[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Hanover 2-9-1967 by Ord. No. 5-67. Amendments noted where applicable.]
No person or persons, partnerships, voluntary associations or incorporated companies, unless duly licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, shall have, keep, own or maintain or use within the Township of Hanover any public dance hall where dances are conducted as a business unless a license therefor is obtained as herein set forth.
An applicant for a license to conduct a public dance hall shall furnish the following information to the Township Clerk:
A. 
The name of the applicant or, if a company, the name of its officers and, if a partnership, the names of the partners.
B. 
The applicant's address or, if a corporation or partnership, its main office.
C. 
A description of the business to be licensed.
D. 
A description of the building or grounds where the business is to be conducted.
E. 
A resume of the business experience of the applicant for the past five years.
F. 
Complete information as to any arrests or convictions within the past 10 years.
A. 
Upon receiving such application, the Township Clerk shall submit the application to the Chief of Police, the Building Official, the Health Officer and the Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau. Such officials shall satisfy themselves, respectively, as to the moral and public safety hazards involved, the fire hazards, the safety of the structures and the health hazards. Site plan approval shall be obtained from the Planning Board before submitting the application to the Township Committee.
B. 
Any of said officers may make recommendations for reasonable structural changes or alterations of the building where said business is to be conducted, and regulations governing the conduct of business therein, if, in his opinion, the same are necessary for the public health, safety and welfare.
C. 
The Township Clerk shall promptly notify the applicant of any requirements or conditions recommended by any such official, and, upon the applicant's compliance therewith, the Clerk shall forward the application, along with his recommendations, to the Township Committee, who shall then have the power, in the exercise of a reasonable discretion, to issue a license to the applicant upon payment of the fee hereinafter prescribed.
D. 
The applicant, upon request, shall be given a hearing by the Township Committee.
Licenses may be issued for a period of one year, and, before renewal thereof, a further inspection and recommendation shall be made by the public officials hereinabove stated.
Said license shall be displayed by the applicant in a conspicuous place at his or its place of business.
The place where said business is conducted shall at all times be open to inspection by the public officials hereinabove stated and shall be under the continuing control and supervision of the Police Department of the Township of Hanover. The orderly operation of any dance hall shall be the responsibility of the licensee.
This chapter shall not affect any church, fraternal order or other private nonprofit association which conducts a dance or dances solely for the benefit of its members. Such organization may also permit the use of or rent premises owned or controlled by it to like organizations for dances for which an admission fee is charged, provided that such charges or fees are for the sole benefit of such organization operating or renting said premises.
[Amended 7-11-1991 by Ord. No. 16-91]
The license fee shall be as provided in Chapter 125, Fees, of the Code of the Township of Hanover.
No license shall be issued to conduct any such business where the place in which it is intended to conduct the same shall be below the surface of an adjoining street.
No person under the age of 16 years shall be permitted to use any facilities licensed pursuant to this chapter.
No games of chance, gaming, gambling, playing for money among contestants or any such practices shall be permitted in any place where said business shall be conducted pursuant to this chapter.
A licensee under this chapter may conduct business only on weekdays between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 12:00 midnight. No business may be conducted on Sunday.
No license issued in accordance with this chapter shall be transferred.
Any such license may be revoked or suspended by the Township Committee of the Township of Hanover for the violation of any provision of the license or this chapter, for the violation of any other municipal ordinance or state or federal statute, for the falsification of any facts in the application for a license or for conduct constituting a public nuisance. Before the revocation or suspension of any such license, the licensee shall, upon request, be given a hearing.
[Amended 7-11-1991 by Ord. No. 16-91]
Any person or persons, firm, partnership, corporation or association violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, in addition to the revocation of his or its license, upon conviction, be subject to a penalty not exceeding $1,000 or to imprisonment not exceeding 90 days, or both, at the discretion of the Judge before whom the conviction is had.