Concord’s decision to remove a permit requirement for events held on private property is a victory for simple good sense in a time when it has been severely lacking in our public discourse.
To be sure, the complaints that led to the city’s review of its policy highlighted a difficult situation. In October, a weeklong celebration of the Hindu holiday of Purana on Pembroke Road irritated neighbors.
Those holding the festival had applied, correctly, for a permit. But the city decided to check whether its regulations on such events needed to be tightened.
Ultimately, though, City Solicitor Jim Kennedy recommended junking the permit process altogether, on First Amendment grounds. Gatherings will still be regulated, but by the usual city ordinances, including restrictions on noise from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, all day Sunday and on holidays. City police officers are familiar with these basic rules, and are in a perfect position to enforce them.
City officials’ decision to take this commonsense step should be commended. Permits didn’t give residents a magical pass to violate city ordinances, and there were few other reasons to regulate gatherings on private property. Residents in a state such as New Hampshire, with its long and forceful advocacy of individual rights, have every reason to demand maximum flexibility and minimum government intrusion.
That comes with a dose of responsibility, of course. Yard sales and block parties that close a street still require clearances. And those holding events should become familiar with the city’s rules.
With empathy and appreciation for one another and our varying cultures, that’s the best outcome that Concord could hope for.