In a typical calendar year, the city permits well over 100 special events, ranging from small business promotions and grand opening events to festivals, parades, and runs. With the special activity permitting process, the city’s goal is to support and enhance the quality of life, vitality, and economic prosperity of its residents, businesses, and the community. The priorities of the special activity permitting process are: to ensure the safety of event participants; to ensure the safety of city personnel providing services to the event; and the protection of taxpayer assets, such as roads, city facilities, and parks. 

Important information regarding the special activity permitting process can be found below. 

To request an application for a special event, or to review the special activity permitting handbook, contact the City Clerk’s Office at city.clerk@mlbfl.org or (321) 608-7220. 

Definition

A special activity/special event is considered:

• A public or private event conducted outside that is characterized by its limited duration, infrequent occurrence, or seasonal nature and by the fact that permanent improvements are not made to the site;
• An event where it can be anticipated that the number of persons attending the event will exceed the on-site parking available at the event area;
• An event where it can be reasonably expected that services will be required beyond those that are regularly provided by the city, such as police services, traffic control, crowd control, code compliance, fire and/or emergency medical services, street closures, or other municipal services that may be necessary to service the event;
• An event that involves displays or activities that will impinge on any adjacent area, including amplified sound, athletic events, carnivals, circuses, concerts, fireworks, high intensity lighting, musical groups, parades, runs, street events, and walk-a-thons.

Zoning Requirements

The site selected for a special event must be properly zoned for the proposed activity. For example, a commercial vehicle tent sale may not be conducted on an empty lot in a residentially zoned subdivision. Additionally, an event conducted on private property must relate to the primary activity conducted by the business on that site. For example, an applicant for a hair salon may not apply for a parking lot plant sale.

Application Deadlines

• All deadlines are established by Sec. 2-674, City Code.
• APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED BEYOND THESE DEADLINES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED OR PROCESSED.

Business promotions:

• Applications must be submitted a minimum of 3 business days prior to the event.

Events with an expected attendance of 1,000 or less:

• Applications must be submitted a minimum of 30 days prior to the event.
• If the event involves a road closure or police services are required, applications must be submitted a minimum of 60 days prior to the event.

Events with an expected attendance of 1,001 or more:

• Applications must be submitted a minimum of 90 business days prior to the event. *If the event only requires a Code inspection, does not require police services, and no other city services are required, the deadline is 30 days prior to the event.

Prior to issuing a permit/permit agreement:

• The applicant must submit all required documents at least 5 business days prior to the event. This includes items such as the certificate of insurance and endorsement, deposit, temporary alcohol permit, notification to surrounding properties, etc.
• FAILURE TO SUBMIT THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION BY THIS DEADLINE CAN RESULT IN THE CITY DENYING THE APPLICATION; REVOKING THE PERMIT, IN WHOLE OR IN PART; OR REVOKING AUTHORIZATION FOR CERTAIN PERMITTED ACTIVITIES.

Reservation Form

In some cases, an applicant for a special event may not have all the required information to submit an application for their event. In lieu of an application, applicants for an annual event, either on city property, or at Wickham Park (with an estimated peak attendance of 1,001 or more), may submit a reservation form with a deposit to the City Clerk’s Office. The reservation form only reserves the date on the city’s special event calendar. It does not mean that the event has been processed or approved. An application still must be submitted by the deadlines above for the event to move forward in the permitting process.

The deposit is separate from the application fee and is refundable up to 30 days prior to the relevant application deadline. If the event is canceled beyond this deadline, or an application is not submitted by the relevant deadline, the deposit is non-refundable.

The deposit must be submitted with the reservation form for the City Clerk’s Office to accept the form and reserve the date. The deposit will be put toward the cost of city services for the event.

The City Clerk’s Office will not remind applicants of their deadline to submit an application. The applicant assumes all responsibility to submit an application by the appropriate deadline listed above.

Application Fees

In accordance with Sec. 2-675, City Code, all current special activity fees are established by resolution. All applicants, regardless of profit or non-profit status, are required to pay the prescribed fees. Application fees are non-refundable once the application has been routed to city staff for review.

• Block party: $25.00
• Business promotion: $50.00
• Events with an expected attendance of 1,000 or less: $150.00
• Events with an expected attendance of 1,001 or more: $300.00

After-Action Report

Following the event, city departments/divisions that provided service to the event will submit an after-action report to the City Clerk’s Office. The report will document staff’s observations and comments regarding the event and will be taken into consideration when any future application is submitted. If any violation of the permit/permit agreement is noted, the City Clerk’s Office will work with the applicant on the appropriate steps, which can span from additional conditions of approval on next year’s event permit to the applicant’s appearance before the Code Enforcement Board.