Raise the Vote Music + Arts Festival attendees register at the entrance of the event organized by Tejano Center for Community Concerns, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Houston. City leaders are considering proposed changes to rules regarding outdoor music events on private property.

Houston is considering tightening up permitting requirements for some large outdoor music events to avoid wasting city resources accommodating last-minute notices.

On Thursday, officials from the Houston police and fire departments went before City Council's Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee to discuss proposed revisions to how the city regulates special events. The suggested changes would apply only to outdoor music events with more than 500 attendees that take place on private property. 

Meanwhile, regulations concerning events on public property, which have garnered considerable attention following the Astroworld tragedy last year, have not undergone significant changes, according to city officials.

INVESTIGATION: How missed warning signs at Astroworld Festival led to tragedy

Outdoor music events on private property currently are not subject to the same level of review and monitoring as those on public land, according to Susan Christian, director of the Mayor’s Office of Special Events. The latest proposal is aimed at closing that gap, she said.

Under the proposal, organizers would have to outline a detailed safety plan and submit permit applications at least 60 days prior to the event or pay a late fee. Organizers who violate any requirements could be on the hook for extra public expenses incurred by the city in connection with the event.

The proposal was prompted by a rising number of incidents in recent years in which organizers did not inform the city of their plans in a timely manner — often not until days before the events took place — sometimes resulting in thousands of dollars in additional costs for city staff and first responders, Christian said.

“A lot have happened since COVID, and we’ve seen on several occasions where this particular issue arises that has cost us a lot of money and pulled resources away,” Christian said. “We just need some help so that we're not having to stop everything we do with some of these bad players.”

During one live music event last year, for example, officers from the police and fire departments did not find out about unsafe conditions at the venue until the last minute, according to James Jones, executive assistant chief for the Houston Police Department. He said he had to send more than 40 officers to the event to ensure attendees' safety.

“This proposed ordinance change allows us to recoup those costs,” Jones said. “It also allows us to get with the organizer earlier, which is key.”

Last November, 10 people lost their lives in a massive crowd surge at the Astroworld music festival, raising questions about the city and county’s current permitting and emergency response processes. The festival was held on county-owned property at NRG Park.

Christian said Houston has not instituted any major changes to related regulations since then.  

“I think that we have expanded some of our processes to be more inclusive,” she said. “We work daily on safety issues at events with our police and with our fire departments specifically. And we know we have a very strong, good ordinance with Chapter 25. We are looking to always improve communication and always improve processes. But are there any big glaring holes? I would say no.”

- TOP 100: Houston's dining scene is exceptional. This list features the very best our city has to offer. - Why our Top 100 restaurants list is the most trustworthy one in Houston

- It's the last day to register to vote in Texas: Here's what you need to know

- The key to a missing Fort Bend woman’s cold case was sitting in an evidence room for almost 40 years

- The Ike Dike will transform Galveston. See how in a fly-through tour.

Yilun Cheng is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, covering local politics and City Hall.

By Alison Cook, Greg Morago, Bao Ong, Jody Schmal, J C Reid, Mai Pham