Big Bear Lake Municipal Code Ch. 5.68 Pool and Billiard Halls

As used in this chapter, "person" means any person, company, firm, corporation, group or association of persons.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom in the city without first obtaining a license so to do, as in this chapter so provided.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

Any person desiring to engage in the business of operating and conducting a billiard hall or poolroom shall pay a license fee. The license fee shall be established, from time to time, by resolution of the city council, after the city council conducts a public hearing. Any person desiring to obtain a license to operate or conduct the business of a billiard hall or a poolroom in the city shall make application for the license therefore in writing to the tax collector, stating in such application where it is intended to conduct or operate such business, describing the location thereof sufficiently for identification and the names of all owners of such business. Upon receiving such application and the payment to him of the amount of the license fee, the tax collector, shall, after the application has been approved by the city council, issue to the person a license to engage in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom at the place so designated in the application. The city council may refuse to grant any such license if, in the opinion of the majority of the city council, the establishing and maintaining of a billiard hall or poolroom at the designated location would be contrary to the public welfare of the community wherein the applicant desires to establish and maintain such billiard hall or poolroom.

(Ord. 2002-329 § 1(u), 2002; Ord. 2002-326 § 1(part), 2002; Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

A licensee or applicant may apply for a special license which may be granted upon such conditions or restrictions as the council may determine including age limits, business hours or conditions of premises. The council shall consider a report of the sheriff, factors of location, area per table, cleanliness, amount of lighting in the premises, visibility of interior from the street or other portion of premises if connected with other recreational activities, type of management of such establishment, provisions for spectators or nonplaying guests. The council may also promulgate regulations regarding such factors. Except as contained in the special license conditions or such regulations, the licensee shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter. If any license condition, regulation or provision of this section or this chapter is violated, the special license may be revoked after a hearing before the council. The fee for special license is sixty dollars per year which shall include that fee specified in Section 5.68.030. The fee for special license shall be established, from time to time, by resolution of the city council, after the city council conducts a public hearing.

(Ord. 2002-329 § 1(v), 2002; Ord. 2002-326 § 1(part), 2002; Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person engaging in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom within the city to permit or allow any gambling, or to have, use, permit or allow any punchboard or gambling device in or about the billiard hall or poolroom.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person engaged in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom to sell, furnish, give away or permit anyone in his employ or any other person to sell, furnish or give away any distilled spirits or wine as defined in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act of the state, or to engage in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom in any room or place in which distilled spirits or wine, as defined in the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, are kept, stored, sold, furnished, consumed or given away.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person engaged in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom within the city outside of municipal corporations to open, keep open or permit to be open or kept open, any such billiard hall or poolroom between the hours of twelve midnight and six a.m.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person engaged in the business of operating or conducting a billiard hall or poolroom within the city or any employee or agent of such person, to permit or allow any person under the age of eighteen years to be or remain in any such billiard hall or poolroom.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

It is unlawful for any person to engage in the business of operating or conducting any billiard hall or poolroom in any hall, room or place within the city unless such hall, room or place shall have at least one door or one window through which the public may at all times see the entire interior of any such hall, room or place during the daytime, and where any light is therein at nighttime, and no obstruction of any kind whatever shall be permitted that will obstruct such view.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

The city council may, as provided in this section, revoke any license granted under the terms of this chapter, to-wit:

A. The council may revoke any such license upon the petition in writing of any citizen and resident of the city, when such petition is filed with the council, setting forth that any of the terms and conditions of this chapter has been violated, and particularly setting forth wherein the same has been violated.

B. The council may revoke any such license upon the petition of any citizen and resident of the city, setting forth that such billiard hall or poolroom is being conducted in a disorderly or disgraceful manner or in a manner detrimental to the public morals, or in any manner disturbing to the peace and quiet of the neighborhood in which such billiard hall or poolroom is situated.

C. The council may revoke any such license upon a petition signed by a majority of the registered voters residing in the voting precinct in which any such billiard hall or poolroom may be situated, setting forth that any such billiard hall or poolroom is undesirable and is obnoxious to the people of the community in which the same is situated. Upon presentation of any petition for the revocation of license, upon any of the grounds mentioned in subsections A through C of this section, the council shall set a date when such petition shall be heard by the council, and shall cause ten days personal notice to be served upon the holder of such license, notifying him to appear at the time and place so fixed for such hearing and show cause, if any he has, why such license should not be revoked. If the holder of the license shall at the time the notice is served be absent from the place where such billiard hall or poolroom is conducted, a copy of the notice delivered to the person in charge of the billiard hall or poolroom shall be sufficient notice to such license holder of the time and place where such petition is to be heard. If at such hearing a majority of the council is satisfied that any of the conditions of this chapter have been violated or that such billiard hall or poolroom is being conducted or carried on in a disorderly or disgraceful manner or in a manner that is detrimental to public morals, or that the continued existence and operation of such billiard hall or poolroom is obnoxious to a majority of the residents of the community in which the same is situated, or that the same is being conducted in a manner disturbing to the peace and quiet of the neighborhood in which the same is situated, such license shall be revoked, and no license shall thereafter for a period of one year, be granted to the person whose license has been so revoked, nor shall any other person, during such a year, be granted a license to conduct or carry on a billiard hall or poolroom in the same building in which the billiard hall or poolroom was situated and for which license had been so revoked.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)

This chapter shall not apply to any bona fide lodge, club, society, veterans' organization or similar group having one or more billiard tables or pool tables on their private premises solely for the amusement and entertainment of their members and guests, and where no fee is charged for the use of such billiard tables or pool tables and the use of such tables is not open to the public.

(Ord. 82-72 § 1(part), 1982)