CITY ISSUES REMINDERS IN
ADVANCE OF THE 2016 NEW ORLEANS JAZZ
AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL
NEW
ORLEANS –
With the 2016 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival set to open at the Fair
Grounds Race Course on Friday, April 22, the City is reminding the public
about the procedures and requirements for selling goods and public parking in
the festival’s vicinity. This year’s festival dates are Friday, April 22 to
Sunday, April 24 and Thursday, April 28 to Sunday, May 1.
“Celebrating its 47th year, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is one
of the most authentic cultural experiences in the world,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu
said. “Jazz Fest attracts hundreds of thousands of revelers to the Fair Grounds
and is only getting bigger and better. This year, we encourage all residents
and visitors to make a plan before heading out to Fair Grounds to enjoy a day
of music, food and culture. As in previous years, City enforcement officials
will be on site to ensure that local businesses are in compliance with City
ordinances. Our goal is to make commercial business owners and non-profit
managers aware of the rules and regulations, and to eliminate confusion in
advance.”
COMMERCIAL BUSINESS ENFORCEMENT
City code requires that commercial businesses get the appropriate permits
if they wish to operate 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.
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 the public right-of-way. However, the City will aggressively enforce
the rules that prohibit transient vendors (carts, trucks, etc.) from improperly
selling their products within the festival’s “Clean Zone.”
The Clean Zone is a temporary designation that seeks to protect the quality of
life for residents and assists businesses in thriving during the 2016 Jazz and
Heritage Festival. Simultaneously, the designation will facilitate a tremendous
positive economic impact on the City of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana
through the regulation and control of certain areas in order to provide for the
public health, safety, and welfare of thousands of residents, visitors,
dignitaries, and media personnel who will attend events.
The Clean Zone is bounded by Florida Avenue on the north, North Broad Avenue on
the east, Esplanade Avenue on the south, and Bayou St. John on the west
(excluding the portion of that area contained within the exterior boundaries of
the New Orleans Fair Grounds Racetrack). The Clean Zone is in effect beginning
at 6 a.m. on Friday, April 22, 2016, and ending at 7 a.m. on Sunday, April 24, 2016. The Clean Zone will go into effect again
at 6 a.m. on Thursday, April 28, 2016, and ending at 7 a.m. on Sunday, May 1, 2016.
The City of New Orleans’ One Stop Shop for permits and licenses is open during
regular business hours, Monday – Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from
8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Click here for more information or
call (504) 658-7100.
GETTING TO JAZZ FEST
The Fair Grounds Race Course is located at 1751 Gentilly Blvd. in a residential
part of the city offering restricted parking in surrounding neighborhoods.
Festival-goers that are driving to the Fair Grounds are encouraged to bicycle,
carpool whenever possible, park in downtown long-term lots and use the shuttle
system festival organizers have arranged or to take public transportation.
Additionally,
because the Wisner Boulevard Bridge Overpass is closed to the public for
construction, festival goers should seek alternate routes when travelling to
and from the festival.
Bicycling
Festival attendees planning on riding bicycles to the Fair Grounds are
encouraged to utilize the City’s designated bikeways. Click here for a map of the City’s
bikeway network.
Bicycle parking is available by the Gentilly Pedestrian Entrance at the corner
of Gentilly Boulevard and Sauvage Street. Click here for a map of Jazz Fest.
Jazz
Fest Express Shuttle Service
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 Street
at the River – next to Jax Brewery and City Park (next to Marconi Meadows) daily from 10:30 a.m.
until all patrons have been transported from the Fair Grounds.
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.
Click here for more information or
call (504) 569-1401 / 1-800-535-7786.
Taxi and Pedicab Stands
Taxi cab stands are located at the Stallings Playground at the corner of
Gentilly Boulevard and Lapeyrouse Street and Fortier Park at the corner of
Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street.
A pedicab stand is located at Esplanade Avenue and Mystery Street across from
the taxi cab stand.
Transportation
Network Companies
The
City anticipates a high volume of ride requests for Transportation Network
Companies (TNC) and TNC for-hire vehicles, such as uberX and Lyft, during the
festival. In an effort to minimize interruption to Uber and Lyft service and
reduce passenger inconvenience, TNC’s will direct passengers and drivers to meet
at a location outside of the restricted traffic zones.
RTA
RTA offers bus and streetcar service to stops within walking distance of the
Fair Grounds. Click here for more information.
JAZZ FEST PARKING ENFORCEMENT
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. Motorists are reminded to park in the
direction of travel on one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on
two-way streets. Motorists are highly encouraged to pay close attention to all
posted signage to avoid being ticketed or towed.
The City’s Parking Control Officers will be actively enforcing the following
safety violations:
- Blocking
a fire hydrant ($40 fine)
- Parking
in a fire lane ($40 fine)
- Parking
within 15 feet of a fire hydrant on either side ($40 fine)
- Parking
within 20 feet of a crosswalk, intersection, or stop sign ($40 fine)
- Parking
on a sidewalk ($40 fine)
- Parking
on a traveled portion of the roadway ($40 fine)
- Parking
within 3 feet of a driveway on either side ($40 fine)
- Parking
on the neutral ground and subject to seizure ($75 fine)
- Parking
adjacent to the neutral ground ($40 fine)
- Parking
in freight/loading zone ($40 fine)
- Parking
in a handicapped zone without proper permit displayed ($500 fine)
- Parking
at an expired meter ($40 fine)
- Parking
in a Residential Permit Parking zone without a permit displayed ($40 fine)
- Parking
in the wrong direction (vehicles must park in the direction of travel on
one-way streets, and with the right wheel to the curb on two-way streets)
($40 fine)
- Vehicles
with unpaid parking tickets will be booted and/or towed.
Click here for more information on
parking or
call:
- Department
of Public Works (Parking enforcement and information), (504) 658-8100
(answered 24 hours)
- Information
related to Residential Parking Permits, (504) 658-8200
- Pay
and release of boot, (504) 599-5652
- Information
on Ticket/Tow Appeals Hearings: (504) 658-8250
Towed
vehicles may be retrieved at the N. Claiborne Avenue Auto Impound Lot located
at 400 N. Claiborne Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112. The Auto Impound Lot is
open 7 days a week from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
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