[HISTORY: Derived from Art. IV of Ch. V of the Charter and
Ordinances, 1974, of the City of Buffalo. Amendments noted where applicable.]
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.
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.
