[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Westerly as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 8-13-1991 by Ch. No. 983 as §§ 7-1, 7-3 through 7-5 of the 1991 Code (Ch. No. 1130)]
Shops, stores and other places of trade, entertainment or business shall be open in accordance with the General Laws of the state.
[Amended 12-14-2009 by Ch. No. 1696]
A. 
Any person, firm, or corporation desirous of operating a business identified in Chapter 121, Fee Schedule, shall first obtain a license from the Licensing Board, unless otherwise provided in § 158-5. Application for same shall be filed with the Town Clerk in proper form and content as established by the Town Clerk and approved by the Licensing Authority, or as further prescribed by ordinance. All license fees and any associated costs shall accompany the application. Any person, firm, or corporation operating a business at more than one location must obtain a license in accordance with this subsection above for each location at which said business is to be conducted.
[Amended 9-27-2010 by Ch. No. 1728]
B. 
No license or permit required for the operation of a business listed in Chapter 121, Fee Schedule, or required by any provision of the Code of the Town of Westerly shall be issued or renewed to any person who is in arrears for the payment of any taxes, water and sewer charges, fees or other assessments applicable to the operation of such business and until verification is received from the proper tax or assessment collection agency of the Town that all such obligations have been paid.
[Amended 10-25-2004 by Ch. No. 1515; 9-26-2005 by Ch. No. 1555; 12-7-2015 by Ch. No. 1848]
A. 
All new licenses granted pursuant to the provisions of the Code of the Town of Westerly are subject to prior approval of proper authorities, i.e., Town Manager (Director of Public Safety) or his/her designee, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Building Official, Zoning Official, Tax Collector, Property Maintenance Code Official, and all other applicable state and federal approvals, as the context requires.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
All applications for the renewal of licenses shall require the prior approval of proper authorities. The Town Manager and the Building Official need not approve renewal applications; provided, however, that renewal of all liquor licenses, other than Class A, and the renewal of hotel, motel and guest house licenses and parking lot licenses shall require the approval of the Building Official.
All licenses issued pursuant to the Code of the Town of Westerly shall be displayed in a conspicuous place on the premises.
[Adopted 8-13-1991 by Ch. No. 983 as §§ 7-217 through 7-219 of the 1991 Code (Ch. No. 1052); amended in its entirety 5-11-2009 by Ch. No. 1673]
[Amended 2-8-2010 by Ch. No. 1705; 1-27-2014 by Ch. No. 1803; 5-19-2014 by Ch. No. 1819; 5-19-2014 by Ch. No. 1821; 4-27-2015 by Ch. No. 1837; 9-11-2023 by Ch. No. 2043]
Authority is hereby delegated to the Town Clerk to issue the following licenses:
Antique or secondhand shop
Bathing beach
Distributor/mechanical
Hawkers and peddlers
Holiday sales
Itinerant vendors
Special one-time events (parades, fundraisers)
Private detective
Public laundry/cleaners
Retail sales
Tavern
Trailer storage
Victualer
[Amended 12-14-2009 by Ch. No. 1696]
All persons desiring any license identified in § 158-5, or renewal thereof, as required by this chapter shall make application for same, in proper form and content, to the Town Clerk, who shall issue such license upon approval of the proper authorities, as set forth in § 158-3, after the applicant has complied with all requirements of this chapter, and other appropriate chapters of the Code of the Town of Westerly, and upon payment of the required fee.
[Amended 12-14-2009 by Ch. No. 1696]
Any person aggrieved by the action of the Chief of Police, Town Manager, Town Clerk or any other authority in the approval or denial of a license as provided in the Code of the Town of Westerly shall have the right to appeal to the Licensing Board. Such appeal shall be taken by filing with the Town Clerk a written statement of appeal within 14 days of the date of said approval or denial. The Licensing Board shall set a time and place for a hearing on the appeal, and notice of such hearing shall be mailed, postage prepaid, to the applicant at his last known address at least five days prior to the date set for hearing.
Except as provided elsewhere in the Code of the Town of Westerly, licenses issued pursuant to the Code shall expire annually on December 1.