(a) Required. In addition to any other licenses that may be required by law, no person, partnership, corporation, or other entity shall have or operate any junk yard within the City, which shall include all operations defined in Section 723.01, without having a valid license from the City.
(b) Issuance. The City Finance Director is authorized to issue a license to owners of junk yards within the City upon compliance with the requirements set forth in this chapter.
(c) Term. All current and future licenses for junk yards shall expire on December 31 after passage of this chapter and each December 31 thereafter. Licenses issued that are to be effective after January 1 shall be prorated. Licenses may be renewed each year (if not denied or suspended) by filing proper application with the City Finance Director and by making payment of the renewal fee as prescribed. The licenses required herein shall not be transferable. No fee will be reimbursed by the City if the subject of the license later terminates or is discontinued.
(d) Denial. The City Finance Director is authorized and empowered to deny, for any reasonable cause, applications for licenses. No license shall be issued under this chapter to any applicant unless the Director has found that such applicant is of good moral character and that the operation is properly zoned and screened and in conformance with law. The lack of such qualification on the part of the applicant shall be deemed grounds for denial of or revocation of such license by the Director.
(e) Revocation; Appeal. The City Finance Director may deny, suspend, or revoke any license issued or requested to be issued pursuant to this chapter for the direct or indirect violation of any of the provisions hereof or for any direct or indirect violation of any other local, state, or federal law relating to activities or operation of junk yards. In the event that the Director denies, suspends, or revokes any license, the applicant or owner may within ten days appeal such denial, suspension, or revocation to the Finance and Budget Committee of Council by filing notice of appeal with the City Finance Director. The Committee's decision shall be a final order.
(f) Applications. Every owner or other person, partnership, corporation, or other entity desiring to obtain a license shall file an application with the City Finance Director upon a form to be prescribed by the Director, prior to the receiving of any such license, which application shall state among other things:
(1) The name and address and date of birth of the applicant;
(2) The location where the business is to be operated;
(3) A legal description of the property where the operation is to be conducted;
(4) The name of the owner or owners of the premises wherein the operation is to be conducted;
(5) The name of the owner or owners and of the business conducted;
(6) Whether or not the applicant or the owners have been convicted of any crime in the last ten years prior to the date of application;
(7) Such application to include also an affidavit as to the good moral character of the applicant and owners; and
(8) Such application shall have written approval attached from the Zoning Administrator as to the business being properly zoned and screened.
(g) Fees. The initial application/license fee shall be thirty-five dollars ($35.00) and ten dollars ($10.00) for each consecutive renewal. Said amount includes both the application and license fees, nonrefundable if the application or license is denied, suspended, or revoked.
(Ord. 93-05. Passed 10-3-05.)