Beverly Hills Municipal Code Art. 2 Private Clubs

No person shall engage in, conduct, or carry on the business of a private club without a permit issued under the provisions of chapter 1, article 1 of this title. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

PRIVATE CLUB: A business, excluding a nonprofit corporation, which offers its facilities exclusively to members for social or recreational purposes and serves alcoholic beverages on the premises. Such club shall be operated subject to the following requirements and restrictions:

A. Access to the private club facilities shall be restricted to persons who have paid a minimum one year membership fee. The membership fee shall be not less than twenty five dollars ($25.00) and shall be paid prior to any person being permitted access to the private club facilities, except as a guest. No additional charge shall be made for the use of the facilities.

B. The private club premises shall be used exclusively at all times for the private club activities.

C. Any member may host a maximum of ten (10) guests provided a guest list shall be maintained, the guests shall be registered to the host club member, there shall be no charge for the use of the facilities by the guests, and all other charges incurred by the guests shall be payable only by the host private club member.

D. Private parties shall be hosted on the premises by private club members only, and the private club shall not charge a member or the member's guests for the use of the facilities for a private party. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

In addition to the requirements of section 4-1-102 of this title, any application for a private club shall also contain the following:

A. The address of the private club facility;

B. A full description of the building or portion thereof to be used for the private club facility;

C. The activities proposed to be sponsored, promoted, or engaged in by the private club;

D. Any facilities to be provided for games or contests by or between private club members and/or their guests;

E. The names of any organizations with which the private club is affiliated;

F. The names, addresses, and fingerprints of the officers, directors, and stockholders owning or controlling more than ten percent (10%) of the stock if the private club is a corporation or is operated by a corporation;

G. The names, addresses, and fingerprints of the partners if the private club is a partnership or is operated by a partnership;

H. The name, address, and fingerprints of the owner if the private club is owned by an individual;

I. The name, address, and fingerprints of the managing agent or agents of the private club and any person who is a beneficial owner of the private club. A "beneficial owner" is any person who receives income calculated as a share of the private club's revenues or otherwise shares directly in the profits of the private club;

J. Whether or not any of those persons named in answer to subsection F, G, H, or I of this section have been convicted of a felony in that name or under any other name and, if so, the date, place, and particulars;

K. Any previous location used or occupied by the private club, and the location of any private club operated presently or previously by the persons named in answer to subsection F, G, H, or I of this section;

L. A membership policy previously adopted by the private club, which sets forth at minimum the membership fee and standards relating to the granting or revocation of membership, all of which are not inconsistent with this article. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

Any renewal permit application shall be filed one hundred twenty (120) days prior to the expiration of the existing permit. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

A. Only bona fide members and their guests shall use, frequent, patronize, or participate in any private club.

B. Guests shall comply with all local regulations and permit conditions of the private club.

C. The police department shall be advised of any private party on the premises of a private club not less than seventy two (72) hours prior to such private party.

D. Dancing in a private club shall be restricted to the members and their guests.

E. No private club shall operate from two o'clock (2:00) A.M. to eight o'clock (8:00) A.M.

F. No employee or manager shall be employed by a private club until issued an identification card pursuant to chapter 1, article 2 of this title.

G. A private club shall maintain a current record of the information required by section 4-2-203 of this article and shall notify the police department within twenty four (24) hours of any and all changes in such information. If the permittee is a partnership, a withdrawal or change, voluntary or involuntary, or by operation of law, of any partner, or the dissolution of the partnership, shall be reported to the police department within ten (10) days of such withdrawal or change. If the permittee is a corporation, any change of officers or directors, or any dissolution, merger, consolidation, or other reorganization of the permittee, or the sale of ten percent (10%) or more of the permittee's stock, whether previously issued or unissued, or the sale of ten percent (10%) or more of the value of the permittee's assets shall be reported to the police department within ten (10) days of such change or transfer. Any agreement or arrangement relative to a merger or operational or management change, whether occurring immediately or at some future time, shall be reported to the police department within ten (10) days of entering such agreement or arrangement.

H. Private clubs shall comply with all city, state, and federal laws, and shall be prohibited from conducting any card game or other game or activity prohibited by law.

I. A private club shall maintain a clearly legible membership list, setting forth the names and addresses of all current and past members. Upon an oral or written request, directed to any operator or manager, made twenty four (24) hours in advance, the club shall make the membership list available for inspection and copying to the director of finance administration or police chief, or their designated agents or representatives. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

No business, excluding a nonprofit corporation, which serves alcoholic beverages and which is social or recreational in nature, shall at any time advertise or represent that it is a "private club" unless at all times access to its facilities is restricted to bona fide members in accordance with the provisions of this article and a permit issued under this title. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)

Any operator, manager or employee of a private club shall obtain an identification card issued under the provisions of chapter 1, article 2 of this title, and shall have the identification card in their possession at all times while engaged in this activity. (1962 Code § 6-3.201 et seq.)