The Town Plaza is a publicly owned space which is managed and operated by the Borough of Metuchen. It is the intent of the Borough that the Town Plaza is a welcoming, safe, flexible, public gathering space for residents and visitors to downtown Metuchen. The Borough promotes the use of the Plaza for events where all of the public is welcome to attend. Formal events as defined herein as "special events" require a use permit to be issued by the Borough of Metuchen as provided for herein. The Town Plaza is not available for private events where members of the public are excluded, or an admission is charged. The Town Plaza is not available for private events, including, but not limited to, weddings, birthday parties or any other private event. In order to preserve the ability of all members of the public to have free access to the Metuchen Town Plaza, the Metuchen Plaza is limited to the use for events by the Borough of Metuchen or Borough of Metuchen commission-/committee-/board-sponsored events, the Metuchen Downtown Alliance and the Metuchen Farmers Market. In addition to the requirements contained herein, the Metuchen commission-/committee-sponsored events, the Metuchen Downtown Alliance, and Metuchen Farmers Market seeking to conduct a special event at the Metuchen Town Plaza shall also comply with all of the requirements and conditions of Chapter
75 of the Code of the Borough of Metuchen.
The Town Plaza shall be open daily to the public for informal
and scheduled events from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. All Town Plaza events,
both scheduled and/or informal, must be open to the public, free of
charge, and not on an invitation only or restricted basis. Access
to and through the Plaza must be maintained at all times, including
during setup and cleanup for an event. Sidewalk and tenant access
must also be maintained at all times.
A group or gathering of 50 or more persons shall constitute
a special event requiring a permit to be issued by the Borough for
the use of the Town Plaza. No group of 50 or more persons shall utilize
the Town Plaza for an event, gathering or outing without first having
obtained a use permit in advance from the Borough. Permits are not
required by individuals using the Plaza for casual, informal gatherings.
Adult supervision of children's groups requiring a permit is required
at all times. No person shall call or hold any public meeting or give
any concert or entertainment of any kind or erect any structure, stand,
tent, or platform, utilize any loudspeaker, public address system,
or amplifier except by the specific written authority of the Borough,
as authorized by permit. Although all events shall be opened to the
public, no other organized group or persons other than the one holding
the use permit shall interfere with permit holder's use of the Town
Plaza during the time covered by the permit issued by the Borough.
All permits that are granted must be produced upon demand.
Any person, persons, organization, entity or group violating any of the provisions of this article or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant hereto, shall upon conviction be subject to penalties as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article 1.
Each section, subsection, sentence, clause and phrase of this
article is declared to be an independent section, subsection, sentence,
clause and phrase, and the finding or holding of any such portion
of this article to be unconstitutional, void, or ineffective for any
cause, or reason, shall not affect any other portion of this article.
This article shall be in full force and effect from and after
its adoption and any publication as may be required by law.