On June 6, 2017, City Council approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to host a multi-day Italian film festival referred to as Umbria in Sugar Land. The event will be produced with Italian partners including the Region of Umbria, the City of Spello, and the International Film Festival of Spello (also known as Festival del Cinema Cittá di Spello ed i Borghi Umbria), as well as the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce.
Umbria in Sugar Land will take place from Wednesday, September 27, 2017, to Sunday, October 1, 2017. In additional to films being screened at Sugar Land Auditorium and in Sugar Land Town Square, there will be an opening ceremony and awards, educational seminar, art exhibition at Sugar Land Auditorium, business-to-business meetings for the Italian delegation, tour of Sugar Land and Fort Bend County for the Italian delegation, and pre-screening VIP receptions.
For the VIP receptions located at Lonnie Green Park (130 First Street, Sugar Land, TX 77478), there is a desire to have sponsors provide Italian wine and possibly other alcoholic beverages. The receptions will take place between Wednesday, September 27, 2017, through Sunday, October 1, 2017. Lonnie Green Park is a City-owned park that is adjacent to Lakeview Elementary and Sugar Land Auditorium, which are both Fort Bend Independent School District facilities. The Park is also within 300 feet of the International Christian Network Church. In addition to reaching out to FBISD and the church, staff has also shared information regarding this variance request with community leaders in the adjacent neighborhood.
Although the Parks & Recreation Director has the ordinance authority to allow alcohol in City-owned parks, Section 3-91(a) of the City of Sugar Land Code of Ordinances prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverage within the corporate limits of the City where the place of business of an alcoholic beverage dealer is within 300 feet of any church, public school, or public hospital. As a result, a one-time variance request is desired for consumption of alcohol at Lonnie Green Park. No evening VIP receptions will overlap with school functions at Lakeview Elementary.
On August 15, 2107 staff presented the first reading of the one-time ordinance, and City Council directed staff to ensure a window of time was specified within the language of the one-time variance, in addition to the already listed specific dates. As a result, the ordinance outlines that Chapter 3, Section 3-91(e) of the City of Sugar Land Code of Ordinances does not apply to Lonnie Green Park during receptions related to the event Umbria in Sugar Land:
- that are held at Lonnie Green Park; and
- that take place on Wednesday, September 27, 2017 to Sunday, October 1, 2017;
- that are held between the hours of 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; and
- that are directly related to the event Umbria in Sugar Land.
Additionally, staff is conducting further outreach to the Hill neighborhood residents by:
- contacting Hill Block Captains with details about Umbria in Sugar Land and volunteer opportunities;
- issuing announcements via NextDoor targeting the Hill residents;
- corresponding with The Hill neighborhood leaders regarding details of events, including impact on traffic and parking; promote volunteer opportunities/incentives;
- distributing an event flyer door-to-door with details about Umbria in Sugar Land and volunteer opportunities offering to each home.
Staff has also confirmed that Parks & Recreation staff will be on site after each of the four evening receptions for immediate clean up of Lonnie Green Park, and the Police Department will be on site throughout the festival and specifically at the four evening receptions. Also, staff is looking into shutting down street parking along Wood Street in order to reduce any congestion and increasing ease of traffic flow during the festival.
Staff recommends that City Council authorize a one-time variance from Chapter 3, Section 3-91 of the City of Sugar Land Code of Ordinances to allow for the sale of alcoholic beverages at Lonnie Green Park during receptions related to the City-partnered event known as Umbria in Sugar Land.