[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Warrington 2-24-2015 by Ord.
No. 2015-O-06 (Ch. 13, Part 5, of the 1995 Code
of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
An agent, occupant, lessee, contract purchaser, or person
other than the owner, having possession or control of property.
All assemblies of people for the purpose of public amusement
reasonably anticipated to number more than 250 for a continuous period
of six hours or more, more than 10% of whom will assemble outdoors
or in structures specially constructed, erected or assembled for the
gathering, whether or not an admission fee is charged.
Any natural person, association, partnership, firm, corporation,
joint venture, or any other legal entity whatsoever, who initiates,
organizes, promotes, permits, conducts or causes to be advertised
a public gathering.
It shall be unlawful for any sponsor, owner of property, or
person in charge of property to initiate, organize, promote, permit,
conduct or cause to be advertised a public gathering unless a permit
has been obtained pursuant to this chapter. A separate permit shall
be required for each public gathering for a period of time designated
by the permit.
A.
No public gathering may be held within the boundaries of Warrington
Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, unless the sponsor, the owner
of property and the person in charge of property upon which the gathering
will be conducted jointly apply for and are granted a permit as herein
provided.
B.
No permit shall be available for an extent of more than 48 hours'
duration unless the application and permit specifically allow for
an extension of that period.
C.
No applicant shall be under 21 years of age.
D.
In case of dispute over the number of people reasonably anticipated
to attend the public gathering, the decision of the Warrington Township
Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services, or his designee,
shall control.
E.
The following activities shall be exempt from permit requirements
but shall coordinate with the Department of Codes, Inspections, and
Emergency Services and the Warrington Township police to ensure minimum
standards for public health and safety are met:
[Amended 2-24-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-O-06]
A.
Written application for each public gathering shall be submitted
to the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township according to the
following schedule:
(1)
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, at least 20 days prior
to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2)
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, at least 30 days prior
to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3)
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, at least 45 days prior
to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4)
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, at least 60 days prior
to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(5)
All applications submitted after the appropriate deadlines shall
be rejected without review.
B.
Application shall be made on forms specified by the Board of Supervisors
of Warrington Township and shall contain at least the following information:
(1)
The full legal name, address and telephone number of all sponsors.
(2)
The full legal name and address of the owner and person in charge
of the property to be utilized for the public gathering.
(3)
If the sponsor-applicant is a partnership or joint venture, then
all parties thereto shall sign as applicants. If the sponsor-applicant
is a corporation, copies of the articles of incorporation, bylaws,
and resolution authorizing the application may be required.
(4)
The location and address of the property to be utilized for the public
gathering.
(5)
The program of the public gathering or, if no program is prepared,
a narrative statement as to the purpose for which the public gathering
is to be conducted.
(6)
A diagrammatic sketch plan of the proposed site of the mass gathering
showing the locations and dimensions of the proposed service roads,
potable water facilities, sanitary facilities, sewage disposal facilities,
medical service facilities, distribution of security personnel, and
provisions for food storage, as well as camping facilities and projected
plans for enclosure, if necessary, of the proposed site.
(7)
Evidence that all permits and licenses as required by state and county
statutes and rules and regulations enacted thereunder have been obtained
or will be obtained.
(8)
A statement of the number of persons expected to attend such event
and duration of such attendance.
(9)
The specific details relating to:
(a)
Food and drink.
(b)
Sanitary facilities.
(c)
Transportation and parking facilities.
(d)
Security and protection of surrounding areas, including specific
reference to the number of marshals assisting in the control of traffic
and supervision of those attending.
(e)
On-site medical facilities and hospital care.
(f)
Janitorial services and post-gathering trash removal.
(10)
A certified copy of the bond or verified evidence of other suitable
financial arrangements, as hereinafter required, must be attached
to the application.
(11)
A statement containing the names and addresses of licensed ticket
printers to be used and the plans for assuring the return of monies
upon the termination or cancellation of the event as well as the means
of notifying potential and existing ticket holders of such cancellation
where the anticipated number of people attending is over 5,000 persons.
(12)
Examples of proposed advertising of the event, if any.
(13)
Applicants' statement that they shall abide by the terms
and provisions of this chapter and all laws, rules and regulations
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Bucks, and Township
of Warrington.
C.
Each application shall be accompanied with a cash fee to cover the
cost of inspection, investigation, issuance and administration of
the permit, in an amount to be established from time to time by resolution
of the Township Board of Supervisors. No part of the permit fee is
refundable.
D.
The Board of Supervisors, or its agent, shall either grant or deny
the application for a permit according to the following schedule:
(1)
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, five days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2)
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, 10 days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3)
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, 15 days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4)
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, 20 days prior to the first
day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
A.
The applicants shall submit with their application a corporate bond
of indemnity in a form approved by the Township Solicitor, or cash
deposit, to save and protect Township streets, pavement, bridges,
road signs and all other Township property from any and all damage
that might be caused by vehicles, employees, or participants in the
public gathering, and to be used, if necessary, to restore the premises
where such public gathering is held to a sanitary condition and pay
all charges and losses to the Township for damages to the streets,
pavement, bridges, and all other Township property.
B.
Should the permitted public gathering necessitate that the Township
deploy or employ additional personnel as a direct result of the public
gathering, such added expense shall be recoverable from the principals
and/or their indemnitor. The cash deposit or its balance will be returned
to the applicants upon final audit of the Township as to what damages,
if any, occurred and what deployment and employment of personnel,
if any, was necessitated.
C.
The corporate bond of indemnity or cash deposit shall be in the following
amounts:
|
Persons Reasonably Anticipated
|
Cash Deposit or Bond Amount
|
|---|---|
|
250 to 1,000
|
$5,000
|
|
1,000 to 3,500
|
$10,000
|
|
3,500 to 5,000
|
$15,000
|
|
5,000 to 10,000
|
$20,000
|
|
Over 10,000
|
$30,000
|
D.
The property owner or person in charge of the property making application
shall sign, as an additional indemnitor, to insure against damage
to streets, pavement, bridges, road signs, and all other Township
property, to meet costs of the Township for deploying or employing
personnel directly attributable to the conduct of the public gathering,
and to insure that the property will be restored to a sanitary condition.
A.
No permit shall be issued by the Board of Supervisors of Warrington
Township, or its agent, unless all of the conditions recited herein
have been satisfactorily concluded according to the following schedule:
(1)
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, six days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2)
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, 11 days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3)
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, 16 days prior to the
first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4)
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, 21 days prior to the first
day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(5)
All applications not meeting this schedule shall be denied.
B.
Sanitary facilities. Written approval of the Bucks County Health
Department, indicating that applicant's plan for water supply,
toilet facilities, washing facilities, and food preparation and service,
if applicable, the type of food preparation and food facilities to
be provided, conforms with applicable state and county laws, rules
and regulations relating to the public health.
C.
Public safety. Written statement of the Warrington Township Police
Chief indicating that plans have been made to meet the following conditions:
(1)
Applicants have provided for adequate traffic control and crowd control
personnel, i.e., one marshal for every 50 motor vehicles reasonably
anticipated to be at the location and one marshal for each 150 persons
reasonably anticipated to be in attendance.
(2)
A list of those marshals must be presented to the Warrington Township
Police Chief with the application. The marshals must be orientated
and instructed by the Police Chief, or his designee, and the sponsor
of the public gathering prior to the commencement of the gathering.
(3)
Applicants have completely enclosed the ground where the public gathering
is to be held with snow fencing or other similar material of equivalent
strength of not less than four feet in height.
(4)
Adequate lighting must be provided, subject to approval of the Board
of Supervisors or the Township Manager.
D.
Medical services. Written approval by the Bucks County Department
of Health indicating that sufficient medical service has been provided
by the applicant. Each public gathering shall have as a minimum one
ambulance staffed by two adult individuals trained in first-aid techniques
in attendance at all times.
E.
Parking facilities. Written approval of the Warrington Township Police
Chief indicating that parking is available within or adjacent to the
premises upon which the public gathering is to be conducted as herein
provided:
(1)
Such parking facilities shall provide parking space for one vehicle
for every four persons reasonably anticipated to be in attendance
at the public gathering.
(2)
Adequate ingress and egress shall be provided from such parking area
to facilitate the movement of any vehicle at any time to or from the
parking area; provided, however, that should buses be used to transport
the public to the public gathering, it shall be shown that public
parking, as described above, is available at any site from which buses
are scheduled to pick up persons to transport them to the public gathering.
All facilities, including a stage, must have appropriate building
permits and must be specially assembled, constructed or erected for
the public gathering. Such facilities must be in place at least 24
hours before the commencement of the public gathering and be approved
by the Building Code Official of Warrington Township.
A.
No permittee, or persons having control of the public gathering,
shall condone the presence of intoxicating liquor or the consumption
of intoxicating liquor on the property; and no person during the public
gathering shall take or carry onto the property, or drink thereon,
intoxicating liquor, except as licensed or permitted by state law.
B.
The burden of preserving order during the public gathering is upon
the permittees of the public gathering. Any violation of the laws
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or its rules and regulations,
or of the terms and conditions of this chapter, or other ordinances
of Bucks County or of Warrington Township, or the permit granted hereunder
may be cause for immediate revocation of the permit by the Warrington
Township Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services, or
his designee, or by the Bucks County Health Department upon notification
to the person in charge that a violation exists and the failure of
the person in charge to take immediate action to correct the violation.
Upon revocation of any permit, the permittees of the public gathering
shall immediately terminate the assembly and provide for the orderly
dispersal of those in attendance.
C.
The Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township, its authorized agents
and representatives, and the representatives of the county and Township
departments having responsibility for approval under this chapter
shall be granted access to the public gathering at all times for the
purpose of inspection and enforcement of the terms and conditions
imposed herein.
D.
There shall be no musical entertainment, either live or recorded,
utilizing sound-amplification equipment, and there will be no programmed
entertainment provided between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.
E.
If, at any time during the conduct of the public gathering, the number
of persons in attendance exceeds by 10% the number of persons represented
by the applicants for the permit anticipated to be in attendance,
the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township, the County Health
Officer, or the Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services,
or his designee, shall have the authority to require the applicant
to limit further admissions until all conditions and provisions recited
herein are met.
F.
Any applicant with more than 10% proprietary interest, if any, in
the public gathering, and the owner of property or person in charge
of the property, or their designated agents or representatives, shall
be required to be in attendance at the public gathering and shall
be responsible for ensuring that no person shall be allowed to remain
on the premises who is violating any state, county or Township laws,
rules or regulations.
G.
Public gatherings operating without a permit under this chapter based
on a reasonable anticipation of fewer than 250 persons in attendance
shall limit attendance therein to 249 persons, and printed tickets,
if utilized, cannot number more than 249.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues or each section of this chapter which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. This chapter may be enforced initially by violation ticket (citation); see Chapter 38, Ordinance Enforcement Procedures, Article II, Tickets for Certain Offenses.
