TITLE 23
SPECIAL EVENTS ORDINANCE
BE IT ORDAINED by the legal voters of the Town of Goshen in meeting assembled:
RESOLVED: To rescind the Ordinance Regarding Special Events adopted September 2, 1970 and to adopt the following ordinance:
1. Purpose. The regulation of Special Events and the supervision of such events are hereby declared necessary for the protection of the health, property, safety and welfare of the residents of the Town of Goshen pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes, § 7-148 (c)(7)(H).
2. Definition of terms: As used in this ordinance unless the context otherwise indicates the terms “Special Events” and “Special Event” shall mean any public gathering of more than One Thousand, Five Hundred (1,500) persons assembled at one time for one (1) particular event. The terms “Special Events” and “Special Event” shall not be interpreted to include the normal day-to-day operation of existing commercial enterprises. The terms “Special Events” and “Special Event” shall include, but not be limited to, fairs, shows, exhibitions, bazaars, flea markets, carnivals, and concerts.
3. Licenses required.
(a) No special event shall be held without a valid license.
(b) Applications for such licenses shall be made to the Board of Selectman not later than thirty (30) days before the starting date of the Special Event upon forms to be supplied to applicant for that purpose.
(c) Public notice of each application disclosing pertinent facts concerning the event shall be given by the First Selectman within seven (7) days after application is received by publication in a newspaper having a substantial circulation in the Town of Goshen and the cost of this notice shall be borne by the applicant.
4. Application. The application for such a Special Events license shall contain the following information under oath:
(a) Name(s) of applicant(s); if a partnership, names of all partners, if a corporation, club or association, names of officers.
(b) Residence addresses and phone numbers of applicants.
(c) Age of applicant(s); if a corporation, club or association, date organized and under laws of what state.
(d) Applicant(s) type of business or activity.
(e) Whether applicant(s), or if a corporation, club or association, officers have ever been convicted of a crime.
(f) Description of the Special Event to be held.
(g) Location where event will be held.
(h) Anticipated maximum number of persons who will be assembled at one time for the Special Event. No persons in excess of this number shall be permitted within the confines of the location of the Special Event.
(i) Plot plan or sketch of facilities for the Special Event and write-up demonstrating adequate plans to meet local, state and other applicable standards for:
(i) parking
(ii) traffic
(iii) food services
(iv) drinking water
(v) toilets
(vi) lodging
(vii) fire prevention
(viii) fire protection
(ix) refuse disposal, including the name of the refuse hauler, the number and size of the disposal containers that will be in use; and
(x) law enforcement.
(j) The facilities for the Special Event shall be subject to review by the First Selectman, Chief of Police, Fire Marshal, Building Official, Director of Health and the Recycling Official of within forty-eight (48) hours of the time that the Special Event will begin.
(k) Dates and hours of each Special Event must be specified and no license shall be valid for more than three (3) consecutive calendar days.
5. Investigation of applicants. The Board of Selectman shall investigate the character and record of the applicant(s) and the proposed location of the Special Event described in the application and shall not approve said application or issue a license unless the Board of Selectmen finds that the applicant(s) are over twenty-one (21) years of age and are persons of good moral character and that the business or activity in such location is a bona fide and lawful one and will not be detrimental to public health, safety and welfare. The Board of Selectman in granting or denying the license shall consider each of the sections of this ordinance as well as all other valid concerns of the residents of the Town of Goshen brought before them during the ten (10) to fourteen (14) days
following, the public notice concerning the application. In any case of the denial or refusal to grant or renew a license, the Board of Selectman shall notify the applicant(s) of its proposed action and reason therefor and set a day and place for a hearing thereon, giving the applicant reasonable notice in advance thereof by certified mail and an opportunity to be represented by counsel at such hearing. The Board of Selectmen shall not issue a license to any event, entity or person which has not paid outstanding fees from prior events.
6. Conditions. Any license granted pursuant to the terms of this ordinance may contain such conditions as deemed necessary or desirable by the Board of Selectmen, including without limitation the posting of a cash security bond in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 8 below and the provision of police, traffic control, sanitary and other services for the protection of public health, safety and welfare.
7. License Fees. A license shall be issued by the Board of Selectman in the name of each applicant. The license fee shall be One Hundred dollars ($100.00).
8. Cash Security Bond. The Board of Selectman may require a cash security bond to be deposited with the Town of Goshen prior to the issuance of a license. Said bond will be held to ensure the Town of Goshen does not bear any costs associated with the event. The amount of the bond shall be fixed by the Board of Selectman. Following the event, the Town shall refund the balance of such bond to the applicant(s) minus any costs incurred by the Town of Goshen arising from or related to the Special Event. The bond shall not be released until the applicant(s) has documented to the satisfaction of the Board of Selectmen that all tipping fees for solid waste, including without limitation recyclables, generated by the Special Event have been paid in full.
9. Prohibitions or Transfer. A license may not be transferred by the licensee(s) to any other person, corporation, partnership, club or association.
10. Costs. Each licensee shall pay all costs required to provide for public health, safety and welfare, including but not limited to costs for police, fire, EMS services and the total cost of solid waste collection and removal and recycling, including without limitation all tipping fees. The licensee shall pay any and all tipping fees charged to the Town of Goshen in addition to the fees paid for refuse collection and hauling.
11. Revocation of License. The First Selectman shall have the power to revoke any license issued hereunder for cause, after due notice. Cause shall be deemed to include, but shall not be limited to, false information in the application for a license knowingly given, failure to show good intent to comply with the conditions under which the license has been granted, any violation of this ordinance or conviction of a crime subsequent to the issuance of the license.
12. Penalty. Any person, corporation, partnership, club or association violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not more than One-Hundred dollars ($100.00) for each offense.
13, Separability of Provisions. Each separate provision of this ordinance shall be deemed independent of all other provisions herein, and if any provision of this ordinance shall be declared invalid, all other provisions thereof shall remain valid and enforceable.
14. Effective date. The effective date of this ordinance shall be fifteen days after publication in a newspaper having a circulation in the Town of Goshen.
Adopted: April 10, 2006
Published: April 14, 2006
Effective: April 29, 2006
| 
