[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee (now Township Council) of the Township of Stafford 12-27-1979 by Ord. No. 79-28. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Peace and good order — See Ch. 153.
This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Parade Ordinance of the Township of Stafford."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
PARADE
Any parade, march, ceremony, show, exhibition, pageant or procession of any kind, or any similar display, in or upon any street, park or other public place in the Township.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.
A. 
No person shall engage in, participate in, aid, form or start any parade unless a parade permit shall have been obtained from the Chief of Police.
B. 
Exceptions. This chapter shall not apply to:
(1) 
Funeral or wedding processions.
(2) 
Students going to and from school classes or participating in educational activities, provided that such conduct is under the immediate direction and supervision of the proper school authorities.
(3) 
A governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions.
A person seeking issuance of a parade permit shall file an application with the Chief of Police on forms provided by the Chief of Police.
A. 
Filing period. An application for a parade permit shall be filed with the Chief of Police not less than 10 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 seeking to conduct such parade.
(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 heads of such organization.
(3) 
The name address and telephone number of the person who will be the parade chairman and who will be responsible for its conduct.
(4) 
The date when the parade is to be conducted.
(5) 
The route to be traveled, the starting point and the termination point.
(6) 
The approximate number of persons who, and animals and vehicles which, will constitute such parade, the type of animals and a description of the vehicles.
(7) 
The hours when such parade will start and terminate.
(8) 
A statement as to whether the parade will occupy all or only a portion of the width of the streets proposed to be traversed.
(9) 
The location by streets of any assembly areas for such parade.
(10) 
The time at which units of the parade will begin to assemble at any such assembly area or areas.
(11) 
The interval of space to he maintained between units of such parade.
(12) 
If the parade is designed to be held by and on behalf of or for any person other than an applicant, the applicant for such permit shall file with the Chief of Police a communication in writing from the person proposing to hold the parade, authorizing the applicant to apply for the permit on his behalf.
(13) 
Any additional information which the Chief of Police shall find reasonably necessary for a fair determination as to whether a permit should issue.
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 10 days before the date such parade is proposed to be conducted.
The Chief of Police shall issue a permit, as provided for hereunder, when, from a consideration of the application and from such other information as may otherwise be obtained, he finds that:
A. 
The conduct of the parade will not substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic contiguous to its route.
B. 
The conduct of the parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of police officers of the Township to properly police the line of movement of the parade and of contiguous areas so that adequate police protection cannot be provided to the remainder of the Township.
C. 
The conduct of the parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of ambulances so that adequate ambulance service to portions of the Township not occupied by the parade and contiguous areas will be prevented.
D. 
The concentration of persons, animals and vehicles at assembly points of the parade will not substantially interfere with adequate fire and police protection of, or ambulance service to, areas contiguous to such assembly areas.
E. 
The conduct of the parade will not be likely to result in violence to persons or property, causing serious harm to the public.
F. 
The parade is not to be held for the primary purpose of advertising a product, goods or event and is not designed to be held primarily for private profit.
G. 
The conduct of the parade will not interfere with the movement of firefighting equipment to such an extent that adequate fire protection cannot be provided to the Township.
If the Chief of Police disapproves the application, he shall mail or have served upon the applicant, within five days after the date upon which the application was filed, a notice of his action, stating the reasons for his denial of the 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 five days 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.
Immediately upon the issuance of a parade permit, the Chief of Police shall send a copy thereof to the following:
A. 
The Mayor.
B. 
The Superintendent of Public Works.
C. 
The Fire Chief of the area or areas where the parade shall be conducted.
Each parade permit shall state the following information:
A. 
The starting time.
B. 
The minimum speed.
C. 
The maximum speed.
D. 
The maximum interval of space to be maintained between the units of the parade.
E. 
The portion of the streets to be traversed that may be occupied by the parade.
F. 
The maximum length of the parade in miles or fractions thereof.
G. 
Such other information as the Chief of Police shall find necessary to the enforcement of this chapter.
A person issued a permit under the provisions of this chapter 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.
A. 
Interference. No person shall unreasonably hamper, obstruct or 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 such effect, and it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any vehicles in violation thereof. No person shall be liable for parking on a street unposted in violation of this chapter.
The Chief of Police shall have the authority to revoke a parade permit issued hereunder upon application of the standards for issuance as herein set forth.
[Amended 11-11-1986 by Ord. No. 86-55; 2-21-1989 by Ord. No. 89-22]
A. 
Any person violating or failing to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, by imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days or by community service of not more than 90 days, or any combination of fine, imprisonment and community service as determined in the discretion of the Municipal Court Judge. The continuation of such violation for each successive day shall constitute a separate offense, and the person or persons allowing or permitting the continuation of the violation may be punished as provided above for each separate offense.
B. 
The violation of any provision of this chapter shall be subject to abatement summarily by a restraining order or injunction issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.