Consideration and Approval of Street Closure(s): Dew Downtown Flagstaff Winter Festival

Approve the street closure at San Francisco Street (between Aspen Avenue and Cherry Avenue) and Birch Avenue (between Agassiz Street and Leroux Street) on January 28, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. through January 30, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.   Approve the street closure at Aspen Avenue (between San Francisco Street and Leroux Street) on January 29, 2016 at 8:00 a.m. through January 30, 2016 at 11:59 p.m.

Special events are important to our community.  They bring excitement to our city and enhance our quality of life.  If done correctly by addressing parking, trash, noise and congestion, a community event street closure has the potential to enhance business in the surrounding area.

The City of Flagstaff office of community events brings forward requests for street closures on behalf of the event organizer.  The office encourages the event organizer to conduct outreach and address any concerns that the community may have regarding this event.  As this is a joint effort, outreach has been conducted by the city, the Downtown Business Alliance (DBA) and the event organizer.  As a courtesy, the community event's office produces a monthly newsletter for downtown residents and business owners to inform them of upcoming City Council meetings, street closures and events at Heritage Square. 

Street closures change traffic patterns for local businesses and may have the potential to affect sales.

COUNCIL GOALS: Does not meet a Council goal.

REGIONAL PLAN: Economic Development
Goal ED.3. Regional economic development partners support the start-up, retention, and expansion of existing business enterprises.
Goal ED.6. Tourism will continue to provide a year-round source for the community, while expanding specialized tourist resources and activities.
Goal ED.7. Continue to promote and enhance Flagstaff's unique sense of place as an economic development driver.

City Council approved street closures for the Dew Downtown Festival in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Deny the request to close the proposed down streets and not hold the event.

• Pro: No impact to the traffic flow in the north downtown area.
• Con: Economic benefit may not be seen by Flagstaff businesses during a traditionally slow sales period.

Over the last four years, we have seen the Dew Downtown Flagstaff Urban Ski and Snowboard Festival transform from a grassroots winter celebration to a large scale event for our community.

As the event has grown, the city has seen and increased strain on resources.  In addition to the use of city equipment and vehicles, the 2015 event utilized over 100 city employees.  In May of 2015, staff met with stakeholders about taking over the event and recommended postponing the event in order to allow more time for a new event producer to transition into the role of event planner.  However, in an effort to ensure the momentum of the event was not lost, the Director for the Downtown Business Alliance (DBA), Terry Madeksza, approached city staff in the hopes of partnering on a 2016 event.  Staff has been meeting with Ms. Madeksza on a weekly basis for the last two months to discuss logistics for a 2016 event and to determine whether a 2016 event was even possible.  In an effort to reduce the workload on city staff, the city is working on retaining the services of a private event producer, Rand Jenkins, to assist with event planning and implementation.

In the past, the event has used potable water because the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) prohibited the mixture of reclaimed water runoff with storm water runoff.  The ADEQ will be changing the law to allow reclaimed water to be used sometime in 2016.  Staff doesn’t anticipate the rule change in time for the 2016 event.

Street closures are permitted by City Council action under the special events' rules and regulations packet.

The Dew Downtown event has the potential to draw up to 5,000 people to the downtown area on a single day in January.  This influx of visitors to the downtown area has the potential to increase tax revenue.  In 2012-2014, tax revenue grew over previous years.  While city sales tax numbers showed a small increase in 2015, overall we did not see a substantial increase in tax revenues.  Some downtown businesses, including Mountain Sports and Bigfoot BBQ, indicated they saw increased sales over previous years.

The goals of the event are to promote Flagstaff as a four season destination, provide a family-friendly winter event for all ages, and to provide an economic stimulus to the community during the traditionally low performing month of January.

Consult: The Director of the DBA has conducted outreach with those businesses affected by the street closure.  
Involve: The event coordinators and city staff held a public meeting on November 9, 2015.
Inform: The recreation section produces a monthly newsletter for downtown businesses and residents.  The newsletter contains event information regarding upcoming City Council meetings, Heritage Square activities and street closures.  Notice of the Council meeting has been included in the November and December newsletter.
Inform: The event coordinator, Rand Jenkins has conducted outreach with the residents affected by the closure via door-hangers.