Fairfield Municipal Code Art. XII Hotel and Motel Registers and Room Rentals

In this article:

(a)

"Guest"

means a person who exercises occupancy or is entitled to occupancy in a hotel by reason of concession, permit, right of access, license, or other agreement.

(b)

"Hotel"

means any business that is classified by section 25.50.2.H of the City Code as a "Hotel/motel" or "Hotel/Motel - Extended Stay." Hotel includes the parking lot and other common areas of the hotel. Hotel does not include living accommodations provided at any governmental or nonprofit institution in connection with functions of that institution.

(c)

"Identification document"

means a document that contains the name, date of birth, description, and picture of a person, issued by the federal government, the State of California or another state, or a county or municipal government subdivision or agency, or any of the foregoing, including but not limited to a motor vehicle operator’s license, an identification card, a green card, or an identification card issued to a member of the Armed Forces. Identification document also includes a passport issued by a foreign government. The city manager or his or her designee is authorized to allow the acceptance of other forms of verification. In such a case, the city manager or designee shall notify hotel operators when and if alternate forms of verification are permitted.

(d)

"Occupancy"

means the use or possession, or the right to the use or possession, of any room in any hotel.

(e)

"Operator"

means the person is either the proprietor of the hotel or any other person who has the right to rent rooms within the hotel, whether in the capacity of owner, manager, lessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, employee, or any other capacity.

(f)

"Record"

means a legible written document of information about a guest. A record may be maintained electronically, in a book or on cards.

(g)

"Rent"

means consideration charged, whether or not received, for the occupancy of a room 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.

(h)

"Reservation"

means a request to hold a room for a potential guest that includes the following information and is documented in writing: (1) the potential guest’s name and contact information; and (2) the date and time when the contact was made.

(i)

"Room"

means any portion of a hotel which is designed for occupancy by a person for temporary lodging or sleeping purposes.

(j)

"Walk-in guest"

means any guest who did not make a reservation for a room at least 24 hours prior to the time that he or she seeks to check in at the hotel.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

A. Every operator of a hotel shall keep a record in which the following information shall be entered:

(1) The name and address of each guest and the total number of guests.

(2) The day, month, year, and time of arrival of each guest.

(3) The number or other identifying symbol of location of the room rented or assigned to each guest.

(4) The date that each guest is scheduled to depart.

(5) The rate charged and amount collected for rental of the room assigned to each guest.

(6) The method of payment for the room.

(7) The make, type, and license number of the guest’s vehicle if the vehicle will be parked on hotel premises.

(8) The name of the operator checking in the guest.

(9) Identification information as required by Section 27.1304 of this article.

B. The city may develop standard forms for recording register information for all motels and hotels that must conform to these requirements.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

Every operator of a hotel shall comply with the following requirements for maintaining the hotel record:

A. Guest registers shall be kept on the hotel premises in the guest reception or guest check-in area or in an office adjacent to that area. The record shall be maintained at that location on the hotel premises for a period of 90 days from and after the date of the last entry in the record.

B. Hotels shall retain records for a period of not less than 2 years from the date of the last entry in the record. Such records may be retained on- or off-site, but if maintained off-site, the records must be readily accessible to permit inspection, review and audit by the city in compliance with federal and California law and the Fairfield City Code.

C. No person shall alter, deface, or erase the record so as to make the information recorded in it illegible or unintelligible.

D. Nothing in this section absolves the operator from maintaining the record for longer than 90 days in order to comply with any other provision of law, including the obligation to maintain and produce records for the purpose of paying a transient occupancy tax.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1; Ord. No. 2016-10, § 1)

The operator of a hotel shall not rent a room without verifying the identification of the guest. Verification of identification shall be recorded by the operator and the record maintained pursuant to this Article.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

The owner or proprietor of a hotel business shall take all reasonable steps, including but not limited to providing training regarding this Article to ensure that the person who checks a person into the hotel complies with the provisions of this Article. A person who has not been trained shall not be assigned to check persons into the hotel.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

A. No person shall check into a hotel under the name of any other person or of a fictitious person, or give to the hotel any assumed, false, or fictitious name, or any other name other than his or her true name.

B. No person shall present to any hotel identification that is in any way false, altered, or counterfeit, or that belongs to another person.

C. This Section does not apply to law enforcement personnel engaged in an investigation.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

A. Any person who violates this Article shall be guilty of an infraction;

B. A public safety officer may issue an administrative citation for a violation of this Article pursuant to Chapter 1 of the Fairfield City Code and tshe procedures in Chapter 1 shall be followed; and

C. In addition to the above remedies, any person who violates this Article may be subject to civil remedies and injunction, as applicable.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1; Ord. No. 2016-10, § 2)

Repealed by Ord. 2016-10.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)

Repealed by Ord. 2016-10.

(Ord. 2008-07 § 1)