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BYLAW - Licensing and Regulation of Public Halls - 19710614 - 192471I. I I --I "I ! I (~- - ~ .. --~----"~-·-----·~~--~ BY-LAW NUMBER 1924-71 OF THE MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF AURORA TO PROVIDE FOR THE LICENSING AND REGULATION OF PUBLIC HALLS WHEREAS The Public Halls Act provides that no public hall shall be offered for use or used as a place of public assembly unless the owner thereof holds a licence therefor from the city, town, or vil- lage or township in which it is located; AND WHEREAS The 1viunicipal Act provides that the council of a town, township or village may by by-law regulate and licence subject to the provisions of The Theatres Act exhibitions held for hire or gain, theatres, music halls, bowling alleys, moving picture shows, public halls and all places of amusement, and for prohibiting the location of them, or a particular class of them, on land.abutting on any highway or part of a highway to be named in the by-law and for revoking any licence granted; THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF AURORA ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: 1. INTERPRETATION: 2. In this by-law,- (a) "owner" means person who has in respect of premises an estate for life or a greater estate, legal or equitable, or a leasehold estate; and (b) "public hall" means a building, including a portable build- ing or tent with a seating capacity for over one hundred persons, that is offered for use or used as a place of public assembly, but does not include a theatre within the meaning of The Theatres Act, or a building, except a tent, used solely for religious purposes. (c) "fire resistive construction" means non-combustible con- struction having a fire-resistance rating of one hour or more. LICENCE: (1) No owner shall operate a public hall or allow any building or part thereof to be used as a public hall unless he holds a public hall licence issued by the treasurer of this municipality for which the fees payable shali be as follows: Grade 1 -For a hall having a licensed capacity Grade 2 of over 1,000 persons For a hall having a licensed capacity of between 999 and 600 persons Grade 3 -For a hall having a licensed capacity of between 599 and 300 persons Grade 4 -For a hall having a licensed capacity of under 300 persons $ I$. o o $ IO· oo $ :i, ()0 provided that a Limited Public Hall Licence permitting not more than one meeting of entertainment in any calender month or not more thah ten meetings or entertainments in any calender year may be issued for hall usually used for other purposes upon payment of one-half the iicen~e .· fees. (2) For the transfer of a public hall licence a fee of $5.00 shall be paid to the treasurer by the transferee. /) !7 // --:/ '· ---:~\• l I 1 J i I I l i -,1 J l l r i i . ( l .. ;>:···· - 2 - 3. EXEMPTION FROM FEES: 4. No licence fee shall be payable under this by-law by any religious organization in respect of a hall used for entertain- ment given or held by it, but every such hall shall in all other respects comply with this by-law. APPLICATION FOR LICENCE: Every application for a public hall licence shall be accompanied by, - (a) a statement on the form provided by the treasurer giving such particulars as to location, size and construction of the hall, as may be required; (b) a certificate signed by the fire chief certifying that he has inspected the building in respect of which the applica- tion is made and has found that it is in accordance with this by-law as to fire safety precautions; (c) a certificate signed by the chief of police certifying that (i 1.3f ?7 Is/ the operation of a hall in the location applied for is approved by him and that he is satisfied with the proposed use of the building or part thereof as a public hall an~ with the proposed methods of operation; and (d) a certificate dated within three months of the application signed by the local inspector of The Hydro-Electric Power Commission of Ontario, certifying that the electric wiring has been inspected and found satisfactory. 5. MAXIMUM CAPACITY: (1) The owner of a public hall shall not allow a greater number of persons to enter and be in the hall at any one time than is stated to be the maximum capacity of the hall on the licence, which maximum capacity shall be determined as follows: (a) where the public hall is in a building of fire-resistive construction or on the first or ground floor of a building not of fire-resistive construction, the maximum capacity shall be determined on the basis of one person to each six square feet of total floor area where fixed seating is employed and eight square feet per person where moveable seats are used; (b) where the public.hall is in :!;he basement or on the second floor of a building not of fire-resistive construction the maximum capacity shall be determined on the basis of one person to each ten square feet of total floor area; (c) where the public hall is on the third floor of a building not of fire-resistive construction, the maximum capacity shall be determined on the basis of one person to each fifteen square feet of floor area. (2) A licence shall not be issued for a public hall on any storey higher than the third floor in a building not of fire-resistive construction. ( [i -3 - (3) The owner of every public hall shall display in a prominent place in the entranceway to the public hall and inside the hall adjacent to the entranceway placards with the following wording in letters not less than two inches high: "OCCUPANCY OF THIS HALL BY MORE THAN ••.•.•.......... PERSONS IS DANGEROUS AND UNLAWFUL." with the blank filled in with the maximum capacity as stated on the licence, and placards stating the location of the nearest telephone, the telephone number of the fire department and the location of the nearest fire alarm box or fire hall. (4) For the purposes of this section;- (a) the floor area of a public hall shall not include the floor areas of any platform, stage, washroom, kitchen, cloak room, (\_ hallway, entranceway, stairway, stairwell, or any other ante room a!}jacent to or used in connection with such public hall; (b) no person employed or serving on or in any of the floor areas mentioned in clause (a) shall be counted in determining the number of persons permitted in a public hall. 6. SEATING: (1) In every public hall having rows of fixed seats there shall, in addition. to the space at the front and rear of the hall, be aisle space of not less than forty-four inches in width for every 200 persons or fraction thereof for which the hall is licensed. (2) In every public hall having rows of moveable seats there shall, in addition to the space at the front and rear of the hall, be aisle space of not less than forty-four inches in width for every 150 persons or fraction thereof for which the hall is licensed :and no centre seating section shall contain more than fourteen seats in a row and no seating section running to a side wall shall contain more than seven seats in a row. (3) In every public hall having rows of moveable seats they shall be fastened together so that there are units of not less than four or more than twelve seats. (4) In every public hall having chairs and tables there shall, in addition to the space at the front and rear of the hall, and in addition to any space used for dancing or any entertainment, be clear aisle space of not less than twenty-two inches in width between rows of tables and chairs for not more than two persons, thirty-six inches between rows of tables and chairs for not more than four persons and forty-four inches in width between rows of tables and chairs for more than four persons at an individual table. (5) Moveable seats shall not be permitted in balconies or gal- leries on which the floor is arranged as steps. (6) Where an exit is located at the side of the hall having moveable or fixed seats or chairs and tables there shall be a cross aisle giving access to each such exit. i ~--------··· -~-- 1 7. 8. -4- (7) Standing in the aisles, additional seats or additional chairs or tables which would reduce the aisle space below the minimum required shall not be permitted. EXITS: (l) Every public hall shall have at least two independent exits, each at least three feet in width, located as far apart as is structurally feasible, but in no case less than the width of the public hall or approximately fifty percenturn of the length of the public hall. (2) The distance of travel to any exit from the hall shall not exceed 100 feet, measured along the path of exit travel from any seat. Where because of the size of the hall this is not practical, exits may be spaced not more than 100 feet apart along the peri- meter of the hall. (3) Where there are only two exits from a public hall licensed for more than 300 persons, each exit shall be not less than forty-four inches in horizontal width. (4) Where the licensed maximum capacity of the hall is greater than 400 persons in a building of fire-resistive construction or the hall is on the first or ground floor of a building not of fire-resistive construction, additional exits shall be required on the basis of not less than twenty-two inches of exit width for every 90 persons or fraction thereof above 400 persons. (5) Where the licensed maximum capacity of the hall is greater than 300 persons in the basement or second or third floor of a building not of fire-resistive construction additional exits shall be required on the basis of not less than twenty-two inches of exit width for every 60 persons or fraction thereof above 300 persons. (6) Every balcony or gallery in a public hall shall have at least two independent means of exit, either to the outside or to the main floor of the hall. (7) Rugs, carpets or other floor coverings shall be secured and maintained so that they will not ruck, or so that they will not in any way impede egress. (8) Mats located at the entranceway of the public hall shall be flush with floors or have chamfered or bevelled edges. (9) Articles which may create any obstruction shall not be located in or adjacent to the path of exit travel. EXIT DOORS: (1) AlL,exit doors including the main entrance door shall be equipped with panic-type hardware that enables a door to be opened easily upon the application of pressure from the inside. Panic hardware shall not be required on free-swinging doors which are not equipped with any locking or latching devices. c: lJ - 5 (2) No revolving type door or turnstile shall be used as an exit from a public hall except that a revolving door or turnstile may be used from the first or ground floor provided that there is an exit door or doors of the swing type adjacent to and within at least fifteen feet of the revolving door or turnstile. (3) Hooks, padlocks, chains, and draw bolts, other than the panic hardware type, shall not be permitted on doors. (4) Whenever a public hall is to be used the owner shall take all necessary steps to ensure that the doors open freely. 9. EXIT SIGNS: (1) Above every exit, or access to exit, there shall be an illum- inated sign having letters of not less than six inches in height and the principal strokes three-quarters of an inch in width, with the word "EXIT" lighted with electric current on a circuit separate from that furnishing any other electric service in the building, or on a circuit from a point on the supp;ly side.of.the service switch and provided with its own service box. (2) Every exit sign shall be clearly visible from the most distant part of the hall from which there is a clear line of sight. (3) The inspector may require a stand~by or auxiliary electric service of a capacity sufficient to supply all exit lights or to flood-light the hall from a storage battery kept permanently charged with a trickle· charger. (4) Every door which does not lead to an exit shall be plainly marked with letters not less than six inches in height, designat- ing the part of the premises to which it leads unless an exit leading to grade is available through such a room and in such case the door shall be marked as an exit. 10. EXIT STAIRWAYS: exit (1) The width of every.,.stairway shall not be less than· the exit door from which it leads and shall have treads not less than ten inches in width exclusive of nosing and risers not more than eight inches in height, provided that where structural difficult- ies exist the building inspector may issue a permit in writing for a stairway having a slope of not greater than forty-five degrees from the horizontal. (2) The treads of such stairs shall be maintained with a non-slip surface. (3) When the difference in floor levels or the height of any exit door from the ground level is not greater than ten feet, an inclined ramp may be permitted in lieu of a stairway, provided such ramp shall have a slope not greater than one foot rise in a ten foot run. (4) Any exit stairway, connecting two or more fld.ors, shall be enclosed at all floor levels with construction having a fire resistance of not less than one hour. Doors providing access to this enclosure shall have a fire resistance of not less than ' , .. , -T-~--~--------' . ··: ,~, ~~ - 6 three-quarters of an hour, and shall be equipped with self closers. All stairway doors shall open in the direction of exit traveL (5) All exit stairway enclosures shall provide a protected means of egress to grade such that it would not be necessary to leave the stairway enclosure to reach an exterior door. A lobby or foyer may constitute part of the stair enclosure provided that it is .. enclosed in accordance with subsection 4 and provided that the distance of travel through the lobby to an exit does not exceed fifty feet. {6) Exit stairs from the first balcony or gallery above the main floor need not be enclosed provided that these stairs serve only the first balcony or gallery. (7) Every passageway or platform leading to or from an exit stairway shall be kept clear of all obstructions. (8) Cupboards shall not be constructed underneath any stair- way nor the space under any stairway used for storage purposes. (9) All combustible exit stairs and landings shall have their undersides protected by a one hour fire resistive ceiling. 11. FIRE ESCAPES: (1) Every outside fire escape shall be of the stair type only and shall extend down to the ground or street level, provided that where a fire escape is situated on a street or travelled lane the last section may, with the approval in writing of the building inspector, be the counter-balanced type. In no case shall the slope of the stairway exceed forty-five degrees with the horizontal. (2) The stairs, platforms, supporting members and anchorage of every outside fire escape shall be designedto support, in addition to their own weight, a live weight of not less than one hundred pounds per square foot of tread and platform. (3) Every window beneath, within fifteen. feet: horizontally, and every window above, within ten feet vertically of any portion of an outside fire escape, shall be provided with wired glass in fixed sash and every door underneath or provid- ing access to an outside fire escape shall be metal-clad and equipped with self-closers. (4) The maximum vertical distance between grade level and the second storey landing of an outside fire escape shall not exceed fourteen feet and the maximum vertical distance between all other landings above the second storey shall not exceed twelve feet. (5) Every stairway of an outside fire escape shall be thirty- six inches or more in width measured between the stringers and all landings shall have an area of at least twelve square feet and each stairway and landing shall be equipped with hand rails. ,. :. 0 .. ·•':···· - 7 - 12. SNOW AND ICE: Before the public hall is used on any occasion the owner shall clear every outside fire escape of snow and ice or other obstruction. 13. LIGHTED STAIRWAYS: Every stairway, passageway and fire escape shall be well light- ed whenever the public hall is in use, and all electric light bulbs within eight feet of the floor level shall be protected with metal guards to prevent breakage or removal. 14. FALSE DOORS: False doors, windows, mirrors or other type of decoration which give the appearance of a door or exit where no door or exit exists shall not be permitted. 15. DECORATIONS: (1) Decorations, curtains and stage properties of cloth, paper or other flammable material shall not be permitted in a public hall unless treated with a flame-retardant and re-treated at least once in every year. (2) Flammable decorations, notwithstanding they are flame- retardant treated, shall not be placed on an electric fixture or within three feet of an electric bulb, stove or heating appliance or the pipes in connection therewith. 16. FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS: Flammable liquids or explosives or other substances dangerous to human life shall not be kept or stored in a public hall or in the building in which the public hall is located except where written approval is obtained from the building inspector of fire chief. 17. SMOKING: (1) The fire chief may permit smoking in a public hall or any part thereof and "NO SMOKING" signs shall be posted in the hall or portion thereof where smoking is prohibited. (2) In the hall or portion thereof where smoking is permitted substantial ash trays or stands of non-combustible materials shall be placed so as to be of convenient access in such number as may be required by the fire chief. (3) Smoking, matches, open flame, fire-crackers or any device producing an exposed spark or flame shall not be used on any platform or stage in any public hall without the written per- mission of the fire chief. 18. RUBBISH: (1) Every public hall shall be kept clean and clear of rubbish. (2) Metal containers with self-closing covers shall be provided and conveniently placed for the deposit of used paper towels and rubbish and the contents of every such container shall be emptied and disposed of immediately following the use of the hall • l] -8- 19. HEATING EQUIPMENT: (1) Every year before using the heating equipment every public hall owner shall cause the furnace or stove, the pipes there- from and the chimney to be examined, cleaned and put in a proper state of repair. (2) Every heating appliance placed in the auditorium of any public hall shall be protected with sufficient guards and insul- ation, and shall be located as to not interfere with the flow of exit traffic and be not closer than twenty feet to any exit door. (3) Every furnace room in any building containing a public hall shall be separated from the remainder of the building by con- struction having a fire resistance of not less than one and a half hours. Any ducts passing through this enclosure shall be equipped with self closing fire dampers. (4) Every fuel-fired heating appliance that is installed in a public hall shall be contained in an enclosure in accordance with subsection 3 except in a public hall located in a building not more than two storeys in height including basement or cellar and having an occupancy of less than two hundred persons, with the written permission of the fire chief or building inspector, (a) two fuel-fired heating appliances of a type listed by a recognized testing laboratory, or (b) six sealed combustion system appliances of a type listed by a recognized testing laboratory, maY be installed without being enclosed. 20. FIRE PROTECTION: (1) Every public hall shall be equipped with sufficient stand- pipes and hoses to protect every part of the hall and intercom- municating rooms without using more than 75 feet of hose on any standpipe connection or with five gallon water pump tank or equivalent water type fire extinguishers on the basis of one such appliance for every 1,500 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof, except where the hall is equipped with chairs and tables in which case one such fire fighting appliance shall be required for each 1,000 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof, provided that the minimum shall be two such fire fight~ ing appliances, and shall be equipped with fire extinguishers of such type and number as the fire chief may require for use in the cloak rooms, washrooms, kitchens and other service rooms. (2) The fire chief may require the installation of an automatic fire detection system or automatic sprinkler system in any public hall or part or parts thereof or in any stairway or passageway used as an exit from a public hall. (3) Every fire extinguisher and other fire fighting appliance shall be maintained in good operating condition and regularly inspected. I I I I 21. - 9 (4) No fire extinguisher shall be installed in a public hall unless it bears the approval label of the Underwriters Labor- atories of Canada, Ltd., the Underwriters Laboratories Inc., the Factory Mutual Laboratories, or the Fire Offices' Commit- tee of the United Kingdom. INSPECTIONS: (1) It shall be the duty of the fire chief, chief of police and building inspector to enforce this by-law and to inspect every public hall in the municipality from time to time as required to ensure that the requirements of this by-law are being fully met. (2) For such purposes, the fire chief, chief of police and the building inspector or any of their assistants may enter any public hall at any time, and to test the adequacy of the exit facilities, and may with the instructions of the council require a practice fire drill by all persons in the public hall at such time. 22. PENALTIES: Subject to the prov~s~ons of The Public Halls Act, every person tJ who contravenes any of the provisions of this by-law shall upon \ conviction therefore be liable to a fine of not less th~n $10.00 and not exceeding $50.00, exclusive of costs, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding twenty-one days, or to both such fine and imprisonment. 23. Where a public hall licensee is convicted of an offence under 1 this-by-law the licence shall be suspended forthwith by the (' v''~~~d shall not be reinstated until the fire chief and U ,~ L---the police chief certify in writing that the conditions result- ing in the charge and conviction have been remedied and that the hall and its proposed operation comply with this by-law. 24. This by-law shall take effect upon the day of the final passing thereof. READ A FIRST TIME THIS 14 DAY OF June ,1971 MAYOR CLERK READ A SECOND TIME THIS DAY OF t 1971 MAYOR CLERK READ A THIRD TIME AND FINALLY PASSED THIS DAY OF ,1971 MAYOR CLERK ;::