The Select Board adopted the following policy at its April 9, 2025 public meeting, and amended it on May 1, 2025 to add specific hours of use. Use this link to download a PDF copy of the policy.

TOWN OF DEDHAM TOWN GREEN USAGE POLICY

The Dedham Town Green (hereinafter "Town Green") is a public gathering space that is open to the general public for active and passive recreational activities. From time-to-time, individuals and groups of individuals may wish to reserve space on the Town Green for a coordinated activity. The purpose of this Policy is to establish an orderly procedure for such groups to reserve use of the Town Green, on a first-come, first-serve basis and to ensure that such activities are conducted in a manner that is consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth and the Town of Dedham, that they do not cause harm or damage to the Town Green or adjacent properties, and that they are carried-out in a manner that is sufficiently protective of public health, safety and general welfare.

The use of the Town Green shall be in accordance with these policies and procedures and any others established by the Select Board. Use of the Town Green does not constitute or imply endorsement by the Town of the policies, activities, or the points of view expressed by participants. No advertisements or announcements implying such endorsement shall be permitted. The Select Board, or the Town Manager as its designee, shall administer the provisions of this policy, and in connection therewith, may deny or withdraw permission to use the Town Green to any group or organization that fails to comply with such policies and procedures.

Any organization or individual seeking to use the Town Green for an event must make a request to the Town Manager's office using the appropriate application. The application shall include at a minimum the following information:

• area of the Town Green desired
• name of individual or organization making request
• type of event
• date of the event
• time period the Town Green will be used
• a contact person with email address, mailing address, and telephone number

The request will be placed on the agenda for the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Select Board for their approval or denial. Requests must be received by Wednesday at noon the week prior to their Thursday meeting.

The applicant shall be solely responsible for ensuring that the application is filed in time for the materials to be included in the Board’s meeting packet, which is generally seven (7) days prior to a meeting. The Board in its discretion may consider late-filed requests, subject to the requirements of the Open Meeting Law.

PLEASE NOTE: Nothing may be staked into the ground (bring sandbags, etc. for this purpose).

Town of Dedham has adopted a carry in/carry out waste policy for use of the Town Green. Each organization is responsible for disposing of the waste and recyclables that are generated at their event. Organizations must take their waste with them and may not leave it in the public trash barrels on the Town Green.

General Guidelines

1. The Town Green shall be made available for events on a first-come, first serve basis, in accordance with the procedures set forth above.
2. The hours of use for the Town Green, as voted by the Select Board on May 1, 2025, are daily 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.*
3. Banners, flags and signs associated with the event may be placed on the Town Green no earlier than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the event and must be removed within one hour after the event. No person shall place any banner, flag or sign on the Town Green that is not directly associated with a permitted event, except as authorized by the Select Board. Banners and flags shall comply with applicable Town of Dedham policies.
4. If the applicant plans to offer live or recorded entertainment, food or alcohol, the applicant shall obtain any and all required approvals and permits. The applicant acknowledges and agrees that approval to use the Town Green does not relieve it of its responsibility for obtaining all required approvals needed for other aspects of the event.
5. The applicant assumes full responsibility for the preservation of order and the safety of those attending the event. The Police Chief or their designee may require that the applicant provide a police detail for the event if they determine that it is necessary to ensure the orderly flow of traffic in the area or to protect public safety. The applicant shall be solely responsible for the costs associated with any such police detail.
6. The applicant may use such equipment and furniture as it deems necessary for the event, provided that the applicant shall not allow the same to be affixed to the Town’s property and it will not allow the use of any furniture or equipment that is likely to cause damage to the Town’s property.
7. The applicant shall have access to the site for purposes of the event only on the dates and times specified in the approval; provided, however, that the applicant may allow access the site for one hour prior to the event for the purpose of setting up and one hour after the conclusion of the event for the purpose of breaking down.
8. The applicant shall ensure that no illegal activity occurs during the event and it shall ensure that the event does not result in a public nuisance through unreasonable levels of noise or other disturbance.
9. The applicant shall at all times comply with all applicable laws, statutes, ordinances, regulations, permits, licenses, orders and requirements of governmental authorities.
10. The applicant acknowledges and agrees that the Town shall not be responsible for providing any services, equipment or furniture for the event, including but not limited to port-a-potties, use of bathrooms in public buildings, or parking at municipal buildings.
11. The applicant shall neither cause nor suffer any damage of the site and shall always maintain the site in good order. The applicant’s responsibilities shall include the restoration or repair of any and all damage to the Town's property resulting from the event.
12. The applicant shall maintain the Town Green in a sanitary condition and the applicant shall be solely responsible for removing all trash and debris from the site at the conclusion of the event.
13. Should the applicant fail to remove any of its equipment, furniture or property from the site at the conclusion of the event, anything left behind shall be removed and disposed of by the Town, in its discretion, and the applicant surrenders any right it may have had in such equipment, furniture or property; and, any costs incurred by the Town in removing the applicant’s furniture, equipment or property, and/or any costs incurred by the town in cleaning or repairing the site after the event shall be reimbursed by the applicant.
14. The applicant agrees that it shall use and occupy the site at its own risk, and by accepting the Town's approval, it agrees to release and not to sue the Town or any of its officers or employees based on any injury or death to persons entering the property pursuant to the approval, or loss or damage to vehicles, equipment, structures or other personal property of any nature whatsoever of the applicant, or of anyone claiming by or through any of them, that are brought upon the site, except if such injury, death, loss or damages is caused by the willful act or gross negligence of town, or its employees, agents, contractors or invitees.
15. The applicant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Town and all of its public officials and employees against any claim by any person for any injury or death to persons or loss or damage to or diminution in value of any property occurring upon the site or relating in any way to the exercise of rights under this approval.
16. The Town may impose such other conditions on its approval as are deemed necessary to protect public health, safety and welfare and to prevent unreasonable disturbance to the surrounding area.
17. This approval is terminable at any time by the Town for any violation of these Rules and Regulations or any other applicable law.

Grounds for Denial

Although the Select Board acknowledges that the Town Green should be open and available for public use for a wide variety of events and uses, applications for use of the Town Green may be denied for the following reasons:

1. The application is incomplete or contains a material falsehood or misrepresentation.
2. The applicant has damaged public property on prior occasions and has not paid for the damage.
3. A permit has been granted to an earlier applicant for the same time and place; or the proposed date and time conflicts with an event planned by the Town.
4. The applicant has violated the terms of a prior permit.
5. The intended use would present an unreasonable danger to public health or safety.
6. The Select Board determines that granting the application would unreasonably limit the general public’s use of the Town Green.

If the permit application is denied, the applicant will be provided with a written statement of the Board’s reasons.

Adopted by the Select Board: April 9, 2025
*Amended by the Select Board: May 1, 2025