The City's Special Event Permit covers moving events on city streets and sidewalks. Stationary events in the street space, in parks or on private property are not in that programme, so the restroom plan for a fair follows a different route from the plan for a parade.
Key takeaways
- Decide first whether the event moves or stays put, then confirm the category with the City.
- Placement on a sidewalk or a lane edge must leave the walking path, the crossings and the access routes clear.
- Delivery and removal sit around the closure, with a backup window and a removal that waits for the street to reopen.
- A multi-day event is planned day by day, because the closure and the spot can change from one day to the next.
- A site visit measures clear width, surface, slope, drainage and the truck's route before the order is finalised.
- Keep the permit terms, the placement map, the photographs and the times as one record.
Moving and stationary: where the line falls
The City's Special Event Permit covers moving events on city streets and sidewalks. Stationary events in the street space, in parks or on private property are not in that programme, so the restroom plan follows a different route.
A parade, a run or a bike ride moves along the street, and the permit is built around that movement. The route, the closure and the timing are the things the permit describes, and they set the restroom plan's first limits.
A fair, a market or a stage set in the street space does not move. It sits in one place for a set time. That is a different kind of event, and it is not in the street programme. Its restroom plan must be built from the event's own requirements and the owner's conditions.
Before planning, decide which kind of event is being run, then confirm the category with the City. Do not assume that a stationary event is covered by a moving-event permit because it uses the same street.
Placement on the walk and in the lanes
Placement depends on the space the event leaves open. A unit on a sidewalk or a lane edge must keep the walking path, the crossings and the access routes clear for people and vehicles.
Sidewalk placement needs room. A unit set on a narrow walk narrows the path for people using wheelchairs, pushchairs and walking aids, and it can block a crossing if it sits near a corner. The plan should measure the clear width before any unit is placed.
Lane placement is a traffic question as well as a restroom question. A unit at a lane edge must not sit where a vehicle needs to turn or stop, and it must not block an access point. Ask whether the permit allows any placement in a travel lane at all.
This guide does not decide whether a unit may sit on a sidewalk for a given event. That is for the permit terms and the City's office to say. What the planner can do is measure the space, mark the spot on a plan and ask the question in writing.
Timing the delivery and the removal
Delivery and removal happen around the event's closure, not its public hours. The crew needs a window that clears the street before the closure and returns after it reopens.
A delivery window set during an active closure becomes a delivery that waits. Set the window before the street closes, with a backup window if the closure starts late, and confirm both with the event lead the day before.
Removal follows the reopening. A unit left in the street after it reopens is an obstruction, so the pickup window should begin when the last vehicle or crowd has cleared the spot, and it should end before the street is busy again.
Write the closure time, the delivery window and the pickup window on one order sheet, with the street name and the access point. The crew works from that sheet, not from the event schedule.
Sequencing a multi-day event against a single day
A one-day street event is planned from one delivery and one pickup. A multi-day event needs placement, servicing and pickup planned for each day, because the spot and the closure can change from one day to the next.
For a one-day event the sequence is simple: check the permit, place the units before the closure, service them during the event and remove them after it. The plan fits on one page, and the crew can follow it on the day.
For a multi-day event the same sequence repeats with changes. Each day may have a different closure, a different crowd and a different access point. Build the plan day by day, and confirm each closure with the event lead before the crew arrives.
Plan for the breakdown between days as well. A unit left in place overnight needs a check, and the servicing schedule should say when the next visit falls. Decide whether units stay or come out each night, and write that decision on the order.
What a site visit to a street spot establishes
A visit to a street spot checks the clear width, the surface, the slope, the drainage, the lighting and the truck's access. It is done before the order is finalised, and the findings are written up.
The visit measures the clear width of the walk or the space beside the lane, and notes any obstacle such as a bench, a sign, a tree grate or a utility cover. A unit that fits on paper may not fit once those are counted.
It checks the surface and the slope. A paved, level spot is simple. A spot with a camber, a drain grate or loose surfacing needs a base or a different position, and the base should be written on the order before the unit is booked.
It also checks the truck's route. The crew needs a path from the nearest open street to the spot, a place to stop for the lift and a way out again. The visit notes the turning space and any hour of the day when the street is busy.
Keeping the record against the permit
The record is the plan, the permit terms, the photographs of each placement and the times of delivery, servicing and pickup. It is what the City or the organiser will ask for after the event.
Keep the permit terms with the order, and keep the placement map that was checked against them. If the permit names a spot, the unit must stand on that spot, and any change should be agreed in writing before it is made.
Take photographs of each placement on the day, showing the clear width and the surroundings. Record the times of delivery, each servicing visit and the pickup. A record with times and places is easier to answer for than a memory of them.
Ask the organiser who receives the record and in what form. Some offices ask for it after the event, and a clear record shortens any review.
What to decide before you apply
Four decisions make a street application clear: whether the event moves, the exact route or footprint, the days and hours, and the placement you expect. A reviewer can work from those four without a second round of questions.
Decide whether the event moves or stays put. A moving event describes a route and a sequence of closures. A stationary event describes a footprint in the street space. The two are handled differently, and an application that mixes them will be sent back.
Draw the route or the footprint on a plan, with the closures and the access points marked. The plan is what the reviewer and the event's own traffic team will read first.
Name the days and hours, including the set-up and the take-down. The set-up and take-down are when the units are delivered and collected, so they belong in the application, not only the public hours.
Access for emergency vehicles and the public
A unit on a street must not block the routes that emergency vehicles use or the crossings that the public uses. Keep a clear line for each, measured on the day, and mark the line on the placement plan.
Emergency access is the first constraint on any placement. A unit near a hydrant, a driveway or a corner can hide an access point from a driver who needs it. Measure the clear line from each unit to the nearest access point and keep it free.
Crossings are the second constraint. A unit set at the end of a crossing or in the line of a ramp narrows the crossing and can force people into the travel lane. Keep the ramps and the crossings clear, and place units behind them, not in front.
Check the placement on the day before the crowd arrives, and again after the first hour, when barriers and stands may have moved. A placement that was clear at set-up can be blocked by the event's own equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Which permit covers a street event?
The City's Special Event Permit, under Portland in the Streets, covers moving events on city streets and sidewalks. Confirm that the event fits that category before planning around it.
Does it cover a stationary fair on a street?
No. Stationary events in the street space, in parks or on private property are not in that programme, so ask the City which route applies.
Can a unit go on a sidewalk?
That depends on the permit terms and on the clear width left for people. This guide does not decide it. Measure the space and ask the City in writing.
Does the street permit set the restroom count?
This guide gives no street ratio. The count is a planning figure built from the expected crowd, the length of the event and the access to the spot.
Sources
This guide is general information for Multnomah County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.