Mountain View Municipal Code Art. I Parades and Special Events

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Parade Ordinance of the City of Mountain View.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

Chief of police. The chief of police of the City of Mountain View.

Parade. Any parade, march, ceremony, show, exhibition, pageant, or procession of any kind, or any similar display in or upon any street, park, or other public place in the city.

Parade permit. A permit as required by this chapter.

Person. Any person, firm, partnership, or association, company, or organization of any kind.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

No person shall engage in, participate in, aid, form, or start any parade unless a parade permit shall first have been obtained from the chief of police pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

1. Exceptions. This chapter shall not apply to:

a. Funeral processions;

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

c. A government agency acting within the scope of its functions.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

A person seeking issuance of a parade permit shall file an application with the chief of police or his designee on forms provided by such officer.

1. Filing period. An application for a parade permit shall be filed with the chief of police or his designee not less than ninety (90) days or more than one (1) year before the date on which it is proposed to conduct the parade. Parades for the purpose of exercising the right of free speech and/or religious expression should file an application as soon as practicable before the parade but at least five days prior to the event unless good cause is shown (such as a circumstance relating to the purpose of the parade which arose after the application deadline).

2. Contents. The application for a parade permit shall set forth the following information:

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

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

c. The name, address and telephone number of the person who will be the parade chairman and who will be responsible for its conduct;

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

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

f. The approximate number of persons who, and animals and vehicles which, constitute such parade, the types of animals and descriptions of the vehicles;

g. The hours when such parade will start and terminate;

h. A statement as to whether the parade will occupy all or only a portion of the width of the streets proposed to be traversed;

i. The location by streets of any assembly areas for such parade;

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

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

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

m. Any additional information which the chief of police shall find reasonably necessary to a fair determination as to whether a permit should be issued.

3. Late applications. The chief of police, when good cause is shown therefor, shall have the authority to consider any application hereunder which is filed less than thirty (30) days before the date such.

4. Standards for issuance. The chief of police shall issue a permit as provided for hereunder when, from a consideration of the application and from such other information that may otherwise be obtained, he finds that:

a. The conduct of the parade will not substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic contiguous to its route;

b. The conduct of the parade will not require a diversion of so great a number of police officers of the city to properly police the right of movement in the areas contiguous thereto as to prevent normal police protection to the city;

c. The conduct of such parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of ambulances as to prevent normal ambulance services to portions of the city other than that to be occupied by the proposed line of march and areas contiguous thereto;

d. The concentration of persons, animals and vehicles at assembly points of the parade will not unduly interfere with proper fire and police protection of, or ambulance service to, areas contiguous to such assembly areas;

e. The conduct of such parade will not interfere with the movement of firefighting equipment en route to a fire;

f. The conduct of the parade is not reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property, or provoke disorderly conduct or create a disturbance;

g. The parade is scheduled to move from its point of origin to its point of termination expeditiously without unreasonable delays en route;

h. The parade is not to be held for the sole purpose of advertising a product, goods or event, is not designed to be held purely for private profit.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65; Ord. No. 1.98, 1/13/98.)

The chief of police shall act upon the application for a parade permit within seven (7) days after the filing thereof. If the chief of police disapproves the application, he shall mail to the applicant within seven (7) days after the date upon which the application was filed a notice of his action stating the reasons for his denial of the permit.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

Any person aggrieved shall have the right to appeal the denial of the parade permit to the city council. Appeal shall be taken within five (5) days after receipt of the notice of rejection.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

The chief of police in denying an application for a parade permit shall be empowered to authorize the conduct of the parade on a date, at a time, or over a route different from that named by the applicant. An applicant desiring to accept an alternative permit shall within five (5) days after notice of the action of the chief of police file a written notice of acceptance with the chief of police. An alternate permit shall conform to the requirements, and shall have the effect of a parade permit under this chapter.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

Each parade permit shall state the following information:

1. Starting time;

2. Minimum speed;

3. Maximum speed;

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

5. The portions of the streets to be traversed which may be occupied by the parade;

6. Maximum length of the parade in miles or fractions thereof;

7. Such other information as the chief of police shall find necessary to the enforcement of this article.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

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

1. Possession of permit. A parade chairman or other person heading or leading such activity shall carry the parade permit upon his person during the conduct of the parade.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

1. 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.

2. Driving through parades. No driver of a vehicle, street car or trackless trolley shall drive between the vehicles or persons comprising a parade when such vehicles or persons are in motion and are conspicuously designated as a parade.

3. Parking on parade route. The chief of police shall have the authority when reasonably necessary to prohibit or restrict the parking of vehicles along the highway or part thereof constituting a part of the route of a parade. The chief of police shall post signs to such effect and it shall be unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any vehicle in violation thereof.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)

The chief of police shall have the authority to revoke a parade permit issued hereunder upon application of the standards for issuance as herein set forth.

(Ord. No. 48.65, 12/13/65.)