Guidelines for any Person or Group Wishing to Stage an Event
For the Week of July 24
- August 1, 2004
In order to implement an
efficient process for the permitting of public events during the week of
the Democratic National Convention, the City of Boston is instituting a
permitting process for the above dates that is described below.
What Events are Covered?
This application applies
to any public event planned for July 24 – August 1, 2004 that is open to
the public and held on private or public property, including parades and
demonstrations; this also includes licensed venues that are seeking to
alter the scope of their current license. Limited exceptions are described
below.
What Form Must Be Completed
to Start the Process?
Any applicant seeking to
stage an event during this period must begin the process by completing
the "Event Application for the Week of July 24 - August 1, 2004."
Where Can the Event
Application for the Week of July 24 - August 1, 2004 be Obtained?
This application can be
obtained by downloading it here in PDF format or by picking it up in person
at the office of Consumer Affairs and Licensing. Rm. 817, Boston City Hall,
Boston MA, located on the 8th Floor.
Download the Event Application,
PDF
Download the Guidelines, PDF
Note: To view and print in
PDF format, you must download and install the Adobe Acrobat Reader utility.
Where Should the Completed
Application Be Submitted?
The Office of Consumer Affairs
and Licensing
Boston City Hall, Rm. 817
Boston, MA 02201
When is the Deadline for
Submitting Applications?
Applications must be submitted
at least 14 days before the proposed event. The applicant will be mailed
a written response to their application within 7 days of receipt of a completed
application.
What fees are required
for filing applications?
Only entertainment type
events (i.e., musical events, magic shows, theatrical performances, and
the like) are subject to a one-time licensing fee of $25.00.
Is insurance required?
Insurance may be required
if the event includes the erection of staging, use of propane for cooking,
use of motor vehicles on city owned property, and the like. Insurance is
not required for parades and stationary rallies that do not involve the
use of any other equipment.
What city property will
be subject to permitting?
The City routinely issues
permits for use of City property, such as the Boston Common, Copley Plaza,
Samuel Adams Park at Faneuil Hall, and Government Center.
What types of activities
need permits?
Use of electric generators,
staging, food vendors, propane tanks, and entertainment are some of the
activities that must be permitted in order to take place on City property.
Do I need a permit for
a sound system?
If an electric generator
is needed to run the system, a permit is required. All sound is subject
to the City of Boston Ordinance regulating Unreasonable Noise (City of
Boston Code, 16-26, defined as in excess of 50 decibels from 11:00 p.m.
– 7:00 a.m., and 70 decibels at all other hours).
Can I obtain a parade
permit during rush hour?
The City is offering a designated
parade route (running from City Hall Plaza to the demonstration zone off
Canal Street) that may be used during the rush hour period (3:30 p.m. –
6:00 p.m. in Zone A, as defined in the Boston Transportation Department’s
regulations, generally that portion of the City east of Massachusetts Avenue
and including the Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Financial District). Only the
designated parade route can be used for marching during this time period.
What space limitations
will be imposed near the FleetCenter?
Causeway Street will be
closed to parades and marches, although the sidewalks on the [west] side
of the street will be open to all pedestrian traffic. The immediate surroundings
of the FleetCenter will be closed to all except those specifically credentialed
to enter. The City is creating a “soft zone” in the area around the FleetCenter
(the “Bulfinch Triangle”) which will be closed to vehicle access (except
for previously scheduled deliveries). This area (boundaries…..) will be
open to all pedestrian access.
Is the City providing
a demonstration zone, and what is the process for obtaining access to it?
The City is providing a
demonstration zone on a parcel of land adjacent to Canal Street, near the
bus depot where delegates will be arriving for the Convention. No permit
is necessary to enter the demonstration zone. No weapons (guns, knives,
wrist-rockets, sling shots, etc.) or facsimile weapons (i.e., replica or
toy guns, including super soakers), will be allowed in the demonstration
zone. No poles or sticks will be allowed inside the demonstration zone.
Any signs must be hand-held.
There will be a stage and
sound system provided by the City inside the demonstration zone. That stage
is available upon application at the Mayor’s Office of Consumer Affairs
and Licensing. Applicants will be allotted fifty minute slots of time,
and up to three consecutive fifty minute slots per day, per applicant.
The stage can accommodate up to fifteen people, and in order to assure
that all applicants have access to the stage, all applicants must have
the City issued permit on their person in order to gain access to the stage.
Is the City planning to
search individuals seeking to enter the demonstration zone?
No, but all persons will
be subject to search if there is reasonable suspicion to believe that they
are carrying weapons or other contraband.
Steps to Follow
Please Note: The process will vary somewhat depending upon the type of event described in the application (i.e., an event requesting permission to run electricity, erect temporary shelters or tents, use propane for cooking, or sell alcohol will necessitate review and permission from a number of City agencies, including Health, Fire, and the like). Parades or demonstrations may not require multiple approvals.
Step 1
Submit a completed Event
Application for the Week of July 24 - August 1, 2004 to the office
of Consumer Affairs and Licensing. Rm. 817, Boston City Hall, Boston MA.
The Office of Consumer Affairs will review the application and, unless there are specific reasons for denying the application, direct the applicant in writing to the appropriate agencies and departments for additional permits. If no permit is required for the described activity, the applicant will be so informed. The applicant will be mailed a written response to their application within 7 days of receipt of a completed application.
Step 2
The Office of Consumer Affairs
and Licensing will direct the applicant to the appropriate agencies to
obtain the required permits. The applicant will be responsible for supplying
any necessary information in order to obtain the appropriate permits from
those agencies. The agencies and/or departments that the applicants may
be referred to shall review the applicants’ application and issue its decision
within five (5) business days.
If an applicant has been
referred to multiple agencies/departments, the applicant may pursue their
application with those agencies/departments simultaneously.
Step 3
After all necessary permits
have been obtained by the applicant, the Office of Consumer Affairs and
Licensing shall issue the final approval or denial of the permit within
three (3) business days.
The entire permitting process,
from commencement to conclusion, shall not exceed fifteen (15) business
days.
There are Limited Exceptions to the Permitting Requirements Described Above:
(1). Small Stationary
Demonstrations:
Individuals and groups not
exceeding twenty (20) people shall not be required to obtain any permits
to exercise free speech and/or conduct lawful First Amendment activity.
Said demonstrations shall be stationary in nature and shall not include
the need for amplification, structures, and/or other equipment. Any individual
or group acting under this provision shall abide by all regulations, ordinances,
statutes and any and all other laws, including lawful orders of law enforcement
officials. Any individual and/or groups in this category shall ensure safe
passage (ingress-egress) for all pedestrian traffic on any and all sidewalks
and other areas that they may be utilizing. Furthermore, any individual
or group of twenty or fewer people without a permit under this provision
shall remain clear of and off all roadways, streets, avenues and any and
all other arterials utilized by vehicular traffic. If an individual or
group wishes to use any roadway, street, avenue or any and all other arterials
utilized by vehicular traffic that individual and/or group shall comply
with steps one through three noted herein.
(2). Spontaneous Demonstrations:
In order to address the
need for spontaneous demonstrations, from July 10, 2004 through August
1, 2004 the permitting scheme shall be modified as follows:
What are the Reasons an Application for a Permit Could be Denied?
The City of Boston seeks
to accommodate all applicants seeking to take advantage of the City of
Boston’s public forums. To maximize the efficient use of these forums and
ensure the safety and convenience of the applicants and general public,
access to these forums must be regulated. To this end, the City of Boston
may deny an application for a permit for the following reasons:
The use or activity intended
by the applicant is prohibited by law, ordinance, or by regulation.
Any requirements for a certificate of insurance shall be waived by the City if the activity is protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution and the requirement would be so financially burdensome that it would preclude the applicant from using the proposed area for the proposed activity. Fees for equipment and services shall not be waived. Application for a waiver must be in writing and shall include an affidavit by the applicant and sufficient financial information about the applicant to enable the City to determine whether the requirement would be so financially burdensome that it would preclude the applicant from using the property for the proposed activity.
Appeal Process
Any applicant aggrieved by
the final decision of the City may seek judicial review in state court
by common-law certiorari.