The Nevada County Board of supervisors has voted 3-2 to adopt an Outdoor Festival Ordinance, despite a majority of public testimony Tuesday urging them not to do it. The loudest voice in the room was coming from operators of wedding venues in the county and the support services affiliated with that trade. Bob Caudle is part of B and B Events that puts on the annual Destinations wedding event in Nevada county .
The Outdoor festival Ordinance would limit commercial, outdoor events to 4 permits per year in residential areas. Caudle says some venues currently do more that many in just one weekend. Paul Sieving, the incoming President of the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce, asked the board to spend more time reviewing the impacts of the ordinance on the local economy.
click here to listen to Paul Sieving
Nevada County Council Alison Barratt Green says there is no other project that the staff and Board has spent more time on than this Outdoor Festival Ordinance .
click to listen to Allison Barratt Green
Sheriff Royal added that the majority of his calls for service are not from the big concerts but from weddings.
click to listen to Sheriff Royal
But the large music events, many of them held at wineries, were another complaint. Susan Whichard lives next door to a winery located off Garden Bar Rd.
click to listen to Susan Whichard
The Ordinance is unfinished as county staff needs to come up with a fee schedule for the permits and make a few other revisions. Staff has the next 3 months to work out the details and the ordinance is slated to go into effect on December 1st. Supervisors Lamphier and Scofield were the two No votes on the ordinance.
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