CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA

CITY COUNCIL
Staff Report
SR 2017-017
February 7, 2017
Orders

TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members

SUBMITTED BY: Janet Bombard, Library and Community Activities Director

APPROVED BY: Chip Rerig, City Administrator

SUBJECT: Consider a resolution authorizing the following changes to the Citys annual
Fourth of July Celebration event: 1. close Mission Street between Ocean and 6th
Avenues for the event; 2. relocate food tables/booths to Mission Street between
Ocean and 6th Avenues; 3. incorporate a broader range of food choices into the
event; and 4. allow food providers to charge for food if they so choose.

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt a resolution authorizing the following changes to the Citys annual Fourth of July Celebration event: 1.
close Mission Street between Ocean and 6th Avenues for the event; 2. relocate food tables/booths to Mission
Street between Ocean and 6th Avenues; 3. incorporate a broader range of food choices into the event; and 4.
allow food providers to charge for food if they so choose.

BACKGROUND / SUMMARY

The Citys annual Fourth of July Celebration in Devendorf Park has grown considerably in the past several
years, with estimates of as many as 1,000 people now regularly attending the event.

The traditional event setup includes the following:

a stage for the band in front of the pathway by the Devendorf sculpture at the east end of the park
community groups providing food for the event lined up along the west perimeter of the park
A large rectangular area near the stage set aside as a kids play area.

Many event attendees bring chairs and blankets to sit on, and as the park has become more crowded it has
become increasingly difficult to accommodate everyones space needs. Long food lines also take up a lot of
park space.

In order to alleviate some of the crowding, staff asked the Community Activities and Cultural Commission to
consider the following proposal and make a recommendation to the City Council:
That the City Council authorize the closure of Mission Street between Ocean and Sixth Avenues for the
event.
That the food tables/booths that have traditionally been located in the park be moved to Mission Street
between Ocean and Sixth Avenues.

Staff also requested that the Commission consider recommendations to incorporate a broader range of food
choices into the event and allow food providers to charge for food if they choose to do so.
The traditional fare of hot dogs, sodas, chips, fruit, cookies and ice cream is very much appreciated by those
who attend; however, it is staffs opinion that eventgoers would also appreciate a wider variety of food choices
that accommodate more dietary preferences and restrictions. Expanding the food area to the proposed location
on Mission Street would allow for that greater diversity of food offerings, while also allowing other community
groups and/or local restaurants and food vendors to participate in the event.

Currently, the community groups that provide food for the event put out donation jars to help them recoup their
food costs; however, as event attendance rises each year so do their costs, along with the number of people
who want food at the event. It is not unusual for the community groups to run out of food before all the people
in line have had a chance to get it.

After hearing public comment and considering the abovementioned issues, the Community Activities and
Cultural Commission voted to send the following recommendations regarding the Citys annual Fourth of July
Celebration to the City Council:

1. Move all the event food to Mission Street.

2. Try to incorporate additional local nonprofit organizations offering other food choices into the event.
3. Look at expanding to local vendors who would sell food at the event at reasonable prices.

FISCAL IMPACT

There are no fiscal impacts associated with the proposed changes to the event.

PRIOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION

There is no prior City Council action on this matter.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution
 CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
CITY COUNCIL

RESOLUTION NO. 2016-___

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA AUTHORIZING THE

FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE CITYS ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION EVENT: 1. CLOSE
MISSION STREET BETWEEN OCEAN AND 6TH AVENUES; 2. RELOCATE FOOD TABLES/BOOTHS TO
MISSION STREET BETWEEN OCEAN AND 6TH AVENUES; 3. INCORPORATE A BROADER RANGE OF
FOOD CHOICES INTO THE EVENT; AND 4. ALLOW FOOD PROVIDERS TO CHARGE FOR FOOD IF
THEY SO CHOOSE

WHEREAS, the Citys annual Fourth of July Celebration in Devendorf Park has grown considerably in
the past several years, with estimates of as many as 1,000 people now regularly attending the event; and

WHEREAS, as the park has become more crowded it has become increasingly difficult to
accommodate everyones space needs; and

WHEREAS, long food lines in the park contribute to the crowded park conditions; and

WHEREAS, relocating the food booths to Mission Street between Ocean and 6th Avenues would
alleviate said crowding; and

WHEREAS, eventgoers would appreciate a wider variety of food choices; and

WHEREAS, as the event continues to grow it is becoming more difficult for some community groups to
provide free food to so many event attendees.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-
THE-SEA DOES HEREBY:

Authorize the following changes to the Citys Annual Fourth of July Celebration event:
1. Close Mission Street between Ocean and 6th Avenues for the event.
2. Relocate food tables/booths to Mission Street between Ocean and 6th Avenues.
3. Incorporate a broader range of food choices into the event.
4. Allow food providers to charge for food if they so choose.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA this
7th day of February, by the following roll call vote:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBERS:

SIGNED: ATTEST:

_______________________ ___________________________
Steve G. Dallas, Mayor Ashlee Wright, City Clerk