Licenses are personal and are generally not alienable.
A. A license shall be purely a personal privilege good for not to exceed one year after issuance unless sooner revoked as in this chapter provided, and shall not constitute property, nor shall it be subject to attachment, garnishment or execution, nor shall it be lienable or transferable, voluntarily or involuntarily, or subject to being encumbered or hypothecated. Such license shall not descend by the laws of testate or intestate devolution, but it shall cease upon the death of the deceased licensee, and the trustee of any solvent or bankrupt licensee, when such estate consists in part of alcoholic liquor, may continue the business of the sale of alcoholic liquor under order of the appropriate court, and may exercise the privileges of the deceased or insolvent or bankrupt licensee, but no longer than six (6) months after the death, bankruptcy or insolvency of such licensee.
B. A license shall be non-assignable and/or nontransferable and upon the sale of any business holding such license shall terminate immediately and the new owners if desirous of obtaining a liquor license shall apply for said license in due course as provided in this chapter. The mere purchase of a business operating under a license duly issued under this chapter does not in any way guarantee the issuance of a new liquor license and in any case the old license must be terminated prior to issuance of a new license for the same business premises.
C. Any licensee may renew his license at the expiration thereof, provided he is then qualified to receive a license and the premises for which such renewal license is sought are suitable for such purposes; and, provided further, that the renewal privilege herein provided for shall not be construed as a vested right which shall in any case prevent the Mayor from decreasing the number of licenses to be issued within his jurisdiction. (Ord. 3393, 8-28-2017)