A request from the Kimball Art Center to use the Kimball Terrace on Main Street for the arts festival goes before the Park City Council Thursday.
The Kimball Art Center hopes to use the exterior deck and interior second floor of the former Kimball Garage for the arts gala on August 1 and as a VIP and media space August 2-4. Park City Planning Director Bruce Erickson says this request for an amendment to the Arts Festival’s Level 5 event permit is separate from the conditional use permit the Planning Department has been considering since 2016. The City Council has authority over special events.
“They can approve an event on that deck with the conditions of approval that would go with a special event, and then we will eventually issue this administrative conditional use permit for the long-term use of the deck," Erickson said.
Neighbors have had concerns about the deck’s possible effects on noise, parking and traffic. The staff report for the request outlines mitigation plans for those considerations, including a rerouting of transit and no amplified noise on the deck. So far, no events have been held on the deck space. But Special Events Manager Jenny Diersen doesn’t consider this a trial run for future events held on the patio, and special events in the space will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
As for the administrative conditional use permit that dictates the allowed uses aside from special events, Erickson anticipates it will be finished this week. Then, the Planning Department will notice the property.
"The adjacent property owners have 10 days, and we will notice them as well," Erickson said. "So, you'll see a sign on the property. That decision can be appealed within the 10-day period, and then we have 45 days to hear the appeal, so we’ll put a notice on the door. We’ll put a sign out on the Park Ave. side, and we’ll notice the adjacent property owners before the permit becomes active."
Should the Council approve the request, the event will be subject to a debrief prior to considering future special events permits at the Kimball Terrace.
