Belvedere Municipal Code Ch. 5.16 Still Photography, Motion Pictures, Radios and Television Productions

STILL PHOTOGRAPHY, MOTION PICTURES, RADIOS AND TELEVISION PRODUCTIONS

Sections:

• 5.16.010 Definitions.

• 5.16.020 Permit—Required.

• 5.16.030 Permit—Exemption.

• 5.16.040 Permits or licenses—Nonexclusive.

• 5.16.050 Permit—Application.

• 5.16.060 Permit—Fees.

• 5.16.070 Permit—Issuance—Conditions.

• 5.16.080 Cost of additional City services.

• 5.16.090 Bond—Insurance.

• 5.16.100 Conditions—Restrictions. 5.16.110 Clean-up.

For purposes of this Chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

• A. “Motion picture, radio, or television productions” means all activity attendant to staging or shooting commercial motion pictures, television shows or programs, and commercially prepared radio broadcasts.

• B. “Still photography” means all activity attendant to staging or shooting commercial still photographs. (Ord. 78-1 § 1.)

No person shall use any public or private property, facility or residence for the purpose of producing, taking or making any motion picture, radio or television production or engaging in still photography without a permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter. (Ord. 78-1 § 2(a).)

The provisions of this Chapter shall not apply to the following:

A. Current News. Including reporters, photographers, or cameramen in the employ of a newspaper, news service, broadcasting station or similar entity engaged in the broadcasting of news events;

• B. Studios. Including motion picture, television, radio, or photography studios operating at a lawfully established fixed place of business in the City;

• C. Charitable Purposes. Including productions which are conducted or carried on wholly for a charitable purpose or from which no profit is derived, either directly or indirectly; provided, however, that such charitable production shall be exempt only from the provisions of Section 5.16.060. (Ord. 78-1 § 2(b).)

The provisions of this Chapter are intended to augment and be in addition to any other ordinance of the City requiring additional permits or licenses or other fees. (Ord. 78-1 § 3.)

Any person desiring a permit under the provisions of this Chapter shall make application on a form prescribed and provided by the City manager. Such application shall be submitted at least fourteen days prior to the date on which such person desires to conduct an activity for which a permit is required. The City Manager may waive the requirement that applications be filed fourteen days in advance when in his opinion neither the City nor the general public will be inconvenienced or harmed by his doing so. (Ord. 78-1 § 4.)

Each application shall be accompanied by a fee which shall be computed as hereafter fixed by City Council resolution. (Ord. 82-5 § 5, 1982; Ord. 78-1 § 5.)

The City Manager shall issue a permit as provided for in this Chapter when, from a consideration of the application and from such other information as may be otherwise obtained, he finds that:

A. The conduct of such activity will not unduly interfere with traffic or pedestrian movement or endanger public safety.

B. The conduct of such activity will not unduly interfere with normal governmental or City operations, threaten to result in damage or detriment to public property, or result in the City incurring costs or expenditures in either money or personnel not reimbursed in advance by the applicant.

• C. The conduct of such activity will not constitute a fire hazard and all proper safety precautions will be taken.

D. The conduct of such activity will not require the diversion of so great a number of police officers of the City to properly police the area of such activity as to interfere with normal police protection of other areas of the City.

The decision of the City Manager to issue, conditionally issue, or not issue a permit shall be final. (Ord. 78-1 § 6.)

If deemed necessary by the City Manager, additional police, fire and other City services shall be provided for the purpose of protecting, assisting and regulating the proposed activity. The cost of providing such additional services shall be paid to the City by the applicant. (Ord. 78-1 § 7.)

The City Manager shall require, as a condition of issuing such a permit, that the applicant furnish a bond, insurance or both in such an amount as shall hereafter be fixed by City Council resolution to protect the City against claims of third persons for personal injury, wrongful death and property damage to and to indemnify the City for damage to City property arising out of the permittees’ activities. (Ord. 82-5 § 6, 1982; Ord. 78-1 § 8.)

The applicant shall comply with any conditions or restrictions the City Manager may impose as a condition to issuing a permit pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter when such conditions or restrictions relate to the provisions of Section 5.16.070. (Ord. 78-1 § 9.)

The applicant shall conduct operations in an orderly fashion with continuous attention to the storage of equipment not in use and the clean-up of trash and debris. (Ord. 78-1 § 10.)

The Belvedere Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2026-01, passed July 13, 2026.

Disclaimer: The City Clerk’s office has the official version of the Belvedere Municipal Code. Users should contact the City Clerk’s office for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above.

City Website: www.cityofbelvedere.org

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