When no other provision has been made by law or ordinance, the City
Council may grant all licenses and permits upon such terms and under such
conditions and restrictions as it may prescribe and may revoke the same at
pleasure.
All applications for licenses and permits to be granted by the City
Council shall be filed with the City Clerk and shall be accompanied by the
required license fee, if any is required by law, ordinance or order of the
City Council. The fee shall be deposited with the City Clerk, to be returned
to the applicant in case of refusal to grant the license applied for.
All licenses and permits granted by the City Council shall be issued
by the City Clerk.
The City Council shall annually in July by order fix and determine the
rates of fees to be charged during the ensuing municipal year for licensing
persons, acts, property, trades and occupations required or permitted by law
to be licensed by municipal authority, except in cases where such fees are
fixed or otherwise regulated by law, and such rates of fees as so fixed and
determined by the City Council shall be the rates of fees due from and payable
by licensees so licensed by municipal authority and shall not be revised,
changed or amended during the term for which such licenses may be granted.
The City Council may annually in July by order fix and determine the
rates of fare to be charged within the City limits by the owners, drivers
or operators of hackney carriages, taxicabs or other vehicles licensed by
it for any service performed by virtue of such licenses and may revise, change
or amend such rates of fare at any time.
[Added 10-4-1983 by Doc. 142-B]
All applicants or holders of the following licenses shall pay all moneys
due the City before the City renews or issues any license or permit issued
by the following departments or department heads:
D. Plumbing and Gas Inspector.
G. License Commission, excepting one-day permits.
H. City Engineer.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
I. Highway Department.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
J. Water Department.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
K. Wastewater Department.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
L. City Clerk.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
M. Police Department.
[Added 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
[Added 4-28-1992 by Doc. 69;
amended 2-21-1995 by Doc. 36]
A. The Tax Collector shall annually furnish to each department,
board, commission or division, hereinafter referred to as the "licensing authority,"
that issues licenses or permits, including renewals and transfers, a list
of any person, corporation or business enterprise, hereinafter referred to
as the "party," that has neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees,
assessments, betterments or other municipal charges for not less than a twelve-month
period and that such party has not filed in good faith a pending application
for an abatement of such tax or a pending petition before the Appellate Tax
Board.
B. The licensing authority may deny, revoke or suspend any
license or permit, including renewals and transfers, of any party whose name
appears on said list furnished to the licensing authority from the Tax Collector
or with respect to any activity, event or other matter which is the subject
of such license or permit and which activity, event or matter is carried out
or exercised or is to be carried out or exercised on or about real estate
owned by any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing
authority from the Tax Collector; provided, however, that written notice is
given to the party and the Tax Collector, as required by applicable provisions
of law, and the party is given a hearing, to be held not earlier than 14 days
after said notice. Said list shall be prima facie evidence for denial, revocation
or suspension of said licensing or permit to any party. The tax collector
shall have the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to
such license denial, revocation or supervision. Any findings made by the licensing
authority with respect to such license denial, revocation or suspension shall
be made only for the purposes of such proceeding and shall not be relevant
to or introduced in any other proceeding at law, except for any appeal from
such license denial, revocation or suspension. Any license or permit denied,
suspended or revoked under this section shall not be reissued or renewed until
the licensing authority receives a certificate issued by the Tax Collector
that the party is in good standing with respect to any and all local taxes,
fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal charges, payable to the
City as of the date of issuance of said certificate.
[Amended 7-10-2007 by Doc. 76]
C. Any party shall be given an opportunity to enter into
a payment agreement, thereby allowing the licensing authority to issue a certificate
indicating said limitations to the license or permit, and the validity of
said license shall be conditioned upon the satisfactory compliance with said
agreement. Failure to comply with said agreement shall be grounds for the
suspension or revocation of said license or permit; provided, however, that
the holder is given notice and a hearing as required by applicable provisions
of law.
D. The City Council may waive such denial, suspension or
revocation if it finds there is no direct or indirect business interest by
the property owner, its officers or stockholders, if any, or members of his
immediate family, as defined in MGL c. 268A, § 1, in the business
or activity conducted in or on said property.
E. This section shall not apply to the following licenses
and permits: open burning, MGL c. 48, § 13; bicycle permits, MGL
c. 85, § 11A; sales of articles for charitable purposes, MGL c.
101, § 33; children work permits, MGL c. 149, § 69; clubs,
associations, dispensing food or beverage licenses, MGL c. 140, § 21E;
dog licenses, MGL c. 140, § 137; fishing, hunting, trapping license,
MGL c. 131, § 12; marriage licenses, MGL c. 207, § 28;
and theatrical events, public exhibition permits, MGL c. 140, § 181.
The City Council may grant licenses to minors under 15 years of age
to engage in musical and theatrical exhibitions in accordance with the provisions
of MGL c. 149, § 104.
Application for a minor's license shall be made by the parent or guardian
of such minor or by some responsible citizen of the City.
Every license granted to a minor shall be accepted subject to the conditions
contained therein. No fee shall be required for a minor's license.