(A) It shall be unlawful for any person or firm to a operate a water taxi without first obtaining a local business tax receipt pursuant to § 110.40 (under “Boats”) and paying the local business tax required for the right to operate each vessel authorized under the local business tax receipt.
(B) Application for a water taxi special permit shall be made to the city and must include the following information:
(1) The name, business address and telephone number of the person or firm operating the water taxi business. If the business is a corporation or partnership, the name of all directors, officers or partners, when applicable, shall be included.
(2) A description of each vessel proposed to be used as a water taxi, including a copy of the Florida vessel registration and United States Coast Guard certificate of inspection.
(3) A list of all pilots who will operate a water taxi, including their name, address, employment history over the past five years, and a copy of the United States Coast Guard license for the class of vessel the pilot will operate.
(4) The location of each water taxi when not in use.
(5) The method of dispatch and the location of the dispatcher.
(6) A certificate of insurance showing the city as a named insured on a policy or policies insuring each vessel and the business for:
(a) Hull and machinery replacement.
(b) Third party and passenger liability — $1,000,000 for each vessel.
(c) Third party property damage — $50,000 per occurrence.
(d) Worker's compensation insurance, if the business has three or more employees.
All insurance policies must be kept in full force and effect at all times water taxi operations take place.
(C) By applying for and accepting a special permit hereunder, a permittee agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the city for any claims, suits or actions arising out of or caused by the permittee's operations on waterways located in the city.
(D) After a water taxi service has obtained a local business tax receipt, the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts shall give the water taxi service operator a special permit for each vessel operated as a water taxi. The fee for each permit shall be $100. Each local business tax and permit fee hereunder shall be based on a fiscal year period, renewable on or before the next October 1st. The special permit shall be displayed on the vessel alongside the state commercial registration sticker. A special permit may not be assigned. A water taxi local business tax receipt and/or special permit that has been revoked or suspended is not renewable.
(E) A local business tax receipt and/or special permit may be revoked or suspended by the City Commission after notice to the holder of the local business tax receipt and/or permittee and a hearing for any of the following causes:
(1) Failure to comply with all state and federal laws and regulations concerning the vessels of the type used by the holder of the local business tax receipt and permittee.
(2) Multiple instances of careless operation of a water taxi in violation of state or local laws.
(3) Failure to maintain all required policies of insurance in full force and effect.
(4) Conviction by the the holder of the local business tax receipt and/or permittee, if a person, or by any director, officer or partner of the holder of the local business tax receipt and/or permittee, if a corporation or a part nership, of a felony violation in this state or the violation of a law of any other state that would constitute a felony violation in this state.
(5) Submission of false or incomplete documentation or information required by this section.
('72 Code, § 9-57)
(F) (1) A permitted water taxi may board and discharge passengers at the dock facility designated by the city at the Hollywood Marina.
(2) Certain municipal dock facilities may be designated by the city as water taxi stops. The captain of a water taxi shall remain within five feet of the vessel except for the purpose of entering a structure, such as a restaurant, to announce its arrival. No water taxi shall remain moored at a municipal dock facility for longer than 15 consecutive minutes.
(3) No water taxi shall remain moored adjacent to a residential structure except to board or discharge passengers.
(4) No water taxi shall take on fuel while moored at municipal dock facilities; however, all fueling shall be carried out at the Hollywood Marina fuel dock.
('72 Code, § 9-58)
(G) No water taxi shall at any time have in use loudspeakers or any device to amplify sound, with the exceptions of the sounding of horns for navigational, passenger pickup, or discharge for safety-related purposes, or in the case of an emergency. No water taxi shall at any time, except for safety-related purposes, illuminate by spotlight or by any other means of illumination any of the sights or places of interest located along its route of operation including, but not limited to residential dwellings, businesses or government buildings.
('72 Code, § 9-59) (Ord. O-89-67, passed 11-1-89; Am. Ord. O-97-37, passed 10-15-97; Am. Ord. O-2007-07, passed 4-18-07) Penalty, see § 98.999