Montebello, CA Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- carnivals and fairs (Sec. 12.16.010.B.3-4)
- Duration cap
- 7 consecutive days
- Frequency cap
- 1 permit per applicant per 3 months
- Filing fee
- $25 (Sec. 12.16.030)
- Security staffing
- 2 officers up to 100 attendees, scaling up
- Appeal window
- 10 days to city council
Summary
In the City of Montebello, anyone sponsoring a carnival or fair must get a temporary use permit from the zoning administrator before the event. Permits are capped at seven consecutive days, limited to one per organization every three months, and large gatherings must hire licensed private patrol officers scaled to expected attendance.
B.No person shall sponsor, participate or engage in any of the following enumerated activities, without first obtaining a temporary use permit therefor, issued by the zoning administrator of the city;1.Circuses;2.Parades, other than defined in Section 12.17.030 of this code;3.Carnivals;4.Fairs; ... The duration of permits for the activities enumerated in subdivisions 1 through 10 of this subsection shall be limited to a period not to exceed seven consecutive calendar days and no more than one permit shall be issued to any organization or individual in any three-month period;
Full Breakdown
Montebello Municipal Code Section 12.16.010(B) requires a temporary use permit from the zoning administrator for carnivals and fairs, along with circuses, parades and other enumerated outdoor activities, before anyone may sponsor, participate in or engage in them. Permits for these activities cannot exceed seven consecutive calendar days, and no more than one permit may issue to the same organization or individual within any three-month period. Section 12.16.020 requires a written application to the license collector stating the applicant's name and address, proposed location, nature and duration of the activity, and equipment to be used.
Section 12.16.030 sets a $25 filing and investigation fee, waived for business-license-exempt applicants or for local charitable, religious or civic organizations that have operated in the city for at least a year. Section 12.16.040 routes the application to the chief of police for review, and Section 12.16.050 lets the zoning administrator deny a permit that would be incompatible with public peace, safety or welfare. Section 12.16.060(C) requires licensed private patrol officers for gatherings of twenty-five or more: two officers for up to one hundred attendees, four for up to two hundred, and two more for every additional one hundred beyond that.
Violations & Fines
Section 12.16.080 lets the chief of police suspend a permit if the permittee violates a permit condition, violates any code provision, or threatens public peace, safety or welfare through the activity's conduct. A permittee may appeal a suspension or denial in writing to the city council within ten days under Section 12.16.090, paying the required appeal fee. Holding a carnival or fair without the required permit violates Section 12.16.010(B) and, absent a specific fine, falls under Section 1.12.010's general penalty of up to a $1,000 misdemeanor fine and six months in jail, or an infraction starting at $100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to hold a carnival or street fair in Montebello?
How much does a Montebello temporary event permit cost?
Does a street fair need private security?
Can the city shut down my fair permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Montebello
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