[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Trenton 9-7-1967
as § 2-36 of the Revised General Ordinances. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
The City Hall Atrium and its adjoining plaza shall be open to the public
for expressive activity, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
this chapter. The intent of this chapter is to authorize the use of the Atrium
by members of the public for expressive activities, while recognizing and
declaring that its primary purpose is to serve as a lobby for people seeking
to do business with the City and by the employees of the City. Nothing in
this chapter shall be deemed to prevent the use of the City Hall Atrium by
the City government for official press conferences and other government functions.
No persons or organizations shall use of the City Hall Atrium or its
adjoining plaza for expressive activity unless they obtain a permit for such
use from the Department of Public Works.
Persons or organizations desiring to obtain a permit for use of the
City Hall Atrium or its adjoining plaza for expressive activity shall submit
an application for such permit to the Director of the Department of Public
Works. Such application should be submitted not less than five business days
prior to the date and time of the proposed activity.
Permits may be issued for use of the City Hall Atrium or its adjoining
plaza only when City Hall is scheduled to be open for City business, and only
between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
No person or organization shall be denied access to the City Hall Atrium
or its adjoining plaza based upon the content of the proposed speech.
The Director of Public Works shall issue the permit for such use prior
to the date and time set forth in the application unless the facility has
previously been reserved or because the Director reasonably determines that
conduct of the activity on the date and time specified would interfere with
previously scheduled City business.
The Director of Public Works is authorized to include reasonable conditions
in the permit which are necessary to ensure the safety of the persons using
City Hall and the safety of the property of the City, and to ensure that the
activity does not interfere with the conduct of normal City operations. The
Director may require applicants to pay for incidental costs unrelated to the
content of the applicant's speech. Such incidental costs shall not include
costs for security or public safety, but may include costs for such services
as sound amplification and temporary janitorial services. Nothing in the grant
of a permit shall be deemed a waiver of the City's right to bring an action
for contribution and/or indemnification for claims which result for the negligence
or other wrongful conduct of any person, including the person to whom a permit
is issued. The Director may require the applicant to advise the City concerning
whether the applicant believes that any additional security is necessary,
but may not charge the applicant for such additional security.
