17.43.140 Emergency Pedestrian Plaza Closure.

City Code Section
  1. A.  In case of an emergency, or in case where life or property are endangered, all persons, if requested to do so by any Police Officer, shall depart from the portion of any pedestrian plaza specified by that Police Officer, and shall remain off that pedestrian plaza or that portion of the pedestrian plaza until permission is given to return.
  2. B.  Whenever it is in the interest of public health or safety to do so, the Commissioner or the Mayor, the Director, or Police Officer may close any pedestrian plaza, or any part thereof, and may erect or cause to be erected barricades prohibiting access to any such pedestrian plaza, or part thereof, at appropriate locations.  Notices that any pedestrian plaza, or part thereof, is closed shall be posted at appropriate locations during the period of such closure, if feasible; however, failure to post such notices shall not invalidate such closure nor shall it invalidate any exclusion for violating this Section.
  3. C.  No person shall enter any pedestrian plaza or any part thereof that has been closed under this Section, or remain in such pedestrian plaza, or part thereof, after having been notified of the closure and having been requested to leave by the Commissioner, the Mayor, the Director or Police Officer.  A closure under this Section shall not exceed 18 hours without the written approval of the both the Commissioner and the Mayor.
  4. D.  When a state of emergency is declared under Section 15.04.040 of this Code, the Mayor or other persons authorized by Section 15.08.020 or by Subsection B of this Section may close any pedestrian plaza and recreation facility to normal use and may designate that facility for emergency operations, which operations may include providing emergency services to the public, subject to the following conditions:
    1. 1.  The scope of use of pedestrian plaza facilities during such emergency shall be defined by approved City emergency plans or by the Mayor or Commissioner in Charge.
    2. 2.  If emergency services are provided in any pedestrian plaza facility, members of the public may be allowed into the facility, under the control of and subject to restrictions and conditions established by the organization responsible for the emergency operations at that facility.
    3. 3.  Costs incurred by PBOT for emergency operations shall be submitted to the City’s Office of Emergency Management for reimbursement.  Costs reimbursable under this Section include facility operating costs, costs to repair damage caused by the emergency operations, and the costs to restore the facility to the condition it was in at the commencement of the emergency.
    4. 4.  As soon as practicable after the state of emergency is officially terminated, any pedestrian plaza facility closed on account of the emergency or used for emergency operations will re-open for normal use.