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

35 governs park use by large groups. 010 sets the trigger: no person may conduct an assembly of more than 50 people in a City of Santa Clara park that is intended to last, can reasonably be expected to last, or actually lasts more than 30 minutes, without first obtaining a park use permit. 020 requires the application be filed with the Director of Parks and Recreation at least ten business days in advance and disclose the applicant's contact information, the sponsoring group, dates and hours, estimated attendance, a cleanup assurance, equipment descriptions, the specific park or building requested, and the name of any event monitors.

030 lets the Director waive the ten-day filing window for spontaneous events organized in response to matters of obvious public importance. 040, the Director must act on an application at least eight business days before the requested date and can deny it on nine grounds, including unavailability of the venue, a diversion of police resources large enough to hinder citywide police protection, late filing, likely violation of law, failure to agree in writing to restore the site, a history of noncompliance with past permits, failure to provide one monitor for every 50 attendees, evident intent to provoke violence, or failure to agree to provide chemical toilets, one per 400 people, once estimated attendance exceeds 1,000 (or 50, in parks lacking restrooms). 050 on the same two-business-day timeline, with the City Manager's decision being final. 060.