ORDINANCE NO. _____
An ordinance amending Section 42.15 of the Los Angeles Municipal Code 
to require that the public expression activities allowed by that 
section be exercised in designated spaces on the Venice Beach 
Boardwalk, and that the use of those designated spaces be regulated by 
a permit process.
 
WHEREAS, the Boardwalk at Venice Beach is world-famous for its free 
performances and public expression activities; a tradition that is 
maintained pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 42.15, 
which prohibits commercial vending;
 
WHEREAS, recent improvements completed to the Boardwalk have made the 
area even more popular with visitors than ever before, and the number 
of persons wishing to perform, show their paintings, sculptures or 
photographs, or otherwise exercise their right to public expression 
also has increased, creating problems in noise, crowd control and 
competition for space among those wishing to legally perform, exhibit, 
or otherwise engage in expressive activity on the Boardwalk;
 
WHEREAS, to alleviate noise, control crowds, provide for emergency 
ingress and egress for health, safety and law enforcement purposes, 
allocate available space on the Boardwalk in an equitable manner that 
balances the uses of visitors, businesses and residents located 
adjacent to the Boardwalk with those wishing to reserve space for the 
legal exercise of their public expression activities, and to provide 
for public access to and enjoyment of the Boardwalk and Venice Beach, 
the Department of Recreation and Parks has adopted a permit program to 
organize and regulate the activities allowed on the Boardwalk by LAMC 
Section 42.15; and
 
WHEREAS, for purposes of enforcement, and to make certain violations of 
the permit regulations punishable as misdemeanors, the City desires to 
codify those violations of the permit program included in this 
ordinance,
 NOW THEREFORE,
THE PEOPLE OF THE
CITY OF LOS ANGELES
DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
 Section 1. A new Subsection D is added to Los Angeles Municipal 
Code Section 42.15 to read:
 D. No person shall receive any payment or accept any donation in 
connection with any activities not otherwise prohibited by this Section 
unless that person holds a valid “Public Expression Participant Permit” 
issued pursuant to the program adopted by the Board of Recreation and 
Park Commissioners on October 1, 2003, as that program may be amended 
by the Board from time to time. The permit is not transferrable and the 
permittee must be present in the permitted space at all times that 
permitted activity is occurring. No person shall place or allow 
anything within the permitted space that extends beyond the boundaries 
of the permitted space (20 feet by eight feet for performers, and ten 
feet by eight feet for all others), nor shall the permit holder conduct 
any activities requiring a permit outside the boundaries of the 
permitted space. No person shall set up, take down or use a permitted 
space between sunset and 9:00 a.m. No person shall place or allow any 
item exceeding four feet above ground in the permitted space, nor shall 
any item placed in the permitted space have more than two sides. No 
person shall alter or reproduce any permit issued pursuant to the 
program, nor shall any person possess an altered, reproduced or 
falsified permit document.
 
 The permit may be revoked in accordance with the program adopted by the Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners for violations of the 
program rules. Revocation shall occur upon a third violation of a 
program rule or upon any single violation of the conditions set forth 
in this Subsection. A notice of violation of the program rules may be 
appealed to the Department of Recreation and Parks District Supervisor. 
Revocation of a permit may be appealed to a 3-person board consisting 
of a representative from the Park Advisory Board designated by the 
Board of Recreation and Park Commissioners, a community member 
appointed by the Councilmember of the District and the General Manager 
of the Department of Recreation and Parks or the General Manager’s 
designee. The conclusion of the applicable appeal process shall 
constitute an exhaustion of administrative remedies pursuant to 
California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5.
 
 Sec. 2. Subsection C of Section 42.15 shall be redesignated Subsection E and moved to the end of the Section.
 
 Sec. 3. The two unlettered paragraphs of Section 42.15 shall be 
redesignated Subsection C. The word “applicable” in the first sentence 
of the first paragraph shall be replaced with the word “construed.”
 
 Sec. 4. The effective date of this Ordinance shall be ,2004.
 
 Sec. 4. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of this ordinance and have it published in accordance with Council policy, either in a daily newspaper circulated in the City of Los Angeles or by posting for ten days in three public places in the City of Los Angeles: one copy on the bulletin board located in the Main Street lobby to the City Hall; one copy on the bulletin board located at the ground level at the Los Angeles Street entrance to the Los Angeles Police Department; and one copy on the bulletin board located at the Temple Street entrance to the Los Angeles County Hall of Records.
 
 I hereby certify that this ordinance was passed by the Council of the City of Los Angeles, at its meeting of . 
 
 
J. MICHAEL CAREY, City Clerk
By Deputy Approved
Mayor Approved as to Form and Legality
ROCKARD J. DELGADILLO, City Attorney