Chapter 6.55
San Jose Zoning Code · 2026-06 edition · ingested 2026-07-07 · San Jose
DOWNTOWN SPECIAL EVENTS*
Parts:
1 Definitions
2 Downtown Special Events
Part 1
DEFINITIONS
Sections:
6.55.010 Definitions.
6.55.020 Department.
6.55.030 Director.
6.55.040 Downtown.
6.55.050 Downtown special event.
6.55.060 Public area.
6.55.070 Special event boundary.
6.55.080 Vendor.
6.55.090 Reserved.
6.55.100 Reserved.
6.55.010 Definitions. ¶
The definitions set forth in this part shall govern the application and interpretation of this chapter.
(Ord. 28535.)
*Editor’s note— Ord. 28535, adopted May 12, 2009, repealed and replaced Ch. 6.55 in its entirety.
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§ 6.55.020
6.55.020 Department. ¶
"Department" means the office of cultural affairs, a division of the office of economic development within the office of the city manager, or such other office or department designated by the city manager to administer this chapter. (Ord. 28535.)
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§ 6.55.080
6.55.030 Director. ¶
"Director" means the chief development officer, or such other director designated by the city manager to administer this chapter. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.040 Downtown. ¶
"Downtown" means the area bounded by the following streets and portions of streets: to the north, St. John Street from Autumn Street to 10th Street; to the south, San Fernando Street from Autumn Street to Highway 87, then San Carlos Street from Highway 87 to 1st Street, then San Fernando Street from 1st Street to 10th Street; to the west, Autumn Street from St. John Street to San Fernando Street, then Highway 87 from San Fernando Street to San Carlos Street; and to the east, 10th Street from St. John Street to San Fernando Street, then 1st Street from San Fernando Street to San Carlos Street.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.050 Downtown special event. ¶
"Downtown special event" means any outdoor public or private event occurring in the downtown and which is declared to be a downtown special event by the director. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.060 Public area. ¶
"Public area" means any structure or open space, which is accessible from or included as part of a public right-of-way. It includes, but is not limited to, streets, sidewalks, plazas, parks, buildings, bridges, parking garages, and sports and recreational facilities.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.070 Special event boundary. ¶
"Special event boundary" means the public areas within which a downtown special event is permitted to be held, pursuant to permits issued to the event organizer, as designated in the authorization letter from the department. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.080 Vendor. ¶
"Vendor" means a person that sells, displays or offers for sale, disseminates, or provides goods, wares, merchandise, food, products, materials, or any other thing or representation of value to the general public at a fixed location within a special event boundary under an approved location permit issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.090 Reserved. ¶
Editor’s note— Ord. 28535, adopted May 12, 2009, repealed § 6.55.090, pertaining to terms and conditions for vendor participation. Please see § 6.55.270.
6.55.100 Reserved. ¶
Editor’s note— Ord. 28535, adopted May 12, 2009, repealed § 6.55.100, pertaining to Interference with a designated special event. Please see § 6.55.280.
Part 2
DOWNTOWN SPECIAL EVENTS
Sections:
6.55.200 Declaration of downtown special events.
6.55.210 Suspension of peddlers' permits.
6.55.220 Preclusion of peddlers from special event boundary.
6.55.230 Peddling in alternative approved locations.
6.55.240 Notice to approved location peddlers.
6.55.250 Equal opportunity for approved location peddlers.
6.55.260 Exceptions.
6.55.270 Terms and conditions for vendor participation.
6.55.280 Interference with a downtown special event.
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§ 6.55.200
6.55.200 Declaration of downtown special events. ¶
A. Any person seeking to have a public or private event declared to be a downtown special event shall apply to the director for such a declaration no less than ninety days prior to the event.
B. The director shall declare a public or private event in the downtown authorized by the department to be a downtown special event within a reasonable period of time after the applicant submits a completed application to the director, but in no event later than the date specified in Section 6.55.240.
C. At the same time the director designates a proposed public or private event as a downtown special event, the director shall further specify the special event boundary within which the event shall occur and the times and dates of the event, subject to the event organizer having obtained all required authorizations and permits.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.210 Suspension of peddlers' permits. ¶
All approved location permits issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code for approved locations within the designated special event boundary shall be suspended for the duration of any downtown special event. If any such permit holder peddles at the alternative approved location designated in the permit, the permit shall only be suspended in part, as applied to the primary approved location, and shall remain in full force and effect as applied to the alternative approved location. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.220 Preclusion of peddlers from special event boundary. ¶
No person holding a peddler's permit issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code may peddle within the designated special event boundary for the duration of any downtown special event unless the holder of a peddler's permit has a written agreement with the event organizer to participate in the downtown special event. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.230 Peddling in alternative approved locations. ¶
Any person holding an approved location permit issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code within the special event boundary who does not participate in the downtown special event may peddle at the alternative approved location designated in his or her approved location permit in compliance with all terms and conditions of the permit, if the alternative approved location is not also within a special event boundary. (Ord. 28535.)
6.55.240 Notice to approved location peddlers. ¶
A. No later than thirty days prior to the downtown special event, the director shall provide notice of the times and dates on which the downtown special event will occur and the special event boundary within which the downtown special event will be held to all persons having current approved location permits issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code within the area declared to be the special event boundary.
B. Such notice shall be mailed by first class mail to the approved location permittee at the address listed on the permit.
C. Such notice shall advise all persons with approved location permits for locations within the special event boundary that during the term of the downtown special event, their permits are suspended for peddling within the special event boundary listed in the director's notice, but they may peddle at the alternative approved location designated in their respective permits, if the location is not also within a special event boundary.
D. The notice shall further state that persons with approved location permits issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of the code who have an approved location within the special event boundary designated by the director for a downtown special event pursuant to Section 6.55.200C. shall be given the same opportunity to participate in the downtown special event as the
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§ 6.55.280
event organizer offers to its own vendors subject to the exceptions specified in Section 6.55.260. The notice shall include the name, address and telephone number of the event organizer.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.250 Equal opportunity for approved location peddlers. ¶
A. The event organizer shall provide persons with valid approved location permits, issued pursuant to Chapter 6.54 of this code, who have an approved location within the special event boundary designated by the director for a downtown special event pursuant to Section 6.55.200C., the same opportunity to participate in a declared downtown special event as the event organizer offers to its own vendors.
B. If the director determines that the event organizer has not complied with Subsection A., the event organizer shall not be eligible to apply for a declaration of a downtown special event for twenty-four months following the date on which the director makes the determination. If the director determines there are grounds for this determination, the following process shall apply.
The director shall send to the event organizer written notice of the director's proposed determination of ineligibility for a downtown special event declaration for noncompliance with Subsection A. The notice shall advise that the determination shall become final unless the event organizer files a written objection with the director within the time period specified in Subsection B.2.
The written objection must be received by the director within ten calendar days of the date of service of the notice of proposed determination. If a written objection is not received within this time period, the proposed determination shall become final.
If a written objection is received within the time period specified in Subsection B.2., the director shall send written notice of the director's final determination within a reasonable period of time after receipt of the objection.
The decision of the director shall be final.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.260 Exceptions. ¶
Notwithstanding Section 6.55.250, the event organizer shall not be required to provide approved location peddlers an opportunity to participate in the downtown special event if: (a) the event equipment and structures take up all available space within the special event boundary; (b) the event organizer does not have or allow any vendors at the downtown special event; or (c) the downtown special event is a private function not open to the general public.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.270 Terms and conditions for vendor participation. ¶
The event organizer shall have control over the terms and conditions under which persons chosen to provide vending services will operate at a downtown special event including, but not limited to, products sold, hours of sale, fees and vendor locations.
(Ord. 28535.)
6.55.280 Interference with a downtown special event. ¶
A. It shall be unlawful for a person to place any booth, table, chair, stool, object, structure, vehicle, or piece of equipment in any public area located within a designated special event boundary for which an event organizer has been issued a permit without the consent of the event organizer.
B. This section shall not apply to persons acting under the direction or control of the city.
(Ord. 28535.)
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