This chapter shall be known as the "Motion Picture, Television,
Radio and Photographic Production Ordinance."
(Prior code § 5-15.1)
As used in this chapter:
shall mean commercials, motion pictures, television, videotapes,
or still photography produced by a nonprofit organization, which qualifies
under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code as a charitable
organization. No person, directly or indirectly, shall receive a profit
from the marketing and production of the film or from showing the
films, tapes, or photos.
shall mean and include all activity attendant to staging
or shooting commercial motion pictures, television shows or programs,
and commercials.
shall mean the photographing, filming or videotaping for
the purpose of spontaneous, unplanned television news broadcast or
reporting for print media by reporters, photographers or camerapersons.
shall mean a fixed place of business where filming activities
(motion or still photography) are regularly conducted upon the premises.
(Prior code § 5-15.2)
No person shall use any public right-of-way, or any public or private property, facility or residence for the purpose of producing, broadcasting, taking or making any commercial motion picture, television, radio or photographic production as defined in Section 5.60.020 without a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.
(Prior code § 5-15.3)
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to the following:
A.
Current
news productions, which includes reporters, photographers or camerapersons
in the employment of a newspaper, news service, broadcasting station
or similar entity engaged in the broadcasting of news events;
B.
Productions
that are conducted by the City's public, recreation, education and
government access organizations;
C.
Productions
that are conducted within legally established commercial motion picture/television/
radio/photography studios;
D.
Video
or multimedia broadcast or transmission of a live performance within
a live entertainment venue on large-screen monitors (i.e., jumbotrons)
attached to the exterior of the building.
(Prior code § 5-15.4)
Any person desiring a permit under the provisions of this chapter
shall make application on the appropriate form provided by the City's
Planning Division. The form must be signed and accompanied by all
required fees, deposits, hold harmless agreement and insurance certificate
required by this chapter before it will be processed. If the application
satisfies the criteria of this chapter, the permit shall be issued
within two working days of submittal, or within four working days
of submittal if the activity requires traffic control in excess of
three minutes or includes stunts or special effects, or within 10
working days of submittal if activities require road closures. Such
permit application shall be in lieu of a business license application.
(Prior code § 5-15.5)
Each application shall be accompanied by the following fees:
A.
A processing
fee in an amount established by resolution of the City Council to
reimburse the City for the staff time required evaluating the application
and establishing conditions of approval. The processing fee shall
be waived for charitable and nonprofit organizations that qualify
under Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code.
The processing fee will be at a reduced rate for student filming directed
or produced by a person currently enrolled in courses related to the
production, who furnish proof of their student status in the form
of a letter from their college, university or school.
B.
A daily
property use fee in an amount established by resolution of the City
Council to reimburse the City for the staff time required to monitor
the activity, as well as to compensate the City for the use of public
property and its unavailability for ordinary and usual purposes resulting
from the filming activity. The property use fee shall be waived for
the following:
1.
Productions
conducted by a cable television company operating under a franchise
granted by the City which are not conducted on public property, do
not interfere with public rights-of-way, and which involve fewer than
two motor vehicles;
2.
Productions
for wholly charitable or educational purposes and from which no profit
is derived, either directly or indirectly; and
3.
Student
filming—Productions directed or produced by a person currently
enrolled in courses related to the production, who furnish proof of
their student status in the form of a letter from their college, university
or school.
(Prior code § 5-15.6)
The City Manager or his/her designee shall issue a permit as
provided for in this chapter when, from a consideration of the application
and from such other information as may be otherwise obtained, he or
she finds that:
A.
The
conduct of such activity will not unduly interfere with traffic or
pedestrian movement or endanger public safety and that no streets
will be completely closed to traffic for an unreasonable period of
time. Seventy-two hours' notice of any street closure shall be given
in accordance with the provisions of Los Angeles County Code Section
15.64.140, incorporated into this Code as part of the Traffic Ordinance.
B.
The
conduct of such activity will not unduly interfere with normal governmental
or City operations, threaten to result in damage or detriment to public
property, or result in the City incurring costs or expenditures in
either money or personnel not reimbursed in advance by the applicant.
C.
At the
determination of the City Manager or his/her designee as well as the
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department
and the City's Public Works and Public Safety Departments, that the
condition of such activity will not constitute a fire hazard or any
other type of hazard and all property safety precautions will be taken
as determined by the heads of the aforementioned departments or their
designees.
(Prior code § 5-15.7)
The decision of the City Manager or his/her designee to issue,
conditionally issue, or deny a permit shall be final unless appealed
in writing within five working days of the decision by requesting
a hearing before the City Manager. Such hearing will take place within
two business days. In all cases, the decision of the City Manager
in such appeals is final.
(Prior code § 5-15.8)
If deemed necessary by the City Manager or his/her designee,
additional sheriff, code enforcement, fire, and other City services
shall be provided for the purpose of protecting, assisting and regulating
the proposed activity. The applicant shall pay the cost of providing
such additional services in advance to the City. Any additional City
services will be provided/coordinated through the City Manager or
his/her designee.
(Prior code § 5-15.9)
As a condition of issuing such a permit, the applicant shall
furnish insurance in an amount to be determined by the City Manager
but in no event in an amount less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00)
to protect the City against claims of third persons for personal injury,
wrongful death and property damage and to indemnify the City for damage
to the City property arising out of the permittee's activities. An
additional minimum of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of such
commercial general liability insurance coverage shall be required
when the aquatic center is used. An additional minimum of five million
dollars ($5,000,000.00) of such commercial general liability insurance
coverage shall be required in the event aircraft or helicopters are
used in the activity. Such insurance shall be evidenced by the standard
General Special Endorsement Form and the Certificate of Insurance
(Public Liability) form provided by the City's Planning Division.
(Prior code § 5-15.10)
The applicant shall execute a hold harmless agreement as provided
by the City prior to the issuance of any permit.
(Prior code § 5-15.11)
The applicant shall maintain a copy of the motion picture, television,
radio and photographic permit on site at all times.
(Prior code § 5-15.12)
A.
The
applicant shall conduct operations in an orderly fashion with continuous
attention to the storage of equipment not in use, maintenance of the
area, and the cleanup of trash and debris. The area used shall be
cleaned of trash and debris within a reasonable time of the completion
of the activity or within such other time established in the permit
to the City's satisfaction. The applicant shall be responsible for
restoring any area damaged or disrupted before leaving the site. If
the site is not repaired or restored to the City's satisfaction, the
City Manager or his/her designee shall have the necessary restoration
and/or repairs performed and the applicant shall reimburse the City
for such work within 10 days of completing filming.
B.
In the
event the applicant fails to so reimburse the City, the City may secure
its reimbursement from either a cash deposit or surety bond that shall
be posted with the City to ensure faithful performance of such restoration.
Such deposit or bond shall be filed at the time of the application
in an amount to be determined by a separate resolution of the City
Council or in any higher amount determined by the City Manager or
his/her designee to be reasonably required under the circumstances,
except that the City Manager or his/her designee may waive any or
all of the required deposit or bond in the case of student filming.
The deposit or bond will be promptly returned upon the satisfactory
cleanup and restoration of the area used.
C.
The
amount of the deposit or bond shall in no way limit the applicant's
liability or responsibility for the costs of repairs or restoration
in the event these costs exceed the bond amount.
(Prior code § 5-15.13)
The City Manager and his/her designee are hereby authorized
to promulgate and enforce administrative regulations in the implementation
and enforcement of this chapter.
(Prior code § 5-15.14)
