[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Larchmont 5-19-1997 by L.L. No. 1-1997[1]; amended in its entirety 1-22-2017 by L.L. No. 1-2018. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also superseded former Ch. 113, Filming, adopted 11-1-1982 by L.L. No. 8-1982.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
FILMING
The taking of still or motion pictures, either on film or videotape or similar recording medium, for commercial or educational purposes intended for viewing on television, in theaters, on the internet (via personal computer, tablet, cellular telephone, or other electronic device equipped for viewing video footage), or for institutional uses.
MAJOR MOTION PICTURE
Any film which is financed and/or distributed by a major motion picture studio, including but not limited to the following:
A. 
Universal Pictures.
B. 
Warner Brothers, including New Line Cinema, Castle Rock Cinema, Village Road Show, and Bel-Aire.
C. 
Paramount, including MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movie.
D. 
20th Century Fox, including Fox Searchlight.
E. 
Sony/Columbia.
F. 
Disney/Miramax.
G. 
MGM/United Artists.
H. 
Dreamworks.
I. 
Any film for which the budget is at least $5,000,000.
J. 
Recurrent series programming.
PUBLIC LANDS
Any and every public street, highway, sidewalk, square, public park or playground, or any other public place within the Village which is within the jurisdiction and control of the Village of Larchmont.
A. 
No person or organization shall film or permit filming on any public or private property within the Village of Larchmont without first making an application to and obtaining a permit from the Village Administrator for the filming.
B. 
All permits shall be applied for and obtained from the office of the Village Clerk during normal business hours. Applications for such permits shall be in a form approved by the Village Administrator and be accompanied by a permit fee in the amount set by the Village Board from time to time in accordance with § 157-5 herein.
C. 
If a permit is issued and, due to inclement weather or other good cause, filming does not in fact take place on the dates specified, the Village Administrator may, at the request of the applicant, issue a new permit for filming on other dates, subject to full compliance with all other provisions of this chapter. No additional fee shall be paid for this permit.
Applications and related follow-up information may be submitted to the Village Administrator in person or by mail by delivering or mailing them to the office of the Village Clerk. Except as otherwise provided herein, applications must be received by the Village Administrator no later than five business days prior to the initiation of filming; provided, however, that the Village Administrator may issue an expedited permit on fewer than five days' advance filing where the Administrator determines, in his sole discretion, that no significant adverse impacts will result from his issuance of an expedited permit. There shall be an additional fee for such an expedited permit in an amount as may be set by resolution of the Village Board from time to time. [See also § 157-7A(1) of this chapter.] Applications must contain at least the following information:
A. 
Name of the applicant.
B. 
Location of property where the filming is to take place.
C. 
Telephone number of the applicant.
D. 
Whether the applicant is the owner or tenant in possession of the property.
E. 
Name of owner of the property, if the applicant is not the owner.
F. 
Name of the person or entity the applicant wishes to allow to conduct filming.
G. 
Address of the party named in Subsection F above.
H. 
Telephone number of the party named in Subsection F above.
I. 
Date(s) that filming is to take place.
J. 
Dates, within the previous 12 months, that any filming was conducted at the location described in Subsection B above.
K. 
The following information regarding the filming itself:
(1) 
Brief description of the purpose of the filming (e.g., television commercial for ABC laundry detergent).
(2) 
Number of people connected with filming who will be at location during filming, including but not limited to technical personnel, maintenance personnel and food service providers.
(3) 
Vehicles.
(a) 
Number of vehicles in any way related to filming, or to people involved in filming, which will be brought to location on day(s) of filming.
(b) 
Statement of type of each vehicle (e.g., passenger car, truck, recreational vehicle) and, in the case of all but passenger vehicles, approximate length and height at the longest and highest points of each vehicle.
(4) 
If any equipment is to be set up outside, description of what equipment will be set up outside and where it will be set up.
(5) 
If any filming is to take place outside, description of where such filming will occur.
L. 
A statement that the person or entity making the application affirms, under penalty of perjury, that all statements contained in the application are true.
M. 
Signature of the person, principal or entity making the application.
The permit holder shall avoid any interference with previously scheduled activities upon public lands and limit, to the extent possible, any interference with normal public activity on such public lands. Where the applicant's production activity, by reason of location or otherwise, will directly involve and/or affect any businesses, merchants or residents, these parties shall be given written notice of the filming at least three days prior to the requested shooting date and be informed that objections may be filed with the Village Administrator, said objections to form a part of applicant's application and be considered in the review of the same. Proof of notification to adjacent owners shall be submitted to the Village Administrator at least two days prior to the requested shooting date.
Each applicant shall pay a fee to the Village of Larchmont, such fee to be fixed by resolution of the Village Board from time to time.
A. 
Filming for which a permit is required under § 157-2 above shall in no event be conducted at the same location (i.e., in the same building or at the same street address) for more than five consecutive days, and in no event shall filming at the same location exceed a total of 10 days in any one calendar year. Pursuant to § 157-9, either or both of the five-consecutive-day and the ten-day limitations may be extended only if the filming requested constitutes a major motion picture as defined by § 157-1 of this chapter. Said permit must be readily available for inspection by Village officials at all times at the site of the filming.
B. 
Filming for which a permit is required under § 157-2 above shall in no event be conducted on any Saturday, Sunday, or holiday. For the purpose of the subsection, "holiday" shall mean any United States federal holiday and any New York State holiday.
C. 
Unless otherwise authorized by the Village Administrator pursuant to § 157-8, filming in residential zones shall be limited to Monday through Friday between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. All requests for night scenes (pursuant to § 157-8) shall be approved in the permit to be granted in accordance with § 157-7 hereof. The setup, production, and breakdown required by all filming shall be included in the hours as set forth herein. Unless otherwise approved per § 157-8, all equipment required for filming shall be removed from outdoor areas at the filming location by 8:00 p.m.; no vehicle which carries such equipment or which is otherwise used in connection with such filming shall be brought to or near the filming location prior to 7:00 a.m.; and no such vehicle shall remain at or near the location after 8:00 p.m.
A. 
General.
(1) 
No permits will be issued by the Village Administrator unless applied for no later than five days before the requested shooting date; provided, however, that the Village Administrator may issue an expedited permit on fewer than five days' advance filing where the Administrator determines, in his sole discretion, that no significant adverse impacts will result from his issuance of an expedited permit. There shall be an additional fee for such an expedited permit in an amount as may be set by resolution of the Village Board from time to time.
(2) 
The holder of the permit shall take all reasonable steps to minimize interference with the free passage of pedestrians and traffic over public lands and shall comply with all lawful directives issued by the Larchmont Police Department.
(3) 
The Village Administrator may refuse to issue a permit whenever he or she determines, on the basis of objective facts and after a review of the application and a report thereon by the Larchmont Police Department and by other Village agencies involved with the proposed filming site, that filming at the location and/or the time set forth in the application would violate any law or regulation or would unreasonably interfere with the use and enjoyment of adjoining properties, unreasonably impede the free flow of vehicular or pedestrian traffic, or otherwise endanger the public's health, safety or welfare.
(4) 
Under no circumstances may filming be conducted except in accordance with a permit issued pursuant to this chapter.
B. 
To ensure that the location utilized for filming will be left in a satisfactory condition, free of debris, rubbish, and equipment, and that due observance of all Village laws will be followed, no permits will be issued by the Village Administrator unless security is provided as follows:
(1) 
For filming on both public lands and privately owned land, the posting of a cash security deposit of $2,500.
(2) 
Within 21 days of the completion of filming, the Village will return the security deposit if there has been no damage to property or public expense caused by the filming. Should any provision of this chapter (including but not limited to the cleanup requirements set forth in § 157-10 below) not be adhered to in connection with the filming to which the application applies, the security deposit shall be retained by the Village to defray expenses of the Village in connection with the failure to adhere to this chapter. The party whose deposit is forfeited shall have the right to appeal such forfeiture to the Village Board. This shall not relieve the responsible party from the obligation to reimburse the Village for any expenses it incurs in excess of $2,500.
C. 
In addition to the requirements set forth in Subsections A and B above, no permit shall be issued for filming upon public lands unless the applicant shall provide the Village with satisfactory proof of the following:
(1) 
Proof of insurance coverage as follows:
(a) 
General liability required at a combined single limit (bodily injury and property damage) of at least $1,000,000. This coverage should be primary and noncontributory and include a waiver of subrogation. In addition, the Village of Larchmont should be named as an additional insured; and
(b) 
Workers' compensation.
(2) 
An agreement, in writing, whereby the applicant agrees to indemnify and save harmless the Village of Larchmont from any and all liability, expense, claim, or damages resulting from the use of public lands.
(3) 
The hiring of a special duty Village police officer for the times indicated on the permit.
(4) 
Payment to the Village for any other resources the Village deems it necessary to provide (Department of Public Works, Fire, etc.).
D. 
The Village Administrator shall not issue a permit hereunder unless:
(1) 
He/She has timely received all items required by this chapter.
(2) 
He/She has received notification from the Larchmont Police Department that it has reviewed the application and conducted such other inquiry as it deems appropriate and has no objection to the filming from a public safety standpoint. Any conditions recommended by the Police Department may be incorporated by the Village Administrator as permit conditions.
The Village Administrator may authorize filming other than during the hours herein described. In determining whether to allow an extension of hours under this section, the Administrator shall consider the following factors:
A. 
Traffic congestion at the location caused by vehicles to be parked on the public street.
B. 
Applicant's ability to remove film-related vehicles off the public streets.
C. 
When the applicant is requesting restrictions on the use of public streets or public parking during the course of the filming.
D. 
Nature of the film shoot itself, e.g., indoors or outdoors; day or night; on public or private lands.
E. 
Prior experience of the film company/applicant with the Village, if any.
A. 
When filming is requested with respect to a major motion picture, the approved location of such filming and approved duration of such filming by specific reference to day or dates may exceed five consecutive days and/or may exceed 10 days in duration if approved by the Village Administrator in his or her discretion following a favorable review of the factors set forth in § 157-8 herein.
B. 
Any days necessary to be used for setup and preparation for a major motion picture filming may, in the discretion of the Village Administrator, be counted as a filming day where such setup is anticipated to involve one or more of the factors set forth in § 157-8 hereof.
All litter, refuse and debris in any way generated in connection with such filming, whether on the film site or elsewhere in Larchmont, shall be cleaned up as the filming goes on. At the conclusion of filming each day, all such litter, refuse and debris shall be picked up and discarded in accordance with Village of Larchmont and Larchmont-Mamaroneck Joint Sanitation Commission regulations.
A. 
In the event that any applicant violates the terms of a permit, the Village Administrator shall have the authority to rescind the permit immediately.
B. 
Any person, persons, corporation, company, group or other entity of any kind who fails to obtain the permit required herein or otherwise violates any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation (i.e., not a misdemeanor or a felony) and subject to a fine of up to $5,000.
C. 
The imposition of such fine shall not be the Village's exclusive remedy in the event of a violation of this chapter. The Village may pursue any and all other legal remedies available to it in connection with any violation of this chapter.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing, no applicant who has previously failed to comply with any provision of this chapter shall be granted a permit hereunder for a period of 24 months from the date of such failure to comply.