I didn’t walk into this one planning to speak.

But after reading through the proposed changes, I couldn’t ignore the feeling I kept coming back to: confusion.

I’ve coordinated parades. I’ve worked behind the scenes with events. I’ve talked with organizers who already feel like the process can be difficult.

And this looked like it was heading in the wrong direction.

There were multiple layers of fees. Requirements that weren’t always clear. Timelines that didn’t seem to line up in practice.

The insurance piece stood out immediately.

In many cases, you need a confirmed event date to secure insurance. But if approval comes first—and timing is tight—you end up in a loop where each step depends on the other.

Then there’s notification.

Rules about when you can notify neighbors, when you can send materials, and how that changes depending on approval timing. In some scenarios, it almost felt like you’d be informing people about your event after it had already happened.

That’s not a system—that’s friction.

And friction has consequences.

Most community events aren’t run by large organizations with staff and legal teams. They’re run by volunteers. Nonprofits. People already stretching their time and resources.

If the process becomes too difficult to navigate, the result isn’t better compliance.

It’s fewer events.