Special Event Permit Application for Major Event Has Not Yet Been Reviewed or Approved
Contrary to reports of its promotion, the Seven Peaks Music Festival has not been approved by Chaffee County, nor has the permit application even been reviewed. The Chaffee County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) are scheduled to hear the special events permit application for the Seven Peaks Festival, at a board session on June 22.
Reports have surfaced that the permit applicant and concert organizer Live Nation, along with the event headliner Dierks Bentley have begun to promote the event as if it were already approved. Ark Valley Voice has not yet verified those reports.
Seven Peaks Festival crew members worked to finish setting up the main stage Thursday at The Meadows at a previous year’s event. (photo by Joe Stone).
The Seven Peaks Music Festival is proposed for September 3 through 5 at The Meadows in Buena Vista. But any event of such magnitude is contingent upon the county’s approval of their permit application, and the outcome of the BoCC review and public hearing for the application has yet not been determined.
In fact, the active county public health order (#2020-08 – Amendment 19, adopted May 18) currently sets a maximum capacity of 2,000 attendees for outdoor events and at 65 percent of a venue’s capacity for indoor events. Past Seven Peaks events have been many times larger than that limit.
“We appreciate that the past year has been a challenging one for event promoters and artists and they have a strong desire to resume their work. We also recognize that it has been an exceptionally challenging past year for the entire Chaffee County community and our local governmental departments, too,” said BoCC Chairman Greg Felt. “Any event that is proposed within our county permitting authority, no matter its nature or size, will be evaluated against the requirements of the Land Use Code and also in terms of impacts to the health, safety, and welfare of our residents. Our community is always the top priority, just as it has been throughout our ongoing COVID response.”
Two important public hearings must occur for such a festival to be approved.
First, the BoCC has scheduled a special meeting at 9:00 a.m. Monday, June 7 at 9:00 a.m. on Zoom to convene as the Board of Health for consideration of the outdoor event capacity limits established in the local Public Health Order. Event capacity is a factor for any special event proposal. This Board of Health meeting aligns with the planned monthly review of the local event parameters and is not specific for Seven Peaks or any other individual event application.
Second, the Seven Peaks Special Event Application public hearing to review the application is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, June 22 on Zoom.
Written comments must be received by 12:00 noon Friday, June 18 to be included in the public record, and can be emailed to the County Administration offices at chaffeeadmin@chaffeecounty.org or mailed or hand-delivered to 104 Crestone Ave., Salida, CO 81201.
Members of the public who wish to share any verbal comments regarding special event permitting can do so at the review meeting. Public comment is limited to three minutes per person. BoCC meetings continue to be conducted virtually on Zoom , or by calling into 1-669-900-6833 and entering meeting ID # 109 079 543.
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