[HISTORY: Adopted by the City of Council of the City of Chester 5-9-2012 by Ord. No. 7-2012 (Art. 527 of the 1978 Codified Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter the following terms shall have the meanings indicated.
ADDITIONAL POLICE
Police officers performing their normal law enforcement duties, over and above the number of officers normally on duty at a given time.
APPLICANT
The event sponsor as defined in this chapter or their designated agent.
EVENT
Any gathering of persons for a parade, carnival, circus, travelling show, music festival, flea market, or any other similar gathering of a group of persons.
EVENT SPONSOR
The person who, while acting in their individual or representative capacity, for themselves or as the agent for any other legal entity for whom they are legally empowered and authorized to act and who has the legal capacity to enter into a binding contract for themselves or the entity for whom they act.
FUNERAL PROCESSION
A single movement from a mortuary of church to the place of burial of a human body under the direction of an authorized funeral director.
LICENSEE
The person or entity to which a Special Event License has been issued under the provisions of this chapter.
MASS GATHERING
Any gathering of persons at a parade, carnival, circus, travelling show, music festival, flea market, or any other similar gathering of a group of persons.
PARADE
A march or procession of any kind.
POLICE COMMISSIONER
The Police Commissioner of the City of Chester.
RESIDENTIAL BLOCK PARTY
A gathering of residents for a one day event where one block of a City street is closed to traffic to allow for the block party.
SPECIAL EVENT
Any gathering for any purpose where it is reasonably expected to have 1,000 or more persons attending the gathering at any one time.
[Amended 9-28-2015 by Ord. No. 6-2015]
A. 
No special event, parade or mass gathering shall be conducted or operated upon any street, park or other public or private place within the City of Chester unless license to conduct such special event, parade or mass gathering has been obtained from the City Council.
B. 
A person or event sponsor seeking issuance of a license shall file an application with the Office of the Chief of Staff on forms to be provided by the City. The completed application shall be delivered to the Office of the Chief of Staff at least 15 days prior to the scheduled date of the event, or at least 60 days prior to the scheduled event if any public streets are proposed to be closed or if the event is designated as a special event as defined in this chapter.
C. 
No person shall participate in any special event, parade or mass gathering unless a license to conduct such event has been issued.
D. 
If the location of the event is proposed for any property owned by the City of Chester other than public streets, the applicant must first obtain a permit from the Department of Parks, Public Property and Recreation for use of the location and then apply for a license for the event.
[Amended 6-13-2012 by Ord. No. 9-2012; 9-28-2015 by Ord. No. 6-2015]
This chapter shall not apply to any of the following:
A. 
Funeral processions.
B. 
A governmental agency, governmental authority or lessee thereof, acting within the scope of its functions or in the case of a lessee within the scope of and pursuant to its lease;
C. 
Students going to and from school classes or participating in educational activities, providing such special event is authorized by the school district and is under the immediate direction and supervision of the school authorities authorized to supervise such special event.
D. 
Residential block parties. All persons who wish to hold a residential block party where one block of a City street is closed to traffic must obtain a permit for the street closing from the Mayor.
A. 
The application for a license shall set forth the following information:
(1) 
The name, address and telephone number of the person requesting the license, and if the applicant is making the application on behalf of another person or organization the name, address and telephone number of the organization or other person.
(2) 
The name, address and telephone number of the person who will be directly in charge of and responsible for the event.
(3) 
The date, time and location or detailed route of the proposed event.
(4) 
The approximate number of persons who will participate in the event and the number and description of vehicles and number and types of animals that will be involved.
(5) 
The requested hours when the event will start and terminate and the requested times at which any portions of the event will begin to assemble at a particular area or areas.
(6) 
A statement as to whether the event will occupy all or any portion of public streets and the names of the streets proposed to be traversed.
(7) 
A statement of the types of food to be served or sold during the event and where the food stands will be located.
(8) 
A statement of whether any electrical connections are necessary for any portion of the event, and if so, where the electrical connections are to be located.
(9) 
A statement that the applicant has made application with the City of Chester Health Department and the Department of Licenses and Inspections for the City of Chester for the event.
B. 
No license application will be considered unless the application has been completed in its entirety and is accompanied by the requisite fee, which may be established from time to time by City Council resolution, and any additional sum that the City may determine to be necessary to reimburse the City for out-of pocket expenses or damage to public property as described in and in accordance with § 147-6, and proof provided that the applicant has applied for any other permits required by any other departments of the City that may apply to the planned event.
[Amended 9-28-2015 by Ord. No. 6-2015]
A. 
The Police Commissioner or his designee and the Fire Commissioner or his designee shall review the application and consider at a minimum the following:
(1) 
Whether the conduct of such event will not substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic.
(2) 
Whether the event will require the City to police the event, and assess the additional security needs that the applicant will have to satisfy.
(3) 
Whether the event will unduly interfere with the proper fire and police protection of areas where the event will take place or to areas contiguous to such areas.
(4) 
Whether the event will unduly interfere with the movement of firefighting equipment on route to a fire or the movement of other emergency equipment.
(5) 
Whether there are other events scheduled on the date of the requested event.
(6) 
Whether the event is being held for the sole purpose of advertising the goods, wares or merchandise of a particular business establishment or vendor.
(7) 
Whether the event will substantially interfere with or be a substantial detriment to the general health, safety and welfare of the City.
B. 
After such review, the Police Commissioner or his designee shall report to Council with a recommendation whether to approve or deny the application and whether any conditions should be imposed upon the applicant. The Police Commissioner may recommend that a certain event will require additional police officers over and above the number of police officers on duty at the time of the event to ensure public safety, and also provide the cost of the additional police officers. Where such a condition is imposed, the applicant will be required to pay the additional cost of such police officers in addition to any other charges necessary for the approval of the application. If any street closings or traffic pattern changes are proposed by the applicant, the Mayor shall approve or deny such traffic alterations.
C. 
Council shall have the sole authority to approve or deny applications. Council shall have the authority to impose such other conditions as it deems necessary to ensure that the health, safety and welfare of general public are protected by the issuance of the license. The conditions may regulate the time, place and manner in which the event is conducted.
D. 
Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, an application for an event that involves the serving or use of any alcoholic beverages may be denied by Council for any reason or no reason.
[Amended 9-28-2015 by Ord. No. 6-2015]
In addition to the application fee authorized pursuant to § 147-4 of this chapter, the applicant shall pay to the City an amount that Council or its designee shall calculate for purposes of reimbursing the City for any costs for police, fire, public works services, damage to public property or other expenses the City may incur in connection with the event subject to the license. The payment of the additional expenses shall be made prior to the issuance of the license, and in the event that the estimate of the costs exceeds the actual amount of costs incurred the City shall refund the difference to the applicant. In the event that the actual costs exceed the estimate of the costs, the applicant shall pay the difference to the City within 30 days of issuance of an invoice by the City.
A. 
A licensee shall comply with all terms and conditions of said license and with all applicable laws and ordinances.
B. 
The license issued pursuant to this chapter shall be carried by the person heading the event for which the license was issued.
A. 
The Police Commissioner or his designee shall have the authority to revoke any license issued hereunder for violations of any of the terms and conditions of said license and to remove any persons who shall fail to comply with any term or condition of said license.
B. 
Without limitation on the power granted pursuant to Subsection A hereof, the Police Commissioner or his designee shall have the authority to suspend or revoke any license issued under this chapter and to order the removal of any person for any of the following:
(1) 
Failure to obtain appropriate licensure through the Health Department and the Fire Marshal for any cooking or food service activities at the event.
(2) 
For placement of booths, stages, or other physical obstructions within traffic restricted areas around fire hydrants, or any placement that constitutes a public safety hazard.
(3) 
Failure to maintain all areas at all times accessible to police, fire and emergency vehicles.
(4) 
Failure to control vendors and attendees who do not clear the event area at the conclusion of the event.
A. 
No person shall hamper, obstruct impede or interfere with any event or with any person, vehicle or participant of an event issued a license under this chapter.
B. 
The Police Commissioner or his designee shall have the authority to prohibit or restrict the parking of vehicles along the public street constituting the parade route or event area. The Police Commissioner shall post signs to such effect, said signs to clearly state that violating vehicles may be towed.
Any person, partnership, business or corporation or other legal entity who is convicted of a violation of any provision of this chapter before a Magisterial District Justice shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 together with the costs of prosecution.