311.02 SPECIAL EVENTS.

   (a)    The Special Events Application shall be a form promulgated by the City of Youngstown Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects. The form shall contain enough information for the City to appropriately assist and plan for the event. The Special Events Application shall become a permit after approval by the Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects.

   (b)    The City of Youngstown may charge a fee or require a deposit for the issuance of permits. The fees and deposits may vary based upon the type of event and the services needed for the event. The Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects shall set the permit fees, and shall cause a list of fees to be listed on the City of Youngstown's website and provide the list of fees on an annual basis to Youngstown City Council.

   (c)    Applications for permits for parades, races, assemblages or other gatherings shall be made to the Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects. Applications shall be filed not less than two weeks before the event. If a temporary alcohol permit is needed, the application must be made at least five weeks in advance.

   (d)    No person, group of persons or organization shall conduct or participate in any parade, race, assemblage or other gathering, other than a funeral procession, upon any street or highway or other public right of way, unless a Special Event Permit has been obtained.

   (e)    Before issuing a Special Event Permit, the Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects shall obtain the approval of the Law Director or his/her designee, Police Chief or his/her designee and the Deputy Director of Public Works or his/her designee.

   (f)    Upon issuing the permit, the Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects shall provide notice to all Council Members, Mayor, The Fire Department, The Health Department, Zoning Inspector, The Water Department, Central Electric Inspection Bureau, and The Mahoning County Building Department.

   (g)    The Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects may deny or cancel a Special Events Permit if:

      (1)    The time, place, size or conduct of the event would unreasonably interfere with the public convenience and safe use of the streets and highways.

      (2)    The event would require the diversion of so great a number of police officers to properly police the line of movement, assembly area and areas contiguous thereto so as to deny normal police protection to the Municipality.

      (3)    The event would unreasonably interfere with the movement of police vehicles, fire-fighting equipment or ambulance service to other areas of the Municipality.

      (4)    The event would unreasonably interfere with another event for which a permit has been issued.

      (5)    The information contained in the application is found to be false, misleading or incomplete in any material detail.

      (6)    An emergency such as a fire or storm would prevent the proper conduct of the event.

      (7)    If the event is likely to cause undue hardship on residents or business owners.

      (8)    The event poses a serious safety risk that cannot be resolved or protected against.

   (h)    The Special Events Permit or any order accompanying it may limit or prescribe reasonable conditions, including the hours and the places of the event.

   (i)    The Director of Downtown Events and Special Projects shall require applicants for a Special Events Permit to obtain casualty insurance in an amount of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) and require that the City of Youngstown be named as an additional insured on the policy.

   (j)   Any applicant for a Special Events permit that contends that the insurance requirement as stated in item (i) places an undue burden on the exercise of the applicant's right to free speech as guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, may appeal to the City Law Director for modification of the insurance requirement. If the applicant establishes that the insurance requirement does place an undue burden on exercise of First Amendment rights, the Law Director and/or his/her designee shall have the authority to modify or waive the insurance

requirements.

   (k)    All events must comply with Section 529.07 of the General Offenses Code, which prohibits the sale or consumption of intoxicating beverages on public property.

   (l)    Any event or other gathering lasting less than seven (7) days, that a Special Events Permit has been approved for, shall be exempted from filing a Zoning Temporary Use Permit.

   (m)    Whoever conducts an event without a proper permit and/or violates any other provision of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor on a first offense; on a second offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree; on each subsequent offense within one year after the first offense, the person is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.

(Ord. 15-186. Passed 6-17-15.)