(A) License required. No person shall operate a tavern in the city without a license as hereafter provided for.
(B) Application procedure. Any person desiring a license to operate a tavern shall file his or her application in writing with the City Clerk. Every application shall be made on a form supplied by the city and shall state the name of the applicant, his or her age, his or her address, representations as to his or her character with any references as may be required, his or her citizenship, the exact location of the premises upon which the applicant proposes to operate a tavern, whether the applicant has ever been engaged in any similar business, and if so, the location thereof and the dates when so engaged, whether the applicant proposes to permit dancing and whether vaudeville entertainment will be permitted, and any other information as the Council may require from time to time. In case the applicant proposes to permit dancing, the application shall set forth the amount of floor space which the applicant proposes to maintain for dancing purposes. It shall be unlawful to make any false statement in an application.
(C) Investigation of applicant. The Council shall order the investigation of the application as it considers necessary, and any member of the Council, member of the Sheriff's Department, health officer, or any properly designated employee of the city shall have the unqualified right to enter, inspect, and search the premises described in the application, together with all the appliances and instruments to be used in the transaction of the business for which the license is sought, during regular business hours.
(1) Opportunity shall be given to any person to be heard for or against the granting of a tavern license.
(2) After the investigation and hearing, the City Council may grant or refuse the application in its discretion.
(D) Fee.
(1) The annual fee for a tavern license shall be as set forth in § 33.01. Each application for a tavern license shall be accompanied by a receipt from the City Clerk for payment in full of the required fee for the license. All fees shall be paid into the General Fund of the municipality.
(2) Upon rejection of any application for a tavern license, the City Clerk shall refund the amount paid.
(E) Duration of license. All tavern licenses shall expire on December 31 in each year. Each license shall be issued for a period of 1 year, except that if a portion of the license year has elapsed when the application is made, a license shall be issued for the remainder of the license year.
(F) License renewals. Applications for renewal of an existing license shall be filed with the City Clerk on or before June 1.
(Prior Code, § 1202.150) Penalty, see § 113.99