Redwood City Municipal Code Art. III Regulations for Courthouse Square

Courthouse Square (Square) is a unique community asset created as a gathering place for the benefit of all residents of San Mateo County. The City of Redwood City preserves and operates Courthouse Square as a community resource that may be enjoyed by the public and manages Courthouse Square to ensure the enjoyment, convenience, and safety of the community. The purpose of this Chapter is to determine when a Courthouse Square Event Permit is required, to support the management of Courthouse Square, and to ensure the public safety at the Courthouse Square.

This Chapter is supplemented with the Courthouse Square Event Administrative Guidelines and Courthouse Square Schedule of Fees. The Administrative Guidelines describe the policies and procedures for events at Courthouse Square. The Schedule of Fees, adopted by the City Council, establishes a fee structure for Courthouse Square event permits.

(Ord. No. 2351, § 1, 1-11-2010)

For the purposes of this Article:

ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES means policies and procedures governing the use of Courthouse Square Event Area.

ADMISSION FEES means fees charged for entry or admission to an event.

AMPLIFIED SOUND means music, speech or other auditory impression, projected or transmitted by electronic or mechanical equipment intended to increase the range, volume, distance, or intensity thereof.

APPLICANT means any person, firm, association, corporation, organization, club, or ad hoc committee seeking a Courthouse Square event permit from the City to conduct or sponsor an event governed by this article. The applicant shall be the individual at least eighteen (18) years old who is directly responsible for organizing and/or conducting the event, including event clean up. If alcohol will be served at the event, the applicant must be at least twenty-one (21) years old.

ASSEMBLY means a group of persons gathered together for a common reason.

CAMP means to temporarily live in or occupy an area in the outdoors overnight.

CANOPY means a temporary structure, enclosure or shelter constructed of fabric or pliable materials supported in any manner, except by air or the contents it protects, and is open without sidewalls or drops on seventy-five percent (75%) or more of the perimeter (See City Fire Code for exemptions).

CHIEF OF POLICE means the Chief of the Redwood City Police Department or the authorized representative(s) of the Chief of Police.

CITY means the City of Redwood City.

COUNCIL means the City Council of the City of Redwood City, California.

COURTHOUSE SQUARE means an easement area bounded by Broadway, Middlefield, Hamilton and the exterior of the County Courthouse building, including adjacent sidewalks as identified in the Cooperative Agreement Between the County of San Mateo and the City of Redwood City for Preservation of the Historic County Courthouse Block, Removal of the South Annex, Reconstruction of the Courthouse Façade and Creation of a Courthouse Plaza, and Grant of Easement and License, dated May 3, 2005 and in the First Amendment to this agreement, dated August 24, 2006, which expanded the project to include a restroom facility. The definition of Courthouse Square includes the public restroom facility provided by the City of Redwood City.

COURTHOUSE SQUARE EVENT AREA means an area that includes Courthouse Square and, depending on the event category specified in the Courthouse Square event application, may also include adjacent streets and sidewalks, including the 700 and 800 Blocks of Hamilton Avenue, the 700 and 800 blocks of Middlefield Road, and the 2100—2300 blocks of Broadway Street.

COURTHOUSE SQUARE EVENT PERMIT means a written approval issued pursuant to this article which allows the permittee to conduct an event on all or part of Courthouse Square, which shall not extend out into Broadway, Middlefield or Hamilton Streets or the adjacent sidewalks unless a Street Closure Permit has been approved by the Police Department.

DAYS means calendar days, unless otherwise stated.

DONATION means a gift, grant or contribution to a fund or cause, typically for charitable reasons.

EVENT means an organized outdoor assemblage gathering for a common purpose under the direction or control of a person on any portion of Courthouse Square as defined above. Examples of events include exhibitions, concerts, celebrations, festivals, demonstrations, observances, lectures, and entertainment.

EXPRESSIVE ACTIVITY means conduct, the principal purpose of which is the expression, dissemination or communication by verbal, visual, literary or auditory means of opinion, views or ideas. Examples of expressive activity include public oratory and the distribution of literature.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC means an event open to any member of the public with or without an admission fee or charge.

PERMITTEE means any event sponsor(s), promoter(s), facility operator(s), facility owner(s) or their respective designee who obtains an approved event permit to conduct the event.

REDWOOD CITY CO-PRODUCED EVENT means an event that has significant Redwood City staff involvement in both the planning and the implementation, together with a non-City entity. To be considered an event co-produced by the City, City staff must be involved in aspects of the event, including but not limited to creative direction, funding and fund development, marketing and media relations, and staffing and support services.

REDWOOD CITY PRODUCED EVENT means an event developed and implemented in its entirety by the City of Redwood City. The City departments have sole responsibility for the event from inception to completion, including concept development, creative direction, funding and fund development, marketing and media relations, and staffing and support services to directly implement the event.

TEMPORARY STRUCTURE means any structure that can be readily and completely dismantled and removed from the site, such as a sign, table, stage, tent, platform, sets, stand, bandstand, barrier, canopy or fence.

TENT means any temporary structure, enclosure or shelter constructed of fabric or pliable material supported in any manner other than by air or the contents it protect (See City Fire Code for exemptions).

(Ord. No. 2351, § 1, 1-11-2010; Ord. No. 2460, § 4(Exh. A), 5-6-19)

A. Authority of the City Manager or His or Her Designee(s): The City Manager or his or her designee(s) has the authority to execute the permitting process and enforce the Administrative Guidelines. The City Manager or his or her designee(s) has the authority to amend the Administrative Guidelines to the extent that the Guidelines are consistent with and further the terms and requirements set forth within this Chapter. All Administrative Guidelines shall be adopted and amended in writing. Permitting fees for events at Courthouse Square shall be adopted by resolution of the City Council. Failure to obey any directive issued by the City Manager or his or her designee(s) pursuant to this Section shall be a violation of this Chapter.

B. Public May Be Excluded During an Emergency or as Appropriate: In an emergency or when the City Manager or his or her designee(s), Chief of Police or authorized representative of the City, determines that the public safety, or public health, or public interest demands such action, the Square or rights-of-way may be closed to the public and all persons may be excluded until the emergency has ceased, and upon the cessation thereof the Square or portion thereof so closed shall again be reopened to the public by order of proper authority.

C. Enforcement Powers of Peace Officers and City Personnel: Power and authority is given to the City Manager or his or her designee(s), Chief of Police or authorized representative to eject and expel from the Courthouse Square any person who violates any of the provisions of this Chapter or any other law, ordinance or rule that may be in effect now or may hereafter be passed or adopted for the regulation and government of the Courthouse Square and surrounding sidewalks and streets.

(Ord. No. 2351, § 1, 1-11-2010)

No person shall engage in the following prohibited activities in Courthouse Square:

A. Swim, bathe, wade, make contact with or pollute the water of any fountain or body of water;

B. Climb or lie upon any tree, shrub, fence, pole, building, construction, structure or fountain;

C. Disturb in any unreasonable manner the Courthouse Square kiosk vendors and their customers and any concert, performance, exhibition, event or other similar activities as approved by the City;

D. By feeding, encourage the lingering, roosting and/or congregating of non-domesticated animals such as pigeons;

E. Indulge in disruptive, riotous, offensive, threatening, or indecent conduct;

F. Interfere with the free passage of event participants or attendees by creating an impassable obstacle at any entrance, aisle, walkway, stairwell, ramp, esplanade, vendor booth, or other area commonly used for public access, egress or ingress, including the County Courthouse building wheelchair lift;

G. Leave garbage, cans, bottles, papers, refuse or other items elsewhere than in receptacles provided;

H. Distribute, release or use for decorations helium balloons of any type;

I. Smoke or use tobacco products;

J. Use, play or participate in the use or playing of any loud speaker, amplifier or other device without a permit;

K. Camp or sleep between midnight and dawn;

L. Store personal property;

M. Ride or operate a skateboard, bicycle, scooter, in-line skates, or other non-motorized vehicles with the exception of wheelchairs, adaptive aids and strollers;

N. Leave a bicycle in a place other than a bicycle rack when such is provided and there is a space available.

(Ord. No. 2351, § 1, 1-11-2010; Ord. No. 2460, § 4(Exh. A), 5-6-19)