I received this email from the local chapter of the American Advertising Federation:
To All AAF Members:
The Pensacola City Council is considering an ordinance that would require a special permit (and fees) to do commercial photography or filming on public property. It is scheduled for a vote THIS Thursday, May 14th.
This needs to be stopped. While requiring a permit to film for commercial purposes is not inherently bad, the ordinance is seriously flawed in its current form. You can see the form here. Although the ordinance provides an exemption for members of the press engaged in bona fide reporting, it does not exempt other activities that should be exempted.
What if an advertising agency needs to run out and do a quick, last minute photo shoot? What if a commercial photographer was filming a parade to get stock photos or stock footage? What if a wedding photographer wanted to shoot a bride in the park?
I believe that this proposed ordinance needs significant amendments; chief among them the following: “This ordinance shall not apply to any still photography or any motion picture filming that does not cause interference with normal activities on city property. A permit shall be required only when such photography causes street closures or otherwise impedes public access to city property.”
If you agree that this ordinance should not pass in its current form please contact the Pensacola City Council immediately to share your views and concerns.
It is important to contact all eight council members even if you are not a city resident. Contact information is below.
Please share with your co-workers and peers in the Pensacola area.
Thank you,
Mike Bates
Government Relations Chairman
AAF-Pensacola
_____________
http://www.ci.pensacola.fl.us/507/Council-Members
Andy Terhaar
City Council President
District 3
(850) 393-6014
aterhaar@cityofpensacola.com
Larry B. Johnson
City Council Vice President
District 4
(850) 435-1609
ljohnson@cityofpensacola.com
Dr. P.C. Wu
City Council
District 1
(850) 477-5279
pcwu@cityofpensacola.com
Sherri F. Myers
City Council
District 2
(850) 484-0902
smyers@cityofpensacola.com
Gerald Wingate
City Council
District 5
(850) 607-0185
gwingate@cityofpensacola.com
Brian Spencer
City Council
District 6
(850) 712-2612
bspencer@cityofpensacola.com
Jewel Cannada-Wynn
City Council
District 7
(850) 346-7264
jcannada-wynn@cityofpensacola.com
Charles Bare
City Council
At-Large
(850) 375-0051
cbare@cityofpensacola.com