[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Warrington 2-24-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-O-06 (Ch. 13, Part 5, of the 1995 Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Curfew — See Ch. 153.
Parks and recreation — See Ch. 223.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 294.
Zoning — See Ch. 370.
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires otherwise:
PERSON IN CHARGE OF PROPERTY
An agent, occupant, lessee, contract purchaser, or person other than the owner, having possession or control of property.
PUBLIC GATHERING
All assemblies of people for the purpose of public amusement reasonably anticipated to number more than 250 for a continuous period of six hours or more, more than 10% of whom will assemble outdoors or in structures specially constructed, erected or assembled for the gathering, whether or not an admission fee is charged.
SPONSOR
Any natural person, association, partnership, firm, corporation, joint venture, or any other legal entity whatsoever, who initiates, organizes, promotes, permits, conducts or causes to be advertised a public gathering.
It shall be unlawful for any sponsor, owner of property, or person in charge of property to initiate, organize, promote, permit, conduct or cause to be advertised a public gathering unless a permit has been obtained pursuant to this chapter. A separate permit shall be required for each public gathering for a period of time designated by the permit.
A. 
No public gathering may be held within the boundaries of Warrington Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, unless the sponsor, the owner of property and the person in charge of property upon which the gathering will be conducted jointly apply for and are granted a permit as herein provided.
B. 
No permit shall be available for an extent of more than 48 hours' duration unless the application and permit specifically allow for an extension of that period.
C. 
No applicant shall be under 21 years of age.
D. 
In case of dispute over the number of people reasonably anticipated to attend the public gathering, the decision of the Warrington Township Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services, or his designee, shall control.
E. 
The following activities shall be exempt from permit requirements but shall coordinate with the Department of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services and the Warrington Township police to ensure minimum standards for public health and safety are met:
(1) 
Events held by Warrington Township.
(2) 
Regularly scheduled events held by public or private elementary schools, middle schools, or high schools.
(3) 
Events held within the confines of a permitted assembly area and not exceeding the permitted maximum capacity.
[Amended 2-24-2015 by Ord. No. 2015-O-06]
A. 
Written application for each public gathering shall be submitted to the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township according to the following schedule:
(1) 
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, at least 20 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2) 
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, at least 30 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3) 
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, at least 45 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4) 
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, at least 60 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(5) 
All applications submitted after the appropriate deadlines shall be rejected without review.
B. 
Application shall be made on forms specified by the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township and shall contain at least the following information:
(1) 
The full legal name, address and telephone number of all sponsors.
(2) 
The full legal name and address of the owner and person in charge of the property to be utilized for the public gathering.
(3) 
If the sponsor-applicant is a partnership or joint venture, then all parties thereto shall sign as applicants. If the sponsor-applicant is a corporation, copies of the articles of incorporation, bylaws, and resolution authorizing the application may be required.
(4) 
The location and address of the property to be utilized for the public gathering.
(5) 
The program of the public gathering or, if no program is prepared, a narrative statement as to the purpose for which the public gathering is to be conducted.
(6) 
A diagrammatic sketch plan of the proposed site of the mass gathering showing the locations and dimensions of the proposed service roads, potable water facilities, sanitary facilities, sewage disposal facilities, medical service facilities, distribution of security personnel, and provisions for food storage, as well as camping facilities and projected plans for enclosure, if necessary, of the proposed site.
(7) 
Evidence that all permits and licenses as required by state and county statutes and rules and regulations enacted thereunder have been obtained or will be obtained.
(8) 
A statement of the number of persons expected to attend such event and duration of such attendance.
(9) 
The specific details relating to:
(a) 
Food and drink.
(b) 
Sanitary facilities.
(c) 
Transportation and parking facilities.
(d) 
Security and protection of surrounding areas, including specific reference to the number of marshals assisting in the control of traffic and supervision of those attending.
(e) 
On-site medical facilities and hospital care.
(f) 
Janitorial services and post-gathering trash removal.
(10) 
A certified copy of the bond or verified evidence of other suitable financial arrangements, as hereinafter required, must be attached to the application.
(11) 
A statement containing the names and addresses of licensed ticket printers to be used and the plans for assuring the return of monies upon the termination or cancellation of the event as well as the means of notifying potential and existing ticket holders of such cancellation where the anticipated number of people attending is over 5,000 persons.
(12) 
Examples of proposed advertising of the event, if any.
(13) 
Applicants' statement that they shall abide by the terms and provisions of this chapter and all laws, rules and regulations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, County of Bucks, and Township of Warrington.
C. 
Each application shall be accompanied with a cash fee to cover the cost of inspection, investigation, issuance and administration of the permit, in an amount to be established from time to time by resolution of the Township Board of Supervisors. No part of the permit fee is refundable.
D. 
The Board of Supervisors, or its agent, shall either grant or deny the application for a permit according to the following schedule:
(1) 
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, five days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2) 
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, 10 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3) 
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, 15 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4) 
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, 20 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
A. 
The applicants shall submit with their application a corporate bond of indemnity in a form approved by the Township Solicitor, or cash deposit, to save and protect Township streets, pavement, bridges, road signs and all other Township property from any and all damage that might be caused by vehicles, employees, or participants in the public gathering, and to be used, if necessary, to restore the premises where such public gathering is held to a sanitary condition and pay all charges and losses to the Township for damages to the streets, pavement, bridges, and all other Township property.
B. 
Should the permitted public gathering necessitate that the Township deploy or employ additional personnel as a direct result of the public gathering, such added expense shall be recoverable from the principals and/or their indemnitor. The cash deposit or its balance will be returned to the applicants upon final audit of the Township as to what damages, if any, occurred and what deployment and employment of personnel, if any, was necessitated.
C. 
The corporate bond of indemnity or cash deposit shall be in the following amounts:
Persons Reasonably Anticipated
Cash Deposit or Bond Amount
250 to 1,000
$5,000
1,000 to 3,500
$10,000
3,500 to 5,000
$15,000
5,000 to 10,000
$20,000
Over 10,000
$30,000
D. 
The property owner or person in charge of the property making application shall sign, as an additional indemnitor, to insure against damage to streets, pavement, bridges, road signs, and all other Township property, to meet costs of the Township for deploying or employing personnel directly attributable to the conduct of the public gathering, and to insure that the property will be restored to a sanitary condition.
A. 
No permit shall be issued by the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township, or its agent, unless all of the conditions recited herein have been satisfactorily concluded according to the following schedule:
(1) 
A gathering numbering 250 to 1,000 persons, six days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(2) 
A gathering numbering 1,000 to 3,500 persons, 11 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(3) 
A gathering numbering 3,500 to 5,000 persons, 16 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(4) 
A gathering numbering over 5,000 persons, 21 days prior to the first day upon which the public gathering is to commence.
(5) 
All applications not meeting this schedule shall be denied.
B. 
Sanitary facilities. Written approval of the Bucks County Health Department, indicating that applicant's plan for water supply, toilet facilities, washing facilities, and food preparation and service, if applicable, the type of food preparation and food facilities to be provided, conforms with applicable state and county laws, rules and regulations relating to the public health.
C. 
Public safety. Written statement of the Warrington Township Police Chief indicating that plans have been made to meet the following conditions:
(1) 
Applicants have provided for adequate traffic control and crowd control personnel, i.e., one marshal for every 50 motor vehicles reasonably anticipated to be at the location and one marshal for each 150 persons reasonably anticipated to be in attendance.
(2) 
A list of those marshals must be presented to the Warrington Township Police Chief with the application. The marshals must be orientated and instructed by the Police Chief, or his designee, and the sponsor of the public gathering prior to the commencement of the gathering.
(3) 
Applicants have completely enclosed the ground where the public gathering is to be held with snow fencing or other similar material of equivalent strength of not less than four feet in height.
(4) 
Adequate lighting must be provided, subject to approval of the Board of Supervisors or the Township Manager.
D. 
Medical services. Written approval by the Bucks County Department of Health indicating that sufficient medical service has been provided by the applicant. Each public gathering shall have as a minimum one ambulance staffed by two adult individuals trained in first-aid techniques in attendance at all times.
E. 
Parking facilities. Written approval of the Warrington Township Police Chief indicating that parking is available within or adjacent to the premises upon which the public gathering is to be conducted as herein provided:
(1) 
Such parking facilities shall provide parking space for one vehicle for every four persons reasonably anticipated to be in attendance at the public gathering.
(2) 
Adequate ingress and egress shall be provided from such parking area to facilitate the movement of any vehicle at any time to or from the parking area; provided, however, that should buses be used to transport the public to the public gathering, it shall be shown that public parking, as described above, is available at any site from which buses are scheduled to pick up persons to transport them to the public gathering.
All facilities, including a stage, must have appropriate building permits and must be specially assembled, constructed or erected for the public gathering. Such facilities must be in place at least 24 hours before the commencement of the public gathering and be approved by the Building Code Official of Warrington Township.
A. 
No permittee, or persons having control of the public gathering, shall condone the presence of intoxicating liquor or the consumption of intoxicating liquor on the property; and no person during the public gathering shall take or carry onto the property, or drink thereon, intoxicating liquor, except as licensed or permitted by state law.
B. 
The burden of preserving order during the public gathering is upon the permittees of the public gathering. Any violation of the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or its rules and regulations, or of the terms and conditions of this chapter, or other ordinances of Bucks County or of Warrington Township, or the permit granted hereunder may be cause for immediate revocation of the permit by the Warrington Township Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services, or his designee, or by the Bucks County Health Department upon notification to the person in charge that a violation exists and the failure of the person in charge to take immediate action to correct the violation. Upon revocation of any permit, the permittees of the public gathering shall immediately terminate the assembly and provide for the orderly dispersal of those in attendance.
C. 
The Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township, its authorized agents and representatives, and the representatives of the county and Township departments having responsibility for approval under this chapter shall be granted access to the public gathering at all times for the purpose of inspection and enforcement of the terms and conditions imposed herein.
D. 
There shall be no musical entertainment, either live or recorded, utilizing sound-amplification equipment, and there will be no programmed entertainment provided between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m.
E. 
If, at any time during the conduct of the public gathering, the number of persons in attendance exceeds by 10% the number of persons represented by the applicants for the permit anticipated to be in attendance, the Board of Supervisors of Warrington Township, the County Health Officer, or the Director of Codes, Inspections, and Emergency Services, or his designee, shall have the authority to require the applicant to limit further admissions until all conditions and provisions recited herein are met.
F. 
Any applicant with more than 10% proprietary interest, if any, in the public gathering, and the owner of property or person in charge of the property, or their designated agents or representatives, shall be required to be in attendance at the public gathering and shall be responsible for ensuring that no person shall be allowed to remain on the premises who is violating any state, county or Township laws, rules or regulations.
G. 
Public gatherings operating without a permit under this chapter based on a reasonable anticipation of fewer than 250 persons in attendance shall limit attendance therein to 249 persons, and printed tickets, if utilized, cannot number more than 249.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues or each section of this chapter which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense. This chapter may be enforced initially by violation ticket (citation); see Chapter 38, Ordinance Enforcement Procedures, Article II, Tickets for Certain Offenses.