information
Portland is a Sanctuary City

Find sanctuary city resources from the City of Portland's Immigrant & Refugee Program, including free legal services and state resources for reporting hate crimes, bias incidents, discrimination, and violations of Oregon's sanctuary laws.

Chapter 20.08 Permits

City Code Chapter

20.08.010 Permits Required for Park Uses.

It is unlawful for any person to conduct or participate in any activity in a park, for which a permit is required, unless the City Administrator has issued a permit for the activity. A permit is required for any activity in a park under any one or more of the following circumstances:

  1. A.  The activity is intended to involve, is reasonably likely to involve, or actually involves, as participants and/or spectators, at any one time, 150 or more persons.
  2. B. The activity includes the placement of any temporary or permanent structure, including but not limited to any table, bench, stage, fence, tent or other facility in a park. No permit is required under this Subsection for the placement of any temporary facility in an area of a park that has been designated for use without a permit.
  3. C. The activity requires, or is reasonably likely to require, City services additional to those already provided to the public as a matter of course in the park, including but not limited to: increased police or fire protection; the turning on or off of water; provision of utilities, such as gas, electricity or sewer; placing, removing, opening or closing bollards, gates or fences; or the special preparation of fields or other facilities.
  4. D. The person engaged in the activity seeks to exclude, or to have the right to exclude, any member of the public from the activity or from any park or from any area of any park.
  5. E. The activity is conducted in any building in any park, except for personal use of public restrooms.
  6. F. The activity includes using the park in a manner inconsistent with designated uses of the park, or includes conduct that otherwise is prohibited in a park, including, but not limited to, conducting business, charging admission or otherwise receiving payment for goods or services related to the activity, or possessing, serving or consuming alcoholic beverages.

20.08.020 Applications; Administrative Rules.

  1. A. Any person desiring a permit under Section 20.08.010 must make an application for a permit. The City Administrator may adopt administrative rules as authorized by Charter, including but not limited to standard conditions for applications and for permits. The written policies and procedures will be available for public inspection. Every application must state the purpose for which the park would be used, the date and time of the proposed use, the name of the park, and the area thereof that would be used, the anticipated number of persons who would be present and other information relating to the contemplated use as required.
  2. B. A permit may be issued if a complete application complying with all adopted policies and procedures is made and all of the following conditions are met:
    1. 1. The proposed activity is consistent with the size of the park and any specialized purpose for which it is normally used, or for which specialized facilities have been provided.
    2. 2. The proposed activity will not have an unreasonably adverse impact, from noise, litter or traffic, on the park or on the surrounding neighborhood.
    3. 3. The proposed activity does not pose an unreasonable risk to public health or safety or to the physical integrity of the park.
    4. 4. The applicant pays all required fees and agrees to comply with all conditions of the permit.
    5. 5. The proposed use is otherwise lawful, but nothing in this Chapter requires the issuance of a permit for an activity otherwise prohibited by this Title.
    6. 6. The proposed activity does not conflict with an activity already scheduled for the park or for which a different permit already has been applied for or issued for the park.
    7. 7. The applicant, including any person, firm or corporation affiliated with the applicant and with the activity, has complied with the conditions of any permit previously issued by the City Administrator.
  3. C.  A permit may be issued for use of a park during hours when the park is closed. If the requested use does not meet the criteria of Subsection B. of this Section, the City Administrator may deny the application or may impose restrictions or conditions upon the permit or issue a permit for a different date, time, park, or park area so as to meet such criteria. Permit review will be completed as quickly as reasonably possible, and, at the latest, within 14 business days after a complete application is filed, except where policies or procedures provide for additional time.
  4. D.  An applicant who was denied a permit, was issued a permit for a scope of use different from the permit application, or objects to conditions included in the issued permit may appeal the permit decision by filing a written notice of appeal to the City Administrator within five calendar days of the permit decision. The notice of appeal must explain how the permit decision failed to meet the criteria of Subsection B. of this Section and will include any desired changes to permit scope or conditions. The City Administrator will review the appeal and other relevant permit information within 14 business days of receiving the request. The City Administrator will notify the applicant in writing whether the prior decision will be affirmed or whether permit conditions will be modified. The decision of the City Administrator will be deemed final.
  5. E. In determining whether the criteria of Subsection B. of this Section are met, no consideration will be given to the content of any constitutionally-protected expression connected with the planned activity. No permit will be required under this Chapter, nor any condition imposed on any permit, if requiring a permit or imposing the condition would violate rights protected by the Constitution of the United States or by the Constitution of the State of Oregon. No permit will be required under this Chapter for any person to participate in any activity programmed by or sponsored by Portland Parks and Recreation.
  6. F. If any portion or provision of this Section is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such portion or provision will, so far as possible, be held severable, and will not affect the remainder, which will continue in full force and effect.

20.08.030 Permits to be Exhibited.

Any person claiming to have a permit issued under this Chapter must produce and exhibit the permit upon the request of any authorized park officer. 

20.08.040 Permits Subject to Laws, Codes, Rules and Regulations; Indemnification.

All permits issued under this Chapter are subject to all applicable laws, Code, and rules and regulations governing parks. Permittees are bound by all applicable laws, Code, rules and regulations as fully as though they were inserted in the permit. A permittee is liable for all loss, damage, or injury to any person or property arising from the permittee’s negligence and for any breach of applicable laws, Code, rules or regulations. The permittee is liable to all persons so suffering damage or injury, including to the City and its officers, employees, and agents. The permittee must indemnify, defend and hold the City and its officers, employees and agents harmless from any and all claims, demands, actions and suits (including all attorney fees and costs, through trial and on appeal) arising from the permittee’s use of the park under the permit.

20.08.050 Permits Nontransferrable.

A permit issued under this Title is personal to the permittee, and will be void if transferred or assigned in any manner without the written consent of the City Administrator.

20.08.060 Prohibited Conduct at Permitted Events.

In addition to any other applicable provision of law, it is unlawful for any person to engage in any of the following conduct at any event for which a permit has been issued in any park. This Section does not apply to conduct by any park officer in the performance of duty or by any person authorized to engage in that conduct in connection with the event in accordance with a permit.

  1. A. Any conduct that substantially prevents any other person from viewing, hearing or meaningfully participating in the event.
  2. B. Any conduct that substantially interferes with the free passage of event participants or attendees by creating an insurmountable obstacle at any entrance, aisle, walkway, stairwell, ramp, esplanade, vendor booth, ride or other area commonly used for public access, egress or ingress.
  3. C. Using any facility, structure, fixture, improvement or other thing within the area covered by the permit in a manner contrary to or inconsistent with its intended, designated or safe use. This Subsection does not apply to any person engaged in any constitutionally protected expression, unless, and then only to the extent that, in connection with the expression, the person engages in conduct that amounts to misuses of things as proscribed by this Subsection.
  4. D. Except as expressly provided for under the terms of the permit, lighting any fire. This prohibition does not apply to smoking devices designed for and used for smoking tobacco, in areas where smoking is permitted.
  5. E. Any sexual conduct, as defined under ORS 167.060, including but not limited to any physical manipulation or touching of a person's sexual organs through, over or under a person's clothing in an act of apparent sexual stimulation or gratification, regardless of the person's subjective intent.
  6. F. Operating any bicycle, in-line skates, roller blades or other human-powered form of accelerated propulsion, except in places as the permittee may provide or allow for these activities in accordance with the permit.
  7. G. Entry into the area subject to the permit without consenting to an inspection of personal belongings for the purpose of preventing the introduction of prohibited items into the event. For purposes of this Subsection, "personal belongings" includes backpacks, duffel bags, sleeping bags, purses, coolers, bulky apparel items and other personal items large enough to conceal or contain prohibited items.
  8. H. Bringing into or possessing within the area covered by the permit any prohibited item. For purposes of this Section, "prohibited item" includes: any fireworks; laser light; laser pointer; animals of any kind (except for service animals while performing their qualifying services); sound producing or reproducing or audio or video recording equipment (except as authorized by the permittee); glass bottles or containers; alcoholic beverages (except as provided by the permittee in accordance with the permit); furniture or fixtures (except as authorized by the permittee); any thing specifically designed for and presently capable of causing, or carried with the intent to threaten or cause, bodily harm to another (except for concealed handguns lawfully carried by persons in accordance with valid concealed handgun permits); and any item the possession of which violates any other applicable provision of law.
  9. I. Entry into or remaining in any area covered by any permit for any event that is not open to the public without the consent of the permittee, or entry into or remaining in any area covered by any permit for any event that is open to the public only upon the payment of an entry fee or charge, without first paying the applicable entry fee or charge.

20.08.070 Nonpark Use of Park Property.

It is unlawful for any person to use park property in a manner inconsistent with a park use, including but not limited to excavating for, erecting or installing or doing any act as part of or commencement of excavation, erection, or installation for, a permanent or temporary structure or facility in or on any park. Nonpark use of park property requires written authorization by the City Administrator in the form of a Nonpark use permit. Sections 20.08.010 and 20.08.020 do not apply to nonpark use permits.

Back to top