Section 3-25 Suspension; revocation; denial of renewal or transfer.



Prior to the adoption of 2002-3-25(a) on 02/25/2002, Section 3-25 read as follows.

    (a)    Notice, hearing. Any license which has been issued or which may hereafter be issued by  the city to any licensee may be denied, suspended or revoked or transfer refused, by the city council  for due cause. Before the city council shall deny any application for a license or for the transfer of any license, or shall revoke or suspend any existing license, the applicant shall be given notice in writing from the city clerk to show cause before the city council at a time and place specified therein not less than three (3) days nor more than ten (10) days from the date of service of the notice, why the application for, or renewal of, a license or for transfer of license should not be  denied, or why the license should not be revoked or suspended, as the case may be, stating the  grounds therefor. At the appointed time and place the applicant or licensee shall have an opportunity to show cause, if any exists, why the application should not be denied or the license  revoked or suspended, after which the city council shall take such action as it, in its judgment and  discretion, shall deem warranted under the facts. The hearing provided for in this section need not be at a regular meeting of the city council, but may be at such time and place as shall be fixed in  the notice. All decisions denying, suspending or revoking any license or application shall be in writing, with the reasons therefor stated, and mailed or delivered to the applicant. In addition, at  any hearing as provided in this section, the party afforded the hearing shall have the opportunity to  present evidence, have an attorney, and have testimony recorded at his expense.

    (b)    Due cause generally.

    (1)    Due cause for the suspension, revocation  or denial of the renewal or transfer of any license shall consist of an act or omission found to be by the city council, after a hearing as above  provided, a violation of any law or ordinance regulating such business, or violation of regulations made pursuant to authority granted for the purpose of regulating such business, or for the violation  of any state or federal law, or for the violation of any city ordinances, other than traffic violations  or ordinances, or failure of the licensee or his employee to promptly report to the police department any violation of the law or ordinance, breach of peace, disturbance or altercation, resulting in violence occurring inside the premises.

    (2)    Due cause may also be found should  the licensed establishment have become a trouble spot in the judgment of the city council by reason of disturbances or acts of disorderly conduct or  violence having occurred in the establishment or on the premises thereof, provided that when the license of any establishment has been revoked or renewal of license denied because such establishment has become a trouble spot, no further license shall be issued under this chapter to  any person, firm or corporation at such location for a period of at least twelve (12) months from the date of revocation.

    (3)    Due cause shall also consist of the business or the operation or location thereof, or the  owner or any person connected therewith, ceasing to meet any of the qualifications for the issuance of license as stated in this chapter.

    (4)    Due cause may also be found upon  the revelation of any false statement or material misrepresentation in any application hereunder. Any material omission from or untrue or  misleading information which is contained in an original, renewal or transfer application for license hereunder shall be cause for the denial or refusal of a license, and if any license has previously  been granted under such circumstances, the same shall constitute due cause for revocation of such  license.

    (5)    Failure to control operation resulting  in public nuisance. If the failure to control the operation either inside the building or outside on the property results in controlled substance abuse,  prostitution, gambling, flagrant indecent conduct or obscenity, fighting, excessive noise, loitering or illegal parking, to the number of times and extent that the city council, after proper hearing,  should find the establishment to have become a public nuisance, then such failure may be declared to be due cause for suspension or revocation of the alcoholic beverage license for such  establishment, or the denial of renewal application for such license.

    (c)    Emergency due cause; failure or refusal to cooperate with the city police acting in line of  duty. On evidence of failure or refusal of the licensee or employee hereunder to cooperate with any  police officer on any reasonable request or action within such officer's duties, responsibilities or powers, including all police powers, rights and duties to investigate to determine any pertinent fact relating to the establishment, the licensee, any employees or corporate officers or partners, the chief of police shall immediately order all sales of any alcoholic beverages suspended until after a hearing as set out in the due cause hearing provided for in paragraph (a), such hearing to be  concerning such failure or refusal to cooperate.

    (d)    Refund of license fee. When a license is so revoked or suspended, the city shall not be  required to refund any portion of the license fee.

    (e)    Effect of revocation by state. Whenever the state shall revoke any permit or license to sell  any alcoholic beverage at retail, the city license to deal in such product shall thereupon be  automatically revoked without any action by the city council or any municipal officer. If the  state has suspended the license or placed such license on probation, then the city license is automatically  suspended or probated, as the case may be.

    (f)    Emergency situation. The mayor is the delegated authority to suspend any license  hereunder in any emergency situation, and such suspension may be made effective immediately and remain in force until the next regular or called meeting of the city council. In addition, in any  emergency situation, the chief of police is hereby authorized to cause the business in question to close temporarily until he decides the emergency or possible riotous situation to be at an end, or until such decision is made by the city council at its next regular meeting, whichever occurs first.

    (g)    Penalties for sale of alcoholic beverages to underage persons. Upon determination by the  city council that a sale of alcoholic beverages to an underage person has taken place by a license  holder, including the license holder's agent or employee, such determination having been made after  a show cause hearing as contemplated in subsection (a), the license holder and the license holder's employee, if applicable, shall be penalized according to the following schedules:


 

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE VIOLATORS--LICENSE HOLDERS

SALES TO UNDERAGE PERSONS

Disposition

Violation/time frame

With training program

Without training program

Issuance of  license

Verbal warning

Warning--advise  that training program is mandatory for all  employees/clerks

First offense

Written  warning to  license holder $500.00  fine or thirty (30)  days  suspension of  license  at the  election of the  holder

$2,000 fine--require mandatory training program for  employees/clerks  and sixty (60)  days suspension

Second offense within twelve (12) month period

$1,500 fine  and sixty (60) days  suspension

$2,000 fine and  ninety (90) days  suspension--require  mandatory training  program for all  clerks/employees

Third offense  within twelve (12) month period

$2,000 fine  and ninety  (90) days suspension

$2,000 fine and  revocation of license for one (1)  year


Alcoholic beverage license holders shall follow guidelines established by the city manager in conducting training programs mentioned in subsection (g).


 

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE VIOLATORS--EMPLOYEES OF LICENSE HOLDERS

SALES TO UNDERAGE  PERSONS

Issuance of  employee  permit

Warning

First offense

$200 fine and  warning

Second offense

$300 fine and  revocation of permit for 30  days and  warning

Third offense

$300 fine and  revocation of permit


Any monetary penalty established by the city council for the sale of alcoholic beverages to underaged persons shall be paid by the license holder on or before the seventh working day following the establishment of such penalty.

(Code 1958,  5-8; Ord. of 1-23-89(1),   1; Ord. of 9-25-89,   1; Ord. of 4-22-96(1),   II; Ord. of 3-10-97,   IV)