Blythe Municipal Code Ch. 5.12 Billiard Rooms

For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply:

A. "Billiard room" means any public place wherein the game of billiards is permitted to be played and includes any place where a fee is charged which is directly or indirectly conditioned upon or related to the playing of the game of billiards.

B. "Billiards," as used in this chapter, means any of the several games played on a table, surrounded by an elastic ledge or cushions, with balls which are impelled by cues, and includes all forms of game known as pool.

C. "Person" means natural person, partnership, association, club, firm or corporation.

(Ord. 346 § 1, 1966)

No person shall conduct, manage, operate or maintain a billiard room in the city without having first obtained a permit from the city to do so in the manner provided in this chapter, which permit shall be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place on the premises where such billiard room is located.

(Ord. 346 § 2, 1966)

A. Any person desiring to obtain the permit required by Section 5.12.020 shall file a verified application therefor with the city clerk.

B. Such application shall set forth the following information: the name, age and residence address of the applicant, if a natural person; or, if a corporation, its name, date and place of incorporation, address of its principal place of business and the names of all its officers, together with their respective addresses; or, if a partnership, association or unincorporated company, the names of partners or persons comprising the association, together with their respective addresses; and the names, age, and residence address of the person who is to manage the billiard room, if other than applicant; whether the applicant or manager is a citizen of the United States; the address at which the billiard room is to be conducted; and a statement as to whether or not an application for a similar permit has been refused or cancelled by this or any other municipality in the state and, if so, a full statement of the reason therefor.

C. At the time of filing the application, the applicant or person making application upon behalf of any firm or corporation, and the person who is to manage the billiard room, if other than applicant, shall be photographed and fingerprinted and said photographs and fingerprints shall be made a part of the application provided for in this section.

(Ord. 346 § 3, 1966)

The city clerk shall refer the application provided for in Section 5.12.030 to the chief of police, who shall cause an investigation to be made. After investigation, the chief of police shall recommend to the city clerk the issuance of a permit, which shall be effective for a period of one year from the date of issuance, unless he finds that the applicant is not a fit and proper person to conduct a billiard room or that the conduct of such billiard room at the location specified in the application would be detrimental to the public peace, morals, health or safety, in which event he shall deny the application; provided that any person aggrieved by the action of the chief of police may appeal to the city council by filing a written notice thereof with the city clerk within five days from the date of notice of such action. The decision of the council, after a hearing on the appeal, shall be final.

(Ord. 346 § 4(a), 1966)

A. The applicant for a permit, or a permittee, shall apply in writing to the chief of police for permission to allow minors in a billiard room and shall agree to comply with the following additional rules and regulations applicable to such billiard room:

1. No alcoholic beverages of any kind shall be sold, consumed or possessed by any person on the premises of the billiard room or on any other premises having access (other than by means of a public street) to the premises of the billiard room unless the permit, described herein, specifically authorizes same. The criteria to be used in determining whether or not the permit will allow such sale or consumption of alcoholic beverages shall consist of the following:

a. The interior design of the billiards establishment is such that the potential sale and consumption of such alcoholic beverages by minors without knowledge of the permittee is minimized;

b. The applicant provides assurances of training, staffing and/or supervision to the effect that potential sale and/or consumption by minors is prevented;

c. The chief of police, as part of his investigation made pursuant to Section 5.12.040, above, determines that the applicant is a fit and proper person to prevent the sale to and/or consumption by minors of alcoholic beverages on or about the billiards establishment;

d. A letter of public convenience will be written;

e. The operator shall at all times have a current city business license;

f. The operator shall have a valid beer only license issued by the state of California;

g. Only beer will be allowed to be served and only to those of legal age; and

h. The operator shall strictly enforce the provisions of the city curfew ordinance.

2. No gambling, betting or wagering of any kind shall be suffered, allowed or permitted on the premises of the billiard room.

3. No profanity of any kind shall be used, suffered, allowed or permitted on the premises of the billiard room.

4. The curfew hours for minors shall be strictly observed and enforced on the premises of the billiard room.

5. The owners, managers and operators, and each of them, of the billiard room shall be strictly responsible for the enforcement of all rules and regulations and shall not permit any person violating any rule or regulation to remain in such billiard room, and shall not permit any habitual violator to enter such billiard room.

6. At least four signs shall be posted and maintained at conspicuous places in and about the billiard room, printed in bold one-inch letters placed on a contrasting background, and setting forth the substance of the rules and regulations in this section.

B. The chief of police, after investigation and after determining that the billiard room is suitable for minors, may endorse the permit, "Minors allowed subject to provisions of Ordinance No. 346 of the City of Blythe."

C. Whenever a permit has been endorsed, as provided herein, including a permit that includes the authorization of minors to be present at a billiards establishment at which alcoholic beverages are sold and/or consumed, the permit to operate a billiards establishment or any part thereof, including the portion that allows minors to be present at such establishment when alcoholic beverages are sold or consumed, may be suspended in whole or in part or revoked for the violation of any of the rules and regulations set forth in this chapter, including subsection A of this section.

(Ord. 737 §§ 1, 2, 1997; Ord. 346 § 4(b), (c), (d), 1966)

A. Employees in billiard rooms must obtain a work permit from the chief of police.

B. Applications for such work permits shall be submitted under oath and contain such information as may be deemed by the chief of police necessary to determine whether the applicant for the work permit is a proper person to be employed in a billiard room.

C. The chief of police may deny to such applicant a work permit if, in his opinion, good cause appears where such person should not be permitted to be employed in a billiard room.

D. Each application for a work permit shall be accompanied by a fee of five dollars and said work permit, when issued, shall be valid for one year, unless otherwise suspended or revoked, as provided in this chapter.

(Ord. 502 § 1, 1978: Ord. 346 § 5, 1966)

Any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter may be renewed from year to year upon application. Such application shall be made in the same manner as for an original application, and shall be made within thirty days before the date of expiration of such permit, or the last renewal thereof, and, if not so made, the permit shall be null and void.

(Ord. 346 § 6, 1966)

The chief of police shall have the right, for cause, to revoke or suspend any billiard room license or permit issued under this chapter and take possession of such license or permit. The action of the chief of police in this respect shall be subject to an appeal to the city council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed with the city clerk within ten days; otherwise, the action of the chief of police in revoking or suspending the billiard room license or permit shall be final and conclusive.

(Ord. 346 § 7, 1966)

Whenever a permit has been revoked under the terms of Section 5.12.080, no application by the person whose permit has been revoked shall be considered by the city clerk for a period of one year.

(Ord. 346 § 8, 1966)

No permit granted or issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be in any manner transferred or assigned, nor shall it authorize any person, other than persons mentioned or named in the permit, to carry on the billiard room for which the permit was granted.

(Ord. 346 § 9, 1966)

A copy of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place on the premises where the billiard room is conducted.

(Ord. 346 § 10, 1966)

No person shall operate a billiard room between the hours of two a.m. and six a.m., or permit or allow any person or persons to remain in any billiard room between the hours of two a.m. and six a.m. This section, however, shall not be construed to prevent regular employees from performing necessary work within the premises.

(Ord. 346 § 11, 1966)

A. No person under the age of eighteen years shall be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room where alcoholic beverages are sold, or consumed on the premises.

B. No person having charge or control of any billiard room shall permit or allow any person under the age of eighteen years to be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room where alcoholic beverages are sold, or consumed.

C. No person shall represent himself to have reached the age of eighteen years in order to gain admission to a billiard room or to be permitted to remain therein when such person in fact is under eighteen years of age.

D. No person under the age of sixteen years shall be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room after the hour of eight p.m. during the months of June through August, and after the hour of six p.m. during the months of September through May, unless such minor is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.

E. No person having charge or control of any billiard room shall permit or allow any person under the age of sixteen years to be in, enter or visit any billiard room in violation of subsection D of this section, unless such person is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.

F. It is unlawful for any minor under the age of eighteen years to visit, frequent or enter billiard rooms between the hours of ten p.m. and two a.m. unless such minor is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.

G. No person having charge or control of any billiard room shall permit or allow any person under the age of eighteen years to be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room between the hours of ten p.m. and two a.m. unless such person is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian.

(Ord. 346 § 12, 1966)

No owner, proprietor, manager, or employee of any billiard room shall permit the use of a pea-ball or dice, or the playing of games of chance in such billiard room, or give any checks or tokens which can be redeemed for merchandise or cash.

(Ord. 346 § 13, 1966)

A billiard room operated under the provisions of this chapter, when minors under the age of eighteen years of age are permitted, shall be so constructed and maintained that a clear and unobstructed view of the entire interior thereof may at all times be had from any entrance to said room. No partitions forming rooms, stalls or other enclosures where the public congregates shall be permitted. This provision, however, shall not be construed to include the maintenance of washrooms and toilet rooms for proper purposes, or the maintenance of closets for storing purposes exclusively. All billiard rooms shall be kept at all times in a clean, healthful and sanitary condition.

(Ord. 346 § 14, 1966)

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any institution or organization which is conducted, managed or carried on wholly for the benefit of charitable purposes or from which profit is not derived, either directly or indirectly, by any individual, firm or corporation.

(Ord. 346 § 15, 1966)

The chief of police shall prescribe such additional regulations not inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter as are deemed necessary by him in the public interest to prevent the operation of billiard rooms from adversely affecting the public peace, health, safety or morals. Such regulations, before becoming effective, shall be approved by the city council. A copy of such regulations shall be furnished to every person holding a valid permit to conduct a billiard room.

(Ord. 346 § 16, 1966)

Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided in Chapter 1.24.

(Ord. 346 § 18, 1966)