Except where the context otherwise requires, the following definitions shall govern the construction of this chapter.
HOTEL. Any structure, or any portion of any structure, which is occupied or intended or designed for occupancy by transients for dwelling, lodging or
sleeping proposes, and includes any hotel, inn, tourist home or house, motel, studio hotel, bachelor hotel, lodging house, rooming house, apartment house, dormitory, public or private club, or other similar structure or portion thereof.
HOTEL also includes a “mobile home”, as defined in Cal. Health and Safety Code § 18008, which is located outside a mobile home park when the tenant is not an employee of the owner or operator of the mobile home. HOTEL does not include a hospital room, medical clinic, convalescent home or home for the aged. Also, HOTEL does not include a private home, vacation cabin or similar facility which is rented by a person who is not regularly engaged in the business of renting the facilities and does so only occasionally and incidentally to his or her own use thereof.
OCCUPANCY. The use or possession, or the right to the use or possession, of any room or rooms or portion thereof, in any hotel for dwelling, lodging or sleeping purposes.
OPERATOR. The person who is the proprietor of the hotel, whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, subleasee, mortgagee in possession, licensee or any other capacity. If the operator performs his or her functions through a managing agent of any type or character other than an employee, the managing agent shall also be deemed an OPERATOR for the purposes of this chapter and shall have the same duties and liabilities as his or her principal. Compliance with provisions of this chapter be either the principal or the managing agent shall, however, be considered to be compliance by both.
RENT. The consideration charged, whether or not received, for the occupancy of space in a hotel valued in money, whether to be received in money, goods, labor or otherwise, including all receipts, cash, credits and property and services of any kind or nature, without any deduction therefrom.
TAX COLLECTOR. The Tax Collector of the City of Tulare.
TRANSIENT. Any person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy by reason of concession, permit, right of access, license or other agreement for a period of 30 consecutive calendar days or less, counting portions of calendar days as full days. Any such person so occupying space in a hotel shall be deemed to be a transient until the period of 30 days has expired unless there is an agreement in writing between the operator and the occupant providing for a longer period of occupancy. In determining whether a person is a transient, uninterrupted periods of time extending both prior and subsequent to the effective date of this chapter may be considered.
(1995 Code, § 5.68.020)