to Organizers of any Sherman Island events

[lodwik]

Please pass this on to anyone you think may be organizing an event …

Any Event held at Sherman Island
The new County Ranger is now fully enforcing Park regulations.
Sailing / Kite Boarding / demo events Must Have Permits (cost $100)
Permit Must be Submitted at least 60 day before the Event .
Event organizer must show Certificate of insurance .
No event may be advertised before the Permit is obtained (failure to comply is grounds for non-approval of cancellation of permit )
All persons attending the event MUST pay at least day parking .
No Sales of Goods or services without permits .
Emails to parkevents@saccounty.net or fax 916-875-6632 ……Forms available from park host .

FYI the windsurfing kids Camp have already been granted permits for the year .

[Yoda]

I will be confirming this, but for over a decade, I organized and operated a skimboarding event within county property annually without ever needing a permit until many years later. The reason why is according to the county park rules, any organized event with 100 or less people in attendance does not require a permit. Once our skimboard event surpassed 100, we had to have permits and insurance in order to continue. So unless this rule has been updated, there should be no need for a permit.

In over 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing 100+ kites out at Sherman nor 100+ attendees at a demo event.
How it was explain to us by the rangers was it was no different than having a big picnic at a park with all of your friends. Just keep it under 100 and you're all good!

[Sonny]

I will be confirming this, but for over a decade, I organized and operated a skimboarding event within county property annually without ever needing a permit until many years later. The reason why is according to the county park rules, any organized event with 100 or less people in attendance does not require a permit. Once our skimboard event surpassed 100, we had to have permits and insurance in order to continue. So unless this rule has been updated, there should be no need for a permit.

In over 10 years, I can't remember ever seeing 100+ kites out at Sherman nor 100+ attendees at a demo event.
How it was explain to us by the rangers was it was no different than having a big picnic at a park with all of your friends. Just keep it under 100 and you're all good!

Was this a conversation with the ranger or did the ranger show you the rules? I was not shown the rules last year but I was explicitly told the rules about no selling or demoing without a permit. I do not plan on doing any organized demo with out a permit but I have no problem letting someone borrow one of my kite so that they can try it without a permit.

[sloughslut]

Hopefully the ranger will enforce a holes who hog all the parking spots with lawn chairs and kite gear on windy weekends

[sloughslut]

And dogs off leash

[J-GAR]

I agree sloughslut with both your points! Good luck with that though. In all my 17 years at Sherman, this has always been an issue and the ranger never does the hard part of his job. They only look for easy things to do where they can make money. I have even seen kook kiters park in the handicap spots without placards because parking ran out. The ranger never enforced that either.

[Yoda]

The reason why is according to the county park rules, any organized event with 100 or less people in attendance does not require a permit.

They've updated to no more than 41 people:

Special Events are events that are organized and planned by groups or individuals for a specific recreation activity. A permit is required for all special events as stated in Parks Ordinance 9.36.021 when it meets one of the following criteria:
1) The event is organized for the participation of the general public and attracts more than 41 participants.
2) A fee is charged for participating in the event.
3) Any event requiring the exclusive use of a park or facility.

I do not plan on doing any organized demo with out a permit but I have no problem letting someone borrow one of my kite so that they can try it without a permit.

For whatever reason they seem to think "organized demo" means this:

9.36.053 Selling and Advertising.
a. Within the boundaries of any park facility, no person shall sell, vend, peddle, expose, offer for sale, or distribute after sale to the public, any merchandise, service, or property, or sell tickets for any event, nor shall any person distribute, circulate, give away, throw, or deposit in or on any park facility any handbills, circulars, pamphlets, papers, or advertisements, which material calls the public attention in any way to any article or service for sale or hire, nor within any park facility shall any person solicit or collect donations of money or other goods from the public, without express approval of the Board of Supervisors for such activity within the specific park facility.

One could argue that organizing a demo day could be considered a form of "Exposure", but as long there's no transfer of goods or collection of money taking place within the park, there is no violation. However putting up a sign (flag) without a permit is in violation of Parks Ordinance 9.36.063.

9.36.063 Property--Use Of.
No person shall:
c. Without a permit from the director, make or place on any tree, plant, shrub, bloom, flower, building, sign, fence, bench, structure, apparatus, equipment, or property, or an any portion thereof, any rope, wire, mark, writing, printing, sign, card, display, or similar inscription or device. (SCC 36 § 2 (part), 1971.)

[Frappes]

Hopefully the ranger will enforce a holes who hog all the parking spots with lawn chairs and kite gear on windy weekends

I feel like this has even been getting worse the past couple of years! Early bird gets the parking spot - better start getting there on friday evening if it's gonna be windy and you wanna bring a car.

[Yoda]

Please pass this on to anyone you think may be organizing an event …

Any Event held at Sherman Island
The new County Ranger is now fully enforcing Park regulations.
Sailing / Kite Boarding / demo events Must Have Permits (cost $100)

If one wants to host a demo event at Sherman without getting a permit, follow these guidelines:
1) Organize it so that no more than 41 people (including hosts) sign up to participate and document it. A physical/visual indicator (hand stamp, wrist band, etc) is effective for documentation and is additional evidence to the rangers if they intervene.
2) Do not charge a fee to demo gear.
3) Do not close the beach or park off to the public during the event.
4) Do not display any signs promoting the demo event. Rely on word of mouth (verbal, social media, forums, etc).
The key is to keep it intimate with no more than 41 people. At that point it's no different than having an big picnic at the park with all of your friends.
I would encourage all of those hosting a demo event to have the people demo'ing sign a release of liability still to insulate yourself and the park from any mishaps since you don't meet the requirements to require a park permit.

[Aloha]

As the topic & replies to the thread suggest - what these broke park rangers are willing to do for a little extra cash will SHOCK you