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Earlier editions: 2026-09

Title 10 — VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC

Paradise Municipal Code Ch. 10.20 Parades

Paradise Municipal Code · 2026-10 edition · updated 2026-10-04 · Paradise

Cite as: Paradise Municipal Code Chapter 10.20 · Text as of 2026-10-04

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 520, §§ 1, 3, adopted June 7, 2011, repealed the former Ch. 10.20, §§ 10.20.010—10.20.150, and enacted a new Ch. 10.20 as set out herein. The former Ch. 10.20 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from County Code §§ 14-20—14-29; Ord. 16, 1980; Ord. 75, 1982.

10.20.010 - Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

A. "Parade" means any parade, ceremony, show, exhibit, pageant or procession of any kind, or any similar display, in or upon any street, highway, road, thoroughfare or alley of the town.

B. "Parade permit" means the permit required by this chapter.

C. "Person" means any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation, company or organization of any kind.

D. "Town manager" means the Town Manager of the Town of Paradise or his/her official designee.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.020 - Permit required.

A. It is unlawful for any person to engage or participate in, aid, form or start any parade in the town unless a parade permit has been obtained from the town manager.

B. This chapter shall not apply to:

  1. Wedding or funeral processions;

  2. Students going to and from school classes or participating in school authorized educational activities;

  3. A governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions;

  4. Any vehicular procession conducted within five (5) days of an election, which procession is in support of or in opposition to any candidate or ballot measure to be voted on at the election.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.030 - Application—Filing period.

An application for a parade permit shall be filed with the office of the town manager no less than thirty (30) days nor more than sixty (60) days before the date on which it is proposed to conduct the parade.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.040 - Application—Contents.

The application submitted for a parade permit shall set forth the following information:

A. The name, address (site and/or e-mail) and telephone number of the person or persons and/or organization seeking to conduct such parade;

B. The name, address and telephone number of the person or persons who will be responsible for the conduct of the parade;

C. The date and time when the parade is to be conducted;

D. The proposed parade route, including its starting point and termination point;

E. The approximate number and types of persons who, and animals and vehicles which, will constitute such parade;

F. The hours when such parade shall start and terminate;

G. Identification of all or only portion of the width of the streets, roads, highways, alleys or thoroughfares to be affected by the proposed parade and its assembly areas;

H. The time at which units of the parade will begin to assemble at any such assembly area(s);

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

J. If the parade is to be conducted by, or on behalf of, any person other than the applicant, the application for such permit shall include a communication in writing from the person proposing the parade, authorizing the applicant to apply for the permit on his/her behalf;

K. Any additional information which the town manager deems to be reasonably necessary.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.050 - Application—Late.

The town manager, where good cause is shown thereafter, shall have the authority to process any application under this chapter which is filed less than thirty (30) days before the date such proposed parade is to be conducted.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.060 - Administrative review—Issuance.

A. Upon receipt of an application for a parade permit, the town manager shall forward a copy of the application to the police chief, the fire chief, the public works director, and any town department or any other public agency which may be affected by conduct and operation of such parade. The town manager shall request response comments relating to the effect, if any, of the conduct of such parade upon traffic control, emergency vehicle movement including but not limited to ambulances and the like, the movement of firefighting equipment, and such other matters subject to the control and direction of such responding parties.

B. Written response comments shall be submitted to the town manager within twelve (12) days before action is required to be taken on the permit application and in relation to the standards contained in Section 10.20.090. The town manager shall issue the parade permit as applied for if upon conclusion of his/her investigation it is determined that the conduct and operation of such parade will not be adversely affecting the public health, safety and welfare. In order to ensure that the public health, safety and welfare will not be jeopardized by conduct of the proposed parade the town manager is authorized to issue a parade permit altering any of the appropriate items set forth in Sections 10.20.040 and/or 10.20.090.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.070 - Appeals.

The applicant or any aggrieved person, including but not limited to any town officer, department, board or commission affected by the permit, shall have the right to appeal the issued parade permit to the town council. In order to be valid, the appeal must be filed not later than three (3) days after town manager issuance of the parade permit and it shall be presented before the town council for determination. The town council may hear additional evidence and may sustain or modify the permit decision of the town manager. The decision of the town council shall be final.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.080 - Notice of issuance to public agencies.

Immediately upon issuance of a parade permit, the town manager shall send a copy thereof to the following:

A. The members of the town council;

B. The police chief and the fire chief;

C. The town public works director;

D. Any other town official and/or public agency who sent response comments to the town manager as set forth in this chapter.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.090 - Permit standards.

Each parade permit shall state the following standards/conditions:

A. Assembly date, time and location;

B. Starting time;

C. Minimum and maximum speed(s);

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

E. The portions of streets, roads, highways, alley or thoroughfares to be traversed that may be occupied by the parade;

F. The maximum length of the parade in miles or fractions thereof;

G. Any other permit conditions or information as deemed necessary by the town manager in order to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.100 - Compliance with, possession of permit, and parade entrant requirements.

A. Any permittee under this chapter shall comply, and ensure compliance by all parade participants, with all permit directions and conditions and with all applicable laws and ordinances.

B. The permittee or other person heading or leading such activity shall carry the town issued parade permit upon his/her person during the conduct of the parade.

C. The permittee shall ensure that all parade entrants, participants and floats, comply with the following terms:

  1. All floats must use nonflammable materials, to the maximum extent practicable.

  2. Floats cannot exceed fifty (50) feet in length (including tow vehicle), thirteen (13) feet in height and ten (10) feet in width.

  3. All vehicles must be properly registered, insured and drivers must have proper license. Tow vehicles must be rated to tow the weight of the trailer or float.

  4. Floats must be a minimum of twelve (12) inches ground clearance from the frame. Nothing can drag on the roadway from the float. Proper clearance of materials from around the wheels of the vehicles must be incorporated to avoid any materials being caught in them.

  5. A minimum of one U.L. approved, current dated, multipurpose, dry chemical 2A10BC fire extinguisher must be carried on all floats. The extinguisher must have certification as current or if a new fire extinguisher, must have sales receipt of purchase.

  6. No smoking on or within thirty (30) feet of any floats at any time.

  7. Float beds must be sturdy and rated to carry the weight to be imposed.

  8. Tow vehicles must be properly registered.

  9. The float vehicle must be properly serviced for gasoline, water, oil, brakes, tires and battery prior to entry into the parade. No extra gasoline, other than in the vehicle's tank, can be carried on the float vehicle.

  10. Float riders:

a. All passengers standing or sitting on the float must be wearing a safety belt or have handholds or other support while the float is moving.

b. Absolutely no riders will be allowed to ride on the edge of the float. Any float with riders or articles hanging over the edge of the float any time before or during the parade will be subject to removal from the line of march.

c. Absolutely no riders may get on or off of float while it is in motion.

  1. All entries are required to maintain a continuous forward motion during the parade. No stopping to perform anywhere along the parade route.

  2. Handouts, packaged candy, and favors may be distributed directly by volunteers that are walking with the float. Volunteers must walk up to the sidewalk to distribute materials; no patrons may enter the street along the parade route.

  3. Nothing can be thrown out or sprayed along the parade route, curbside or behind the crowd.

  4. The use of cell phones is prohibited while driving a vehicle on the parade route.

D. A permittee's failure to comply, or to ensure compliance by all parade participants, with all permit directions and conditions, and with all applicable laws and ordinances may cause the parade to be cancelled or may result in a denial of future parade permit requests.

(Ord. No. 630, § 1, 12-12-2023; Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.110 - Interference with parade.

It is unlawful for any person to 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.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.120 - Driving through parade.

Except for emergency vehicles or as otherwise directed by a peace officer, no driver of a vehicle or bus shall drive between the vehicles, animals or persons composing a parade when such vehicles, animals or persons are in motion and are conspicuously designated as a parade.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.130 - Parking on route.

The town manager shall have the authority, when reasonably necessary, to prohibit or restrict the parking of vehicles along a street, road, highway, alley or thoroughfare, or part thereof, constituting a part of the parade route. The public works department shall post signs to such effect as directed by the town manager, and it is unlawful for any person to park or leave unattended any vehicle in violation thereof.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.140 - Revocation of permit.

The town manager and/or the police chief shall have the authority to revoke the parade permit issued under this chapter when, based on substantial evidence, any of the operations or conduct of such parade violate any of the conditions or standards listed within the contents of the issued permit.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

10.20.150 - Violation—Penalty.

It is unlawful for any person or entity to violate or fail to comply with any provision of this chapter. Such violation shall be punishable as an infraction.

(Ord. No. 520, § 3, 6-7-2011)

Exceptions & meaning →

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