Huron Municipal Code Ch. 5.12 Card Rooms

It shall be unlawful for the operator, or any person having charge, control or management of, any establishment, social club or place of business, open to the public or to which an admission fee is charged, to conduct, operate or participate in any card game, or to permit or suffer upon or in such premises the conduct or operation of any such card game or participation therein by others, unless such operator or other person having charge, control or management of said establishment, club or place of business, shall have first obtained a card room license from the City of Huron to conduct such card game.

(Ord. 281 § 1, 1992)

A. An applicant for a card room license shall submit his application to the chief of police of the City of Huron which application shall be under oath, and shall include, among other things, the true names and addresses of all persons financially interested in the business. The term "persons financially interested" shall include all persons who share in the profits of the business, on the basis of gross or net revenue. The past criminal record, if any, of the applicant and of all persons financially interested in the business shall be shown on such application. The application shall also be accompanied by fingerprints and recent photograph, and an amount equal to the current fingerprint process fee required by the State of California and the City of Huron, of the applicant and of persons financially interested in the business. A license may be issued only to citizens or legal residents of the United States.

B. Chief of police shall deny any applicant for a card room license a license to operate such card room if:

1. Said applicant has previously been convicted of a felony; or

2. Said applicant has previously been convicted of any narcotics violation; or

3. Said applicant is not in the opinion of the chief of police a fit and proper person to operate a card room;

4. Said card room is to be located within any area of the City of Huron which is wholly residential; and in the opinion of the chief of police, the issuance of said card room permit would tend to cause a police problem or public nuisance;

5. Said card room is to be located within six hundred (600) feet of a public school, church, hospital or any other public facility where the presence of said card room might tend to promote a demoralizing effect, or cause a police problem, or create a public nuisance;

6. In an establishment serving alcoholic beverages, if the card room is not separated by a barrier wall at least four and one half (4½) feet high and not to exceed five (5) feet from the floor. One (1) opening in the barrier is allowed for adequate ingress and egress.

C. The action of the chief of police in denying such a license on the basis of subsection B(3), (4) or (5) of this section shall be subject to an appeal to the council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed with the city clerk within ten (10) days after the denial of said license. Upon the failure to file such notice within the ten (10) day period, the action of the chief of police in denying such license shall be final and conclusive.

D. Such card room license shall be prominently posted in the card room area.

(Ord. 281 § 2, 1992)

A. Card room employees must obtain a work permit from the chief of police. "Card room employees," for the purpose of this chapter, are defined as dealers, overseers and others directly connected with the operation and supervision of the card tables and excluding waitresses, bartenders, culinary workers and others not connected with such operation and supervision. Applications for such work permits shall be submitted under oath and contain the past criminal record, if any, of the applicant and such information as may be deemed by the chief of police as necessary to determine whether the applicant is a proper person to be issued a card room work permit. The application shall also be accompanied by fingerprints and recent photograph of the applicant. A work permit shall be issued only to citizens or legal residents of the United States. The chief of police shall deny to such applicant a work permit if:

1. Said applicant has previously been convicted of a felony; or

2. Said applicant has previously been convicted of any narcotics violation, or violation of gambling laws or ordinances; or

3. Said applicant is not in the opinion of the chief of police a fit and proper person to engage in such work.

Each application for a work permit shall be accompanied by a fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00), and an additional amount equal to the current fee required by the State of California and the City of Huron to process applicant's fingerprints. The fee shall not be returned in the event that said work permit is refused, revoked or suspended as hereinafter provided. The permit shall be valid for one (1) year from the date of issue. The date of expiration shall be prominently displayed on the face of the permit. The holder of such permit shall not be restricted as to place of employment.

B. The action of the chief of police in denying such a work permit on the basis of the applicant not being a fit and proper person shall be subject to an appeal to the council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed with the city clerk within ten (10) days after the denial of said work permit. Upon failure to file such notice within the ten (10) day period, the action of the chief of police in denying such work permit shall be final and conclusive.

C. Such card room work permit shall be prominently displayed in the card room when the holder of such permit is working.

(Ord. 281 § 3, 1992)

The chief of police shall have the right for cause to revoke or suspend any card room license or card room work permit issued hereunder and to take possession of such permits. Any of the grounds upon which the chief of police shall be required to refuse to issue an initial card room license or card room work permit shall also constitute grounds for revocation or suspension of such license or work permit. The action of the chief of police in this respect shall be subject to an appeal to the council. Notice of such appeal shall be filed with the city clerk within ten (10) days after the revocation or suspension. Upon failure to file such notice within the ten (10) day license or work permit shall be final and conclusive.

(Ord. 281 § 4, 1992)

No person shall be granted a license to conduct more than one (1) cardroom. No card room license shall be assignable or transferable.

(Ord. 281 § 5, 1992)

All card rooms located on premises where alcoholic beverages are sold and which are not completely sealed off therefrom shall be closed at two a.m., and shall remain closed until six a.m.

(Ord. 281 § 6, 1992)

A. No person who is in a state of intoxication shall be permitted in any card room.

B. No dealer or person in charge of the premises shall allow any intoxicated person in the card room.

(Ord. 281 § 7, 1992)

No person under the age of twenty-one (21) shall be permitted in or about any card room.

(Ord. 281 § 8, 1992)

Every person conducting, carrying on or managing a card room, or permitting the conducting or operation of any card game on premises open to the public, or to which an admission fee is charged, as described in Section 5.12.010, whether the said room is used, maintained or operated in connection with any other business or not, there shall be collected the sum of one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) annually, payable in advance, plus an additional license fee of two hundred dollars ($200.00) annually, payable in advance for each table in said card room or rooms. These amounts shall not be subject to pro-ration.

(Ord. 281 § 9, 1992)

The city council may, by resolution, in the best interest of the public welfare, limit the number of licenses issued under Section 5.12.090. No more than one (1) card room shall be licensed for each business establishment. No more than two (2) card tables shall be allowed in any card room.

Each establishment having a card room open to the public shall prominently post signs, in English and Spanish language, stating the fees charged for playing cards in such card room.

(Ord. 281 § 10, 1992)

The council of the City of Huron declares that it is not the intention of this chapter to permit the licensing of any card room for the playing of any game prohibited by the laws of the State, including but not limited to, those games enumerated in Section 330 of the Penal Code of the State of California, which section includes banking and percentage games.

(Ord. 281 § 11, 1992)

When applying for a card room license, applicant shall provide proof of a current fire inspection for the premises; if alterations are to be made to the premises, all building permits and inspections shall be carried out as specified by the Uniform Building Code; all city fees, including but not limited to, sewer, water, garbage, business license, utility tax accounts, and booking fees must be kept current; all provisions covered in the general application for the card room as specified by the Department of Justice, Bureau of Investigation, Gaming Registration Program, shall be included in this chapter; and a complete copy of the applicant's application for initial registration submitted to the department of justice will be submitted to the chief of police at the time of applying for a city permit.

(Ord. 281 § 13, 1992)

Any violation of this chapter shall be an infraction and punishable by a fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for a first offense, one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) for a second offense, and one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500.00) for a third offense.

(Ord. 281 § 12, 1992)