[HISTORY: Derived from Art. IV of Ch. V of the Charter and Ordinances, 1974, of the City of Buffalo. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Amusements — See Ch. 75.
Gambling — See Ch. 209.
Sunday activities — See Ch. 425.
No person, firm, association or corporation shall, within the limits of the City of Buffalo, keep or maintain any public billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley or any room in which games of billiards, pool or bowling are carried on for the playing of which any compensation, direct or indirect, shall be demanded or received without first having procured a license therefor.
No person shall permit any room or building owned or controlled by him to be used for the purpose of a public billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley unless the same shall be licensed as herein provided.
[Amended 12-9-2003, effective 12-19-2003]
A. 
No license permitting the operation of a billiard or pool room shall be issued by the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services without the approval of the Common Council and the payment by the applicant of the fee fixed by this chapter.
B. 
A license for a bowling alley shall be issued by the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services, in his discretion, upon the payment by the applicant of the fee fixed by this chapter.
No license shall be issued to any person under the age of 21 years; nor to any person who has been convicted of a felony; nor to any firm or copartnership of which any member has been so convicted of a felony; nor to any person who is not a citizen of the United States or who has not filed his declaration of intention to become a citizen thereof; nor to any firm or copartnership of which any member is not a citizen of the United States or who has not filed his declaration of intention to become a citizen thereof; nor to any person who, having been previously licensed to conduct a billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley shall have had said license revoked during the year immediately preceding the time of making an application as herein mentioned; nor to any firm or copartnership any member of which, having been licensed too conduct a billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley, shall have had said license revoked during the year immediately preceding the time of making the application therefor; nor to any corporation which, having been previously licensed to conduct a billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley, shall have had said license revoked during the year immediately preceding the time of making the application.
All licenses, except licenses for bowling alleys, shall expire on the 30th day of May succeeding the issuing thereof, and all licenses issued for bowling alleys shall expire on the first day of November succeeding the issuing thereof.
A. 
The license fees shall be at the rates as provided in Chapter 175, Fees.
B. 
No license fee shall be prorated for a period of less than six months.
No person, firm or corporation licensed as prescribed in this chapter shall permit or suffer any gambling to be carried on in the licensed premises nor knowingly employ in carrying on said business any person who has been convicted of a felony.
No person, firm or corporation licensed as prescribed in this chapter shall permit or suffer the sale or possession within said billiard room, poolroom or bowling alley of any habit-forming drug or any appliances for administering the same.
No person, firm or corporation licensed as prescribed in this chapter shall permit or suffer any child actually or apparently under the age of 16 years to play billiards or pool or to bowl on the licensed premises or to be upon or remain in said premises unless accompanied by the parent or guardian of such child.
A. 
No person firm or corporation licensed as provided in this chapter shall permit or suffer any room wherein a game of billiards or pool is played or is to be played to be or remain open between 1:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on any weekday nor at any hour on Sunday, except that any premises where the game of billiards or pool is played or is to be played may remain open after 2:00 p.m. on the first day of the week.
B. 
No person, firm or corporation holding a license for the operation of a bowling alley pursuant to this chapter shall permit any such bowling alley to remain open between the hours of 4:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. of any day.
A. 
Where there is a window or windows in any room or place where billiards or pool or bowling is played or is to be played, at least the lower one-third part of such window or windows shall be of clear glass and shall not be screened or curtained at any time of the day or the night, nor shall there be any article or thing in the rear of such window or windows so as to prevent a full, clear and unobstructed view of such room or place.
B. 
There shall be no enclosed box or stall or private room, and no partitions forming such boxes or stalls or private rooms shall be permitted.
C. 
There shall be no interior billiard or pool rooms or bowling alleys not having a principal door or entrance, and such door or other doors entering such rooms or places shall have therein a section of clear glass sufficient to afford a clear view of such rooms or places from the outside.
D. 
None of these provisions, however, shall be construed to prevent the maintenance of washrooms or toilet rooms for proper purposes or the maintenance of closets for storing purposes exclusively.
[Amended 12-9-2003, effective 12-19-2003]
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply any club or organization formed in good faith, the privilege of which shall be enjoyed only by the members thereof who pay for such privilege a stated sum as a membership fee, except that such club or organization shall first obtain a permit, to be issued in the discretion of the Commissioner of Permit and Inspection Services, before it may maintain a room or rooms in which bowling, pool or billiards is played.