(a) The License Officer shall make all investigations reasonably necessary to the enforcement of this article, and all police officers of the City shall inspect and examine businesses located within their respective jurisdictions or beats to enforce compliance with this article.
(b) The City License Officer, upon the advice of the City Attorney, shall have the authority to adjust any and all disputes over licenses that may occur to the best interest of the City.
(c) Any person aggrieved by any decision of the License Officer as to the failure to issue, transfer, suspend or revoke a license shall have the right to appeal by filing a written appeal with such License Officer within ten days following the effective date of the action or decision complained of. Council shall have the right to review the decision or action of the License Officer when any such appeal is made.
(1) Evidence may be produced both to sustain and disapprove such charges on which the action or decision of the License Officer is based, and the licensee or person shall be permitted to make defense either in person or by counsel.
(2) Council shall thereupon, or as soon as may be, take such action on the premises as it may deem proper, by majority of the vote of the members present and voting at any lawful meeting.
(3) Nothing contained in this article shall deprive Council of the authority to prohibit by resolution the issuance of a license in any particular case in which it appears to Council to be proper to refuse to issue such license.
(d) If any person shall conduct any business or occupation or exercise any right or privilege without the license required by this article, he shall, in addition to paying the fee required, pay a penalty of ten percent (10%) of the annual fee for each month or fractional part thereof for such time as he was in default. Such penalty shall be deemed license fee and shall be assessed and collected in the manner prescribed in this article as to other license fees; except that the license certificate issued therefor and the report thereof made to Council shall state separately the amount of the license proper and the amount of the penalty. The license officer shall state in the certificate the amount of the fee and of the penalty separately.
(1978 Code Sec. 14-26.)