City issues reminders in advance of 2011 Jazz Fest

With the 2011 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival set to open at the New Orleans Fairgrounds on Friday, April 29, city officials issued a reminder last week regarding the procedures and requirements for permitting for public parking in the festival’s vicinity as well as businesses selling goods. This year’s festival dates are April 29-May 1 and May 5-8.

“Our goal is to eliminate confusion in advance so commercial business owners and non-profit managers are aware of and can follow the proper procedures well in advance,” said Deputy Mayor and CAO Andy Kopplin. “City enforcement officials will be on site to ensure that local businesses are in compliance with city ordinances.”

City ordinance requires that commercial businesses get the appropriate permits if they wish to operate commercial parking on their commercially zoned property during the festival. In the event that a non-profit organization plans to manage a parking service on commercial property, they must also apply for a permit. Fees associated with permits for parking operations are $265.25 for a business and $30 for a non-profit organization.

Parking Enforcement Reminders: The Fair Grounds Race Course is located in a residential part of the city offering restricted parking in surrounding neighborhoods. Festival-goers that are driving to the Fairgrounds are encouraged to park in downtown long term lots and use the shuttle system festival organizers have arranged or to take public transportation. Gray Line Tours will operate continuous round-trip transportation – the Jazz Fest Express — from the Sheraton Hotel, the Gray Line Lighthouse at the Steamboat Natchez Dock (Toulouse St. at the River — next to Jax Brewery), and City Park (next to Marconi Meadows) daily from 10:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

A special entrance will be used only by Jazz Fest Express vehicles to avoid traffic and bring festival-goers inside the gates of the festival.

For more information, call (504) 569-1401 or 1-800-535-7786, or visit www.gray­linenew­orleans. com/jazzfest.html.

Parking enforcement personnel will be monitoring for illegal parking, including blocking hydrants, driveways and sidewalks, or parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection or stop signs, in the residential neighborhoods adjacent to the Fairgrounds. Motorists are also reminded to park in the direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets.

In addition, existing businesses will be allowed to sell their products on their property, both inside and outside of their business contingent upon not blocking public right of way. However, the city will aggressively enforce the rules against transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly selling their products within the festival’s “clean zone.”

This story originally published in the April 25, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.