Township of West Milford, NJ Chapter 244 Parades

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of West Milford as Sec. 5-8 of the 1976 Revised General Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]

§ 244-1 Permit required.

No person shall engage in, form or start any parade in the Township without obtaining a permit from the Chief of Police. No permit shall be issued to permit a parade on Sunday, except in connection with a religious procession.

§ 244-2 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

PARADE

Any assemblage of 25 or more persons engaged in an organized procession of any duration along a public street or highway, following a certain route, whether predetermined or not.

§ 244-3 Exceptions.

This chapter shall not apply to:

A. Funeral processions.

B. Students going to and from school classes or participating in educational activities, providing such conduct is under the immediate supervision and direction of the proper school authorities.

C. A governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions.

§ 244-4 Application for permit.

A person seeking issuance of a parade permit shall file an application with the Chief of Police on forms provided by such officer.

A. Filing period. An application for a parade permit shall be filed with the Chief of Police not less than five days nor more than 90 days before the date on which it is proposed to conduct the parade.

B. Contents. The application for a parade permit shall set forth the following information:

(1) The name, address and telephone number of the person who will be the parade chairman and who will be responsible for its conduct.

(2) If the parade is proposed to be conducted for, on behalf of, or by an organization, the name, address and telephone number of the headquarters of the organization and of the authorized and responsible head of such organization.

(3) The date when the parade is to be conducted.

(4) The route to be traveled, the starting point and the termination point.

(5) The approximate number of persons who, and animals and vehicles which, will constitute such parade; the type of animals, and description of the vehicles.

(6) The hours when such parade will start and terminate.

(7) The location by streets of any assembly areas for such parade.

(8) Any additional information which the Chief of Police shall find reasonably necessary for a fair determination as to whether a permit should be issued.

C. Late applications. The Chief of Police, where good cause is shown therefor, shall have the authority to consider any application hereunder which is filed less than five days before the date the parade is proposed to be conducted.

D. Fee. There shall be paid at the time of filing the application for a parade permit the fee set forth in Chapter 135, Fees.[1]

[1] Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 244-5 Action by Chief of Police.

The Chief of Police shall act upon the application for a parade permit within three days after the filing thereof.

A. Notice of rejection. If the Chief of Police disapproves the application, he shall mail to the applicant within three days after the date upon which the application was filed, a notice of his action, stating the reasons for his denial of the permit.

B. Alternative permit. The Chief of Police, in denying an application for a parade permit, shall be empowered to authorize the conduct of the parade on a date, at a time or over a route different from that named by the applicant. An applicant desiring to accept an alternate permit shall, within one day after notice of the action of the Chief of Police, file a written notice of acceptance with the Chief of Police. An alternate parade permit shall conform to the requirements of and shall have the effect of a parade permit under this chapter.

§ 244-6 Duties of permittee.

A permittee hereunder shall comply with all permit directions and conditions and with all applicable laws and ordinances. The parade chairman or other person heading or leading such activity shall carry the parade permit upon his person during the conduct of the parade.

§ 244-7 Public conduct during parades.

A. Interference. No person shall unreasonably hamper, obstruct, impede or interfere with any parade or parade assembly, or with any person, vehicle or animal participating or used in a parade.

B. Driving through parades. No driver of a vehicle shall drive between the vehicles or persons comprising a parade when such vehicles or persons are in motion and are conspicuously designated as a parade.

C. Parking on parade route. The Chief of Police shall have the authority, when reasonably necessary, to prohibit or restrict the parking of vehicles along a highway or part thereof constituting a part of the route of a parade. The Chief of Police shall post signs to this effect, and it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any vehicle in violation thereof.