[HISTORY: Adopted Floral Park Village Board 6-18-1946;
effective 7-12-1946. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No child under the age of 16 years, unaccompanied by a parent, guardian
or other adult person, shall be admitted to any theatre in the Incorporated
Village of Floral Park unless such theatre is licensed pursuant to and complies
with the provisions of this ordinance.
The owner, operator or management of any motion picture theatre in which
films licensed by the Education Department of the State of New York are exhibited
may make application to the Village Clerk in writing duly verified upon forms
to be furnished by said Clerk, for permission to admit such children over
the age of eight years and under the age of 16 years, unaccompanied by a parent
or guardian or other adult person. No such license shall be issued until the
written approval of the Police Chief and Building Inspector has been filed
with the Village Clerk.
After such approvals, the Village Clerk, upon the payment of the fee
of $2, shall issue to any such applicant a license to admit to such motion
picture theatre children over the age of eight years and under the age of
16 years, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian or other adult person, upon
compliance with the following conditions:
A.
A separate section of seats shall be provided on the
main or orchestra floor by the owner, operator or management of such theatre
to be used exclusively for unaccompanied children, and adults shall in no
event be admitted to such section during the time the children are there.
The size of such section may vary at different periods of time but a sufficient
number of seats for all unaccompanied children must at all times be available
and such section as set aside shall be clearly marked or designated.
B.
A seat in such section of the theatre shall be provided
for every such unaccompanied child admitted to such licensed theatre and no
such child shall be permitted to stand or to occupy any balcony or box or
any other part of the theatre.
C.
No such unaccompanied child shall be admitted to such
licensed theatre except during the time when his school classes within the
village are not in session, nor shall such unaccompanied child be admitted
after 6:00 p.m. of any day.
D.
One licensed matron shall be provided by the theatre,
with such additional assistants as may be found necessary from time to time
by the Police Chief, to afford proper oversight of such children at all times.
It shall be the duty of the matron to see that the provisions of this ordinance
and of all other laws, ordinances and regulations of the state and village
applicable to theatres are enforced in such theatre during the presence therein
of any such unaccompanied children, and she shall have charge of and direct
the activities of her assistants. Each of such assistants shall be responsible
to and comply with the directions of the matron in the performance of such
duties.
E.
The matron and the required number of assistants shall
be in attendance and shall give their undivided attention to the supervision
of such unaccompanied children during the entire time that such children are
present in the theatre. No person shall be deemed a matron or an assistant
to the matron within the meaning of this section unless such person is more
than 21 years of age, of good moral character and has been licensed as such
by the Board of Trustees. A badge or other appropriate identification shall
be conspicuously worn at all times by each matron and assistant while on duty.
A fee of $5 shall be charged for each matron's license to be paid by
the owner, operator or management of such theatre.
[Amended 10-17-1961]
F.
Any section of seats provided for unaccompanied children
pursuant to this ordinance shall be easily accessible to exits, and the obstruction
of any exit or any aisle leading thereto is prohibited. It shall be the duty
of the matron in attendance to examine, at each performance attended by any
such unaccompanied child, the doors of fire exits and to cause them to be
kept unfastened and unobstructed at all times while any child under her supervision
is in the theatre.
G.
The name of each licensed matron and assistant or assistants
on duty shall be posted in a conspicuous place near the front of the box office
and shall be accessible to the public at all times.
H.
Each unaccompanied child shall comply with the reasonable
directions and requests of the matron in charge concerning his deportment
while in the theatre, and for failure to do so, any such child may be removed
from the theatre by direction of the matron.
[Amended 10-17-1961]
Each license issued pursuant to the provisions of this ordinance shall
be renewed annually and shall expire on the last day of February in each year.
The fee for each such renewal shall be $5. The Village Board of Trustees,
in its discretion, shall have the power to revoke any license granted pursuant
to the provisions of this ordinance.
[Amended 4-1-1980 by L.L. No. 2-1980]
Any person violating any provision of this chapter shall be liable for and forfeit and pay a penalty as provided in § 32-13 of Chapter 32 hereof. Said violation shall constitute and is hereby declared to be disorderly conduct, and any person violating this chapter or any provision thereof shall be and hereby is declared a disorderly person as provided in § 32-1 of Chapter 32 hereof.
