TPW Office of Special Events

Right of Way Permitting - Special Events

Street Event Permit - General Requirements & Information

• Austin Center for Events (ACE) Application:
  • Login to abc.austintexas.gov
  • Select Apply for ROW Permits/Special Events
  • Select Special Events
• Site Plan:
  • A full site map/plan is required when submitting an ACE Application.
  • The site plan should include a detailed overhead view with the location of any object on the ROW (sidewalk, bike lane, parking lane, alley or street).
  • Full site plan requirements can be found at www.austintexas.gov/ace-event-planning-guide/site-plans
• Submission Deadlines:
  • Based on event tier.
    • Tier definitions can be found in Ordinance 4-20 - Special Events
  • No later than the following number of days prior to the first day of the proposed event:
    • Tier 1 - 3 business days
    • Tier 2 - 30 calendar days
    • Tier 3 - 120 calendar days
    • Tier 4 - 180 calendar days
• Certificate of Insurance (COI):
  • COI requirements

Street Event Permit - Sidewalk Use

Use Examples	Additional Requirements
Decals	Placement and removal plan Brand/product information
Display Vehicles	Must leave 5 feet of continuous, undisturbed ADA/pedestrian access
Ladders	Must leave 5 feet of continuous, undisturbed ADA/pedestrian access
Scissor Lifts	Delivery and use plan Staging/Storage location
Building Wraps/Scaffolding	May require a sidewalk closure, detour and traffic control plan May require leaving 5 feet of continuous, undisturbed ADA/pedestrian access Barricade company quote/invoice OR Equipment rental agreement Delivery and use plan Staging/storage location
Line Queuing	List of items being placed in the ROW Must leave 5 feet of continuous, undisturbed ADA/pedestrian access

• Required Documents - In addition to the general requirements above
  • Notification and approval of affected businesses/residents
  • Detailed loading/unloading plan
  • Traffic control equipment quote/invoice

Street Event Permit - Parking Space/Lane Use

Use Examples	Additional Requirements
Display Vehicles	Vehicle dimensions
Generators	Rental of Type III barricades and 42" grabber cones Barricade company quote/invoice Delivery and removal plan Approval from other affected departments regarding placement and protection required
Food Trucks	Vehicle dimensions NOTE: Mobile food vending permits issued by Austin Public Health do not include use of the ROW and cannot be used to occupy a parking space.
Loading/Unloading	List of vehicles expected including delivery times Staging plan Note: No vending or marketing is allowed

• Required Documents - In addition to the general requirements above:
  • Notification and approval of affected businesses/residents
  • Detailed loading/unloading plan
  • Traffic control equipment quote/invoice
• Additional parking information:
  • 1 parking space is approximately 8 feet by 20 feet
  • Valet operations require an additional permit
  • Unmetered parking will require a barricade company quote/invoice for ‘No Parking’ signage placed to reserve the spaces.

Street Event Permit - Street/Traffic Lane/Alley Use

Use Examples	Additional Requirements
Activations	Traffic Control Plan, Engineer Signed and Sealed
Beer Garden	Traffic Control Plan, Engineer Signed and Sealed Fencing quote/invoice Texas Alcohol & Beverage Commission (TABC) Permit

Required Documents - In addition to the general requirements above:

• Notification to affected businesses/residents
• Details loading/unloading plan
• Traffic control equipment quote/invoice

Street Event Permit - Additional Information & Coordination

• Bicycle Lane & Delineators:
  • Access to the bike lane must be maintained or a bypass must be created (may require a traffic control plan).
  • In areas where the delineators are removable, the organizer is responsible for removing them, storing them and replacing them after the event. Plugs and a wrench will be provided.
• CapMetro:
  • Coordination with CapMetro is required for events that affect or close a road along a bus route and/or bus stop.
  • Access to MetroBike stations must be maintained. If access cannot be maintained, coordination with MetroBike is required to have the stations turned off or removed.
• Scooters and Shared Mobility:
  • Coordination with the Shared Mobility division is required to identify:
    • Slow zones
    • No ride zones
    • Drop-off/Pick-up locations
• Rideshares/Transportation Network Companies:
  • Coordination for event drop-off and pick-up areas need to be arranged prior to the event.

Right of Way Permitting - Film

A Film Permit application is required for all student and commercial film making activities which take place on or impact the right-of-way, and for the reservation of public parking spaces associated with film making activity taking place on private property. This includes b-roll footage, still photography, blocking, directing, impeding or re-routing of any/all traffic modes.

Film Permit - General Requirements & Information

• Film Permit Application
  • Login to abc.austintexas.gov
  • Select Apply for ROW Permits/Special Events
  • Select Right of Way
  • Select Film
• Site Plan:
  • A full site map/plan is required when submitting a Film application:
  • The site plan should include a detailed overhead view with the location of any object on the ROW (sidewalk, bike lane, parking lane, alley or street) including but not limited to:
    • Location of non-vehicular items (Ex. Generators, Portable Restrooms, Trailers, Mobile Homes, Catering/Craft Trailers, Lighting Lifts, etc.)
    • Location of vehicles exceeding 9000 pounds (Ex. Box Trucks, 18-wheeler/semi/tractor trailer)
    • Parking spaces reservation requests for standard vehicles
  • Required information - Must match the site plan
    • Filming location(s)
    • Filming date(s) and times
    • Billing and onsite contact name(s), email address(es) and phone number(s)
  • Required Documents - must be complete, accurate and provided by the submission deadline:
    • APD Application Approval
    • Notification Signoffs - for properties fronting the ROW (see film documents below)
      • Not required for mobile filming
    • Notification Record and Certification - must be notarized (see film documents below)
      • Not required for mobile filming
    • Certificate of Insurance (COI) - COI Requirements
      • The school's insurance policy can be accepted for Student Filming
    • Additional items - if applicable:
      • Traffic Control Plan
      • Barricade Company Letter
      • CapMetro Approval
      • Parks and Recreation Department approval
      • Texas State Capitol Complex Approval

Film Permit – Submission Deadlines & Fees

Submission Deadlines - These are minimums, please submit as early as possible:

• APD Application - 5 business days prior to filming
• Commercial/Mobile Film Permit Application - 3 business days prior to filming
• Student Film Permit Application - 2 business days prior to filming

Film & Parking Permit Fees - Subject to change each fiscal year

• Film Permit Application Fee - $286.00
  • Currently, the Film Permit App Fee only applies to commercial filming (not Student or B-Roll).
• Parking Permit Usage Fee (metered) - $32.00
• Parking Permit Usage Fee (unmetered) - $3.20
• TPW Technology Surcharge - 4% of application and usage fees

Film Permit - Film Considerations

Right of Way Closures - Filming activity closing, blocking, or impeding any portion of the right of way, such as sidewalks, parking lanes, streets, or alleys.

• Traffic control plan (TCP) is required:
  • Engineered TCP's must be submitted through the ROW Portal
  • Use of City of Austin Standard Details requires confirmation from TPW OSE
• Letter of intent from a Barricade Company is required

Intermittent Traffic Control (ITC) – Traffic controlled by law enforcement.

• The law enforcement official must not hold any one direction of any mode of travel for more than a 5-minute interval.
• The site map must reflect where the officers will be stationed.

Student Filming – Filming activity by a student in connection with a school’s filming curriculum.

• Requirements are based on the type of film making activity and right-of-way needs.
• The school’s insurance policy can be accepted for the COI requirement.

Mobile Filming – Police Bubble Escort – Filming from a vehicle with law enforcement officials leading, following or managing traffic around the active vehicles.

• The site map must reflect the route the vehicle(s) will travel.
• No right-of-way closures will occur.

Mobile Filming – B-Roll – Highly mobile filming activity.

Crew and equipment cannot remain stationary for more than 15 minutes at a time and cannot block or impede access to any portion of the right-of-way.

• The site map only needs to include four segments: the northernmost, southernmost, easternmost, and westernmost areas for the proposed filming area.
• B-Roll Segments for Downtown Area:
  • NORTH - 101-118 E MLK Blvd
  • EAST - 700-715 Chicon St
  • SOUTH - 2239-2308 Barton Skwy
  • WEST - 1300-1317 Newfield Ln

Film Permit - Helpful Information & Templates

• Submit one application per shoot which includes all locations.
• Submit a separate application for B-Roll (even if it’s associated with a stationary shoot).
• Number each location in the application description and on the site maps.
• When completing the application, you must use road segments, not addresses. Follow the TIP’s on the Property Selection screen and choose the Address Type “segments”.
• Incomplete applications can’t be processed – you’re responsible for ensuring it was submitted.

B-Roll Template

YYYY/MM/DD - YYYY/MM/DD - FILM – B-Roll - 00AM - 00PM NORTH - #### - #### Street Name EAST - #### - #### Street Name SOUTH - #### - #### Street Name WEST #### - #### Street Name

Permit Template

YYYY/MM/DD - YYYY/MM/DD - FILM - ITC/Parking/Full Closure  (Location 1) MM/DD - MM/DD; 00AM - 00PM; #### Block Street Name, #### Block Street Name.  Closure/Use Request (ITC, Full Closure, Parking only) on (sidewalk, street, parking etc.).  Parking: # spaces on XX of #### Street Name for (crew vehicles, box truck, portable restroom, generator, catering truck, boom lift etc.).  (Location 2) MM/DD - MM/DD; 00AM - 00PM; #### Block Street Name, #### Block Street Name.  Closure/Use Request (ITC, Full Closure, Parking only) on (sidewalk, street, parking etc.).  Parking: # spaces on XX of #### Street Name for (crew vehicles, box truck, portable restroom, generator, catering truck, boom lift etc.).  (Location 3) MM/DD - MM/DD; 00AM - 00PM; #### Block Street Name, #### Block Street Name.  Closure/Use Request (ITC, Full Closure, Parking only) on (sidewalk, street, parking etc.).  Parking: # spaces on XX of #### Street Name for (crew vehicles, box truck, portable restroom, generator, catering truck, boom lift etc.).

Film Permit - FAQ's

What information should be included in the permit?

• Project or Event Name:
  • Should be the name of the production.
• Project or Event Description – Information should match the site plan
  • Should list the entire date range of the shoot and type of right-of-way use.
  • Number each location and include:
    • Date(s) and daily start and end times.
    • Street name(s) with block numbers OR to/from cross streets.
    • Portions of right of way to be used or closed (sidewalk, parking, street, etc.) and type of use.
    • Parking Information – for each block:
      • Number of spaces needed per side and type(s) of vehicles and/or non-vehicular items being placed.
      • NOTE: You don't need to include the pay station numbers or pay zones.

How should the documents be uploaded?

• Ideally, they should be separated by type and in PDF format. For example, the following should all be individual PDF uploads and named as such:
  • APD Application
  • Site Map
  • Parking Map (if applicable)
  • Signoffs and Notification Record and Certification (in numerical order by street)
• NOTE: You must correctly name your files PRIOR to uploading them.

What’s the difference between ITC and a full closure?

• Intermittent Traffic Control (ITC) is for temporary occupation of the right of way. This is defined as closing/using the right of way for increments of 5 mins or less.
  • ITC closures are managed by APD only.
  • ITC must be in conjunction with either a Full Closure or production setup on private property.
• Full closures are needed if you are occupying a full portion of the right of way OR if temporary occupancy will exceed 5 min increments.
  • Full closures require a Traffic Control Plan (TCP) signed/sealed by a licensed Engineer which must be setup by a certified traffic control company.

Who reserves my parking?

• Metered Parking:
  • If all items are received and fees paid at least 48 business hours prior to the first day of parking space use, the Metershop will reserve the parking.
  • If everything is not completed 48 business hours prior to the first day of parking space use, the applicant is responsible for reserving their own parking using the TPW OSE approved process and materials.
• Unmetered Parking:
  • The applicant is responsible for reserving their own parking using the TPW OSE approved process and materials.

How do I reserve unmetered parking?

• If no specific spaces or towing will be needed, you can reserve the spaces with cones.
• If you need specific spaces and/or need to be able to tow, you must get regulation 7’ tall signs with a tow bar/tag. They must be set out at least 48 hours prior to the first day parking is needed, using the TPW OSE approved process and materials.

Can I have vehicles towed who park in the spaces I permitted?

• Metered Parking:
  • Yes, if spaces were reserved by the Metershop OR you reserved the parking using the TPW OSE approved process and materials.
  • No, if you didn’t follow the TPW OSE approved process.
• Unmetered Parking:
  • Yes, if regulation 7’ tall signs with a tow bar/tag were setup following the TPW OSE approved process.
  • No, if you used cones to reserve the spaces or if you didn’t follow the TPW OSE approved process.

Film Permit - Film Documents

FILM/PARKING NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLOSURE AND SIGNOFF REQUEST 

FILM NOTIFICATION SIGNOFF RECORD AND CERTIFICATION 

• EXAMPLE of how to complete the Notification Signoff Record and Certification form

Guiding Ordinances

Ordinance 14-6-4 - Temporary Street Closure for Film-Making Activity

Ordinance 14-8 - Temporary Closure for Special Events and Block Parties

Ordinance 4-20 - Special Events

Contact Transportation and Public Works Department, Office of Special Events at TransportationSpecialEvents@austintexas.gov or 512-974-6501