CARSTAIRS - Council has approved updates to the town’s special events bylaw and related policy, including a requirement for emergency response plans for events exceeding 200 people.
The update came during the Jan. 22 regularly scheduled council meeting held in council chambers.
The updated bylaw defines a special event as “an organized indoor or outdoor event, program or service in which the number of people or type of activity affects public use of the Town of Carstairs parks, facilities, property or roads, and/or may affect the general public.”
A peace officer means any bylaw officer, community peace officer or any member of the RCMP.
The updated bylaw now includes a new section on municipal tags or violation tickets, which reads as follows:
“A bylaw enforcement officer may issue and serve a municipal tag on any person the officer has reasonable and probable grounds to believe has contravened a provision of this bylaw by personally serving the municipal tag on a person or mailing a copy of the municipal tag by pre-paid post to the address provided by the person on a permit application or a person’s last known postal address.
“A municipal tag shall be in the form approved the chief administrative officer and shall state (among other things) the particulars of the contravention of the bylaw and the specified penalty for the offence as set out in the rates and fees bylaw.”
Under the updated policy, the Town of Carstairs will consider applications for special event permits according to guidelines and requirements and every licensee is subject to conditions and requirements.
“All events with an estimated attendance of 200 or more require an emergency responses plan, which includes security protection, police protection, fire protection and first aid facilities,” the update reads.
The update also includes several additions, including that “any permit applications requesting alcoholic beverages being served must be approved first by the Town of Carstairs before being sent to other authorities.
“Persons holding special events on private property are encouraged to contact the Town of Carstairs prior to the event to discuss potential issues of mutual interest and applicable Town of Carstairs bylaws.”
As part of special event application processes, the updated policy also states that a “peace officer and any other authorized representative of the Town of Carstairs under its direction are hereby authorized to enter at all reasonable times upon any (public) premises to ascertain whether the regulation and provisions of this policy are being complied with.
“Every person’s who violates a provision of this policy commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a penalty as specified in the current rates and fees bylaw.”
Chief administrative officer Rick Blair told the Albertan the update of the special events bylaw and policy were made in part to streamline the permit application process.
The Town of Carstairs special events guideline document for event organizers was also updated and is available for viewing on the town’s website.
