§ 883-3. Public Assembly Permit.  


Latest version.
  • (a)

    No person shall admit patrons to a facility for public assembly for an event without first obtaining a permit approved by the Cincinnati Fire Chief.

    (b)

    Before a permit is issued under this chapter, the facility manager of a permanent facility for public assembly shall make application on a form provided by the city manager 30 days prior to the date of the event. The facility manager of a facility or person responsible for a facility involving street events or other events requiring a special event permit, shall make application on a form provided by the city manager 90 days prior to the date of the event. The city manager may allow application within a shorter time upon a showing of special circumstances. The application shall include the following information and meet the following requirements:

    (1)

    The name and location of the facility for public assembly at which the event is to be held;

    (2)

    The type of activity or event;

    (3)

    The name and description of the event and any acts within the event;

    (4)

    The number of persons participating in the event and each act thereof;

    (5)

    The number of support personnel, including stage hands, electricians, technicians and other persons whose activities support the staging of the event;

    (6)

    The date and time of each event;

    (7)

    The time the doors will be open to admit patrons to the event, which time shall be not less than 90 minutes prior to the publicized start of the event for a general admission or festival seating event, nor 60 minutes prior to the publicized start of the event for a reserved seating event, unless the time is determined to be otherwise by the fire chief, police chief or their designate; in addition, the facility manager or facility representative shall be prepared to open the doors at least two hours ahead of the publicized start of the event if necessary to avoid a risk of substantial danger or injury to persons or property;

    (8)

    An estimate of the duration of the event;

    (9)

    The number of persons anticipated to attend the event;

    (10)

    The name, address and telephone number of the promoter or sponsor of the event;

    (11)

    The arrangements of seating for the event, including the location of the stage (A diagram of the arrangements including the stage shall be included with the application);

    (12)

    The person or persons in charge of the event and each act of the event and the name of the facility representative who will be present at the facility during the event;

    (13)

    City services or personnel to be used during the event;

    (14)

    Additional plans for the event to protect the safety and welfare of patrons and the public not addressed in the facility's plan of operating procedure approved under Chapter 881;

    (15)

    The respective responsibilities of the promoter, the operator of a facility, and persons performing or participating in the event for crowd management and the provision of a safe environment for patrons to the event and the public;

    (16)

    Insurance coverage, including type of risk and amount, of promoter of an event, operator of the facility, performers and participants; if the city of Cincinnati is named as an additional insured of any insurance policy for the event a copy of the policy shall be attached to the application;

    (17)

    The date on which ticket sales will commence;

    (18)

    Such other information as may be required by regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of Section 883-13 of this chapter.

    (c)

    Festival seating must be clearly indicated on the application. A Life Safety Evaluation will be required and shall include an assessment of the following conditions and related safety measures:

    (1)

    Nature of events and the participants and attendees:

    (i)

    The type of music or event;

    (ii)

    The type of crowd including the anticipated age span of the crowd;

    (iii)

    Require a written plan on the steps that will be taken to address aggressive behavior such as "Moshing" and "Body Surfing";

    (iv)

    Performances may be interrupted upon orders of the commanding fire officer due to safety concerns;

    (v)

    The fire chief will determine the number of fire personnel required to assure public safety for any event.

    (2)

    Access and egress movement, including crowd density problems:

    (i)

    The number of tickets available for festival seating. All tickets for festival seating must be sold prior to the event;

    (ii)

    Maximum occupancy for the festival seating area will be determined according to the criteria established by the National Fire Protection Association's Life Safety Code standards;

    (iii)

    Doors must be prepared to open 2 hours prior to the start of the event and will open upon the command of the fire officer on the scene. All ushers and security personnel will be in place 2 and ½ hours prior to the start of the event;

    (iv)

    The number of additional ushers and security personnel assigned specifically to the festival seating area;

    (v)

    A procedure detailing the plan to stage and escort patrons into the festival seating area;

    (vi)

    All (floor/festival seating) patrons will be required to wear a wrist band;

    (vii)

    A written emergency plan in place addressing the control and evacuation of patrons from the festival seating area;

    (viii)

    The number and locations of exits from the floor/festival seating area.

    (3)

    Medical emergencies:

    (i)

    Refer to emergency procedure plan as required on current permit requirements;

    (ii)

    A diagram of the ingress and egress maintained for emergency personnel.

    (4)

    Fire hazards:

    (i)

    Refer to emergency procedure plan as required on current permit requirements.

    (5)

    Permanent and temporary structures:

    (i)

    Diagram detailing the placement of barricades and exit doors as well as any queuing lines that may be needed.

    (6)

    Severe weather conditions:

    (i)

    Refer to emergency procedure plan as required on current permit requirements.

    (7)

    Earthquakes:

    (i)

    Refer to emergency procedure plan as required on current permit requirements.

    (8)

    Civil or other disturbances:

    (9)

    Hazardous materials incidents within and near the facility:

    (i)

    Refer to emergency procedure plan as required on current permit requirements.

    (10)

    Relationships among facility management, event participants, emergency response agencies, and others having a role in the events accommodated in the facility.

    (11)

    Such other information as may be required by regulations promulgated pursuant to the provisions of Section 883-13 of this chapter.

    (12)

    This section shall not apply to high school and collegiate athletic events, including club-sponsored athletic events; nor to religious events sponsored by bona fide religious organizations; nor to business expositions or exhibitions where the activity involved consists of the viewing of stationary exhibits by persons for whom seating is not available.

(Ordained by Ord. No. 438-1980, eff. Oct. 29, 1980; reordained by Ord. No. 456-1980, eff. Nov. 5, 1980; a. Ord. No. 514-1981, eff. Dec. 9, 1981; a. Ord. No. 223-1997, eff. Aug. 4, 1997; a. Ord. No. 266-2004, eff. Aug. 4, 2004)