No person either as principal or agent, clerk employee, either for himself/herself
or any other person, or for any corporation or other association shall maintain
or operate any premises primarily devoted for the use of meetings, gatherings
or group activities, whether for profit or otherwise, including, but not limited
to, social clubs or athletic clubs, whether formally organized or otherwise,
within the City without first having obtained a license from the City Clerk
and without complying with the provisions contained in this chapter. This
chapter shall not be construed to require additional licenses for premises
for which an alcoholic beverage license has been issued, unless the meeting,
gathering or activity is conducted in a portion of the premises not included
within the existing license, nor shall it apply to tax-exempt educational,
governmental, charitable or church premises or public buildings.
Applicants for meeting hall licenses or renewals thereof shall submit
an application form to be provided by the City Clerk. Applications shall include
the full name and current address of the owner of the premises and local managing
agent thereof, and of the proposed licensee. In the case of a partnership
or corporate owner or licensee, the application shall include the name of
each shareholder or partner holding 10% or more of the outstanding stock,
and in the case of organized clubs, whether incorporated or otherwise, the
principal officers and a brief description of the nature of purposes of the
organization.
The City Clerk shall transmit copies of all applications for meeting
hall licenses to the Police Director, the Fire Chief and the Building Inspector,
who shall investigate the licensed premises in accordance with their respective
jurisdictions and report back, in writing to the City Clerk, their findings
of fact and recommendations.
Each license shall be effective for a term of one calendar year, expiring
midnight, December 31 of each year and shall be subject to renewal upon approval
of a renewal application which shall be submitted, together with the license
fee, to the City Clerk between November 1 and December 1 of each year and
which shall be approved or rejected on or before December 31. Applications
for new licenses may be applied for at any time during any calendar year and
shall be approved or rejected within 30 days of submission in proper form.
The annual nonrefundable license fee of $25 shall be paid to the City
Clerk at the time of the initial issuance of the license and submitted annually
thereafter, together with the renewal application form.
Licenses shall be at all times displayed conspicuously upon the premises.
All applicants for initial licenses under the terms of this chapter
shall also, at least five days prior to the submission of the license application,
give notice to all owners and occupants of property within 200 feet of the
property involved in the application. Such notice may be given by personal
service or by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, provided
that notice shall not be deemed necessary or required in the case of any application
for license or premises presently in use as meeting halls prior to the adoption
of this chapter. The notice, in a form to be provided by the City Clerk, shall
advise the recipient to file any objections to the granting of the license
in writing to the City Clerk within 10 days.
No person, owner, tenant or occupant shall conduct any licensed premises in such a way as to create a nuisance to the detriment of the peace and tranquility of the neighborhood by allowing, permitting or suffering on or about the premises, including any sidewalk area, and other portions of the licensed premises immediately adjacent to, and a part of, the property for which the license has been issued, any loud, disorderly or unlawful behavior of any invitee or patron or other person whether or not specifically invited to occupy or visit the premises licensed. It shall be the responsibility of the person described in §
158-1 hereof to take reasonable action to maintain the peace and tranquility of the neighborhood in which the licensed premises is situated by actively abating and removing any such conduct. Any and all complaints of noise or nuisance of any sort registered by any person with the City Clerk shall be processed for license disciplinary hearings, subjecting the licensee to suspension or revocation of the license pursuant to the procedures set forth in Chapter
146, Licensing.
In addition to its application to meeting halls, the operational restrictions,
application disclosure requirements, penalties and disciplinary procedures
provided in this chapter shall be applicable to the conduct of any dance hall
or rental hall separately licensed hereunder.
This chapter shall not be construed to supersede or supplement any other licensing provisions provided for by Chapter
146, Licensing, Article
III, and, in particular, a license granted hereunder for the operation of a meeting hall shall not constitute a license for the operation of a rental hall or dance hall and shall not constitute a license for the sale or dispensing of any alcoholic beverage.
In addition to any of the license revocation or review procedures and penalties provided generally in, the penalty for violation of this chapter shall be the penalty prescribed in Chapter
1, Article
III, General Penalty.