Mendocino County Municipal Code Ch. 6.06 Film Permit

This Chapter shall be known as and may be referred to in all proceedings as the "Mendocino County Film Permit Chapter."

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

This Chapter is enacted pursuant to California Constitution, Article 11, section 7 for the purpose of regulating the making of movies by movie production companies in the unincorporated areas of Mendocino County upon County streets or on property or in buildings owned by the County of Mendocino.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

(a) "Making of Movies" for the purposes of this Chapter, shall mean the filming, video taping, or photographing for commercial purposes, of movies, films, commercials, or television programs on the County streets or on land or in buildings owned by the County of Mendocino.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

(b) "Movie Production Company", for the purposes of this Chapter, shall include any corporation, partnership, or individual engaged in the "making of movies" for a profit.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

(c) "County streets", for the purposes of this Chapter, shall mean those streets which are a part of the official Mendocino County maintained road system.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

(d) "Mendocino County film permit", for the purposes of this Chapter shall mean a permit issued by the County of Mendocino on a form setting forth standard conditions approved by the Mendocino County Board of Supervisors and such other reasonable conditions as may be required by the particular circumstances involved.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

It shall be unlawful for any movie production company to engage in the making of movies on County streets, or on land or in buildings owned by the County of Mendocino without first obtaining a Mendocino County film permit.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

The office of the County Administrator shall administer these provisions. That Office shall issue blank permit forms, review completed forms, and require application for other permits, when it deems necessary. Such other applications are to be processed in the normal fashion established by the concerned departments, except that the granting of any such permit shall be conditional upon the granting of the related film permit. Applications for movie film permits may be denied when the County finds that the imposition of reasonable conditions upon the making of movies will not prevent substantial disruption of traffic or County government activity or property, or the creation of traffic hazards, or damage to the environment, or unacceptable zoning violations. Applications to use County property or buildings or portions thereof not normally open to the public may be denied in the discretion of the County.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

A fee for the processing of an application for a Mendocino County film permit shall be collected at the time the application is filed, and prior to its being processed. The fees shall be in the amount established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)

Any person or movie production company who violates any of the provisions of this Chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment in the Mendocino County Jail for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or by both such fine and imprisonment. Each such person shall be deemed guilty of a separate offense for everyday during any portion of which any violation of any provision of this Chapter is committed, continued or permitted and shall be punishable thereof as provided by this Chapter.

(Ord. No. 3337, adopted 1981.)