LIVERMORE — The Planning Board will hold a public hearing Tuesday on two proposed ordinances that would govern mass gatherings and special amusements in town.

The ordinances propose permits be required for mass gatherings fitting a criteria of 1,000 or more people for a six-hour duration, and for places whose owners want to have amusements or performances at premises licensed by the state to sell alcohol.

The hearing begins at 7 p.m. May 4 at the Livermore Elementary School.

Both ordinances are being proposed to go before voters at the annual town meeting on Thursday, June 10.

The mass gathering ordinance is an attempt to address the concerns about potential public health, safety and public welfare dealing with sanitary facilities, water supply, traffic control, medical issues, fire protection, law enforcement and to make sure a gathering stays contained in a defined area, town Administrative Assistant Kurt Schaub said.

The ordinance is also proposed to make sure no unreasonable burden is placed on neighbors or the town, he said.

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Under the ordinance, if approved, a mass gathering would be considered any meeting, festival, social gathering, political rally, or other event held with total attendance of 1,000 or more people and a duration of six or more hours.

Exemptions include fairs, exhibitions or similar events held by agricultural societies and other associations.

A mass gathering area, according to the proposal, means any place, public or private, maintained, operated or used for a group gathering or assemblage, except an established permanent stadium, athletic field, arena, auditorium, coliseum, fairground, or other similar permanent places of assembly.

Organizers would need to submit a written application for a permit and adhere to requirements set forth in the ordinance. The cost of a permit would be $250 for between 1,000 to 2,500 people, $350 for 2,501 to 5,000, and $500 for more than $5,000.

The special amusement ordinance is being proposed to control the issuance of special permits for music, dancing or entertainment at licensed premises within the town that sell alcohol.

The ordinance also outlines what would be violations of the ordinance of entertainment that includes sexual acts or simulation of sexual acts and exposing private body parts.

Any premises used for or in connection with the operation of a special amusement permit may not be sited within 500 feet of the closest part of the structure of a business that caters to the general public. It also cannot be sited within 1,000 feet of the closest part of the structure for any part of a religious house of worship, schools, day-care facilities, public parks, recreational facilities, or any residence on adjacent property, excepting the owner or proprietor of the licensed premises.

dperry@sunjournal.com


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