AGENDA #5a

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       2001 Halloween Preparations

 

DATE:             September 24, 2001

 

This report provides information regarding proposed changes in the Town’s management of activities on Halloween night.

 

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

 

Last year approximately 50,000 participants gathered in the Central Business District on Halloween night.  Over two hundred law enforcement officers provided traffic control and crowd management for up to eight hours.  Approximately 120 of these officers were contract officers brought in from other jurisdictions. Over 150 employees from the Town’s Transportation, Public Works and Fire Departments also worked at the event.

 

The crowds experienced on Halloween night have grown significantly over the past five years.  This growth has resulted in traffic gridlock, parking problems in residential neighborhoods, litter strewn for blocks, and significant disruptions in Town service delivery.  The cost to manage last year’s event was approximately $75,000.

 

We believe that the size of this annual event has grown to a level that raises significant concerns about public health and safety.  What started out years ago as a small, informal costume parade for local residents has grown into an event attended by thousands who come from all over North Carolina and surrounding states.  Police Chief Gregg Jarvies has recommended that we institute measures that are intended to reduce the size of the event as well as protect the community from potential public safety concerns inherent in any event of this size.  I concur with his recommendation.

 

We propose to implement the following plan for Halloween night:

 

  1. Divert all motor vehicle traffic from a one-mile area around the downtown business district.  Residents of the area and citizens with available private parking will be allowed into the area upon request.  Access into the area will be in accordance with reasonable concerns for public safety.

 

  1. Restrict all public parking within the closed area.  Private property owners would be encouraged to restrict parking as well.

 

  1. Develop and implement a public notification campaign to inform all residents and businesses of the potential impact of the plan.

 

  1. Closely patrol all streets within the closed area and strictly enforce all ordinance and statutory violations, including parking restrictions.

 

The plan will also include crowd control measures similar to those used at past events. 

 

We believe that this plan will reduce the size of the crowd attempting to participate in this un-sponsored event.  We believe that allowing the event to continue to grow would ultimately result in an event so large that it could not be managed.  We also believe that the impact of this event on surrounding residential neighborhoods will continue to worsen if the event is allowed to go on unchecked.  These concerns are particularly critical as we look ahead to Halloween falling on a weekend night in two years. 

 

We recognize that this traffic diversion will likely cause some disruption and inconvenience to many citizens, particularly those attempting to navigate local streets.  However, we believe that the plan that has been developed will minimize this disruption for local residents and merchants.  We intend to implement a comprehensive public information campaign to ensure that as many residents and merchants as possible are notified of the plan for Halloween night.

 

Officials of all local law enforcement agencies have been briefed on the plan and have offered their support for the effort.     

 

We believe that additional Council action may be necessary to temporarily close certain streets and temporarily limit access to certain areas.  We will return for further Council action on October 10 if needed.