San Diego County Municipal Code Ch. 23 Teen-Age Public Dances

*Note--Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64.

The purpose of this chapter to prescribe the exclusive procedure for licensing public dances in the unincorporated area of the County attended by persons 14 or more years of age but under 20 years of age.

(Amended by Ord. No. 7603 (N.S.), effective 4-13-89; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

The following definitions shall apply to this chapter:

(a) "Adult" means any person 21 years of age or over.

(b) "Adult sponsoring group" means a nonprofit organization, one of whose objectives is to sponsor, regulate and control youth activities and child welfare, and which assumes full and complete responsibility for the direction of a teen-age dance.

(c) "Police officer" includes any private police officer, any peace officer, whether on-duty or off-duty, reserve deputy or special deputy, employed by any public agency or political subdivision.

(d) "Teen-ager" means any person 14 or more years of age but under 20 years of age.

(e) "Teen-age dance" means a dance attended by a teen-ager unaccompanied by his parent or guardian.

(f) "Youth service organization" includes any nonprofit organization whose primary purpose is to provide moral or spiritual development, education, or recreation for teen-agers, and which is exempted from the payment of the bank and corporation tax required by sections 23701a, 23701b, 23701d, 23701e, 23701f, 23701g, 23701k, 23701l, 23701t and 23701w of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

(Amended by Ord. No. 7428 (N.S.), effective 2-4-88; amended by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

Cross reference(s)--Definitions, § 12.101 et seq.

State law reference(s)--Exemptions from bank and corporation tax, Revenue and Taxation Code, § 23701.

Unless exempt, as provided in this chapter, no person shall conduct or sponsor a teen-age dance in the unincorporated area of the County without license from the Issuing Officer. The Sheriff shall be the Issuing Officer for a license issued under this chapter. The license required by this chapter shall be obtained pursuant to sections 21.101 et seq. and the procedures described below.

(Amended by Ord. No. 5200 (N.S.), effective 8-10-78; amended by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

The Issuing Officer may issue the following classes of teen-age dance licenses:

(a) A Class "A" license which is issued for one calendar year.

(b) A Class "B" license which is issued for one day or one night only. This license expires at midnight on the day for which it is issued and cannot be renewed.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

This chapter does not apply to a teen-age dance in a private home to which the general public is not admitted and for which no fee or donation is charged, requested or accepted.

(Amended by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

Any teen-age dance sponsored and conducted by a school district or youth service organization as defined in this chapter which applies the profits from the dance only for charitable youth-oriented purposes is exempt from the license requirements of this chapter, if the dance meets all the following requirements:

(a) Guests shall not exceed the number of school students or youth organization members attending.

(b) No person 20 years of age or older may be admitted unless the person is a student at the school conducting the dance or a member of the sponsoring agency or organization;

(c) No alcoholic beverages are served or consumed on the premises;

(d) Chaperones from the sponsoring entity are present on the premises at the rate of one adult at least 25 years of age or older for every 100 guests;

(e) No attendee is permitted to leave and thereafter re-enter the dance;

(f) No loitering is allowed at or around the premises where dance is occurring; and

(g) The dance ends by 12:00 a.m. and the dance and the premises where the dance is being held are promptly vacated by all attendees.

(Added by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

(a) In addition to the reasons provided in section 21.108 for denying a license the Issuing Officer may deny a license for a teen-age dance if the applicant has had a license revoked by the Issuing Officer within one year prior to the date of application.

(b) The Issuing Officer may issue a license subject to conditions that are deemed necessary to protect the public health and safety of dance attendees or the community.

(Amended by Ord. No. 5200 (N.S.), effective 8-10-78; amended by Ord. No. 7428 (N.S.), effective 2-4-88; amended by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

All teen-age dances shall be adequately chaperoned and supervised. The area where dancing occurs and all inside areas of any facility housing the dance shall be lighted at all times when dance attendees are present with a minimum illumination of one foot-candle.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

All off-street parking facilities made available for attendees of a teen-age dance shall be adequately lighted and supervised.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

No attendee of a teen-age dance shall be allowed to leave and thereafter re-enter the dance during the course of the dance.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

No alcoholic beverages shall be sold or consumed at a teen-age dance or in the immediate vicinity of the dance. No person shall be admitted to a teenage dance who is or has been drinking any alcoholic beverages or who has any alcoholic beverage on his person.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

All teenage dances shall be closed and premises cleared of attendees on or before 12 a.m.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

It shall be unlawful for any attendee of a teen-age dance to engage in lewd or disorderly conduct or fighting, make loud or unreasonable noise or use profanity at the dance and the immediate vicinity of the dance.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

No person 20 years of age or over shall attend any teen-age dance except that a person not over 20 years of age may accompany a teenager of the opposite sex to a teen-age dance as an attendee.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 2716 (N.S.), effective 7-21-64; amended by Ord. No. 7309 (N.S.), effective 7-2-87; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

It shall be unlawful to loiter within 100 feet of the outer boundaries of the area where a teen-age dance is occurring.

(Added by Ord. No. 2712 (N.S.), effective 7-7-64; amended by Ord. No. 7783 (N.S.), effective 8-30-90; amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

The licensee shall employ, and there shall be on duty at all times during any teen-age dance at least one police officer for every 100 dance attendees with a minimum of one police officer for every exit and entrance. At least one female police officer shall be on duty at each teen-age dance, which shall not count towards the requirements of the minimum number of officers.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

An adult sponsoring group raising funds for use by its organization to promote youth activities may, at the discretion of the Issuing Officer, be exempted from the requirements of section 21.2316 if it can furnish proof that it will have a sufficient number of chaperones present to maintain order.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

No person shall publicly advertise a teen-age dance that requires a license under this chapter until the person has obtained the license required by this chapter.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)

The Issuing Officer may adopt rules and regulations as it deems necessary to carry out the purpose of this chapter. Rules and regulations adopted under this section shall not become effective until approved by the Board of Supervisors and a copy of the rules and regulations is filed with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors.

(Amended by Ord. No. 9889 (N.S.), effective 10-26-07)