A. Because each commercial establishment and/or business activity located in the village is a basic part of and affects the physical and economic well-being of the village necessitating special services from the village in the form of fire, health, sanitation, building and police inspections and services, such commercial establishments and/or business activities shall in all respects be in full compliance with the provisions of this section. This section is designed to provide for the means whereby the village may render the necessary inspections and services to commercial establishments, business activities and commercial areas in order to promote, protect, and safeguard the public health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Oak Lawn and to enable the effecting of an accurate record of commercial establishments and business activities located and carrying on commercial activities or business and commerce within the village.
B. The commercial establishments and business activities so regulated may or may not have their principal place of business located within the village.
C. The business regulation fees provided for herein are not intended to license any business or profession nor are they to be construed as an endorsement of the competency or skill of any individual, company, corporation or other entity. Only governmental activities and other approved eleemosynary activities will be issued a certificate without charge, except as may be required herein.
D. Business regulation fees based upon square foot area are predicated upon the premise that there is a finite amount of square footage in all of the commercial zoning districts within the village. These commercial districts require substantial services over and above the services provided for single-family homes and other residential districts. The business activities conducted within the finite square foot area of the commercial districts of the village require these extra services regardless of the activity being conducted within each commercial space. Therefore, the fee is based equitably upon the square foot area of each place of business as a minimum fee.
The basis for the fee schedule may be based on additional factors other than square foot area of the business establishment.
Other fee charges are added for activities listed in section 3-1-1-7, table A of this chapter. (Ords. 68(8)-1-3, 68(8)-2-14, 71-13-31, 74-12-19, 86-3-11, 23-12-42)