The city of Reno’s special-events application policies are unnecessarily producing tons of garbage, astronomical public safety costs and unapproved events—ultimately hurting our community’s ability to connect.
Let’s start with garbage. The special activity alcohol service permit that must be completed for special events with alcohol says vendors are “prohibited from serving alcoholic beverage(s) … in any container they (the vendor) did not provide.” According to police and the city, that rule is not rooted in law, city code or health code, nor is it supported by public-safety statistics—it’s just special-events application language that someone made up.
Even though vendors could sell reusable cups, they choose single-use plastic; they blame health codes. But Northern Nevada Public Health regulations state: “Consumer-owned, personal take-out beverage containers … may be refilled by employees or the consumer if refilling is a contamination-free process.” Agency representatives recently told vendors they can refill personal cups. NNPH Senior Environmental Health Specialist Olivia Alexander-Leeder confirmed in an email to me: “Increasing and improving the use of reusable containers is an ongoing topic in our community, and that might include correcting some misinformation floating around out there.” She added that promoting sustainability is a goal. So, who is standing in the way of sustainability in the city of Reno?
“If people are bringing glass, and it is getting broken, it could pose a threat to individuals if that glass is broken,” said Officer Christopher Johnson of the Reno Police Department, adding that people might leave events with alcohol and violate open-container laws. But Johnson could not provide any police reports about how reusable cups at events ever led to such crimes.
How much less garbage could events produce with reusable cups? According to Beth Macmillan, the executive director of Artown, the event is producing 25 percent less garbage since its organizers started selling reusable cups. “Waste is one thing, but plastic is another,” Macmillan said. “Why would we want to do that to the planet?”
Next, let’s talk about the oppressive cost of arbitrary public-safety requirements. Artown events have few or no police. Meanwhile, Food Truck Friday is required to have a half-dozen police. Who decides how many police are needed at events? Police advise the special events committee on how many police are needed. They get paid overtime costs by the event producer—I know, I went through the process. That is a conflict of interest.
One promoter privately told me it costs $15,000 to close Virginia Street under the Reno Arch for a 15-minute photo opportunity. Some event promoters even face massive debt as a result of public-safety costs. Event producers are afraid to speak up. This is their livelihood. The cost is forcing healthy, community-oriented events underground. I know; I ran an unpermitted bicycle event last year, and briefly shut down Virginia Street for a picture under the Arch. City of Reno staff members know the costs are prohibitive. “Just do it quietly,” they told me.
This year, I decided to get a permit for a two-hour family bike event. The families would ride one mile on a sidewalk. Sparks police wanted us to pay for nine officers at a cost of more than $5,000. They wanted $3,000 more for giant lighted signs to warn drivers that kids are on the sidewalk. We didn’t have enough money. I asked for justification and was denied. To meet the police requirements, I had to call in favors with friends of friends to work back-room deals with three different governments to get the officers for free. Taxpayers ended up on the hook for the police costs. Kids will ultimately suffer if we can’t afford to have events.
Some communities don’t oppress bike events. San Jose’s Bike Party draws up to 4,000 riders (according to Content magazine) with no permits needed.
Prohibitive costs, backroom deals, a lack of transparent decision-making and piles of garbage are not what the public want from special events. Now, city code changes are being considered. Write to BLCode@reno.gov before October with your suggestions. Please steal mine:
1. The city should make free bike events exempt from special-event permits.
2. Require special events to offer reusable cups, and ban single-use cups.
3. Require vendors to use compostable and/or reusable food containers and utensils.
4. Eliminate ambiguity. Develop a matrix for how many officers/security personnel are needed for special events, proportional to the size of the event.
Ky Plaskon is the host of Bike Life Radio on KWNK 97.7FM and is a board member of the Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance and Nevada Bicycle Coalition.