Subject: Outdoor Assembly Venue 

Revised:  April 2025 

Purpose: An operational permit is required to operate open land as a business for assemblies, recreational activities, or gatherings. This shall include but not be limited to ATV parks, outdoor concert venues, amphitheaters, outdoor amusement, etc. This operational permit is not intended for temporary outdoor events or gathering but for those premises which operate for this purpose on a regular basis as a business practice. Outdoor assembly venue operational permit shall be renewed on an annual basis. For any premise that has an outdoor assembly venue operational permit and chooses to conduct an event which extends outside of the designated area covered by the permit, is an event that is outside of the normal daily business practices, or increases the normal level of activity on the property (i.e., concert venue with a temporary carnival for an event, or ATV park hosting a concert or other promoted event); a Special Event permit is required. 

Fees: $300.00 Annually 

Requirements: An Outdoor Assembly Venue permit will be issued once an application has been completed appropriately, all applicable documents have been uploaded, reviewed, and approved.  

Applications will be completed electronically, and all required documentation shall be uploaded electronically. There shall be no paper submissions. Permit application shall be completed and submitted through the approved Harris County software program. Once the application is received along with all required documentation, the Fire Code Official will conduct a review. When the permit process is complete, and authorization is given, the applicant will be notified that the permit is issued, and the duration of the permit will be indicated.  

All Outdoor Assembly Venue permit applications will begin with generalized information requirements. This information will pertain to the property information/property owner’s information/application information/project name.  

When applying for an Outdoor Assembly Venue operational permit the applicant shall provide the following information:  

• Site map detailing: 

• • Fire apparatus access roads 

• • Any structures on location. If structures were constructed after January 1, 2005, a construction permit and certificate of compliance is required. 

• • Location of any muster/meeting locations 

• • Location of all trails, ponds, and other attractions on premise 

• • Identification of areas within the property for ease of notifying emergency personnel, (i.e. Area 1, area 2, purple area, red area, etc.) 

• Emergency and evacuation plan, compliant with Chapter 4 of the adopted fire code for Fire Code Official approval 

• Floor plan of any structures on property to include evacuation routes, entry and exit doors, etc. 

If one or more of the requested documents does not apply to your location, please submit in writing a reason for not submitting. 

Denial: If it is determined that an application fails to meet the requirements as set forth in this standard or the applicant refuses to provide all required documentation, the fire code official shall not issue a permit, but shall return the application to the applicant with explanation for refusal.  

Revocation: The fire code official is authorized to revoke a permit where it is found that there has been false statements or misrepresentation as to the material facts in the application or supporting documentation on which the approval and issuance was based, the permit was issued to a different person or firm than named on the permit, the permittee failed, refused or neglected to comply with orders or notices duly served in accordance with the provisions of this code within the time provided therein, or the permit was issued in error or in violation of an ordinance, regulation or this code.