Apogaea tickets go on sale today. We realize all of you need to understand what’s going on with Apogaea’s permit application. Indeed we have been confronted this year with unprecedented challenges in the permit process. Unneighborly performance from other events in Park County has resulted in organized opposition, from a vocal minority of local residents, against any events that resemble Apogaea.
We’ve actively participated in the county’s process to better define their management and regulation of special events. We have maintained our standing & consideration in this process not only through our participation, but also through our track record of minimal incidents that might otherwise burden various government agencies of the County. Most importantly, we have been recognized publicly as a model for how events should be managed. We credit our extended volunteer organization and Ignition leadership for helping us earn that recognition.
As of yesterday’s resolution from the Board of County Commissioners, we have finally achieved some degree of clarity in how these proposed regulations would pan out. The County’s moratorium on event permits has ended, and our permit team will immediately begin working through the process. Over the previous ten years as a permitted event in Park County, we have always initiated ticket sales in advance of securing our permit. This year is different, as we still face many hurdles in the permit process, as well as vocal opposition.
So that you might make an educated decision in investing in tickets & effort for this year’s Apogaea, we think it is appropriate we outline the potential impact of some of our permitting restrictions:
- Fire — New regulations dictate that we will likely not be burning our effigy, but do allow for propane fire art approved by our fire safety officials. This will include propane and butane puffers and propane burn barrels as well as fire spinning.
- Noise —The county will recognize state law in enforcing noise complaints, we believe we have a great track record with sound management and can abide with the expectations of government agencies through better management of sound, in a way that’s not significantly different from what we have practiced in the past. We will have to constrain ourselves, everyone from big sound camps to single self powered monitors. There is a potentially heavy financial burden if we continually rattle the neighbors house. The Sound Team is working hard to get a clear policy together and out to all of our sound camps. We hope to have something for you soon. What does this mean realistically? You will still be able to dance to the rising sun, but those sundown sets are going to be the new rage.
- Duration — As event duration is a condition of the permit process, I can not say, today, what the length of the event will be. We will be working hard with all the departments in Park County, the Park County planning commission and the Board of County Commissioners to ensure that the duration of the event is what we have planned for this year and comparable to what we have done in years past. This particular piece of the permit, although the most stringent, has the most leeway as those involved in the permit approval process have the ability to grant specific events more time.
- Children–Will still be allowed at the event.
- Refunds–Apogaea has never had refunds. Tickets are non-refundable.
We regret that these concerns still sound vague and unresolved, but that’s what we’re working with at present. There are other issues, but these are the most impactful. We must still work the permit application through multiple government agencies, and we will also face a public hearing. We’re optimistic about the process, given our positive relations with the agencies involved, but also understand that we will continue to face vociferous adversaries along the way. There are always people who shun the new & the different, but we believe we’re earning respect in the community by overcoming their fears with our transparency. We’re making a stand for the property rights of Colorado residents, while defending our own rights to assemble and express ourselves. These are meaningful causes for us, as well as our neighbors, whether they support us or not.
A distinct quality of Apogaeans is that we readily adapt to our environment and any challenges it presents. We respond with creativity when we encounter obstacles. We’re not averse to risks and it’s not our nature to give up when faced with daunting challenges. That might not describe you, and you’re possibly uncomfortable buying a ticket today without crystalline clarity into our permit status. No worries if you need to hunker down until the dust clears. We understand…
Some of you might also be wondering how you can help with Apogaea’s situation. If you’re a property owner or resident in Park County, we’d certainly like to record your support. And if you know any property owners in Park County who might be aligned with our cause, even if they don’t attend Apogaea, but especially if they value their rights to conduct lawful business on their property as they see fit, we’d love an introduction. And if you know any business owners anywhere in Park County who benefit from any special events, or who would otherwise support Apogaea, we’d like to talk to them too. We encounter new local supporters every day, but this is certainly an area where you can help us counter our opposition.
As always, Apogaea is always on the lookout for alternative venues to our beloved Phloston Peak. We are actively pursuing all land leads that come our way. If you know any land owners anywhere in Colorado who might be a good match, we’d like to pitch the opportunity of hosting Apogaea to them. We have very good relations with our government counterparts in Park County, and we believe staying the course is the best path for now. But we also understand options are good, and you’re our best avenue to help us relocate the event in the future.
The last thing you can do in these circumstances… please don’t hesitate to ask questions, you can contact the board directly at [email protected], this is much more likely to get you a direct answer than speculating on Facebook. Asking questions is always welcome and much better than making assumptions or casting judgements.
Thank you for your support and your concern.
Michael Moss
President, Apogaea Board of Directors