(A) Conditions to granting. No certificate shall be granted until City Council shall, after hearing, declare by resolution that public convenience and necessity require the proposed taxicab service. In determining whether public convenience and necessity require the operation of taxicabs for which application for a certificate is made, City Council shall consider and investigate whether the demand of the public requires additional taxicab service; the adequacy of existing mass transportation and taxicab service; the financial responsibility and experience of the applicant; ability of the applicant to earn a fair return on the capital invested; the number, kind and type of equipment and the color scheme to be used; the effect which the additional taxicab service may have upon traffic congestion and parking; whether the additional taxicab service will result in a greater hazard to the public; and other relevant facts as City Council may deem advisable or necessary. No certificate will be issued to any applicant unless the applicant be the holder in due course and for value of the title to the taxicab, and the holder of the certificate only shall be permitted to operate the taxicab and the applicant shall not be allowed to engage the services of any person to operate a taxicab for the person or in the person’s stead at any time.
(B) Hearing. Each application for certificate of convenience and necessity shall be scheduled for a hearing not later than 30 days after the same is filed, and the applicant shall be notified by the City Clerk by mail to the business address set forth in the application of the date and time of the hearing, the notification to be sent at least ten days before the date set for the hearing. The City Clerk shall also, within the same time, notify all persons who, at the time, hold certificates of convenience and necessity for the operation of taxicabs within the municipality, of the date and time for the hearing and the name of the applicant. In addition, City Council shall have the power to have published at least once in a newspaper of general circulation at least ten days before the hearing a notice setting forth the name of the applicant and the date and time of hearing. The cost of the publication shall be paid by the applicant.
(C) Posting. Every operator of a taxi under permit, as provided herein, shall post conspicuously in the taxi the certificate of identification issued by the city.
(Prior Code, § 9-73) Penalty, see § 10.99