City commissioners approved Monday, Feb. 23, an ordinance requiring filmmakers to have a permit if they are filming within the city limits.
Plant City did not previously have laws regarding filmmaking. The ordinance, effective immediately, is consistent with an initiative throughout Hillsborough County to instate the requirement for permits in all of the county’s municipalities. The goal is to streamline the process for filmmakers to obtain permission to film in the municipalities or unincorporated county.
All videographers must obtain a permit before starting their work within the city limits, except: members of the news media, those who are filming for personal or family purposes, those who are filming at a studio, producers of public service announcements for which there is no charge and filmmakers using only a handheld camera with a combined cast and crew of three people or fewer.
Some still photographers also must obtain permits, such as those with a production crew or six or more people.
Applications for permits can be submitted via the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, at FilmTampaBay.com. The Film and Digital Media Commission acts as a liaison between production companies and the relevant governmental departments. It is responsible for making necessary arrangements for traffic or crowd control, or even fire department supervision of pyrotechnics.
Dale Gordon, executive director for the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, was present at the Plant City Commission meeting last Monday and had discussed the film production permit application with the commissioners prior to the meeting.
“We’ve been successful at the county level of passing the one-stop permitting ordinance, to allow filming in our market to be an easier process,” Gordon said. “We’ve worked with (City Attorney) Ken (Buchman) in drafting this ordinance.”
In Other News
- The Strawberry Queen and Court, as well as the Junior Royalty winners, were honored with a resolution at this week’s city commission meeting.
- Commissioners approved resolutions to authorize the purchase of new police and fire emergency dispatching consoles, as well as two police canines and related equipment.
- The Plant City Police Department received the Humanitarian Award at the Plant City Black Heritage Banquet Friday, Feb. 13. Other recipients were Mount Moriah Ministries (Cornerstone Award), Essie Dixon-Lewis (Community Service Award), Larry Sykes (Lifetime Achievement Award) and Durrie Reaves (Heritage Award).