Item 6-D

September 28, 1999 Santa Monica, California

To: Mayor and City Council

From: City Staff

Subject: Recommendation to City Council to Authorize the City Attorney to Prepare an Ordinance Making it a Misdemeanor to Commercially Film in the City Without a Permit or in Violation of a Film Permit

This report recommends that the City Council direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to conduct any commercial filming or still photography in the City without a valid City Film Permit or in violation of any conditions of a City Film Permit.

Pursuant to the authority granted in Resolution No. 8410, the Environmental and Public Works Management Department issues approximately 700 commercial film and still photography permits annually. A relatively small amount of commercial filming occurs within the City without a valid permit. In addition, conditions of a permit such as when and where filming may occur have occasionally been violated. Currently, there is no enforcement mechanism available when violations and non-permitted filming occur. City staff recommends that an ordinance be drafted for Council review and approval to make it a misdemeanor to commercially film within the City without a permit, and to film in violation of any Film Permit conditions.

There are no budget or financial impacts in making filming violations a misdemeanor.

City staff recommends that the City Council direct the City Attorney to prepare an ordinance making it a misdemeanor to conduct any commercial filming or still photography within the City without a valid City Film Permit, or to film in violation of the conditions of a Film Permit.

Prepared by:

Craig Perkins, Director of Environmental and Public Works Management

Joan L. Akins, Administrative Services Manager

Melissa Cole, Senior Administrative Analyst

Alicia Cortrite, Senior Code Enforcement Attorney