A. 
Purpose. This article is enacted pursuant to Title 40, Chapters 48 and 52, and Title 45, Chapters 17 and 24, of the New Jersey Statutes. The purpose of this article is to license and regulate certain business activities to ensure the protection of the public health, safety, morals and welfare, and to ensure compliance with applicable state and local laws. The primary purpose of the licensing fees is to derive revenue to defray the municipal expenses incurred in connection with the regulation of those businesses.
B. 
Scope. The provisions of this article shall apply to all business licenses of the City, except where a section of the Municipal Code concerning a particular business contains a specific provision to the contrary, in which case the specific provision shall apply.
C. 
Cigarette vending machines. The annual fee established for cigarette vending machines is for the primary purpose of defraying municipal expenses incurred in identifying, monitoring and inspecting these machines on a regular basis within the City to ensure that cigarettes are not being sold to minors in violation of state and local law.
D. 
Property taxes and assessments. No license shall be issued to the owner of any land or building seeking to operate any business or commercial activity which requires the issuance of a license unless the applicant-owner has paid all delinquent property taxes and assessments on the property where the business or activity is to be conducted. Furthermore, the City Clerk may revoke or suspend any license when the licensee, who is the owner of the property upon which the licensed business or commercial activity is conducted, has failed to pay the property taxes and assessments due on the property for at least three consecutive quarters. Upon payment of the delinquent taxes and assessments, the license shall be restored. This section shall not apply to any alcoholic beverage license issued pursuant to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: See N.J.S.A. 33:1-1 et seq.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates that a different meaning is intended.
BUSINESS
A commercial enterprise involving the sale of goods or services carried on for profit.
COMMERCE
An exchange of goods and services on a scale involving transportation between cities, states and nations.
GOODS
Tangible and movable personal property other than money such as articles of trade.
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
Trade and other business activities conducted between those located in different states.
MERCHANDISE
Goods or commercial wares that are bought and sold in business.
MERCHANT
A person whose business is buying and selling goods or wares for a profit.
PERSON
A natural person, association, corporation, LLC, partnership, trust or other legal entity.
PORTABLE STANDS
Transportable stands or vehicles used by a person engaged in a temporary business.
ROADSIDE PRODUCE STANDS
Stands used to sell fruits, vegetables and farm products.
TEMPORARY BUSINESS
The sale of goods or services at a specific location within the City for no longer than 10 days at one time. Said business may be conducted on private property or public property with the written consent of the property owner. Examples of this type of business include portable food or novelty concession stands or portable flower stands.
TRANSIENT MERCHANT or ITINERANT VENDOR
A person who is engaged in a merchandising business with the intent to close out or discontinue the business within one year from the date of commencement, including those who hire, lease or occupy any building, structure or railroad car for the exhibition and sale of goods and wares. An example of this type of business includes a person leasing a store for three months during the Christmas season to sell children's toys.
VENDOR
A seller of goods and wares.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in any business or commercial activity covered by this article without obtaining a license from the city. The businesses and commercial activities covered by this article are as follows and include the following licenses: business license, amusement game license, display license, garage sale license, street vendor license, taxicab license, temporary business license, and transient merchant license.
A. 
Amusements:
Amusement parks and amusement parlors
Arcades and video games
Automatic amusement and music devices
Billiard and pool halls or tables
Bowling alleys
Canvas structures used for performance
Carnivals
Circuses
Exhibitions
Entertainment halls and centers
Golf driving ranges
Miniature golf
Motion-picture theaters
Outdoor theaters and open-air concerts
Professional athletic events
Rental cart tracks
Riding stables
Skating rinks
Shooting galleries
B. 
Food and beverage vendors:
Roadside produce stands
Street vendors
Temporary business
C. 
Merchants:
Auctions and auctioneers
Cigarette vending machines
Dealers in secondhand jewelry
Flea markets
Garage sales
Going out of business sales
Gold buyers and coin dealers
Junkyards
Street vendors
Temporary businesses
Transient merchants
D. 
Other businesses:
Adult bookstores
Burglar alarms
Cesspool cleaners
Dating service
Escort service
Flyer distribution service
Handbill distributors
Massage business
Scavengers
Street stands and newsracks
Taxicabs
Trailer court and mobile home park
Trash haulers
Tree trimmers and sprayers
A. 
Applications for all licenses required by this article shall be made in writing to the City Clerk. No license shall be issued until all appropriate fees have been paid, all information required in the application has been supplied, the written consent of the property owner for the location requested has been furnished, all required investigations and inspections have been made, and it does not appear that any applicable state law or City ordinance will be violated by the operation of the business at the location requested. The City Clerk is authorized to issue the license upon compliance with this article and applicable law.
B. 
Each application shall state the name and address of the applicant, the license desired, the location of the business, the time covered, the fee to be paid, and such additional information as may be required for the proper guidance of the City Clerk in the issuance of the license. The written consent of the property owner where the business is to be located must be presented if the location is not owned by the applicant. Forms for all licenses and the application therefor shall be prepared and kept on file in the office of the City Clerk. Each license issued shall bear the signature of the City Clerk.
C. 
Upon the receipt of an application for a license which necessitates an inspection or investigation before the issuance of the license, the City Clerk shall refer such application to the proper City officials for making the investigations within 48 hours of the date when the application was filed. The municipal officials charged with the duty of making an investigation or inspection shall make a written report, either favorable or otherwise within 10 days after receiving a copy of the application. Examples of the types of referrals include the following:
(1) 
Issues involving the background or character of the applicant, including criminal record, shall be referred to the Chief of Police.
(2) 
Issues involving traffic safety shall be referred to that section of the Millville Police Department.
(3) 
Issues involving the location of the business and zoning shall be referred to the Zoning Officer.
D. 
A nonrefundable processing fee in the amount of $10 covering the cost of processing the application shall be paid by the applicant at the time the application is filed.
E. 
Approval standards. The City Clerk shall approve all applicants for a license who have paid all required fees, complied with these regulations, and complied with the following standards which are applicable to the location and type of license required.
(1) 
The applicant for a license shall have a background check performed by an authorized agency and shall provide the results of said background check to the City Clerk at the time of submission of the application. Exemptions to background checks and fingerprinting include the following: flower stands, produce stands, auctions, flea markets, yard sales, display licenses and temporary businesses.
[Amended 5-1-2018 by Ord. No. 23-2018; 11-7-2018 by Ord. No. 57-2018]
(2) 
BOCA Property Maintenance Code (Chapter 11, Article XI). The Bureau of Permits and Inspections shall make all appropriate inspections of the business premises to ensure compliance with the code and file a report with the City Clerk.
(3) 
Land Use and Development Regulations (Chapter 30). The Zoning Officer shall make an inspection of the business premises to ensure compliance with the Development Regulations and file a report with the City Clerk.
(4) 
State Uniform Construction Code. The Construction Official and Subcode Officials shall make all appropriate inspections of the business premises to ensure compliance with the code and file a report with the City Clerk.
(5) 
State Uniform Fire Code. The Fire Subcode Official and/or Fire Inspector shall make all appropriate inspections of the business premises to ensure compliance with the code or the retrofit regulations and file a report with the City Clerk.
A. 
License fees shall be as follows:
(1) 
Amplifiers, loud speakers or other noise-making devices advertising a business, or the sale of a product or service: $25 per day.
(2) 
Auctions and auctioneers: $100 per day.
(3) 
Billiard tables and pool tables located in public places: $50 per year for each table.
(4) 
Carnivals and circuses: $300 per day.
(5) 
Coin-operated amusement devices and music machines located in public places: $50 per year for each machine.
(6) 
Display license for sponsoring organization of exhibition or convention: $300 per day.
(7) 
Distributor of commercial circulars advertising a business or the sale of a product or service: $25 per day per person.
(8) 
Professional athletic events for which a single admission is charged: $300 per event.
(9) 
Roadside produce stands: $100 for each thirty-day period or portion thereof.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
(10) 
Street vendor license: $25 per day per person or $400 per year.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
(11) 
Temporary business license: $25 per day for each location.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
(12) 
Transient merchant license: $1,000 for 180 consecutive days pursuant to N.J.S.A. 45:24-3.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
(13) 
Theaters or halls used for commercial entertainment including, for example, movie theaters, concert halls, and convention centers: $400 per year.
(14) 
Vending machines used for cigarettes located in public places: $50 per year for each machine.
B. 
All other businesses and commercial activities specifically named in § 33-3 shall require an annual business license of $400 per year unless a different license fee is provided for in Article V of this chapter.
A. 
A license for a roadside produce stand shall be issued for the time period requested by the applicant, provided that the license shall be issued for consecutive days only and shall begin on the date when the license is issued. The license shall not extend in time beyond the written consent of the property owner where the stand is to be located.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
B. 
A license for a street vendor, including canvasser, solicitor, hawker, huckster, or peddler, may be issued for a certain number of days or for one year at the discretion of the applicant.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
C. 
A license for a temporary business shall not be issued for longer than 10 days at one time, and shall not extend beyond the written consent of the property owner where the business is to be located.
D. 
A license for a transient merchant shall be issued for 180 consecutive days commencing with the date when the license is issued.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
E. 
Annual licenses shall run from January 1 to December 31 of each year. All annual license fees shall be due and payable to the City Clerk on or before January 10 of each year. Any annual license issued after July 1 of any year shall be assessed at 1/2 of the annual license fee.
A. 
Public events sponsored solely by the City of Millville held for the benefit of the Millville residents at large are exempt from the payment of the license fees contained in this article.
[Amended 2-20-2001 by Ord. No. 5-2001]
B. 
Public events sponsored by a local nonprofit organization held for the benefit of the Millville residents at large located on private property are exempt from the payment of the license fees contained in this article if approved by resolution of the governing body. Any permits that may be required from the Construction Official or other public officials for the erection of temporary structures and amusement rides are not waived.
[Amended 2-20-2001 by Ord. No. 5-2001]
C. 
Bazaars and fairs sponsored by and for the benefit of a local nonprofit organization held on private property owned by the nonprofit organization which land qualifies as exempt from local property tax are exempt from the payment of the license fees contained in this article if approved by resolution of the governing body. Any permits that may be required from the Construction Official or other public officials for the erection of temporary structures and amusement rides are not waived.
[Amended 2-20-2001 by Ord. No. 5-2001]
D. 
Roadside produce stands used to sell fruits, vegetables and farm products located on the property where at least 50% of the produce and products offered for sale were grown or raised are exempt from the payment of the license fees contained in this article.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, regarding veterans and other persons named in N.J.S.A. 45:24-9, Subsection F, Display license in lieu of individual temporary business licenses, Subsection G, Interstate commerce, and Subsection H, State licensing, which immediately followed this subsection, were repealed 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
A. 
Display of license. All licensees shall prominently display their license or produce the license upon the request of a City official.
B. 
Inspection of licensed premises. No person shall refuse entry to any City official attempting to enter the licensed premises for the purpose of an inspection, if such entry is attempted during regular business hours or during other reasonable hours when there are employees on the premises. Entry shall be permitted to the areas open to the public and to other areas utilized in connection with the business.
C. 
Licenses not transferable. No licensee shall transfer his or her license to another person or allow another person to operate under the license, except an employee of the licensee.
D. 
Obscene material. It shall be unlawful for any person engaged in retail business to display or permit the display of any obscene material at their place of business at a height less than five feet or without a blinder or other covering on the front of the material displayed. Any public display of the obscene material shall be presumptive evidence that the retailer knowingly made or permitted the display. Obscene materials shall be defined as set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:34-3.
E. 
Tobacco. It shall be unlawful for any person to sell tobacco to another person under the age of 18 years. Proof of age shall be required at the time of sale. Cigarette vending machines shall be located inside a building in an area which can be observed at all times by the business owner or employees working on the premises to insure that tobacco is not sold to minors. Furthermore, the cigarette vending machine shall have a sign posted on it which clearly indicates that the sale of tobacco products to persons under the age of 18 years is prohibited by law.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
A. 
Any applicant for a license may be denied a license by the City Clerk, or any license issued may be suspended or revoked by the Mayor for any of the following causes:
(1) 
The applicant or licensee has filed an application containing false information.
(2) 
The applicant or licensee has failed to comply with these regulations.
(3) 
The applicant or licensee has been convicted of an offense under these regulations.
(4) 
The applicant or licensee has violated the Consumer Fraud Act, N.J.S.A. 56:8-1 et seq.
(5) 
The applicant or licensee has been convicted of a criminal offense involving moral turpitude in the State of New Jersey or any other state.
B. 
The applicant or licensee may appeal the decision of any City official by filing a written request for a hearing before the Board of Commissioners with the City Clerk within 10 days of receiving the notice of denial, suspension or revocation of the license. The hearing shall be held within 20 days after the request is filed with the City Clerk.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
Any person convicted of violating any of these regulations shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
No person who holds a valid state license shall be required to obtain a municipal license for the same commercial activity where the applicable state licensing law has preempted the exercise of municipal police power. However, the state licensee shall be required to register with the City Clerk and provide a copy of the state license. Furthermore, the state licensee shall comply with all municipal regulations applicable to the commercial activity which have not been preempted by state law.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
A. 
The governing body of the City finds and declares that the proliferation of signs throughout the community undermines the aesthetic beauty and environmental quality of the City. The governing body further finds and declares that the proliferation of signs can adversely affect property values and traffic safety. It is the purpose and intent of this section to regulate the manner and to provide reasonable standards for the placement of signs to protect the public health, safety and general welfare of the community.
B. 
No commercial sign shall be placed at a location, in a manner, and for a time which violates the regulations and standards set forth in Chapter 30 of the Municipal Code titled "Land Use and Development Regulations." An application for a permit must be filed with the Zoning Officer in accordance with those regulations.
C. 
No commercial sign shall be placed on a residential property within a residential zone unless the sign is related to a use permitted within the residential zone pursuant to Chapter 30 of the Municipal Code titled "Land Use and Development Regulations." Examples of commercial signs permitted in a residential zone include real estate "For Sale" signs, and casual sale signs like "Garage Sale."
D. 
No commercial sign or noncommercial sign shall be placed on benches, bridges, culverts, curbs, fences, hydrants, lamps, rocks, sidewalks, street signs, stumps, trees or utility poles. However, this subsection shall not be interpreted to prevent the City from erecting banners on the metal light standards located within the central business district, provided the City secures written permission from the owner.
[Amended 11-3-2003 by Ord. No. 33-2003]
E. 
No commercial sign or noncommercial sign shall be placed on public property within the City, including property owned or leased by the City of Millville, County of Cumberland, State of New Jersey, or Millville Board of Education, unless specifically authorized by the governmental entity and the primary purpose of the sign is to further a legitimate governmental interest and public interest. Examples of permitted signs on public property include highway directional signs providing motorists with information concerning the location of gasoline, food and lodging. This section shall not apply to athletic fields where commercial signs are used to provide funding for nonprofit organizations.
F. 
Signs which are placed in violation of these regulations shall be presumed to have been placed there by the person who can be identified by the content of the sign, or when the sign is located on private property, by the resident owner or the resident tenant of the property. All persons shall be jointly and severally responsible.
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
A. 
A temporary business license shall not be issued for more than 10 days at one time, but the days need not be consecutive days. The license fee for a temporary business license is $25 per day for each location.
B. 
The portable stand or vehicle utilized in the operation of the temporary business must be removed when the business is not in operation.
C. 
The hours for operation of a temporary business must be designated in the license and they shall not begin before 8:00 a.m. or continue after 10:00 p.m.
D. 
The location selected for the operation of the temporary business must be approved by the Zoning Officer and the type of business must be a permitted use within the zoning district where the business is to be located.
E. 
Display license in lieu of temporary business licenses. The sponsoring organization of any group meeting, convention, display or exhibition using publicly owned lands or buildings which invites persons to display goods or services for advertising, display or public exhibition may purchase a display license, which license shall entitle those persons who would otherwise be temporary merchants and who operate as an adjunct and concurrent with the aforesaid sponsoring organization to engage in temporary business, provided that the following requirements are met:
(1) 
The sponsoring organization shall pay a license fee of $300 per day for the display license; and
(2) 
The sponsoring organization shall supply the name and permanent address of each temporary merchant who will attend, together with such other information as may be required by the City Clerk.
F. 
The applicant for a temporary business license shall provide liability insurance in the amount of $1,000,000 which covers for the license term of the temporary business and the sale of goods and services. The City of Millville shall be named as an additional insured under the policy of insurance. Proof of said insurance shall be filed with the City Clerk before licenses are issued.
[Added 6-19-2018 by Ord. No. 38-2018]
[Amended 3-5-2002 by Ord. No. 7-2002]
A. 
A transient merchant license shall be issued for 180 consecutive days beginning with the date of issuance. The license fee for a transient merchant license is $1,000 which must be paid to the City Clerk at the time that the application is flied.
B. 
This license is issued pursuant to state law, specifically N.J.S.A. 45:24-1 through 45:24-8. The applicant for the license must comply with all of the provisions contained in the state statute.
C. 
The hours for operation of this type of business must be designated in the license and it shall not begin before 8:00 a.m. or continue after 10:00 p.m.
D. 
The location selected by the transient merchant for operation must be approved by the Zoning Officer and the type of merchandising business must be a permitted use within the zoning district where the merchandising business is to be located.