Culver City Municipal Code Ch. 9.06 Parties and Gatherings; Parades

Section

Unruly Parties and Gatherings; Law Enforcement Expenses

Parades

UNRULY PARTIES AND GATHERINGS; LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPENSES

The City Council finds that unruly parties, gatherings, or other assemblages of persons on private property and other gathering places on private property within the City, can disturb the public peace, safety and welfare so as to require law enforcement services over and above those normally provided. It is in the best interests of the public safety and welfare for those persons causing the need for law enforcement services beyond those normally provided to the public at large to be required to pay all or part of such extraordinary law enforcement expenses.

('65 Code, § 22-72) (Ord. No. 94-026 § 1 (part))

Cross-reference:

Police Department, see Ch. 3.04

Nuisances, see Ch. 9.04

When a party, gathering or other assemblage of persons occurs on private property and is determined by a police officer at the scene to constitute a violation of the California Penal Code or is otherwise disturbing the public peace, health, safety or welfare, due to the magnitude of the crowd, noise, disturbance or unruly behavior generated by the gathering, or by excessive traffic or property damage caused by the gathering, then the Culver City Police Department shall take such actions and give such direction as is necessary to abate the violation or condition and shall advise the responsible party orally and in writing if the violation or condition is not immediately abated, the responsible party and/or property owner shall be held responsible for the cost of providing any additional law enforcement services beyond the initial response as provided in this Chapter. Such direction shall be given to the person responsible for the party, gathering or other assemblage of persons or on whose property it is located. If the violation or condition is not voluntarily abated or if it otherwise becomes necessary to call in additional Culver City Police Department personnel or take additional action in order to terminate the gathering, quell any disturbance, direct traffic, cite illegally parked vehicles or otherwise respond to the situation, then the cost of such additional law enforcement services beyond the initial response shall be reimbursed to the City as provided in § 9.06.015.

('65 Code, § 22-73) (Ord. No. 94-026 § 1 (part))

A. The person or persons responsible for a party, gathering or other assemblage of persons described in § 9.06.010, or on whose property the gathering is held, or if such person is a minor, then the parents or legal guardians of the minor shall be jointly and severally liable for the following costs attributable to the event, or, if lower, the amount established by resolution of the City Council:

1. The actual cost to the City of law enforcement services beyond the initial response by a police officer necessary to abate the violations or conditions described in § 9.06.010.

• 2. Damage to public property resulting from such law enforcement response; and
• 3. Injuries to law enforcement personnel incurred in such law enforcement response.
• 4. Any legal costs associated with the collection of Subsections 1., 2., or 3. above.

B. The Police Department shall compute the cost of providing such services in accordance with the schedule of rates and charges for personnel and equipment contained in the law enforcement service agreement with the City and advise the City Manager of such costs, as well as any other costs of damage to public property or injuries to personnel resulting from the law enforcement response. The person responsible for the party, gathering or other assemblage or on whose property the party, gathering or other assemblage takes place shall be billed for these costs by the City Manager upon notice of the charges from the Culver City Police Department and payment shall be due and payable within fifteen (15) days of the billing date. Should the amount due not be paid, the City may collect the debt, as well as any costs incurred in collecting the debt due to nonpayment, pursuant to any available provision of law.

('65 Code, § 22-74) (Ord. No. 94-026 § 1 (part); Ord. No. 2006-009 § 22 (part))

The Chief of Police is hereby authorized and directed to prepare appropriate advisory procedures to be followed by police officers responding to a party, gathering or other assemblage, including preparation of written materials advising the responsible person or person of the provisions of this Chapter.

('65 Code, § 22-75) (Ord. No. 94-026 § 1 (part))

A. Unless otherwise specified, a violation of any of the provisions of this Subchapter shall be deemed a misdemeanor, and shall be subject to a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1,000), six (6) months in jail, or both.

B. Nothing in this Subchapter shall prevent the City Attorney from prosecuting a violation of this Subchapter as an infraction, at his/her discretion, as set forth in § 1.01.035 B. of this code.

C. Nothing in this Subchapter shall prevent the City Attorney from bringing a civil action, at his/her discretion, for violations of the provisions of this Subchapter, as set forth in § 1.01.050 of this code.

('65 Code, § 22-1) (Ord. No. 96-034 § 2)

PARADES

For the purpose of this Subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.

PARADE. Any march or procession consisting of persons, animals or vehicles, or combination thereof, upon any public street, sidewalk, alley or other public place which does not comply with normal and usual traffic regulations or controls.

(‘65 Code, § 3-1) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Cross-reference:

Streets, sidewalks and parkways, see Ch. 9.08

A. No person shall conduct, manage or participate in any parade without a special event permit from the City.

B. No person shall violate any of the terms and conditions of a parade permit.

(‘65 Code, § 3-2) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

A. Any person desiring to conduct or manage a parade shall not less than forty (40) nor more than one hundred and eighty (180) days before the date on which the parade is proposed to be conducted file a verified application for a special event permit with the City pursuant to section § 17.520.025.

1. The application shall contain:

a. The name of the applicant, the sponsoring organization, the parade chairman and the address and telephone numbers of each; the assembly area, disbanding area and the route to be traveled; the assembly time, and the starting time; and

b. So far as reasonably practicable, the disbanding time; the maximum parade length; the total number of bands, sound vehicles or musical units, if any, their type and number of members in each unit; the total number of marching units, if any, their type and the number of members in each unit; the number of animals, if any, and type; the number of floats, if any, their size, type and how powered; the space between the units and their speed.

B. If such parade is to be held by or on behalf of any organization, other than the applicant, the applicant for such permit shall file a statement in writing from such organization, authorizing the applicant to apply for such permit on its behalf.

C. The City Manager or their designee shall have authority, upon a showing of good cause, to consider any application for a permit to conduct a parade which is filed less than forty (40) days before the date such parade is proposed to be conducted.

D. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Subchapter, if the applicant for a parade permit files a declaration signed under penalty of perjury, stating the reasons the proposed parade is topical and time is of the essence and demands, in writing, immediate consideration of the application, the Chief of Police, City Manager and Fire Chief, or their designees, shall form an ad hoc committee to consider the application. Such ad hoc committee shall consider the application no later than 5:00 p.m. on the first full working day after the filing of the declaration and written demand. Such consideration shall be limited by the provisions set forth in § 9.06.140.

(‘65 Code, § 3-3) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 84-035 § 1; Ord. No. 2006-009 § 22 (part); Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Any applicant for a parade permit shall pay a fee, as established by resolution, at the time of filing any application for a parade permit.

(‘65 Code, § 3-4) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2007-002 § 6; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Upon the filing of the application, it shall be referred to the Police Chief or their designee for investigation, report and recommendation. The investigation shall be completed and a report and recommendation made in writing to the City Manager or their designee. If the report recommends denial of the permit to the applicant, the grounds for the recommended denial shall be set forth. At the time of the filing of the report and recommendation with the City Manager or their designee, a copy thereof shall be served personally or by certified mail on the applicant.

(‘65 Code, § 3-5) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

If the report and recommendation for denial of a permit prepared pursuant to § 9.06.120 is based in whole or in part, on the date, hour, or route of travel, the applicant may submit a proposed alternative date, route of travel or hours.

(‘65 Code, § 3-6) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

A. The City, when granting a special event permit for a parade, shall uniformly impose reasonable conditions concerning:

• 1. The assembly area and time therefor;
• 2. The starting time;
• 3. The minimum and maximum speeds;
• 4. The route of the parade;
• 5. The portions of streets to be traversed that may be occupied by such parade;

6. The maximum number of platoons or units and the maximum and minimum interval of space to be maintained between the units of such parade;

• 7. The maximum length of such parade in miles or fractions thereof;
• 8. The disbanding area and time;
• 9. The number of persons required to monitor the parade;
• 10. The number and types of vehicles, if any;

11. The material and maximum size of any sign, banner, placard or carrying device therefor;

12. Such other requirements as are found by the City to be reasonably necessary for the protection of persons or property.

B. When a parade permit is granted, the City shall also impose the following conditions:

1. Permittee shall advise all participants in the parade, either orally or by written notice, of the terms and conditions of the permit, prior to the commencement of such parade;

2. The amplification of sound permitted to be emitted from sound trucks, or bull horns be fixed and not variable;

3. The parade continues to move at a fixed rate of speed and that any willful delay or willful stopping of the parade, except when reasonably required for the safe and orderly conduct of the parade, shall constitute a violation of the parade permit; and

4. Permittee agrees, in writing, to comply with all the conditions for such permit.

C. Each permit shall contain such conditions in writing.

(‘65 Code, § 3-8) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Upon standards uniformly applied under similar conditions, the City shall issue the special event permit unless the City finds that:

A. The time, route and size of the parade will disrupt to an unreasonable extent the movement of other traffic; or

B. The parade is of a size or nature that requires the diversion of so great a number of police officers of the City to properly police the line of movement and the areas contiguous thereto, as to prevent reasonable police protection to the City; or

C. The permittee has not provided for the services of monitors to control the orderly conduct of the parade in conformity with such permit; or

D. The permittee has failed to provide reasonable means for informing all the persons participating therein of terms and conditions of such permit; or

E. The concentration of persons, animals and vehicles at assembly and disbanding areas and along the parade route will prevent proper fire and police protection or ambulance service; or

F. Such parade will not move from its assembly area to its disbanding area expeditiously or without stopping en route except when reasonably required for the safe and orderly conduct of the parade; or

G. Such parade will interfere with another parade for which a permit has been granted; or

H. Such parade is proposed to be held for the sole purpose of advertising any product, goods, wares, merchandise, or event, and is to be held for private profit.

(‘65 Code, § 3-9) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

The City Manager or their designee shall deny such permit only when:

A. The City makes any finding specified in § 9.06.140 as cause for not issuing such permit; or

B. The statements contained in the application are found to be false; or

C. The applicant refuses to agree to abide by or comply with all conditions of the permit.

(‘65 Code, § 3-10) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

When the City Manager or their designee denies an application, it may authorize the conduct of such parade on a date, or an hour, or over a route different from that requested by the applicant. If the applicant desires to accept the proposed date, time and route, a written notice of acceptance shall be filed within three (3) days. The City Manager or their designee shall thereupon issue a permit. Such permit shall conform to the requirements of § 9.06.125.

(‘65 Code, § 3-11) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Immediately upon the granting of a parade permit, the City Manager or their designee shall send notice thereof to:

A. The Public Works Director;

B. The general manager or administrative head of each public transportation utility, the regular routes of which will be affected by the route of the parade;

C. The Postmaster of the Culver City Post Office;

D. The Fire Chief; and

E. The Police Chief.

(‘65 Code, § 3-12) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

No person shall join or participate in any permitted parade without the consent of the permittee, nor in any manner interfere with its progress or orderly conduct.

(‘65 Code, § 3-13) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

The decision on an application for a special event permit for parade may be appealed as provided in § 17.520.040.

(Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))

Any permit for a parade issued hereunder may be summarily revoked by the City at any time when by reason of disaster, public calamity or other emergency, the City determines that the safety of persons or property demands such revocation.

(‘65 Code, § 3-16) (Ord. No. 84-012 § 2; Ord. No. 2025-001 § 2 (part))