Alameda County Municipal Code Ch. 12.12 Parades

"County" means the unincorporated area of the county of Alameda, state of California.

"Parade" means any parade, march, ceremony, show, exhibit, pageant, or procession of any kind, or any similar display, consisting of more than ten vehicles or more than twenty (20) persons proceeding on foot or otherwise, in or upon any street, highway, road, thoroughfare, or alley of the county.

"Parade permit" means a permit required by this chapter.

"Person" means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company, or organization of any kind.

"Sheriff" means the sheriff of the county of Alameda, state of California.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.0)

No person shall engage or participate in, aid, form, or start any parade in the county unless a parade permit shall have been obtained from the sheriff.

A. To the extent allowed by law, permit fees therefor shall be charged by the sheriff in the amount established by resolution of the board of supervisors upon recommendation of the sheriff.

B. Exceptions.

This chapter shall not apply to:

1. Wedding or funeral processions;

2. Students going to and from school classes or participating in authorized educational activities, providing such conduct is under the immediate direction and supervision of the proper school authorities;

3. A governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions;

4. Any vehicular procession conducted within five days of an election, which procession is in support of or in opposition to any candidate or ballot measure to be voted on at said election.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.1)

A person seeking issuance of a parade permit shall file an application with the sheriff.

A. Filing Period. An application for a parade permit shall be filed with the sheriff no less than twenty (20) days nor more than thirty (30) days before the date on which it is proposed to conduct the parade.

B. Content. The application for a parade permit shall set forth the following information:

1. The name, address and telephone number of the person or persons seeking to conduct such parade;

2. If the parade is proposed to be conducted, on behalf of, or by an organization, the name, address and telephone number of the headquarters of the organization, and of the authorized and responsible heads of such organization;

3. The name, address and telephone number of the person or persons who will be responsible for the conduct of the parade;

4. The date when the parade is to be conducted;

5. The route to be traveled, the starting point and the termination point;

6. The approximate number of persons who, and animals and vehicles which, will constitute such parade; the type of animals and descriptions of the vehicles;

7. The hours when such parade shall start and terminate;

8. A statement as to whether the parade will occupy all or only a portion of the width of the streets, roads, highways, alleys or thoroughfares proposed to be traveled;

9. The locations by streets, roads, highways, alleys or thoroughfares of any assembly areas for such parade;

10. The time at which units of the parade will begin to assemble at any such assembly area or areas;

11. The interval of space to be maintained between units of such parade;

12. If the parade is designated to be held by, or on behalf of, any person other than the applicant, the applicant for such permit shall file with the sheriff a communication in writing from the person proposing to hold the parade, authorizing the applicant to apply for the permit on his behalf;

13. Any additional information which the sheriff shall find reasonably necessary to a fair determination of the regulation and conduct of such parade.

C. Late Applications. The sheriff, where good cause is shown therefor, shall have the authority to consider any application hereunder which is filed less than twenty (20) days before the date such parade is proposed to be conducted.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.2)

Upon receipt of an application for a parade permit the sheriff shall forward a copy of said application to the director of public works, the county director of health care services, the fire chiefs of the affected areas, the civil defense office, and any county department or any other public agency which may be affected by the operation and conduct of such parade. The sheriff shall request comments from said departments relating to the operation and conduct of the public business and welfare requesting the opinion of said department heads of the effect, if any, of the conduct of such parade upon traffic control, emergency vehicle movement including but not limited to ambulances and the like, the movement of fire fighting equipment en route to a fire and such other matters as are or may hereinafter be subject to the control and direction of such department heads.

Written replies shall be submitted to the sheriff from the departments involved within ten days before the action is required to be taken on such permit and considered in relation to the matter set forth in the application, and in relation to the standards contained in Section 12.12.070. If the written replies or information the sheriff receives as the result of his own investigation of the permit indicate that the operations of the departments involved or the public health, welfare or safety will not be adversely affected by the conduct and operation of the proposed parade, the sheriff shall issue the parade permit as applied for. If any of the written replies including any information the sheriff may receive as the result of his own investigation of the permit indicate that the public safety, health and welfare may be materially hampered by the conduct and operation of the proposed parade the sheriff shall issue a parade permit altering any of the appropriate items set forth in Section 12.12.030B so as to insure that the public safety, health and welfare will not be jeopardized by the conduct of such parade.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.3)

The applicant or any aggrieved person including but not limited to any county officer, department, board or commission affected by the permit, shall have the right to appeal the form of the parade permit to the board of supervisors of the county. The appeal shall be taken within three days after issuance by the sheriff and shall be presented to the board for determination. The board may hear additional evidence and may sustain or modify the decision of the sheriff consistent with the standards set forth in Section 12.12.070 and the matter contained in the application. The decision of the board shall be final.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.4)

Immediately upon the issuance of a parade permit, the sheriff shall send a copy thereof to the following:

A. The chairman of the board of supervisors;

B. The District Attorney;

C. The fire chiefs of the affected areas;

D. The director of the department of public works;

E. The director of civil defense;

F. Any other county official or department head who has replied to the sheriff as hereinabove set forth.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.5)

Each parade permit shall state the following information:

A. Date, starting and termination time;

B. Minimum speed;

C. Maximum speed;

D. Maximum interval of space to be maintained between the units of the parade;

E. The portions of streets, roads, highways, alleys, or thoroughfares to be traversed that may be occupied by the parade;

F. The maximum length of the parade in miles or fractions thereof;

G. Such other information or conditions as the sheriff shall find necessary to the enforcement of the terms and conditions of the permit.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.6)

A permittee hereunder shall comply with all permit directions and conditions and with all applicable laws and ordinances.

Possession of Permit. The parade chairman or other person heading or leading such activity shall carry the parade permit upon has person during the conduct of the parade.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.7)

A. Interference. No person shall unreasonably hamper, obstruct, or impede or interfere with any parade or parade assembly or with any person, vehicle or animal participating or used in a parade.

B. Driving through Parades. Except for emergency vehicles, no driver of a vehicle, bus or trackless trolley shall drive between the vehicles, animals or persons comprising a parade when such vehicles, animals or persons are in motion and are conspicuously designated as a parade.

C. Parking on Parade Route. The sheriff shall have the authority, when reasonably necessary, to prohibit or restrict the parking of vehicles along a street, highway, road, thoroughfare or alley, or part thereof constituting a part of the route of the parade. The department of public works shall post signs to such effect as directed by the sheriff and it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any vehicle in violation thereof.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.8)

The sheriff shall have the authority to revoke the permit issued hereunder when any of the operations or conduct of such parade violate any of the conditions listed in the contents of said permit.

(Prior gen. code § 5-16.9)