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 Galveston
 Code of Ordinances
 Chapter 32. STREETS, SIDEWALKS AND PUBLIC PLACES
 Article I. IN GENERAL

  § 32-14. Policy for temporary street closings.  

Latest version.

  • It shall be unlawful for any person to temporarily close a street without first having obtained a street closure permit unless expressly exempted from these provisions.

    The following procedure shall be observed with respect to all applications for such permits:

    (1)

    Request for temporary street closings must be submitted, in writing, to the city manager's office at least forty-five (45) days prior to the event.

    (2)

    The following shall accompany the written request described in subsection (1):

    a.

    Upon submission of a street closure request, the applicant is required to provide the city manager a certified list of all real property owners within two hundred (200) feet of the street area to be closed. The most recently approved municipal tax roll provided by the central appraisal district shall determine ownership. The city manager shall provide written notice to all property owners within two hundred (200) feet of the requested closure and to city council. The city manager shall provide notice of requests to close streets in the downtown area to the Historic Downtown Strand Partnership, Strand Galveston, or any other organization that provides a written request for future notification of temporary street closures within the city. The applicant shall pay for all notification expenses.

    b.

    The notice must provide the date(s), day(s), time(s), location(s) and types of activities taking place during your event. The notice must give detour or alternate route information if normal access is affected or if transportation systems are impacted and provide for property owners comments. All notice responses must be returned to the city manager's office for review no later than 30 days prior to the event for consideration.

    c.

    Requests for temporary street closures for a single city block contiguous to the applicant property and for a period of less than twelve (12) hours are exempted from the notice requirements.

    (3)

    City staff shall provide a traffic impact analysis, together with comments from all appropriate city departments. Temporary street closures affecting state highway will require a separate written agreement between the city and the state. The applicant is responsible for all costs associated with obtaining state approval. The city manager shall have the discretion to require payment for lost transportation revenue, as the city manager deems appropriate and necessary. The city manager shall have the discretion to bag parking meters, and to set the bagged parking meter rate, as the city manager deems appropriate and necessary.

    (4)

    Requests for temporary street closure that may impact beach access, including parking on Seawall Boulevard, must be submitted to the department of planning and community development for review. The city manager is authorized to take whatever measures are reasonably necessary to implement a public safety and traffic control plan, for an event that affects public beach access.

    (5)

    The applicant shall pay for all necessary police patrols, extra assignments by the fire department, public works department, traffic control devices, EMS, signage, or any other city department expenses required for a temporary street closure.

    (6)

    The applicant shall post either a cash deposit or a performance bond to ensure proper cleanup of the area after the event. The amount of such deposit shall be determined by the city manager.

    (7)

    A permit fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall accompany each request for a temporary street closure permit for requests to close one to three city blocks. A permit fee of three hundred dollars ($300.00) shall accompany each request for a temporary street permit for requests to close four or more city blocks. The fee will be refunded if the request for a permit is denied.

    (8)

    The applicant must provide proof of adequate liability insurance to the city risk manager and name the city as an additional insured.

    (9)

    Applications for temporary street closure as required by the city's "special event policy" and permit application must comply with all special event regulations.

    (10)

    The following are exempt from the temporary street closure provisions:

    a.

    Mardi Gras or Dickens on the Strand, or any specified event governed by other provisions of the City Code; and,

    b.

    Properties under the management and operation of the park board of trustees are excluded from these provisions.

    (11)

    All such temporary street closures must be approved by the city manager. Any applicant who is dissatisfied with the decision of the city manager may appeal his decision to city council. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the city manager or chief of police may deny the request if either determines that the event will pose a threat to public safety.

    (12)

    The city manager shall have authority to revoke or suspend any permit issued hereunder for violation of any provision of this section. The city manager or chief of police reserve the right to revoke street closure permits and open public streets if either determines the street closure poses a threat to public safety. In addition, any person who shall violate any provision of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction punished as provided in section 1-7 of this Code.

(Ord. No. 05-019, § 2, 4-14-05)

Editor's note

Ord. No. 05-019, § 2, adopted April 14, 2005, amended § 32-14 in its entirety to read as herein set out. Formerly, § 32-14 pertained to the policy for temporary street closings in commercial and/or downtown areas, and derived from Ord. No. 82-27, § 1, adopted April 30, 1987, and Ord. No. 91-30, § 2, adopted March 28, 1991.