As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
PUBLIC DANCE
Any dance to which admission can be had, either with or without the
payment of a fee, but shall not include the operation of any restaurant, tavern
or similar establishment in which dancing may be merely incidental to other
operations; nor shall it include any private social gathering held by any
fraternal, charitable, religious or educational organization, and limited
to members thereof where such organization does not have, as a primary purpose,
the sponsoring or holding of such social gatherings.
Dancing. Dancing, as used in this chapter, shall not apply to exhibitions
or performances in which the persons paying for admission, or other members
of the general public, do not participate.
It shall be unlawful to permit any public dance to be held, or to permit
any dancing in any public dance hall, until the public dance hall shall first
have been duly licensed for such purpose. Any annual license, as required
by this chapter, shall be for a term not exceeding one calendar year and shall
expire on December 31 of the year for which it is issued.
No license shall be issued under this chapter unless the premises sought
to be licensed comply with and conform to all laws of the United States of
America, the State of New Jersey and the ordinances of the Township of Washington;
and are properly ventilated, supplied with sufficient toilet conveniences
and are, in the judgment of the Chief of Police, a safe and proper place for
the purposes for which they are to be used.
All public dance halls shall be kept in a clean and sanitary condition
at all times, and all rooms, stairways and other passages used in connection
therewith shall be kept sanitary and well lighted. It shall be the duty of
the Chief of Police to order and cause any dance hall or place where any public
dance is held to be vacated whenever, in his/her judgment, any provisions
of this chapter are being violated therein, whenever indecent acts shall be
permitted therein or whenever any disorder shall take place therein.
Any dance which, in the opinion of the Chief of Police, is vulgar or
immodest may be prohibited by him/her by proper rules or regulations. No patron
or attendant shall dance or attempt to dance or take part in dancing any such
vulgar or immodest dance in any public dance hall.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Public Safety
Chairperson shall be authorized to promulgate proper and reasonable regulations,
from time to time, in relation to dancing in public dance halls. Copies of
such rules or regulations shall be printed and posted in every public dance
hall or other place where a public dance shall be held and shall be posted
therein by the licensee in a conspicuous place. The violation of any such
rule or regulations by any licensee hereunder, or by any patron or attendant
of any public dance shall be considered a violation of this chapter.
Dancing shall not be permitted to continue in any public dance hall,
building or place between 1:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. This prohibition shall
apply to licensee, attendants and patrons.
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, the Township Clerk may issue special one night permits to any fraternal, social, charitable, religious or educational organization to sponsor any public dance, either at any public dance hall licensed hereunder or at some other place in the Township, to be designated in the permit. Application for such special permit need not comply with provisions of this chapter, other than the provisions of §§
67-8 and
67-9. The Township Clerk shall designate in any such special permit the date, place and hours when such dancing shall be carried on.
Violations of the provisions of this chapter shall be punishable as provided in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
I.