A city special event authorized by resolution as an approved
outside special event pursuant to section 19.E of the city’s
zoning ordinance as amended.
School sanctioned educational field trips by a combination
of vehicles for the furtherance of student’s educational needs.
One or more persons or vehicles accompanying another to guide,
protect, or show honor.
A procession either within the city or traveling through
the city, usually in motor vehicles, from a church or other place
of worship to the cemetery. The deceased is usually transported in
a hearse, while family and friends follow in their vehicles.
A group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles, traveling
together for mutual support and protection that is controlled and
reported as a military unit. A military convoy can consist of several
combinations of vehicles, auxiliaries, or other military units.
Any march or procession consisting of more than three (3)
people, animals or vehicles or a combination thereof, upon any public
street or alley except that the definition of a parade does not include
military convoys, funeral precessions, escorts, school sanctioned
educational field trips or city special events.
Person appointed by the organization requesting a parade
permit to be the central point of contact for the city and its employees.
This person is responsible for ensuring that all parade participants
understand ordinances pertaining to parades and penalties for noncompliance.
(Ordinance 1017-2014 adopted 1/28/14)
All individuals, groups, or entities, “applicants,”
that propose to conduct a parade upon any street within the city limits
must comply with the following procedures:
(1)
The parade permit application located as exhibit A to Ordinance 790-08.
All fees and insurance must be submitted to the city secretary, City
of River Oaks, 4900 River Oaks Boulevard, River Oaks, Texas 76114,
(817) 626-5421 no less than forty-five (45) calendar days or more
than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date and time of the commencement
of the parade.
(2)
The city and the Castleberry Independent School District sponsored
events are exempt from the fees but are not exempt from application
and permit procedures.
(3)
The city council may choose from time to time to waive the application
fees of applicants but all applicants shall be subject to application
and permit procedures.
(4)
The city manager, public works director, police chief, and fire chief
will review all applications and forward to the city council for final
approval or denial.
(5)
For closure of a state right-of-way within the city limits for less
than (2) hours, a “right-of-way use agreement” with the
Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) must be approved.
(6)
The city or the Texas Department of Transportation, “TXDOT,”
may require traffic-control devices for any parade. Any traffic-control
devices required must be installed by a qualified installer and the
cost of such will be the responsibility of the applicant and must
comply with the TMUTCD.
(7)
It shall be a criminal offense for an individual, group, or entity
to knowingly organize, engage in, participate in, aid, or commence
a parade upon any street in the city without making written application
for and receiving a parade permit from the city, a parade permit application,
and complying with this article.
(8)
No parade permit shall be required for the following:
(A)
The armed forces of the United States of America, the military forces
of the state and the forces of the police and fire departments acting
within the scope of their duties.
(B)
Funeral processions proceeding by vehicle by the most reasonable
route from a funeral home, church, or residence of a deceased to the
place of service or interment.
(C)
Sidewalk processions which observe and comply with traffic regulation
and traffic control devices, utilizing that portion of a sidewalk
nearest the street, but at no time more than one-half of the sidewalk.
(9)
All motorized vehicles in the parade must be driven by a driver 18
years of age or older who holds a current valid license to operate
a motor vehicle in the state and proof of insurance.
(10)
All drivers are prohibited from being under the influence of any
substance that would impair their judgment or driving ability whether
that substance be prescribed by a physician, an over the counter drug,
alcohol, or an illicit drug.
(11)
Drivers and the floats or vehicles they are operating will be removed
from the parade if they fail to safely control their vehicle or operate
their vehicle in a manner deemed unsafe by a representative of the
city, police department, or fire department.
(12)
Drivers shall not participate in any activity that will distract
from their driving of the float or vehicle, i.e. eating, talking on
cell phone, etc.
(13)
Parade participants, spectators, and the public are prohibited from
disembarking from or attempting to board a moving vehicle during a
parade.
(14)
For floats or vehicles in the parade that carry minors under the
age of thirteen (13) there must be one (1) adult over the age of twenty-one
(21) on the float or vehicle for every 10 minors under the age of
thirteen (13) on the float or vehicle.
(15)
For floats or vehicles in the parade that carry minors between the
ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) there must be one (1) adult
over the age of twenty-one (21) on the float or vehicle for every
20 minors between the ages of thirteen (13) and eighteen (18) on the
float or vehicle.
(16)
Each float or vehicle shall have a designated seat for each person
riding on the float or vehicle.
(A)
The seat provided must be such that if the participant was to fall
off the seat that the participant would not fall into the street.
(B)
The bed rails of pick-up trucks, the side rails of trailers, or the
outside surfaces of cars shall not be considered a designated seat.
(C)
Participants may be seated in the floor of trailers or in the floor
of beds of pick-up trucks.
(D)
All participants riding on a float or vehicle must remain seated
at all times during the parade.
(E)
Participants and the floats or vehicles that they are riding on that
continually violate this requirement will be removed from the parade.
(17)
No participants will be permitted to ride on the float or vehicle
or in a position that is prohibited by law to the beginning point
of the parade or when leaving the ending point of the parade.
(18)
Candy, gum, beads, paper, or any other article(s) shall not be thrown,
tossed, projected, nor transferred directly to the hand of a spectator
from any type of vehicle during a parade. This shall include, but
not be limited to, persons on horseback.
(19)
Participants wishing to distribute candy, gum, beads, paper, or any
other article(s) during may do so with the following stipulations:
(A)
Distribution must be done by a person over the age of eighteen (18)
walking alongside the float or vehicle.
(B)
The person distributing the items must do so by transferring the
items directly to the hand(s) of the spectators.
(C)
No items of a sexual, offensive, or dangerous nature may be distributed.
(D)
The person(s) distributing the items may not board the float or vehicle
at any time during the parade.
(20)
All animals in the parade must be kept on leashes and held by someone
strong enough to manage them.
(21)
Participants under the age of 18 on bicycles, scooters, skates, skateboards,
etc. must wear a helmet and proper safety equipment.
(22)
No smoking is allowed by any participant in the staging area or in
the parade.
(23)
All floats or vehicles must remain in their assigned position during
the duration of the parade.
(24)
If a float or vehicle becomes disabled the driver shall move that
float or vehicle as far right on the roadway as possible so that the
remainder of the parade can pass safely. If the driver is able to
return the float or vehicle to a drivable condition and the end of
the parade has not yet passed the driver shall wait until the end
of the parade passes and then may rejoin the parade at the end. If
the driver is unable to render the float or vehicle drivable before
the end of the parade passes the driver shall make arrangements for
any of the participants riding on the float or vehicle to be transported
to a safe place and then make arrangements for the float or vehicle
to be removed.
(25)
Spectators shall be prohibited from entering the roadway during the
parade.
(26)
Spectators are prohibited from throwing, tossing, projecting, or
transferring directly any item(s) to participants in the parade.
(27)
Application for waiver of any of the rules of this section may only
be approved by council after staff recommendation.
(Ordinance 790-08 adopted 8/12/08; Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 62, adopted 8/13/19)
(a)
A nonrefundable parade permit fee in the amount of five hundred dollars
($500.00) shall be submitted with the application.
(b)
The parade permit application shall contain the following information
and shall be signed by the applicant:
(1)
The name, address, and telephone number of the applicant and of any
other persons, organizations, firms, or corporations on whose behalf
the application is made.
(2)
Date requested for the parade and proposed schedule of start and
stop times.
(3)
The specific route (include a map) to be traveled and the starting
and termination points.
(4)
A brief description of the proposed activities, including the proposed
placement of event staff and equipment on the right-of-way.
(5)
A letter from the law enforcement agency that will be providing the
traffic control for the event, a contact name, and a telephone number
for the responsible law enforcement agency. If the city police department
will be providing the traffic control this requirement is waived.
(6)
An original certificate of insurance for a general liability umbrella
policy providing the applicant with one million dollars ($1,000,000.00)
in coverage. The applicant shall also provide documentation that the
city has been named an “additional insured” on the umbrella
policy.
(7)
Staging areas for the start of the parade and disassembly areas at
the termination point must be designated and fully described. Applicant
must sign a statement that all staging and disassembly areas on private
or public property have been approved by the owner/management of the
property. The name, address, and phone numbers for the owner/manager
authorizing the use of property must be included in the application,
including without limitation public rights-of-way and property owned
by the city, if applicable.
(8)
The estimated number of participants to participate in the parade.
Marching units or organizations shall require an individual count
for each member. The total number of people shall be included.
(9)
The estimated number if any, of animal without riders, animals with
riders, animal-drawn vehicles, floats, motor vehicles, motorized displays.
(10)
A signed statement that sponsors will ensure that assembly and disassembly
of the parade will be directed and orderly so as not to block or interfere
with traffic flow.
(11)
A signed statement ensuring that the applicant will be responsible
for the ground maintenance of the assembly and disassembly areas that
occur in the public rights-of-way including without limitation cleaning
and removing animal feces.
(Ordinance 790-08 adopted 8/12/08)
(a)
Upon receipt of the parade permit application and the parade permit
fee, the city manager or designee shall normally furnish to the applicant,
within fifteen (15) working days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and
legal holidays, appropriate approval or denial of the application.
Approval or denial of the application may be delayed if the applicant
fails to give complete information, if the proposed route requires
staff research, or if other aspects of the application require staff
review that exceeds the normal process.
(b)
In the event the application reveals that the parade staging, parade
route, and parade disassembly requested will interfere with the orderly
flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, the city manager or designee
shall have the authority to establish a reasonable alternate route
and to regulate the width and the duration of the parade.
(Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 63, adopted 8/13/19)
(a)
The city manager or designee shall revoke an application or parade
permit when the information contained in the application is found
to be inaccurate in any material detail.
(b)
The city manager or designee may revoke the application or parade
permit if the parade fails to begin within thirty (30) minutes of
the appointed time of commencement.
(c)
The city manager or designee shall revoke an application or permit
based on reasonable grounds to believe that the parade is being conducted
in a manner constituting a danger to any person or property.
(d)
Any failure to comply with this article.
(Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 64, adopted 8/13/19)
Applications shall include a route that shall not pass through
arterial intersections during the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.;
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.; or 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on weekdays, except
major holidays. Applicants shall be notified if the proposed route
conflicts with this requirement.
(Ordinance 790-08 adopted 8/12/08)
Applicants or parade sponsors shall pay the cost of police officers
and police vehicles as contained in the city’s fee ordinance
for traffic control and security required for the parade. The city
manager or designee shall determine the number of employees and equipment
required and the estimated cost of such employees and equipment. Estimates
for fees required for police officers and police vehicles, traffic
control and security, or other cost associated with the parade shall
be paid twenty-four (24) hours before the parade start. Additional
cost not paid as part of the estimate or excess fees paid as part
of the estimate shall be paid or refunded within three days of the
parade.
(Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 65, adopted 8/13/19)
An applicant and/or the sponsors, and/or any other individual
or entity reasonably required by the city must execute a written indemnity
agreement, in the form and substance required by the city, indemnifying
and holding harmless, the city and its officers and employees and
parties in interest with the city against all claims, damages, or
causes of action arising from the parade or application resulting
in injury, damage or death to persons or property, whether public
or private. The applicant shall take all reasonable measures necessary
to protect the parade participants. Insurance shall be furnished prior
to the parade and when required by the city manager or designee in
the form, substance, and limits required by the city manager or designee.
(Ordinance 1239-2019, sec. 66, adopted 8/13/19)
