[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Village of Ridgefield Park 9-12-2000 by Ord. No. 00-13 (Ch.
103 of the 1985 Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The taking of still or motion pictures, either on film, videotape
or similar recording medium, for commercial or educational purposes,
intended for viewing on television or in theaters or for institutional
uses. The provisions of this chapter shall not be deemed to include
the filming of news stories within the Village of Ridgefield Park.
Any and every public street, highway, sidewalk or square,
public park or playground or other public place within the Village
which is within the jurisdiction and control of the Village.
A.
No person or organization shall film or permit filming
on public lands within the Village without first obtaining a permit
therefor, which permit shall set forth the location of such filming
and the date or dates when filming shall take place.
B.
Permits shall be obtained in the office of the Village
Clerk during normal business hours. Applications for such permits
shall be in a form approved by the Village Clerk and shall be accompanied
by a permit fee in the amount established herein.
C.
One permit shall be sufficient to authorize outdoor
or indoor filming for a period not to exceed five days, provided that
the maximum number of permits that may be authorized in any calendar
year for premises located in a residential zone shall not exceed two
without a waiver.
D.
If a permit is issued and, due to inclement weather
or other good cause, filming does not in fact take place on the dates
specified, the Village Clerk may, at the request of the applicant,
issue a new permit for filming on other dates, subject to full compliance
with all other provisions of this chapter. No additional fee shall
be paid for this permit.
E.
No permit shall be issued for filming within the Village
on or in any private property unless written consent of the property
owner and/or tenant accompanies the application.
A.
No permits will be issued by the Village Clerk unless
applied for prior to five days before the requested filming date;
provided, however, that the Village Clerk may waive the five-day period
if, in her judgment, the applicant has obtained all related approvals
and adjacent property owners or tenants do not need to be notified.
B.
No permit shall be issued for filming upon public
lands unless the applicant shall provide the Village with satisfactory
proof of the following:
(2)
An agreement, in writing, whereby the applicant agrees
to indemnify and save harmless the Village of Ridgefield Park from
any and all liability, expense, claim or damages resulting from the
use of public lands.
(3)
The posting of a cash bond of $500 or maintenance
bond of $1,000 running in favor of the Village of Ridgefield Park
and protecting and ensuring that the location utilized will be left
in a satisfactory condition after filming, free of debris, rubbish
and equipment, and that due observance of all Village ordinances,
laws and regulations will be followed. Within 24 hours of the completion
of the filming, the Village of Ridgefield Park will return the bond
if there has been no damage to public property or public expense caused
by the filming.
(4)
The hiring of an off-duty Ridgefield Park police officer
at rates set by the Ridgefield Park Police Department for the times
indicated on the permit. The Chief of Police shall determine, in his
discretion, the number of officers required to maintain the public
safety.
C.
The holder of the permit shall take all reasonable
steps to minimize interference with the free passage of pedestrians
and traffic over public lands and shall comply with all lawful directives
issued by the Ridgefield Park Police Department with respect thereto.
D.
The holder of a permit shall conduct filming in such
a manner as to minimize the inconvenience or discomfort to adjoining
property owners attributable to such filming and shall, to the extent
practicable, abate noise and park vehicles associated with such filming
off the public streets. The holder shall avoid and limit any interference
with previously scheduled activities upon public lands. Where the
applicant's production activity, by reason of location or otherwise,
will directly involve and/or affect any business, merchants or residents,
these parties shall be given written notice of the filming at least
three days prior to the requested filming date and informed that objections
may be filed with the Village Clerk. Any objections shall form a part
of the applicant's application and shall be considered in review of
the application. Proof of service of notification to adjacent owners
shall be submitted to the Village Clerk within two days of the requested
filming date.
E.
The Village Clerk may refuse to issue a permit whenever
she determines, after a review of the application and report thereon
from the Police Department and by other agencies involved with the
proposed filming, that filming at the location and/or time set forth
in the application would violate any law or ordinance or would unreasonably
interfere with the use and enjoyment of adjoining properties, unreasonably
impede the free flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic or otherwise
endanger the public health, safety or welfare.
F.
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Village Clerk in denying or revoking a permit or a person requesting relief pursuant to Subsection G may appeal to the Board of Commissioners. A written notice of appeal setting forth the reasons for the appeal shall be filed with the Village Clerk. An appeal from the decision of the Village Clerk shall be filed within 10 days of the Village Clerk's decision. The Board of Commissioners shall set the matter down for a hearing within 30 days of the day on which the notice of appeal was filed. The decision of the Board of Commissioners shall be in the form of a resolution. Said resolution shall be adopted at the first regularly scheduled public meeting of the Board of Commissioners after the hearing on the appeal unless the appellant agrees, in writing, to a later date for the decision. If such resolution is not adopted within the time required, the decision of the Village Clerk shall be deemed to be reversed or the relief requested pursuant to Subsection G shall be deemed denied.
G.
The Board of Commissioners may authorize a waiver
of any of the requirements or limitations of this chapter and may
extend the duration of a permit beyond five days or may permit filming
at a particular location in a residential zone on more than two occasions
during any one calendar year or may waive any other limitation or
requirement of this chapter whenever it determines that strict compliance
with such limitations will pose an unreasonable burden upon the applicant
and that such a permit may be issued without endangering the public
health, safety or welfare.
H.
Copies of the permit application shall be sent to
the Police and Fire Departments and the New Jersey Motion Picture
and Television Commission for review before filming takes place. The
applicant shall permit the Fire Prevention Bureau or other municipal
inspectors to inspect the site and the equipment to be used. The applicant
shall comply with all safety instructions issued by the Fire Prevention
Bureau or other Village inspectors.
I.
In addition to any other fees or costs mentioned in
this chapter, the applicant shall reimburse the Village for any lost
revenue, such as repairs to public property or other revenues that
the Village was prevented from earning because of filming.
The schedule of fees for the issuance of the
permits authorized by this chapter is as follows.
A.
Basic filming permit: $50.
B.
Filming permit for nonprofit applicants filming for
educational purposes: $25.
C.
Additional fee for filming in public buildings, public
parks or other public facilities: $1,000 per day.
D.
Filming in public buildings or public parks for nonprofit
or educational filming purposes: no fee.
E.
Filming on private property: no fee.
A.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to impair
or limit in any way any other power of the Village of Ridgefield Park
to define and declare nuisances and to cause their removal or abatement
by summary proceedings or otherwise.
B.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to abrogate
or impair the power of the Village of Ridgefield Park to enforce any
provisions of its charter or its ordinances or regulations, nor to
prevent or punish violations thereof, and the powers conferred by
this chapter shall be in addition and supplemental to the powers conferred
upon the Village by any other law or ordinance.
