The Film Office will act as liaison between permittees and the County for obtaining filming permits and paying County fees and other costs. Each County department shall have final approval or denial authority for use of the County properties for which it is responsible, and for issuance of permits for which it is responsible. When necessary, the Film Office may facilitate direct contact between permittees and any County department or employee. The Film Office shall remit to the County all fees, costs and reimbursements collected on behalf of the County.
(a) County Administrative Office. All requests for use of County facilities must be coordinated through the County Administrative Office or the designated department head for the facility for which the request is being made.
(b) County Fire Department. Permittees shall comply, at all times, with the Uniform Fire Code. On behalf of the County Fire Department, the Film Office will accept applications for fire safety permits. The Film Office will remit all County Fire Department fees and gather the required information and documentation for submittal to the County Fire Department. Once all requested information is received by the County Fire Department, the application will be reviewed. When approved, fire safety permits shall be delivered by the County Fire Department to the Film Office. The Film Office will then forward the fire safety permits to the permittee. The hard copy of the fire safety permit will be maintained on file with the County Fire Department.
At the discretion of the County Fire Department, an event may require standby fire department personnel or equipment for public safety. These costs shall be paid as set forth hereafter.
(c) Sheriff’s Department.
(1) Sheriff’s Facilities and Services. The Film Office shall coordinate the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department in filming activities through the Public Affairs Division of the Sheriff’s Department. The Sheriff’s Department shall charge permittees for use of Sheriff’s equipment, facilities and services, and for reimbursement of the costs therefore.
(2) Bomb/Arson Unit. On behalf of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Bomb/Arson Unit (Bomb/Arson Unit), the Film Office will accept site permit applications from California State Fire Marshal-licensed pyrotechnic and special effects operators. The Film Office will be responsible for verifying the operator’s state and federal licenses. If explosives, as defined in Health and Safety Code §§ 12000 et seq., will be used and/or stored within the County of San Bernardino, and such explosives are not listed on Table 14A “Special Effects Materials” of California Code of Regulations, title 19, § 992.23, then an additional permit must first be obtained from the Bomb/Arson Unit and an explosive storage inspection shall be completed. If a member of the Bomb/Arson Unit is required to stand by during the filming operation, the Film Office will collect fees and remit those fees to the Sheriff's Department.
If there is any question as to the validity of a State or Federal license, the individual will be directed to the Bomb/Arson Unit prior to the issuance of a permit.
Applicants for permits under this Subdivision (c)(2), and holders thereof, shall at all times comply with all laws, regulations and ordinances concerning explosives and pyrotechnic devices including, but not limited to, Health and Safety Code §§ 12000 et seq., regulations promulgated by the State Fire Marshal, § 45.0101 of the San Bernardino County Code, and other applicable law.
(d) Department of Public Health, Division of Environmental Health Services. The Division of Environmental Health Services of the County will provide assistance to the Film Office as needed. All filming sites shall be kept in a safe and sanitary condition. All trash shall be contained in proper receptacles and disposed of by a San Bernardino County permitted refuse hauler. All pumping of portable toilets must be done by a liquid waste hauler with a permit from San Bernardino County. Food vehicles and food caterers shall be approved and permitted by Environmental Health Services prior to filming, if food is to be provided on site, unless otherwise agreed by Environmental Health Services. To expedite this process, the Film Office will gather the required information and documentation for submittal to Environmental Health Services. All required permit fees will be paid to the Film Office and forwarded to Environmental Health Services.
(e) County Parks and County Museums.
(1) Regional Parks. The Film Office will coordinate filming activity involving County Parks through the Department of Public Works, specifically the Regional Parks Division. The Film Office will accept applications for filming activity and gather all required documentation and information from the applicant. A completed application and supporting documentation will be submitted by the Film Office to the Regional Parks Division for its review and approval. The Regional Parks Division will determine if any park personnel will be required to be present during filming. The Regional Parks Division will forward approved permits to the Film Office and maintain a hard copy on file until such time as it may be destroyed pursuant to law.
(2) County Museum. The Film Office will coordinate filming activity involving County museums through County Museum. The Film Office will accept applications for filming activity and gather all required documentation and information from the applicant. A completed application and supporting documentation will be submitted by the Film Office to County Museum for its review and approval. County Museum will determine if any museum personnel will be required to be present during filming. County Museum will forward approved permits to the Film Office and maintain a hard copy on file until such time as it may be destroyed pursuant to law.
(f) Transportation/Flood Control Department. On behalf of the Transportation/Flood Control Department, the Film Office will accept applications and fees for filming activity and for road encroachment permits. The Film Office will obtain all necessary information from a permittee and supply it to the Department. The Film Office will pay to the Transportation/Flood Control Department all fees and other monies collected from a permittee. If the activity must be approved by the California Highway Patrol, a permit will not be issued until proof of such approval is submitted to the Transportation/Flood Control Department, directly or via the Film Office. When approved, the permit will be forwarded to the Film Office which will then forward the permit to the permittee. The Transportation/Flood Control Department will retain the hard copy on file until such time as it may be destroyed pursuant to law.
(g) Airports Department. On behalf of the San Bernardino County Airports Department, the Film Office will accept applications and fees for filming activity on County controlled airports. The Film Office will forward all required fees to the Airports Department, collect all necessary information and documentation from the Permittee, and provide it to the Airports Department. When approved by the Airports Department, the permit will be forwarded to the Film Office, which will then forward it to the permittee. A hard copy of the permit will be maintained on file with the Airports Department until such time as it may be destroyed pursuant to law.
(h) Building and Safety Division. When applicable, the Building and Safety Division will review and approve permit applications that involve the construction of new sets, or the physical alteration of existing buildings within the County unincorporated areas. This activity will be coordinated through the Film Office, which will accept applications from Permittees and will pay to the Building and Safety Division any fees that the Film Office collects on its behalf. The Film Office may refer permittees to the Building and Safety Division when direct contact would expedite processing the permit application.
(i) Special Districts Department. On behalf of the Special Districts Department, the Film Office will accept applications and fees for filming activities in areas under the jurisdiction of, or facilities managed or administered by the Special Districts Department including, but not limited to, Board-governed special districts, County Service Areas, Lake Arrowhead Dam, and other facilities. Such facilities include various roads, cemeteries, parks and recreation areas, zoos, open space, water and sanitation facilities and other facilities throughout San Bernardino County. In addition to fees for use of areas, facilities, and services, permittees shall pay a non-refundable fee for temporary use or closure of a road, the excavation of a trench, and the placement of meters and locks on hydrants used to provide water for filming purposes.
The Film Office will coordinate construction and safety inspections, where necessary, by the Special Districts Department and by the Building and Safety Division of any construction by permittee acting under the jurisdiction of the Special Districts Department.
The Film Office will obtain all necessary information from the permittee and supply it to the Special Districts Department. The Film Office will pay to the Special Districts Department all fees and other monies collected from the permittee on behalf of the Special Districts Department. The Special Districts Department will retain the hard copy of any permits it may issue until such time as the permits may be destroyed pursuant to law.
(Ord. 3704, passed - -1997; Am. Ord. 3896, passed - -2003; Am. Ord. 4160, passed - -2012)