§ 191.103. Special event permit required.

(a)

No person shall stage, promote, or conduct any special event in the City without first obtaining a Permit from the Chief or his or her designee. Provided, however, no Permits shall be required to be obtained for any events to be held wholly on property owned or leased by any federal or state governmental entity, or by the independent agencies or authorities of the Consolidated Government. Nor shall any Permits under this chapter be required for events to be attended by fewer than 500 persons as participants and/or spectators at any time within the duration of the event. As to such events, however, the sponsors or persons staging the event shall comply with any other permit requirements or regulations of the City departments which regulate, schedule or maintain the facilities for the event, such as, but not limited to, the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department, or the Right-of-Way and Stormwater Maintenance Division of the Public Works Department.

(b)

The following events shall be exempt from the permit requirements of 191.103(a):

(1)

Any gathering, entertainment, cultural event, convention or exposition at the Prime F. Osborn Convention Center;

(2)

Any gathering, athletic, sporting, cultural or entertainment event at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena, football stadium (currently, EverBank Field), Amphitheater, Covered Flex Field, the Equestrian Center at the former Cecil Field, Metropolitan Park, Hanna Park, Huguenot Park, Unity Plaza Park, or the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville;

(3)

Any gathering, entertainment or cultural events at the Times Union Center for Performing Arts or the Florida Theatre;

(4)

Any event at any college, junior college, high school, middle school or elementary school stadium or gymnasium or at any other spectator sporting venue; or

(5)

Events to be conducted by any organization pursuant to an Adopt a Park agreement, license or lease agreement containing an exemption from this Chapter and approved by the City Council or the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services or events otherwise exempt under this Chapter; or

(6)

Events where the City of Jacksonville is the sole event producer or host, provided the commercial participants, vendors, contractors, subcontractors and those of similar description and purpose helping to facilitate the event must have a written agreement, license, lease or permit and still comply with Sections 109.105 and 109.106; or

(7)

A Neighborhood Community Event hosted by a council member in accordance with Section 191.121 below.

(c)

This Section, requiring a special permit, shall not apply to Public Property that is privately leased.

(d)

Notwithstanding the preceding exemptions from the special event permit requirements in subsection (b) above, such gatherings, entertainment, cultural events, conventions, expositions, athletic, sporting events, and Neighborhood Community Events shall comply with all public safety standards, requirements for personal security and property safety and emergency medical services, and sanitary facilities for special events, contained in Sections 191.113, 191.114, 191.115 and 191.117.

(Ord. 2004-814-E, § 2; Ord. 2005-1283-E, § 7; Ord. 2011-732-E, § 38; Ord. 2013-695-E, § 1; Ord. 2013-209-E, § 40; Ord. 2014-612-E, § 1; Ord. 2016-489-E , § 4; Ord. 2016-729-E , § 4)

Editor's note

Ordinance 2007-839-E, § 18, authorized updated department/division names pursuant to reorganization.