(a) Landscape Contractor Defined.
(1) As used in this section, “landscape contractor” means a person who, on commercial or residential property in the City, engages in the business of regrading land; installing topsoil and mulch; planting lawns, shrubs and trees; installing walkways of stone, brick or slag; mowing lawns; trimming bushes and trees; raking leaves; and replanting trees and bushes. This definition does not apply to those under the age of eighteen and having a gross income as a landscape contractor of two thousand dollars ($2,000) or less.
(2) No person shall engage in the business of being a landscape contractor in the City without first obtaining a permit therefor from the Building Department.
(b) Application for Permit.
(1) The following information shall be provided by any applicant for a landscape contractor’s permit:
A. The name, address, zip code and telephone number of the business office and of the home of the owner of the business;
B. The make, model, serial number and state license plate number of the vehicles or machines to be used in the landscape contractor’s operations within the City; and
C. Other jurisdictions within the State, if any, where the applicant has obtained a landscape contractor’s permit.
(2) The application for a landscape contractor’s permit shall be accompanied by a non refundable fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
(c) Effective Period and Revocation of Permit.
(1) A landscape contractor’s permit shall be effective from January 1 to December 31 of each calendar year. A permit issued in one such period is not valid for a subsequent time period.
(2) A landscape contractor’s permit is subject to revocation by the Service Director or Code Enforcement Officer upon the following grounds:
A. Fraud or willful and knowing misrepresentation made in applying for the landscape contractor’s permit or made in the conduct of the landscape contractor’s business;
B. Failure to pay any fees as required by this chapter;
C. Changing the approved contours for lots or lands without first obtaining the permission of the building department;
D. Neglecting to remove company identification signs when the landscape contractor’s job is completed as a particular property;
E. Removal or installation of drainage ways, sewers, swales, etc., without approval of the building department;
F. Dumping debris, and waste materials on vacant lots;
G. Dumping topsoil, humus, waste material and other landscape products and debris on streets and tree lawns or into sewers, swales, drainage ways and streams in the City;
H. Repeatedly tracking mud onto the streets of the City; or
I. Violating any State laws pertaining to vehicle registration or business regulation.
(d) Penalty. Whoever violates any provision of this chapter is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree and shall be fined not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both, for each offense. A separate offense shall be deemed committed each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.
(Ord. 98-08. Passed 10-28-08.)