HomeMy WebLinkAbout2461 Taxicab License Fee IncreaseOrdinance No. ~ ~6 /
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF PORT TOWNSEND AMENDING CHAPTER
5.40, TAXICABS OF THE PORT TOWNSEND MUNICIPAL CODE TO
INCREASE THE FEE FOR A CABDRIVER'S LICENSE
NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Port Townsend, in regular session
assembled, does ordain as follows:
Section 1, Chapter 5.40, Section 060 of the Port Townsend Municipal Code is hereby
amended and shall be codified by the City's Code Reviser ·
Sections:
5.40.010
5.40.020
5.40.030
5.40.040
5.40.050
5.40.060
5.40.070
5.40.080
5.40.090
~ Af~ lf~f~
5.40.110
5.40.120
5.40.130
5.40.140
Chapter 5.40
TAXICABS
Police chief's powers and duties.
License required - Expiration.
Vehicle to be safe.
Inspection - Issuance.
Master license.
Cabdriver's [,license - application.
Contents of license application.
Qualifications for driver.
Investigation of applicant.
Record kept by clerk.
Suspension or revocation of license.
Contents of license.
Proposed schedule of rates - Filing.
5.40.010 Police chief's powers and duties.
The licensing and inspection of taxicabs and for hire cars, the examination of the
qualifications of applicants for licenses to drive taxicabs and for hire cars and the licensing of
drivers as hereinafter provided, and the enforcing of this chapter, shall be under the
supervision and control of the chief of police. (Ord. 1235 § 1, 1949).
5.40.020 License required - Expiration.
No taxicabs shall ply or be operated upon the streets of the city without first obtaining a
license to do so, such license, if issued, shall be for the calendar year and shall be effective
for such period of time, unless sooner suspended or revoked as ~zr¢:.naftcr provided in this
chapter. Application for licenses for taxicabs shall be made by the owner thereof upon blank
forms to be furnished by the city treasurer and such application shall contain the full name
and address of the owner, the type of vehicle and the passenger carrying capacity. Nor shall
any owner of a taxicab allow the same to be operated by any person other than the driver
licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The city council shall determine whether
or not the applicant is entitled to such license and if it determines that such applicant is
entitled to such license it shall notify the city treasurer and he or she shall issue such license.
All such licenses shall expire on December 31st of each year and shall not be transferable
from owner to owner or from car to car.
(Ord.,,2~t/~/r § 1, 1995; Ord. 1235 § 2, 1949).
5.40.030 Vehicle to be safe.
No taxicab or for hire car shall be licensed unless the same is in a safe condition for use as
such, nor until satisfactory evidence is furnished that the provisions of applicable state laws
and this chapter have been complied with. (Ord. 1235 § 3, 1949).
5.40.040 Inspection - Issuance.
If upon inspection a taxicab is found to"be of lawful construction and in proper condition in
accordance with the provisions of this chapter, upon the payment of the license fee
hereinafter set forth, the same shall be licensed, if the city council shall so determine, by
delivering to the owner a card of such size and form as may be fixed by the city treasurer.
(Ord. 1235 § 4, 1949).
5.40.050 Master license.
A master license shall be procured by any firm, corporation, partnership, association or
individual managing the operation of any taxicab or taxicabs in the city. The license fee for
each such master license shall be $100.00 for the calendar year or remaining portion thereof
in which the same is taken. The fee shall include license to operate one taxicab under the
master license. Additional cabs owned and operated by the holder of such a master license
shall be licensed at $10.00 each for the calendar year. In case of licenses issued on or after
July 1st of each year only one-half of the above-mentioned fees shall be paid. Such licenses
shall not be transferable. (Ord. 1235 § 5, 1949).
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5.40.060 Cabdriver's/=license application.
A. License required, Every person desiring to drive, operate or have charge of a taxicab
or for hire car within the city, shall make written application to the city treasurer for a
license to do so.
B. Fee/Form. Each application shall include a $10.00 certified check or cashier's check
made payable to the city treasurer, or cash, which shall be an annual license fee. $u¢I. The
application fee shall be n0nrefundable, and shall be made upon forms provided by the city
C_..: All cabdrivers' licenses issued under this chapter shall expire on December 31st of each
year, unless previously revoked.
(Ord~94~/§l, 1995; Ord. 1235 § 6, 1949).
5.40.070 Contents of license application.
Every applicant shall state his/her name, age, place of birth, place of residence, length of
time he/she has resided in' the city, married or single, last place of employment; with name
and address of employer, whether he/she has been previously licensed as such driver, and if
so, where; whether any such license has ever been suspended or revoked, and if so, for what
cause; whether or not he/she has ever been convicted of a crime, and if so, the number of
such convictions, the approximate dates thereof, the names of the courts, in which he/she was
charged, the crime with which he/she was charged, and the final disposition of the case
and/or cases. (Ord~%/g/ § 1, 1995; Ord. 1235 § 7, 1949).
5.40.080 Qualifications for driver.
Every applicant must possess the following qualifications: He/she must be at least 21 years of
age, and duly licensed to drive a motor vehicle for hire under the laws of the state of
Washington. He/she must show that he/she has a good knowledge of the laws of the state of
Washington, and the ordinances of the city, relating to the driving and operation of motor
vehicles. (Ord07,~/ § 1, 1995; Ord. 1235 § 8, 1949).
5.40.090 Investigation of applicant.
Every application for such driver's license shall be referred by the city treasurer to the chief
of police, whose duty it shall be to investigate such applicant and if satisfied with his/her
qualification s recommend in writing within a reasonable time that a license be issued to him,
or if not satisfied with such qualifications, so report to the city council. The city council shall
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determine whether or not the applicant is entitled to such license, and if it determines that
such applicant is entitled to such license it shall notify the city treasurer and he/she shall
issue such license. The license when issued shall be displayed in a prominent place while
driving, operating or in charge of a taxicab or for hire car covered by this chapter, such
display to make license visible to occupants of the vehicle. (Ordt, eq~ §1, 1995; Ord. 1235
§ 9, 1949).
(Ord0q'6/, §1, 1995; Ord. 1235 § 10, 1949).
5.40.110 Record kept by clerk.
There shall be kept b~the city clerk a complete record of each license issued to a driver, and
of all renewals, suspensions and revocations thereof, which record shall be kept on file with
the original application for a license. (Ord. 1235 § 11, 1949).
5.40.120 Suspension or revocation of license.
If the chief of police finds that any person licensed hereunder has been convicted of a
criminal violation of federal or state law, or any ordinance of the city, and that such
conviction establishes that such licensee is no longer of good moral character and reputation,
or is not a careful and experienced driver, then the chief of police shall make a written report
of the circumstances surrounding such matter to the city council, and shall make
recommendations to the city council regarding the suspension or revocation of the license of
such person. After considering the report and before revoking or suspending any such
license, the city council shall order a hearing and in such case shall notify the licensee of the
date of said hearing and of the contents of the report of the chief of police, which hearing
shall be held on a certain day, but shall not be less than five days from and after service of
notice. If upon hearing before the city council a majority of the city council shall find that
the license of the licensee should be suspended or revoked, it shall be so ordered. In case of
the revocation of license, the same shall be taken up by the chief of police and canceled by
the city treasurer, and in case of suspension of a license the same shall be surrendered to the
city treasurer and shall be returned to the licensee at the termination of the period of
suspension. (Ord. 1235 § 12, 1949).
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5.40.130 Contents of license.
Every license issued under the provisions of this chapter shall state in substance that such
license is issued in consideration of the fee paid therefor and the right of the city council to
revoke or suspend such license pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. Upon the
revocation of any license for cause, the unearned portion of the license fee shall be returned
to the licensee. (Ord. 1235 § 13, 1949).
5.40.140 Proposed schedule of rates - Filing.
Any person owning, operating or controlling any taxicab within the city shall file a proposed
schedule of rates with the city clerk. The proposed schedule shall be subject to the approval
of the council and after the approval of a schedule the same shall be filed with the city clerk.
It is further provided that any change in the schedule of fares shall be approved by the
council as herein provided. (Ord. 1235 § 14, 1949).
Section 2. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this
Ordinance or its application to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid or
unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such order or judgment shall not affect
the validity or constitutionality of the remainder of any part of this Ordinance. To this end,
the provisions of each clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this law are declared
severable.
This ordinance shall be in full force and effect five days after the date of its passage,
approval, and publication in the manner provided by law.
Read for the first, second, and third times
Port Townsend, Washington, at a regular
by
Council of the City of
Y~"-~-~-4~ay of May, 1995.
Michael Hil3t, Acting City Clerk
"~h~.~fr...~,~..,,.., City Attorney
05/09/95 CAORD\{5-40Taxi.doe}
M. Clise, Mayor
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