[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township of Ridley 11-22-1995 by Ord. No. 1741. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Disorderly conduct — See Ch. 113.
Ticket lines for special events — See Ch. 176, Art. II.
Parades and processions — See Ch. 199.
Picketing — See Ch. 213.
Police services — See Ch. 220.
Streets and sidewalks — See Ch. 264.
Tents — See Ch. 285.
Vehicles and traffic — See Ch. 299.
As used in this chapter the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
CARNIVAL AND TENT SHOWS
Any carnival, circus, tent show or traveling amusement show organized, sponsored or for the benefit of a "for-profit" organization.
SPECIAL EVENT
Any activity which occurs upon private or public property that will affect the ordinary use of public streets, rights-of-way or sidewalks, including but not limited to social gatherings, special appearances, promotional activities, foot races and bicycle races. Specifically excluded from this definition are private social gatherings which will make no use of Township streets other than for lawful parking.
All carnivals and tent shows are hereby declared to be public nuisances, prejudicial to the public health, safety and morals and are hereby prohibited within the limits of the Township of Ridley.
No person or organization shall conduct a special event that affects the ordinary use of public streets, rights-of-way or sidewalks without first having obtained a special event permit from the Township of Ridley.
An application for a special event permit shall be submitted to the Captain of Police with a nonrefundable payment as set from time to time by resolution of the Board of Commissioners no later than 45 days prior to the proposed event. The following information shall be provided:
A. 
Purpose of the special event;
B. 
Name, address and telephone number of the sponsoring organization or individual;
C. 
Proposed date, location and hours of operation;
D. 
Schedule of proposed events;
E. 
Any other information as the Captain of Police or another Township official deems reasonably necessary to determine that the permit meets the requirements of this chapter.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
Reasons for denial of a special permit include:
A. 
The special event will substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of traffic within the Township of Ridley so as to create a real and present danger to the health, safety and welfare of the residents of the Township of Ridley.
B. 
The special event will create a real and present danger to the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the Township of Ridley by preventing fire-fighting equipment, ambulance service rescue vehicles and/or police vehicles from being able to reach any property in the Township of Ridley.
C. 
The special event is reasonably likely to cause injury to persons or property or to provoke disorderly conduct or to create an unreasonable disturbance.
D. 
The special event will cause undue hardship to adjacent businesses or residents or will require the diversion of so many public employees that allowing the event would unreasonably deny service to the remainder of the Township.
E. 
The application contains incomplete or false information.
F. 
The applicant fails to comply with all terms of this chapter, including failure to remit all fees.
G. 
The special event may substantially interfere in any way with the general health, safety and welfare of the Township residents.
The Captain of Police, in conjunction with any other appropriate Township official, shall determine the approximate cost of the special event to the Township of Ridley to maintain the public peace and order at the special event. This determination shall include, but is not limited to, the cost of additional police present at the event, any alterations to the normal traffic flow, or any other contingency that requires the attention of a public employee. The total of these costs shall be known as the "total street management cost to the Township" and shall be paid to the Township by the sponsoring organization prior to the issuance of a permit.
The Captain of Police shall act upon the application for a special event permit within 10 days after the filing thereof. If the Captain of Police disapproves the application, he shall mail to the applicant, within 10 days after the filing date, a notice of his actions stating with specificity the reasons for his denial of the permit.
Immediately upon the issuance of a special event permit the Captain of Police shall send a copy thereof to the following:
A. 
Township Manager.
B. 
Board of Commissioners.
C. 
Township Solicitor.
D. 
Fire Marshal.
E. 
Superintendent of Public Works.
Each special event permit shall state the information as provided by the applicant in the permit application, subject to any changes made by the Township in order to ensure compliance with this chapter.
Applicant shall have the sole responsibility of clearing the special event location of any rubbish and debris and returning it to its pre-event condition within 12 hours of the conclusion of the event. If the applicant fails to do so, such cleanup shall be arranged by the Township and the cost charged to the applicant.
A. 
Reasons for revocation of a special event permit include:
(1) 
Application contained incomplete or false information;
(2) 
Applicant does not comply with all terms and conditions of permit;
(3) 
Applicant fails to arrange for or adequately remit all fees;
(4) 
Disaster, public calamity, riot or other emergency exists.
B. 
Revocation of a special event permit may be appealed by the same process as an appeal which results from a denial of a permit.
Any applicant whose special event permit application has been denied or revoked may appeal the decision of the Captain of Police to the Township Board of Commissioners by filing a written notice of such appeal with the Township Manager within five days of the notice of denial of applicant's application by the Captain of Police. The Township Board of Commissioners shall set a hearing date within 15 days of receiving such appeal request. At such hearing the applicant is entitled to be heard and present evidence on his behalf. The Township Board of Commissioners shall determine whether the denial or revocation of the permit is justified.
Any person, firm or corporation who violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine not exceeding $1,000, plus costs of prosecution, and in default of payment of such fine and costs shall be imprisoned for a period not to exceed 30 days. Each day such a violation is committed or permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punishable as such hereunder.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).