(a) It shall be unlawful to maintain or operate a food preparation and service establishment within the City and County of San Francisco without having first obtained a permit therefor issued and signed by the Department of Public Health. Any person, partnership or corporation shall, before opening or operating a food preparation and service establishment in the City and County of San Francisco, make an application for a permit in the manner and upon a form provided by the Director, giving the information and particulars required by the Director.
(b) If the applicant for any permit under this Section is a corporation or other business entity, the application shall contain the names of its principal officers and such other particulars as the Director may require.
(c) Before granting the permit the Director shall investigate the facts stated in the application and examine the premises to which the permit shall apply to assure that the applicant is or will be in compliance with the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the proper operation of a food preparation and service establishment, including the California Retail Food Code and the Health Code of the City and County of San Francisco. If the Director determines from its investigation and examination of the premises that the applicant is not in compliance with any or all of the laws, rules and regulations pertaining to the proper operation of a food preparation and service establishment prior to the issuance of a permit, the Director shall allow the applicant a reasonable time within which to comply. The applicant's refusal or neglect to comply in a timely fashion shall be sufficient cause for the Director to deny the application.
(d) Any denial of an application for permit under this section shall be subject to an appeal to the Board of Appeals.
(e) The permit (1) shall set forth the commercial uses permitted and shall be valid as long as the annual permit fees are paid, or until suspended or revoked; (2) shall not be transferable and shall be deemed revoked upon sale, transfer or assignment of the commercial uses for which the permit was issued; and (3) shall at all times be displayed on the premises.
(f) The permit may at any time be suspended or revoked for cause after a hearing by the Department of Public Health. Any determination of suspension or revocation of a permit for cause after a hearing shall be subject to appeal to the Board of Appeals. Upon suspension or revocation, the premises for which the permit was issued shall be posted with the order of the Department.
(g) Applications for temporary permits to operate special events shall be submitted no later than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the commencement of the event along with the applicable filing fees listed in Section 249.11(c) of the Business and Tax Regulations Code of the City and County of San Francisco. If the application and/or filing fees are submitted less than fourteen (14) calendar days prior to the commencement of the event, the applicant shall pay an additional fifty percent (50%) of the filing fee as a late charge before the application can be processed or approved. Applications and/or fees (including any late charges) which are submitted seven (7) calendar days or less prior to the commencement of the event cannot be processed.
(Added by Ord. 241-70; App. 7/14/70; amended by Ord. 341-88, App. 7/28/88; Ord. 84-00, File No. 000424, App. 5/12/2000; Ord. 233-08, File No. 080621, App. 10/30/2008)