(A) Investigation. Upon receipt of each application and payment of the fee, it shall be referred to the Chief of Police, who shall immediately institute the investigation of the applicant’s business and moral character as he or she deems necessary for the protection of the public good and shall endorse the application in the manner prescribed in this section within seven business days after it has been filed by the applicant with the City Administrator.
(B) Denial of permit. If, as a result of such investigation, the applicant’s character or business responsibility is found to be unsatisfactory, the Chief of Police shall endorse on the application any disapproval and the reasons for the same and return the application to the City Administrator, who shall notify the applicant within seven business days that the application is disapproved and that no permit will be issued.
(C) Grounds for denial of permit.
(1) The failure of an applicant to obtain and demonstrate proof of having obtained any required county permit or state license;
(2) The failure of an applicant to truthfully provide any information requested by the city as part of the application process;
(3) The failure of an applicant to sign the permit application;
(4) The failure of an applicant to pay the required fee at the time of application;
(5) A conviction within the past five years of the date of application for any violation of any federal or state statute or regulation, or of any local ordinance, which adversely reflects upon the person’s ability to conduct the business for which the permit is being sought in a professional, honest and legal manner. The violations shall include, but are not limited to, burglary, theft, larceny, swindling, fraud, unlawful business practices and any form of actual or threatened physical harm against another person;
(6) The revocation within the past five years of any license or permit issued to an applicant for the purpose of conducting business as a peddler, solicitor, or transient merchant; and
(7) When an applicant has a bad business reputation. Evidence of a bad business reputation shall include, but is not limited to, the existence of more than three complaints against an applicant with the Better Business Bureau, the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General or other state attorney general’s office, or other similar business or consumer rights office or agency, within the proceeding 12 months, or three complaints filed with the city against an applicant within the preceding five years.
(D) Appeal of denial. Any person whose permit application is denied under this section shall have the right to appeal that decision as provided in § 113.012 of this chapter.
(E) Approval and issuance of permit; contents. If, as a result of the investigation, the character and business responsibility of the applicant are found to be satisfactory, the Chief of Police shall endorse the approval on the application and return the application to the City Administrator, who shall deliver to the applicant the permit within three business days. The permit shall contain the signature of the issuing officer and shall show the name, address and photograph of the permittee, the class of the permit issued and the kinds of goods or services to be sold thereunder, the date of issuance that the same shall be operative, as well as the permit number and other identifying description of any vehicle used in the licensed business.
(Prior Code, § 504.05) (Ord. 834, passed 10-10-2009; Ord. 844, passed 05-20-2010; Ord. 951, passed 09-24-2018)