For purposes of this chapter, unless it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is intended, the following definitions shall apply:
“Hotel” means any structure, or any portion of any structure, which is occupied or intended or designed to be used, occupied or possessed by transients for temporary dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, studio hotel, bachelor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, apartment house, rental unit, dormitory, public or private club, mobile home or house trailer at a fixed location, or other similar structure or portion thereof.
“Occupancy” means the use or possession, or the right to the use or possession, of any room or rooms, or portion thereof, in any hotel for temporary dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes.
“Operator” means the person who is a proprietor of the hotel, whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee or any other capacity. Where the operator performs his functions through a managing agent of any type or character other than an employee, the managing agent shall also be deemed an operator for the purposes of this chapter and shall have the same duties and liabilities as his principal. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter by either the principal or the managing agent shall, however, be considered to be compliance by both.
“Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture association, social club, fraternal organization, joint stock company, corporation, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, trustee, syndicate or any other group or combination acting as a unit.
“Rent” means the consideration charged, whether or not received, for the occupancy of space in a hotel valued in money, whether to be received in money, goods, labor or otherwise, including all receipts, cash, credits and property and services of any kind or nature, without any deduction therefrom whatsoever.
“Tax administrator” means the city manager of the city or his/her designee.
“Temporary” means a period of thirty consecutive calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days. In the event that any person rents a hotel room(s) for more than thirty consecutive calendar days, the determination of whether the use was temporary for purposes of applying this chapter shall be based on the time period of actual occupancy of the room by a natural person or persons and not the duration of the room(s) reservation, lease or rental agreement. In determining whether a use is temporary, uninterrupted periods of time extending both prior and subsequent to the effective date of this chapter may be considered.
“Transient” means any person who exercises temporary occupancy or is entitled to occupancy for a period of thirty consecutive calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days. Any person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy shall be deemed to be a transient until the period of thirty days has expired.
(Ord. 788 § 11 (part), 1999)