Chapter 3.05
CARD, POOL AND BILLIARD ROOMS
Sections:
3.05.020 Application for license.
3.05.040 Card dealer’s permit, fee.
3.05.050 Rules and regulations.
3.05.060 Revocation of license.
3.05.010 License required.
A. It shall be unlawful for any person to establish, open, maintain, engage in, carry on, conduct or cause to be established, opened, maintained, carried on or conducted, within the corporate limits of the City, any pool, billiard or card room, without first having paid the fee and obtaining a license therefor as in this chapter provided.
B. No license issued under any provision of this chapter shall be assigned or transferred to any other person or be used at any other location.
3.05.020 Application for license.
A. The license provided for herein shall not be issued to any person until the applicant shall have first applied to the City Council for a permit to operate the pool or billiard room or card room. Written applications for permits under this chapter shall be filed with the City Clerk upon forms to be provided, and shall contain the name, occupation, business status and residence address of the applicant, the location and ownership of the premises for which the permit is sought, the number of card tables or pool or billiard tables which are to be licensed, if the applicant is a corporation, the principal place of business of said corporation must be given, together with the names and residences of the officers, directors and stockholders thereof, and such further information as the City Council may require. The City Council shall submit each application filed to the Chief of Police who shall inspect the premises in question and investigate the moral character of the applicant or applicants. The Chief of Police shall not recommend approval of any application unless he is satisfied that the applicant or applicants are of good moral character, and also that the proposed location of the card room and/or pool or billiard room would not be injurious to the public welfare or morals. The Chief of Police shall submit in writing his findings and his recommendation of approval or disapproval of the application to the City Council. The City Council shall, thereupon, fix the time and place for the hearing of such application and shall give the applicant or applicants written notice of the time and place so fixed, which time shall be not less than three days from the date of service of such notice on such applicant or applicants. The City Council shall receive evidence for and against the granting of such application. The findings and recommendation of the Chief of Police may be received in evidence by the City Council.
B. The City Council shall deny the application, if, after considering the evidence, it determines that it will be injurious to the public welfare or morals of the people of the City to permit the operation of such card room and/or pool or billiard room upon the premises for which the permit is sought. (Ord. 272, 1-22-1974)
3.05.030 License fees.
A. In addition to any other fee or license required, the rate of license for every pool or billiard room is as provided in NCC 3.01.180, said sum payable in advance on the first day of January, April, July and October of each year.
B. In addition to any other fee or license required, the rate of license for every card room is as provided in NCC 3.01.180, payable in advance on the first day of January, April, July and October of each year.
C. A license to maintain a pool or billiard room shall not also entitle the holder of such license to maintain a card room in the same or adjoining room or premises without payment of an additional fee therefor. (Ord. 275, 2-26-1974)
3.05.040 Card dealer’s permit, fee.
It shall be unlawful for the licensee of any card room to permit any person to deal at any card table until such dealer has been investigated as to his moral character, and criminal record by the Chief of Police and issued a card dealer’s permit. The fee for each applicant for a card dealer’s permit shall be $5.00. It shall be unlawful for any person to act as a card dealer without the permit herein required. A “card dealer” is defined as any person who operates or conducts any card game for any pecuniary benefit, including, but not limited to, salary, wages, commissions or any other type of compensation.
3.05.050 Rules and regulations.
It shall be unlawful to operate a card room and/or a pool or billiard room in violation of any of the following rules and regulations:
A. It shall be unlawful for any proprietor or manager of any pool, billiard or card room within the corporate limits of the City, or any agent or employee thereof, to allow pool, billiards, cards or any other game or games usually played in said pool, billiard or card room, to be so played or conducted therein between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. of each and every or any day of the week.
B. It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 18 years to visit, frequent, be or remain in any public card room within the corporate limits of the City, or to play cards or other games therein.
C. It shall be unlawful for any proprietor of any card room within the corporate limits of the City, or any manager, agent or employee of such proprietor, to allow any person under the age of 18 years to play cards or other games in said room, or to visit, frequent, be or remain in said room.
D. It shall be unlawful to operate more than one card room or more than one pool or billiard room at any one address.
E. Card rooms and pool or billiard rooms shall be located on the ground floor.
F. All card rooms and all pool or billiard rooms shall be open to police inspection during all hours of operation.
G. It shall be illegal and cause the revocation of any license issued hereunder to permit any intoxicated person on the premises occupied by any card room and/or pool or billiard room. The term “premises” shall be construed to mean the particular area used and occupied by the card tables in such card room and by the pool or billiard tables in such pool or billiard room. (Ord. 284, 7-8-1975; Ord. 272, 1-22-1974)
3.05.060 Revocation of license.
Upon conviction for violation of any of the sections of this chapter or of any State law regulating card games and/or pool or billiard games, the Chief of Police may recommend that the card room or dealer’s license or pool or billiard room license be suspended or revoked. The City Council, at its discretion, may revoke or suspend such license.
3.05.070 Gambling prohibited.
The City Council hereby declares that it is not the intention of this chapter to license any card room and/or pool or billiard room for the playing of any game prohibited by the laws of the State of California1. (Ord. 272, 1-22-1974)
See NCC 9.01.030.