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Territorial Dispatch

Parade Permit Rejected

Sep 25, 2024 01:00PM ● By Angela Underwood

Councilman Marc Boomgaarden stresses the importance of safety at the Nagar Kirtan Sikh Parade, which draws nearly 100,000 visitors to the local area over three days. Courtesy photo


YUBA CITY, CA (MPG) - Elected officials deny the Nagar Kirtan Sikh Parade special event permit for 16 reasons. 

On Sept. 5, the Yuba City Council called Police Chief Brian Baker and Fire Chief Jesse Alexander to give parade details for the annual Sikh festival, drawing thousands here. 

At the beginning of September, Baker said he met with temple officials for traffic patrol, specifically for Hooper Road west to Madison and north of Butte House Road.

Baker said the temple officials assured him they would have a plan in two weeks. They did not keep the agreement, according to Baker.

On Sept. 17, City Manager Diana Langley discussed the parade planning progress or lack thereof.

Langley said that on Sept. 9, a denial letter was sent to the local temple regarding the unique permit process for the event, which mandates specific requirements still needing to be met.

Designated as a Tier 1 event, Langley said that city officials are required to respond within 60 days of application as to whether they have complied with the permit application requirements.

“As of this date, they have not,” Langley said. “There are still 16 events that are outstanding to be completed in order for the city to issue a special event permit.”

However, the temple can still gather the items and submit them to comply with the special event permit process, Langley said, noting police and fire services will continue to monitor resident safety regardless.

That comes with a cost.

“I also want to note without compliance in the permit process, that would shift a lot of the liability onto the temple for the specific items we are requesting,” Langley said.

Mayor Shon Harris, who addressed concerns on Sept. 5, said on Sept. 17 that officials are “following” the denial letter.

“I have been in communication briefly with him today and was told that one of the items was prepared,” Harris said, adding that the temple president said a copy of confirmation would follow that afternoon.

It never did, according to Harris. 

“That is the only update I can add to what you just said,” Harris said.

Being denied a permit does not necessarily mean the event will not happen.

“I have heard a lot of chatter about the city shutting down the parade or we are going to close roads so that the parade can't happen in the city,” Langley said. “That is not the discussion that is taking place.”

According to the city manager, it is more a matter of business than barricades.

“We require other events attain a permit and we strive very hard to work with those organizations that are trying to do large events to comply with our permit process, so this is really an administrative function of trying to get compliance,” Langley said.

Harris confirmed denying the parade permit “is not something we want to do but we have a timeline and we have requirements we have to do.”

Councilman Marc Boomgaarden said, “When you have upwards of 100,000 people come in for a beautiful cultural event which adds a lot to the quality of life in Yuba City, it does come with some safety concerns.”

Rather than a “revenue” item, Boomgaarden said that the permit process provides safety for parade holders and attendees and for all businesses and the public that day. 

“None of the asks we identify in the permit process are outrageous, given the potential size of the three-day event and the risk it brings to our community,” Boomgaarden said, adding he remains hopeful that temple leadership will continue to comply with the mandated requirements.