[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:
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.
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:
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.
