SXSW permitting process now closed

Yesterday, the city reached its new maximum number of permitted events for South by Southwest. The Austin Center for Events (ACE) made the decision as part of a new plan to reduce the number of temporary event permits issued during SXSW 2015 by 25 percent. Along with the announcement that the city would no longer be accepting Temporary Use Permits, Temporary Event Sound Permits, Temporary Change of Use Permits and Occupant Loads for Austin events planned for March 13-22, ACE also released some hard numbers. In 2014, the city approved 284 permits total — 107 Temporary Use Permits, 71 Temporary Change of Use Permits and 106 Music Permits. This year, the city has accepted applications for 246 permits. The biggest drop-off was in Temporary Use Permits, which were nearly halved — there are only 57 applications in, and those have yet to be approved.