5.52.030 – Horse-drawn carriage requirements and operating regulations

Carriage Safety Sticker:  Each horse-drawn carriage company must display a City safety sticker for each horse-drawn carriage being used in the operation.  A safety sticker will be issued by the City police department upon a successful inspection of a carriage regarding the requirements put forth in subsections 5.52.030B and C.  No horse-drawn carriage may carry more than seven (7) passengers at one time, including the driver or the maximum recommended weight for the carriage, whichever is less.  The fee for the first carriage safety sticker is included in the cost of the horse-drawn carriage company permit, which must be renewed annually.  However, each additional carriage safety sticker shall be fifty dollars ($50.00) a year and must be obtained annually.  The total number of carriage safety stickers issued to any horse-drawn carriage company each fiscal year shall be two (2).

Mechanically Sound:  Each horse-drawn carriage shall be mechanically sound, and not in a state of disrepair, with all equipment functional in the manner for which it was constructed.

Safety Equipment: All horse-drawn carriages shall be equipped with two (2) electrified white lights visible for one thousand (1,000) feet to the front of the vehicle, and two (2) electrified red lights visible for one thousand (1,000) feet to the rear of the vehicle. All lights must be operational from sunset to sunrise and during the times of lessened visibility. Electrified directional signals are required at all times. Each horse-drawn carriage shall be equipped with working brakes that are capable of stopping the loaded vehicle on at least a ten-degree incline.

Driver Requirements:  Each horse-drawn carriage company shall ensure that the driver(s) of their carriage(s) has in his or her possession a current and valid Illinois driver's license, completed a background check by the City police department, and is at least twenty-one (21) years of age.  The background check shall confirm that the driver has not been convicted of any felony, or any misdemeanor relating to decency, morality or traffic offenses.

Passenger Conduct:  All passengers must remain seated during the ride. No open alcohol shall be allowed in the carriage.

Hours of Operation:  The commercial horse-drawn carriages shall not be operated for hire between the hours of ten o'clock (10:00) p.m. and nine o'clock (9:00) a.m.

Signage:  Each horse-drawn carriage shall display a sign of no more than four (4) square feet on its exterior which identifies the horse drawn carriage permit holder and a contact phone number or a single sponsor and the contact phone number.

Horses:  The horses used to pull the horse-drawn carriages must meet the definition of horse in section 5.52.010D, be in good health and wear horse shoes that are in good condition.

Sanitation Requirements:  Each horse-drawn carriage shall be equipped with a container placed to catch all horse droppings. Such containers shall be large enough to hold and retain all droppings during a drive until return to the starting point of each trip. All containers shall be emptied and sanitized daily. Waste catchers must be in place and functioning properly at all times. It shall be the responsibility of the horse-drawn carriage operator to clean up any spillage and to dilute and eliminate accumulated agents and odors upon the urination of any horse with a solution to be approved by the City.