BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A new change in Whatcom County law will make it easier to put on smaller outdoor music festivals.

The county council voted unanimously at its meeting on Tuesday night to adopt an ordinance raising the threshold to require a permit for outdoor musical events from 1,000 to 2,000 attendees.

It also adds that the event has to last at least five hours in order to require a permit, in a move that amends county code to match the state’s.

Council member Kaylee Galloway says the change will make it less expensive and less cumbersome to host smaller outdoor events.

“I do think there is value in removing some barrier to smaller organized events that can help stimulate our local economy, provide spaces for the community to gather and belong, to highlight events that promote arts and culture and music,” Galloway said at the meeting.

Council member Ben Elenbaas raised some concerns about the change in county code but reluctantly threw his support behind it.

“There could be an argument made that these types of things are already happening during some of these harvest festivals that could look a lot like this on a much larger scale than these numbers and they haven’t really been a problem in the past, so now we’re solving a problem that doesn’t exist,” Elenbaas said.

The topic was raised by organizers for the Strings and Things music festival in Point Roberts.

They complained that they needed to clear many unnecessary hurdles to put on the relatively small event last year.