obtain a required special event permit or to abide by its terms, and to clarify the time

period in which a special event permit must be obtained.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED BY THE

COUNTY COMMISSION OF CHRISTIAN COUNTY, MISSOURI, AS

FOLLOWS:

1. That Christian County Order No. 03-05-07-01, remains in full force and effect, except as

amended and supplemented below.

2. No person or entity shall sponsor, participate in, allow, or conduct any special event, as

defined by Christian County Order No. 03-05-07-01, without a permit issued by the

Office of Emergency Management. Any person or entity who has been granted a permit

shall cause the permit to be publicly displayed at all times during the special event.

Permit fees may be as established by Order from time to time and on file with the County

Clerk and the Office of Emergency Management.

3. The Director of the Office of Emergency Management shall have the authority to create

and circulate an application form for the approval of such permits at his or her sole

discretion.

4. No special event permit shall be issued for any use of private property within the county

unless such proposed use is allowed under the county’s existing zoning regulations.

5. An application for a special event permit shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the

proposed event for which the application is made. Applications submitted less than 30

days prior to the proposed event shall be denied, except for good cause shown at the

discretion of the Director of the Office of Emergency Management.

6. This Order shall be enforced by the Christian County Sheriff’s Office, or any law

enforcement agency with which Christian County has a Cooperative Law Enforcement

Agreement.

7. Failure to obtain a permit, or violation of any condition of a permit, shall be punishable

by a Class D misdemeanor, including a fine of up to $500.00 per offense, by injunctive

relief instituted by the County, or any combination thereof or in addition to any other

enforcement proceeding available by law to the County. Any special event permit issued

may be revoked at any time by the Director of the Office of Emergency Management for

violation of any conditions of the permit. The Director may deny the application if the applicant previously violated this Order.

8. Should any section or portion of this Order be held unlawful or unenforceable by any

court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall apply only to the specific section, or

portion thereof, directly specified in the decision. All other sections or portions of this

Order shall remain in full force and effect.

9. This Order shall be effective immediately upon its passage. Copies of this Order shall be

maintained in the office of the Christian County Clerk. A copy of such Order shall be

published in some newspaper in the county in three successive weeks, not later than thirty

days after its entry.

By Order of the County Commission of Christian County, Missouri.

Presiding Commissioner

Lynn Morris

Eastern Commissioner

Bradley Jackson

Western Commissioner

Hosea Bilyeu

ATTEST:

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

County Clerk

County Counselor

CHRISTIAN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

100 W. Church Room 100

Ozark, MO 65721

(417) 582-5400 Email: philamtower@christiancountymo.gov

Internet

thru Businesses/Organizations

At the gate

Outside source (example: Ticketmaster)

Other

Are ticket sales intended for:

Local

Regional

Midwest National

International

Intended Audience:

Kids Teenagers

Young Adults

Adults

Senior Citizens

Specialized Audience: (explain)

EVENT SPECIFICS

Hours of Event (explain in detail):

Is this an Outdoor Event? Yes

Will there be amplified music:

Yes

Will there be Camping on site? Yes

Will there be Security? Yes No

Type of Security:

|Professional Company Off-Duty Law Enforcement

Name of Security Agency

Armed?

Yes

Licensed?

Yes

Will entrance and exits be monitored by security?

Yes

Will there be Alcohol served onsite?

Yes

Will Alcohol be permitted to be brought in to the event?

Yes

Have you applied for the appropriate alcohol sales license?

Yes

Will there be food sales?

Yes

Food Service:

Multiple Vendors

Will food be permitted to be brought in?

Single concessionaire

Yes

Have you applied for the appropriate Health Department licenses/permits?

What is your plan for sanitation/waste water: Porta-Potties

Yes

Onsite Facilities

Aircraft

Will there be:

pyrotechnics

lasers

Bon-Fire

Other

Will a stage be built?

Yes

Will Medical Personnel be on site?

Yes

Is the Event Organizer and/or Applicant insured for this type of event?

Yes

Does your insurance require an Ambulance Standby? Yes

Will this event encroach on any county, city or state roadway (marathons, 5k runs,

etc.)?

Yes

Will Event affect traffic flow or require street closures?

Yes

Require traffic direction and control restrictions?

Yes

Do you have a Traffic Plan for arrival/departure?

Yes

(Please show on site plan)

Does the organization that holds the event possess a current 501(c)3 not-for-profit registration? Yes No

Has this event taken place previously? Yes No

If yes: When:

Where:

Site Plan:

Attendance:

Print Form

Save as a PDF

Please include a “site plan” of the event. Include: traffic flow, locations of booths, concessions, displays, stages, tents, canopies. Locations of generators and any type of cooking appliances. Fire hydrant locations, any flammable or combustible liquids. Location and capacity of event parking and event egress and ingress.

See the Christian County GIS viewer for a printable map to use for your site plan: https://christiangis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer christian

Approved

Not Approved

Do not write below this line

Signature

Zoned accordingly?

Yes

P&D Approval? Yes No

Agency/Office

Approval

Contingencies / Special Conditions

Sheriff

Yes

Local Fire Dept

Yes

EMS

Yes

Local Law Enforcement

Yes

Health Dept

Yes No

Planning Dept

Yes No

EMA

Yes

Highway Patrol

Yes

County Commission

Yes

City/State/Zip:

EVENT ORGANIZER CONTACT INFO

Daytime:

Cell:

Phone that you can be reached at during the event:

Set-up Date(s):

Event Date(s):

Evening:

Fax:

Time:

EVENT INFORMATION

Title of Event:

Purpose of the Event:

Sporting event

Competitive road-race

Foot

Bicycle

Motor vehicle

Convention

Outdoor Festival / Concert

Parade

Political rally

Religious Rally-Service

Sales

Speaker

Family Reunion

Detailed Description of Event:

Is this a Benefit? Yes No Name of beneficiary?

Event Location:

Is property within City Limits?

Yes

How is the property zoned? (Commercial, Residential, etc.)

Property Owner:

Property Owners Phone: Home

ATTENDANCE

Which City?

% donated

Do you have a contract with them?

Yes

Work

Cell

Expected Attendance (including event crew, participants and spectators):

Public Access:

Open Event

Private Event

Tickets Required

Tickets at the Door

Ticket Sales:

Phone

Internet

thru Businesses/Organizations

At the gate

Outside source (example: Ticketmaster)

Other

Are ticket sales intended for:

Local

Regional

Midwest National

International

Intended Audience:

Kids Teenagers

Young Adults

Adults

Senior Citizens

Specialized Audience: (explain)

EVENT SPECIFICS

Hours of Event (explain in detail):

Is this an Outdoor Event? Yes

Will there be amplified music:

Yes

Will there be Camping on site? Yes

Will there be Security? Yes No

Type of Security:

|Professional Company Off-Duty Law Enforcement

Name of Security Agency

Armed?

Yes

Licensed?

Yes

Will entrance and exits be monitored by security?

Yes

Will there be Alcohol served onsite?

Yes

Will Alcohol be permitted to be brought in to the event?

Yes

Have you applied for the appropriate alcohol sales license?

Yes

Will there be food sales?

Yes

Food Service:

Multiple Vendors

Will food be permitted to be brought in?

Single concessionaire

Yes

Have you applied for the appropriate Health Department licenses/permits?

What is your plan for sanitation/waste water: Porta-Potties

Yes

Onsite Facilities

Aircraft

Will there be:

pyrotechnics

lasers

Bon-Fire

Other

Will a stage be built?

Yes

Will Medical Personnel be on site?

Yes

Is the Event Organizer and/or Applicant insured for this type of event?

Yes

Does your insurance require an Ambulance Standby? Yes

Will this event encroach on any county, city or state roadway (marathons, 5k runs,

etc.)?

Yes

Will Event affect traffic flow or require street closures?

Yes

Require traffic direction and control restrictions?

Yes

Do you have a Traffic Plan for arrival/departure?

Yes

(Please show on site plan)

Does the organization that holds the event possess a current 501(c)3 not-for-profit registration? Yes No

Has this event taken place previously? Yes No

If yes: When:

Where:

Site Plan:

Attendance:

Print Form

Save as a PDF

See the Christian County GIS viewer for a printable map to use for your site plan: https://christiangis.integritygis.com/H5/Index.html?viewer christian

Approved

Not Approved

Do not write below this line

Signature

Zoned accordingly?

Yes

P&D Approval? Yes No

Agency/Office

Approval

Contingencies / Special Conditions

Sheriff

Yes

Local Fire Dept

Yes

EMS

Yes

Local Law Enforcement

Yes

Health Dept

Yes No

Planning Dept

Yes No

EMA

Yes

Highway Patrol

Yes

County Commission

Yes

Special Requirements / Stipulations set forth from agencies above:

This is the first time the policy has been updated since 2007.

299300cookie-checkCounty sets first new event policy since 2007