MASS GATHERING ORDINANCE
MASS GATHERING ORDINANCE
Adopted 3/5/85
I. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The Town of Gorham is concerned about the adverse effect to the general health and safety of the community that may result from large crowds which attend outdoor events, including but not limited to, exhibitions, festivals, music concerts and fairs. Large gatherings may lead to sanitation problems, resulting from inadequate waste disposal, insufficient drinking water and ill-equipped first aid facilities. Such gatherings may also threaten the safety of the community through the obstruction of roads, violation of liquor and drug laws, and destruction of property. Therefore, the following ordinance is hereby ordained for the purposes of protecting the general welfare, preventing disease, promoting health and providing for the public safety.
II. REQUIREMENT OF A LICENSE FOR LARGE OUTDOOR EVENTS
A. No person or group of persons may sponsor, promote, operate or hold any festival, exhibition, amusement show, fair, theatrical performance, music concert, parade or other activity which 250 or more people are reasonably expected to attend and in which a substantial portion of the entertainment or the people attending will be out-of-doors unless a license is first obtained from the Town Council of Gorham.
B. The licensing procedure will be administered in the following manner:
1. The person or group of persons seeking a license must file an application form with the Town Clerk of the Town of Gorham no less than 45 days before the proposed commencement of the outdoor event.
2. The non-refundable fee for the license shall be $100.00 and must accompany the application therefore.
3. Before a license may be issued, the Town Council shall hold a public hearing in order to review the application and determine the conditions required to safeguard the public health, safety and welfare. The appropriate town officials shall prepare and have ready for the public's review their finding after inspecting the site and review of the application. The license applicants have the right to attend and to represent their interests at such hearing. After assessing the possible effects that the proposed event may have on the public's health, safety and welfare, the Town Council may deny the permit or grant the permit, or grant the permit and impose such reasonable conditions on the issuance of a license as would safeguard the public interest;
including requiring the applicant to:
a. Post a corporate bond from a company authorized to do business in Maine, to ensure prompt cleaning of the grounds after the close of the outdoor event, and to ensure prompt payment for all damages caused by any attendee or employee to public or private property in the vicinity resulting from or in connection with the licensed event. The surety shall be to the benefit of the Town and shall allow the Town to draw on the funds if actions are not taken within three (3) working days after the event.
b. Agree and hire security guards or policy at the expense of the licensee. All security guards and/or police must be approved by the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police shall also determine the number of security guards or police to be hired.
c. Demonstrate, by means of a written descriptive plan, that adequate facilities will be provided at the site of the outdoor event, in order to protect the health of the people who attend, including:
1. Adequate waste disposal facilities;
2. adequate fire fighting equipment and personnel;
3. adequate water supplies;
4. adequate first aid facilities; and
5. adequate communication facilities.
d. Provide notice to the appropriate town, county and state officials, as named by the Town Council of Gorham.
e. File proof of authority from landowners whose property will be used in
holding the outdoor event.
f. Demonstrate in a written descriptive plan that adequate parking space will be available. Permission from any property owner whose property will be used for parking must also be included.
g. All tents and air supported structures shall comply with BOCA Building Code, 1984 Edition, Section 612.1 through 612.6 under Special Use and Occupancy Requirements. A temporary tent permit shall be required in the amount as stated in the Permit Fee Schedule.
III. EXEMPTIONS
All outdoor events, festivals, music concerts, fairs and other large gatherings sponsored and under the direct supervision of the Town of Gorham including the School Department shall be exempt from the provisions of this ordinance. All such activities conducted as an auxiliary use to normal operation of a licensed campground shall also be exempt.
| ||
