Source: http://ecode360.com/8517713
Timestamp: 2017-03-25 03:53:29
Document Index: 653537766

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317', '§ 317']

City of Clifton, NJ Motion-Picture Filming
§ 317-1
§ 317-2
§ 317-3
§ 317-4
§ 317-5
Rules and regulations governing issuance of permits.
§ 317-6
Traffic control; crowd control; and security.
§ 317-7
Refusal to issue permit; appeals.
§ 317-8
§ 317-9
§ 317-10
Applicability of other ordinances and regulations.
§ 317-11
§ 317-12
of the City of Clifton 3-5-1996 by Ord. No. 5788-96; amended in its entirety 8-18-2015 by Ord. No. 7237-15. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
Chapter 317: Motion-Picture Filming
A. The Municipal Council of the City of Clifton recognizes that the
filming of motion pictures, television shows or programs within the
City of Clifton has been increasing and will continue to increase
B. Filming within the City of Clifton requires various regulations to preserve the general health, safety and welfare of Clifton inhabitants; in addition, the imposition of various fees is required to offset administrative costs incurred in processing permit applications and conducting the requisite inspections. The City of Clifton hereby enacts Chapter 317 of the Code of the City of Clifton to establish fees and regulations governing filming.
videotape or similar recording mediums, including, but not limited
to, motion pictures, television shows or programs, commercial still
photography, videotapes, computer-based programs or other visual reproduction
technology now known or hereafter created, for commercial or educational
uses and shall include all activity attendant to the setup, production
and breakdown associated with all filming activities. The provisions
of this chapter shall not be deemed to include the filming of news
stories within the City of Clifton.
The actual street address where the filming is to occur or
the public street, highway, sidewalk, square, public park or playground
or any other public lands where the filming is to occur. If filming
is not confined to a single street address, then the street block
on which the filming is to occur.
Any film shoot or production requiring 15 or more crew members
or more than five commercial vehicles, including, but not limited
to, trucks, mobile homes, catering vehicles, vans and other such similar
vehicles that are used in connection with the shoot or production.
Any property that is owned by or assessed to a private person
park or playground, public building or any other public place within
the City of Clifton which is within the jurisdiction and control of
A. No person or organization shall film or permit filming on public
property or private property within the City of Clifton without first
having obtained a permit from the office of the City Clerk, which
permit shall set forth the approved location of such filming and the
approved duration of such filming by specific reference to the date
or dates and hours of such filming. Said permit must be readily available
for inspection by municipal officials at all times at the site of
B. All permits shall be applied for and obtained from the office of the City Clerk during normal business hours. Applications for such permits shall be in the form approved by the City Clerk and be accompanied by a permit fee in the amount established in § 317-9 herein.
C. No permits will be issued by the City Clerk unless applied for at
least five days before the requested filming date. However, the City
Manager may waive the five-day period in his or her sole discretion.
A. The application for a filming permit shall set forth the following
(1) The full name, address and telephone number of the applicant.
(2) Whether the applicant is an individual, partnership, corporation,
limited liability company or any other type of entity, and, if another
entity, a full explanation and description thereof.
(3) Whether the applicant is a registered nonprofit organization.
(4) If the applicant is an individual, the applicant's residence
address and date and place of birth.
(5) If the applicant is a partnership, the full names, and addresses
(6) If the applicant is a corporation or other entity, the full names
and addresses of each officer, director and shareholder owning or
having an interest, either legal or equitable, of 10% or more of the
entity; the name and address of the registered agent and the address
of the principal office of the corporation.
(7) If the applicant is a limited liability company, the full names and
addresses of each member and managing member owning or having an interest,
either legal or equitable, of 10% or more of the entity; the name
and address of the registered agent and the address of the principal
office of the limited liability company.
(8) The specific dates and times that filming is proposed to take place.
(9) A description of each commercial vehicle that the applicant anticipates
using in connection with the film shoot or production.
(10) Whether the applicant has arranged for off-street parking for
the vehicles that the applicant anticipates using in connection with
the film shoot or production.
(11) Whether the applicant is requesting restrictions on the use
of public streets or public parking during the course of the film
shoot or production.
(12) The number of crew members and actors the applicant anticipates
will be involved in the film shoot or production.
(13) The specific filming location of the film shoot or production.
If filming is not going to be limited to a single street address,
the specific street block, setting forth the cross-streets abutting
the street block, where the filming is to take place.
(14) Whether, due to the nature of the shoot or the actors involved
in the shoot, the applicant anticipates that members of the public
will attend the film shoot or production and, if so, how many members
of the public does the applicant anticipate will attend the film shoot
(15) The security measures, if any, that the applicant will employ
during the film shoot or production.
(16) Proof of insurance in accordance with § 317-4C.
(17) Whether the applicant has received any other filming permits
in the City of Clifton in the twelve-month period immediately preceding
the application and, if so, the exact filming location of each such
permit and the number of days that filming for each such permit took
(18) Any other pertinent information that may impact the safety,
health and/or public welfare.
B. The applicant has a continuing responsibility to update the application
whenever the information provided has changed.
C. No permit shall be issued for filming upon public property unless
the applicant shall provide the City with satisfactory proof of the
(1) Proof of insurance coverage as follows, naming the City of Clifton
as an additional insured:
(a) For bodily injury to any one person in the amount of $500,000
and any occurrence in the aggregate amount of $1,000,000.
(b) For property damage each occurrence in the aggregate amount
(2) An agreement, in writing, whereby the applicant agrees to indemnify
and save harmless the City of Clifton from any and all liability,
expense, claim or damages resulting from the use of public lands.
(3) The posting of a security deposit, the amount $1,000 by cash or certified
check or a $1,500 bond running in favor of the City of Clifton and
protecting and ensuring that the location utilized will be left after
filming in a satisfactory condition, free of debris, rubbish and equipment,
and that due observance of all City ordinances, laws and regulations
will be followed. After the completion of the filming, if there has
been no damage to public property or public expense caused by the
filming, the City of Clifton will return the security deposit or bond.
If damage to public property or public expense has been caused as
a result of the filming, the permit holder shall be responsible to
reimburse the City for same and the City shall be permitted to offset
the cost by first utilizing the security deposit or bond to pay for
A. A permit may be issued by the Clerk for a period not to exceed five
days. The maximum number of permits that may be authorized in any
calendar year for a specific filming location in a residential zone
shall not exceed two without permission from the Municipal Council.
B. Filming in residential zones shall be permitted Monday through Friday
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. The setup, production
and breakdown required by all filming shall be included in the hours
C. The Municipal Council may authorize filming other than during the hours set forth in § 317-5B. In determining whether to allow an extension of hours under this section, the Municipal Council shall consider the following factors:
(1) Traffic congestion at the location caused by vehicles to be parked
on the public streets;
(2) The applicant's ability to remove film-related vehicles off
the public streets;
(3) Whether the applicant is requesting restrictions on the use of public
streets or public parking during the course of the filming;
(4) Prior experience of the film company/applicant with the City, if
(5) The impact on the use and enjoyment of adjoining property owners,
D. The holder of the permit shall take all reasonable steps to minimize
interference with the free passage of pedestrians and traffic over
public property and shall comply with all lawful directives issued
by the Clifton Police Department with respect thereto.
E. The holder of a permit shall conduct filming in such a manner as
to minimize the inconvenience to adjoining property owners attributable
to such filming and shall, to the extent practicable, abate noise
and park vehicles associated with such filming off the public streets.
Prior to the commencement of the filming, the holder of a permit for
filming in a residential area shall notify residents within a two-hundred-foot
radius of the filming location and the dates and times the filming
is to take place, unless such requirement is waived in writing by
the City. The permit holder shall avoid any interference with previously
scheduled activities upon public property and limit to the extent
possible any interference with normal public activity on such public
F. If a permit is issued and, due to inclement weather or other good
cause, filming does not take place on the dates specified, the City
Clerk may, at the request of the applicant, issue a new permit for
filming on other dates, subject to full compliance with all other
provisions of this chapter. No additional fee shall be paid for this
G. The Municipal Council may authorize a waiver of any of the requirements
or limitations of this chapter and may extend the duration of a permit
beyond five days or may permit filming at a particular filming location
in a residential zone on more than two occasions during any one calendar
year, or may waive any other limitation or requirement of this chapter
whenever it determines that strict compliance with such limitations
will pose an unreasonable burden upon the applicant and that such
a permit may be issued without endangering the public's health,
safety and welfare or unreasonably interfering with the use and enjoyment
of adjoining property owners, residents or businesses.
H. Copies of the permit application will be sent to the Police and Fire
Departments and the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television Commission
for review before filming takes place. The applicant shall permit
the Fire Prevention Bureau or other municipal inspectors to inspect
the site and the equipment to be used. The applicant shall comply
with all safety instructions issued by the Fire Prevention Bureau
or other City inspectors.
I. Where existing electrical power lines are to be utilized by the production,
an on-site licensed electrician may be required.
A. The City reserves the right to require the applicant to hire one
or more off-duty police officers as needed in situations where the
proposed film shoot or production may impede the free flow of vehicular
B. The City reserves the right to require the applicant to hire one
or more off-duty police officers or private security guards to provide
security and/or crowd control at a filming location in situations
where the City determines, in its sole discretion, that same is necessary
C. The hiring of off-duty police officers shall be in accordance with
the Clifton Police Department's outside duty program and shall
be for the filming times indicated on the permit and at the rates
set by ordinance. The Chief of Police shall determine, in his or her
discretion, the number of off-duty police officers required to maintain
public safety, for each film shoot or production.
A. The City Manager may refuse to issue a permit if he or she determines,
after a review of the application, that the nature of the proposed
filming would violate any law or ordinance or would unreasonably interfere
with the use and enjoyment of adjoining property owners, residents
or businesses, unreasonably impede the free flow of vehicular or pedestrian
traffic, or otherwise endanger the public's health, safety or
B. Whenever the City Manager shall refuse to issue a permit, the City
Manager shall furnish written notice of such refusal on the applicant.
C. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the City Manager denying a permit may appeal to the Municipal Council. A written notice of appeal setting forth the reasons for the appeal shall be filed with the City Clerk and a copy to the City Manager. The notice of appeal shall be filed and served by personal service or certified mail upon the City Clerk. An appeal from the decision of the City Manager shall be filed no later than 10 days after the service of the City Manager's written notice of denial as set forth in § 317-7B.
D. The Municipal Council shall set the matter down for a hearing within
30 days of the day on which the notice of appeal was filed and served.
The appeal shall be decided by the Municipal Council upon the record
below, upon supplemental and additional proofs, if any, and upon oral
and written testimony, if any, submitted by the applicant/appellant
and the City Manager. The decision of the Municipal Council shall
be in the form of a resolution. A resolution supporting the decision
of the Municipal Council shall be adopted at the first regularly scheduled
public meeting of the Municipal Council after the hearing on the appeal
unless the applicant agrees, in writing, to a later date for the decision.
The Municipal Council may affirm, reverse, remand or modify the City
A. The City Manager may suspend or revoke a permit if he or she determines,
that the permit holder has violated any law or ordinance, has made
material misrepresentations on the application for the filming permit,
has performed the filming activity in a manner that is inconsistent
with the application, has failed to provide adequate traffic control
or security or the actual filming being conducted unreasonably interferes
or businesses, unreasonably impedes the free flow of vehicular or
pedestrian traffic, or otherwise endangers the public's health,
B. Whenever the City Manager shall suspend or revoke a permit, the City
Manager shall furnish written notice of such suspension or revocation
C. If the permit holder can demonstrate that the violations resulting
in the suspension or revocation can be abated, the City Manager may
restore the permit, subject to the conditions set forth to ensure
D. Any person aggrieved by a decision of the City Manager suspending or revoking a permit may appeal to the Municipal Council. A written notice of appeal setting forth the reasons for the appeal shall be filed with the City Clerk and a copy to the City Manager. The notice of appeal shall be filed and served by personal service or certified mail upon the City Clerk. An appeal from the decision of the City Manager shall be filed no later than 10 days after the service of the City Manager's written notice of denial as set forth in § 317-8B.
E. The Municipal Council shall set the matter down for a hearing within
The schedule of fees for the issuance of permits authorized
by this chapter are as follows:
A. Basic filming permit: $100.
B. Filming permit for nonprofit applicants filming for educational purposes:
C. Additional fee for filming on public property: $1,000 per day.
D. Filming on public property for nonprofit or educational filming purposes:
E. In addition to all the foregoing fees, an additional fee for filming
of major motion pictures shall be assessed as follows:
(1) Any film shoot or production having 15 or more crew members or five
or more commercial vehicles: $1,000 per day.
(2) Any film shoot or production having 25 or more crew members or 10
or more commercial vehicles: $1,500 per day.
A. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to impair or limit in
any way any other power of the City of Clifton to define and declare
nuisances and to cause their removal or abatement by summary proceedings
B. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to abrogate or impair
the power of the City of Clifton or any officer or department to enforce
any provisions of its Charter or its ordinances or regulations, nor
to prevent or punish violations thereof, and the powers conferred
If any clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or
part of this chapter shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction
to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate
the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the
clause, sentence, subdivision, paragraph, section or part thereof
directly involved in the controversy in which said judgment shall
Any person violating this chapter or these rules and regulations,
upon conviction therefor, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding
$1,250 per day, or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days,