County Adopts Revised Code on Music Festivals

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If you’re planning to hold a music festival in Lewis County this year, you’ll want to pay attention to some new language in the county’s law that governs such gatherings.

Lewis County commissioners on Monday approved a revised county code portion regarding music festivals that in effect makes a law that was previously updated in 1998 up to date, especially after officials said a planned rave in 2014 in West Lewis County skirted the permitting process and nearly 19,000 people were invited to the event.

Commissioners held a public hearing on the proposed amendment to the code at their 10 a.m. Monday weekly business meeting. Several changes to the code included bringing the minimum number of people expected to attend the festival down from 500 to 200, and requiring the landowner or the occupant of the property on which the festival is to be held to consent to possible searches of the property during the event.

David Fine, deputy civil prosecuting attorney for the county, said the code addresses “inadequate provisions” for attendees and some residents. Those issues include ensuring roads remain open for emergency vehicles and local traffic, adequate sanitation and insurance requirements.

Officials had expressed concern about several of those issues when they learned about the Epic III rave coming to West Lewis County five months ago. The county then issued an injunction against the festival, preventing it from ever starting.

“Based upon that experience, the county staff discovered certain provisions that were not really perfect,” Fine said. “The code is intended … to correct this.”

A major change in the policy includes a provision that the outside perimeter of the festival grounds cannot be less than 500 feet from any school, church, residence, commercial building or farm building unless the occupants or owners of those facilities approve such. Other changes include a flat rate fee of $2,500 for a permit, a requirement that lighting used for a festival after sundown must be hooded and shielded, and a provision for officials to cancel a music festival if a red flag fire weather warning goes into effect.



The Washington Bluegrass Association had written the Lewis County Community Development office with concerns they could possibly not be grandfathered into the new law, as their Mount St. Helens Bluegrass Festival has been held at Toledo High School for nearly 25 years. Association member Fred Hart asked for confirmation the group could get a specific exemption for their event from the new code, stating that the festival has been able to operate without problems for years.

“We believe that we have located in a place that allows for (public services) to be uniquely available to us. We’ve had zero impact on public services,” Hart said.

Community Development Director Lee Napier said she believes the festival would be exempt from the requirements in the new law as they were exempt from the previous one. 

Fine added that he, from a legal perspective, believes the bluegrass group is exempt as they held their event at a school venue.

Commissioners Edna Fund, Bill Schulte and Gary Stamper voted unanimously to pass the replacement code, which will go into effect immediately.