[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township at Towamencin 7-25-2018 by Ord. No. 18-03.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also repealed former Ch. 56, Carnivals and Fairs, adopted 5-9-1972 by Ord. No. 72-3, as amended.
A. 
No parade, athletic event, street fair, art and craft show, carnival, block party, soap box derby, rally and other special events or activities that occur on or in a Township park, a Township street, sidewalk, or other street right-of-way which obstruct, delay or interfere with the normal flow of pedestrian or vehicular traffic and/or do not comply with traffic laws and controls shall be conducted in Towamencin Township without a permit obtained from the Township Manager, acting on behalf of the Board of Supervisors. Such events shall also mean indoor or outdoor concerts, expositions, displays, fairs, carnivals and athletic events occurring on private property that are designed to attract large crowds, interfering with the normal traffic flow.
B. 
Upon application for such permit, the Township Manager or his duly authorized representative shall make an investigation of the proposed conduct of such event, including but not limited to an investigation as to the safety and sanitation of the operation and the possibility of ecological disturbances, including noise. No permit shall be issued until the Township Manager is satisfied that the owner and/or operator of such event has purchased suitable insurance, liability and otherwise, with respect to the operation of such place of public entertainment or display. Sanitation shall include the prescribed number of lavatory facilities, waste disposal and controlled eating facilities as required and regulated by the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
C. 
All applications shall be submitted not less than 30 days nor more than 90 days before the event date(s).
D. 
If the applicant is not the owner of the property, the applicant must provide written authorization to host the event from the property owner where the event is to be held as well as the owner of any ancillary property used such as parking and transportation facilities.
E. 
Special events may not be hosted in the location of any required parking areas for any business that is operational during the event. The applicant shall provide proof of adequate parking facilities for the event.
F. 
Upon a showing of good cause, the Township may consider an application that is filed after the filing deadline if there is sufficient time to process, investigate the application, and obtain police services for the event. The applicant can demonstrate good cause by showing that the circumstances that gave rise to the permit application did not reasonably allow the participant to file within the time prescribed.
A. 
Events shall be held within the following hours:
(1) 
Monday to Thursday: 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
(2) 
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
(3) 
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
B. 
No more than four special events per year are permitted. Multiday events such as carnivals shall be considered a single event.
The fee for the issuance of such permit shall be as set by the Fee Schedule[1] as approved by the Board of Supervisors.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Fee Schedule is on file in the Township offices.
A special event permit is not required for the following:
A. 
Funeral processions.
B. 
Parades involving a total of 40 or fewer pedestrians marching along a parade route that is restricted to marching on sidewalks and crossing streets only at pedestrian crosswalks in accordance with traffic regulations and controls. Pedestrians participating in the parade shall cross at crosswalks in units of 15 or fewer and shall allow vehicles to pass between each unit.
C. 
Parades, athletic events or other special events that occur exclusively on Township property, public streets or school district property and are sponsored by the Township or by the school district.
D. 
Normal day-of-worship religious services, youth-oriented summer programs, and vacation bible schools.
E. 
Events held at Township parks that are covered by a park rental reservation.
F. 
Routine evangelical events.
G. 
Special events held at hotel venues that are attended by fewer than 200 people.
If an event requires special police services, fees for those services shall be at the rate in the Fee Schedule[1] as approved by the Board of Supervisors. Fees for special police services are due at the time of application or at the time that the that Township staff determines that such services are required with a minimum of four hours per officer.
[1]
Editor's Note: The Fee Schedule is on file in the Township offices.
Prior to the issuance of a special event permit, the permit applicant and an authorized officer of the sponsoring organization, if any, must sign an agreement to reimburse Towamencin Township for any costs incurred by it in repairing damage to Township property occurring in connection with the permitted event proximately caused by the actions of the permittee, its officers, employees or agents or any person who was under the permittee's control insofar as permitted by law. The agreement shall also provide that the permittee shall defend the Township against and indemnify and hold the Township harmless from any liability to any persons resulting from any damage or injury, including attorney's fees, occurring in connection with the special event.
A copy of the policy or a certificate of insurance, along with all necessary endorsements, must be filed with the Township no less than 10 days before the date of the event unless the Township for good cause waives the filing deadline. The special event permit shall not be valid until after the insurance policy or certificate of insurance along with necessary endorsements has been filed by the applicant and approved by the Township Manager.
The Township Manager for any violation of any law or ordinance may revoke any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter.
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punishable for each offense by a fine of not more than $300 and costs of prosecution or, upon default in payment of the fine and costs, by imprisonment in the Montgomery County Prison for not more than 30 days. Each day a violation continues shall constitute a separate offense.
A. 
Any person aggrieved by any action of the Township or its designee, relevant to the provisions of this chapter, may appeal to the Township Board of Supervisors within 30 days of that action.
B. 
Any person aggrieved by any decision of the Township Board of Supervisors relevant to the provisions of this chapter may appeal to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas within 30 days of the Board of Supervisors' decision.