Redding Municipal Code Ch. 10.22 Sound Trucks

Whenever the following terms are used in this chapter they shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

A. "Commercial use" means the use, operation or maintenance of any sound-amplifying equipment for the purpose of advertising any business, goods or services, or for the purpose of attracting the attention to, advertising for or soliciting patronage or customers to or for any performance, show, entertainment, exhibition or event, or for the purpose of demonstrating such sound equipment.

B. "Noncommercial use" means the use, operation or maintenance of any sound equipment for other than "commercial purpose." "Noncommercial purpose" means and includes, but shall not be limited to, philanthropic, political, patriotic and charitable purposes.

C. "Sound amplifying equipment" means any machine or device used to electronically amplify sound from a source within, upon or near any motor vehicle or non-motorized vehicle or any non-electronic machine or device such as gongs, bells, drums, or other musical instruments when used upon or near any motor vehicle or non-motorized vehicle in such a manner as to communicate with or attract the attention of persons to the vehicle. Sound-amplifying equipment as used in this chapter shall not be construed as including a standard automobile radio when used and heard only by occupants of the vehicle in which it is installed, or warning devices on authorized emergency vehicles or horns or other warning devices on other vehicles used only for traffic safety or security purposes.

D. "Sound truck" means any motor vehicle or any non-motorized vehicle equipped with or the use of which is affiliated with any sound amplifying equipment.

E. "Vehicle" means any device or contrivance for carrying or conveying persons or objects over land or in space.

(Prior code § 19-31)

(Ord. No. 2470, § 2, 11-2-2010)

A. No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any sound truck in the city for commercial use with sound amplifying equipment in operation unless a sound truck license has been obtained from the city clerk and the applicable fee for the sound truck license has been paid. A sound truck license shall be required in addition to any business license required pursuant to Title 6 of this code.

B. The city clerk shall issue a sound truck license upon payment of the required license fee as set forth in Section 6.04.020 of this code unless the application reveals that the applicant would violate the regulations prescribed in Section 10.22.040 or other ordinance of the city.

C. A sound truck operator shall keep the sound truck license in his or her possession in the sound truck during the time the sound truck's sound amplification equipment is in operation. The license shall be promptly displayed to any police officer of the city upon request.

D. No person shall operate, or cause to be operated, any sound truck for commercial use in violation of the regulations set forth in Section 10.22.040.

(Prior code § 19-32)

(Ord. No. 2470, § 2, 11-2-2010)

A. No person shall use, or cause to be used, a sound truck with its sound amplifying equipment in operation for noncommercial use in the city unless a sound truck license has been obtained from the city clerk. There shall be no license fee for a sound truck license issued for noncommercial use.

B. No person shall use, or cause to be used, any sound truck for noncommercial use in violation of the regulations set forth in Section 10.22.040.

C. The city clerk shall issue a noncommercial use sound truck license unless the registration statement reveals that the applicant would violate the regulations prescribed in Section 10.22.040 or other ordinance of the city.

D. A sound truck operator shall keep the sound truck license in his or her possession in the sound truck during the time the sound truck's sound-amplifying equipment is in operation. The license shall be promptly displayed to any police officer of the city upon request.

(Ord. 1281 § 1 (part), 1976: prior code § 19-33)

(Ord. No. 2470, § 2, 11-2-2010)

A. This section shall apply to both commercial use and noncommercial use of sound trucks.

B. No person shall use, or cause to be used, a sound truck, whether for commercial use or noncommercial use before filing a sound truck application and obtaining a sound truck license from the city clerk. A separate application must be filed and a separate license issued for each sound truck. Sound truck licenses are not transferable. The application shall state the following, all of which must conform with the requirements of this section:

1. Name and home address of the applicant;

2. Business name and address of the applicant;

3. Vehicle license number of the sound truck (if applicable) to be used by applicant;

4. Name and address of person who owns the sound truck;

5. Name and address of person having direct charge of the sound truck;

6. Names and addresses of all persons who will use or operate the sound truck;

7. The purpose for which the sound truck will be used;

8. A general statement as to the section or sections of the city in which the sound truck will be used;

9. The proposed hours of operation of the sound truck;

10. The number of days of proposed operation of the sound truck; and

11. A general description of the sound broadcasting equipment to be used, including the approximate maximum distance for which sound will be thrown from the sound truck.

C. All persons using, or causing to be used, sound trucks for any purpose shall amend any application filed with the city clerk pursuant to this section within forty-eight hours after any change in the information furnished in the original application.

D. Sound trucks with sound amplifying equipment in operation shall be subject to the following regulations:

1. Only the sound of the human voice or music shall be broadcast when using electrically amplified sound equipment; which shall not be profane, lewd, indecent or slanderous;

2. Operations are permitted between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to sunset;

3. Sound amplifying equipment shall not be used unless the sound truck upon which the equipment is mounted is operated at a speed which will not constitute a detriment to vehicular or pedestrian traffic. When the sound truck is stopped, the sound amplifying equipment shall not be operated for longer than one minute at each stop;

4. Sound shall not be broadcast within four hundred feet of hospitals, schools or churches;

5. The volume of sound shall be controlled so that said volume shall not exceed an "A" weighted sound level of seventy-five decibels on the "slow" scale at a distance of one hundred fifty feet from the sound amplifying equipment as measured by a sound level meter which meets "American National Standard" ANSI S1.4-1983 or its successor.

6. No sound amplifying equipment shall be operated unless the axis of the center of any sound reproducing equipment used shall be parallel to the direction of travel of the sound truck; provided, however, that any sound reproducing equipment may be so placed upon said sound truck as to not vary more than fifteen (degrees) either side of the axis of the center of the direction of travel.

7. No sound truck with its amplifying device in operation shall be driven on the same street past the same point more than twice in a period of one hour.

8. No sound truck shall impede, obstruct, or hinder the flow of traffic on any street, thoroughfare or alley within the city; and

9. Sound trucks shall comply at all times with all applicable parking and vehicle regulations set forth in this title, and with all applicable provisions of the California Vehicle Code.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

Any person obtaining a license to operate a sound truck shall pay the license fee set forth in Section 6.04.020 of this code.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

If any quarterly license fee remains unpaid at the end of the calendar month in which it becomes due and payable, a penalty of ten percent per month shall be added to the license fee for each month that it remains unpaid, not exceeding in the aggregate a total penalty of fifty percent of the amount of the license fee. Any penalty so imposed shall be collected by the person in charge of the collection of the license fee.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

It is unlawful to violate any of the provisions of Chapter 10.22 of this code.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

The chief of police and all police officers of the city and any enforcement officer designated by the city manager shall have and exercise the power to enforce the provisions of this chapter by any civil, criminal or administrative process and/or any remedy provided for in Title 1 of this code.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

The use or operation of any sound truck in violation of the provisions of this chapter, or in a manner contrary to or inconsistent with the statements made in the licensee's application, shall constitute grounds for the revocation of the license granted under Section 10.22.020.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)

If any provision, clause, sentence, or paragraph of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall be held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the other provisions or applications of the provisions of this chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provisions or application, and, to this end, the provisions of this chapter are hereby declared to be severable.

(Ord. No. 2470, § 3, 11-2-2010)