Title
A resolution of the City Commission to allow the City Manager or designee to authorize requests for the temporary closing of state roads within the City of Gainesville for special events.
Explanation
The temporary closing of a state road within municipal corporate limits requires a municipal government to submit a "Request for Temporary Closing of a State Road" to the State of Florida Department of Transportation. Regulations concerning requests for temporary closings of state roads are contained in Chapter 14-65 of the Florida Administrative Code. Applications must state that local law enforcement officials will manage all details involved in the administration of the event, and state that as between the Department and the local governmental authority, to the extent permitted by Florida law, the local governmental authority will assume full responsibility for any liability claims arising from or based on the activities of the event. In addition, a certified copy of an excerpt from the minutes of a duly scheduled meeting, or duly executed resolution of the governmental authority authorizing the special event is required. The governmental authority may, however, by resolution designate a position within that body to authorize and sign for that body.
Historically, resolutions for state road closing applications have only been solicited for city sponsored events in order to assume liability for the event. However, based on these regulations, it would appear that all requests require the city to indemnify the Florida Department of Transportation from liability arising out of the event, and submit the road closing application. Due to the number of state road closing applications processed each year (approximately eight for city sponsored events) and the significant amount of lead time required to prepare and submit agenda items for each application (approximately 30 days), it is proposed the City Manager or designee be authorized to sign for thes...
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