Monterey, CA Special Events & Permits: Park Event Permits (2026)

" The Director decides whether to grant a permit by weighing the size and configuration of the area, the condition of the turf, whether the activity is likely to damage turf or adjacent trees and plants, whether adequate safety measures will protect participants and other park users, and whether the use will interfere with other users' enjoyment of the area, and can attach conditions such as specific days and hours of use and required fees. The section names three permit-triggering categories without limiting itself to them: "group use," defined as any formal or informal group, league, or similar organization using a park or recreation area; "adult soccer," defined as a soccer game with six or more players where at least two are over 18; and inflatable playhouses and hot air balloons, for which the Director can revoke a permit or refuse future permits to groups that have previously violated their conditions.

Subsection (b) goes further and bans one specific combination outright: adult soccer, as defined in the section, is prohibited at Montecito Park with no permit available at all. This park-specific gathering permit is separate from the citywide special-event permitting that Chapter 32 sets up for street closures, parades, and demonstrations elsewhere in the Code; an organizer whose park gathering also spills onto City streets or public rights-of-way needs to check whether that broader Chapter 32 process applies in addition to the § 23-12 park permit.