La Mirada Municipal Code Ch. 9.120 Fourth of July Block Parties

It is unlawful for any person to conduct any block party, as defined herein, without having first obtained a permit. For purposes of this chapter, the term "block party" shall mean and include any gathering of persons, for social, recreational or amusement purposes, upon any public street.

(Ord. 546 § 1 (part), 2000)

No permit to conduct a block party shall be granted unless, from the application filed, it appears that the applicant will satisfy or has satisfied the following conditions:

(1) The block party will be conducted on a cul-de-sac street;

(2) The block party will be conducted within the hours of three p.m. to ten p.m. on July 4;

(3) At least seven of the ten closest residents have given their written consent to the block party provided, however, that the precise location of the party must not be directly in front of the home of any nonconsenting resident who will be home during the hours of the block party;

(4) The applicant is an owner-occupant of a residence of the cul-de-sac street and is at least eighteen years of age and will serve as the block party host;

(5) The detailed, scaled diagram of the proposed location and layout required to be provided, depicting any and all tables, chairs or other objects proposed to be located within the street, clearly demonstrates that emergency vehicles will be able to easily access any and all residences within the limits of the block party and the immediate vicinity thereof.

(Ord. 546 § 1 (part), 2000).

In addition to conducting the block party in accordance with the conditions of approval set forth in Section 9.120.020, each person conducting a block party must comply with the following requirements:

(1) At no time may alcohol be consumed on city property.

(2) All evidence of the block party, including all chairs, tables, traffic cones or delineators, and any and all trash and garbage, must be removed from the street by midnight on July 4th.

(3) "Safe and sane" fireworks may be safely discharged on private property with the approval of the owner thereof, or on the street within the enclosed area of the block party.

(4) The block party permit must be accessible and available for inspection by public safety personnel upon request at any time during the party.

(5) All vehicles driven by attendees of the party must be lawfully parked on private or public property.

(6) No driveway may be blocked, and free and clear access to the public streets must be promptly provided any time any resident advises the party host of the need to exit in his or her vehicle.

(7) At no time shall any form of admission fee, regardless of form, be charged in order to attend or participate in a block party.

(8) All provisions of the La Mirada Municipal Code including, but not limited to, the provisions of Chapter 9.98 relating to admission charge and loud or unruly parties shall apply at all times while the block party is being conducted.

(9) Traffic cones and/or delineators expressly approved by the city must be in place at all times during the block party, and in the location approved and/or required by the city. Such location shall not exceed one hundred feet from the top of the cul-de-sac.

(Ord. 546 § 1 (part), 2000).

(a) Each person desiring to conduct a Fourth of July block party must file with the finance director an application and detailed drawing to scale containing the information described in Section 9.120.020(5), no less than thirty days prior to July 4th.

(b) Each applicant must submit a clean-up deposit in an amount set by resolution of the city council, which shall be returned provided that all trash, expended fireworks, and any and all other remnants of the block party have been timely removed from the area of the street upon which the block party was conducted.

(c) Each application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable application fee in such amount as may be established and amended from time to time by the city council

(d) Each application must be filed by an owner-occupant, eighteen years of age or older, whose residence is located on the cul-de-sac street upon which the block party is to be conducted. The applicant shall be the party host and shall be personally responsible for the conduct of party attendees.

(e) Each applicant shall execute an indemnity protecting the city against any and all claims arising out of the issuance of a block party permit to the applicant.

(f) Following the filing of a timely, complete application, a city representative will inspect the proposed location and will prepare a verbal or written report which shall be considered by the permit review board in determining whether or not a permit may be granted. Thereafter, the permit review board will consider all facts set forth in the application to ensure that, as proposed, the block party would be in compliance with all requirements of this chapter and that all risks to the public health and safety have been minimized. Based upon that evaluation, the permit review board shall deny, grant, or conditionally grant a block party permit, and that decision shall be final.

(Ord. 546 § 1 (part), 2000).

By filing an application for a block party, each applicant is deemed to: (a) be aware of all rules and regulations set forth in this chapter applicable to the conduct of block parties; (b) agree that in the event it is determined that the manner in which the block party is being conducted violates any provision of this chapter or the La Mirada Municipal Code, or any other applicable law or regulation, and provided verbal notice of such violation has been given to the applicant by any representative of the city or any sheriff's deputy, the violation will be immediately stopped or the block party will immediately be discontinued; and (c) agree to assume all risks of liability for loss or damage to property or persons arising out of the grant of the block party permit and/or events occurring at the block party.

Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, in the event the sheriff's department determines that the block party is being conducted in a manner constituting an immediate threat to the public health, safety or welfare, the sheriff's department shall be authorized to order the block party to be immediately terminated, whereupon all attendees shall immediately disperse and the party host shall promptly restore the area and remove all evidence of the block party from the street.

(Ord. 546 § 1 (part), 2000).