OSE Ordinance Approved

Published on August 25, 2021

On Monday night, August 23, Denver's City Council approved the Office of Special Events' proposal to be added to the Denver's Revised Municipal Code. The signing of the bill later this week will signify the end to the legislative process. Then, OSE will no longer be positioned under the Mayor's Office, but will be a stand-alone agency. The results of this change include the following:
  • Required Application: Public events, held on public property, that are temporary in nature and work with two or more City agencies will be required to complete an OSE application 60 days prior to the first day of the planned event. The OSE Application Checklist is an easy way to see if your event requires an OSE application and permit.
  • Obtain Office of Special Event Permit (OSEP): The OSEP is now a City requirement and will be issued to each event when all applicable City requirements have been met. The OSEP will not replace any other agency permits but will signify the final step in the event application process.
  • Application Processing Fee: There will be an applicable OSE application processing fee when submitting an application, ranging from $25 to $250 depending on event attendance. This additional fee will not go into effect until late 2022 for events applying to take place in 2023. This temporary waiver is to provide event organizers ample time to prepare for the change and allow for additional recovery from the impacts of COVID.
  • Administrative Late Fees: An additional fee equal to the application processing fee will be charged for a late submission of the OSE application (due 60 days prior to the first event date) and/or for the late submission of OSEP requirements. Late fees will also be waived until late 2022 for events taking place in 2023.
  • Fee discounts: Discount criteria for OSE processing fees are still being finalized.
 
SAVE THE DATE

Find out what this all means for you and your events at a virtual Lunch and Learn on Thursday, September 16, noon - 1 pm. OSE staff will review all the details and answer your questions. Stay tuned for a formal invitation that will include Zoom log-in information coming soon.

 
THANK YOU!
And finally, a big "thank you" from OSE to all the event organizers who provided feedback on the ordinance plan throughout the development process. We will continue to reach out with opportunities to provide feedback throughout the next year as we refine the various policies and processes supporting the new rules and regulations.
Contact Rose Watts at rose.watts@denvergov.org with any questions.

 

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