La Quinta Municipal Code Ch. 5.24 Hotel Registration and Occupancy

The following definitions are applicable to this chapter:

"Adult" means any competent person over eighteen (18) years of age.

"Hotel" means lodginghouse, roominghouse, recreation vehicle park, hotel or motel or apartment house.

"Minor child" means any person less than eighteen (18) years of age.

"Occupancy" or "occupation" includes but is not limited to any type of rental, lease, sublease or letting of hotel rooms for compensation or otherwise.

"Parent" means the natural or adopted parent or relative eighteen (18) years or more of age, or the legal guardian.

"Room" means and includes any rental, hotel room, apartment, or any type of hotel accommodation.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015)

Every owner, keeper or proprietor of any lodginghouse, roominghouse, recreation vehicle park, hotel or motel shall keep a register wherein he or she shall require all adult guests, roomers or lodgers to inscribe their names and addresses upon their procuring lodging or a room or accommodations. Before furnishing any lodging for hire to any person, the proprietor, keeper, manager or owner thereof shall compare each name inscribed against a valid government-issued identification document as verification of accurate identity inscribed in register and shall set opposite the each name the correct date and time when so inscribed, and the room or space occupied, or to be occupied by the lodger, roomer or guest. At the time of departure of each guest, every owner, keeper or proprietor shall endorse upon such register the date of such departure and no person shall erase, alter, delete or remove any information written in such register.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015; Ord. 10 § 1, 1982)

The register required in Section 5.24.010 shall be kept in either a substantially bound book, compilation of registration cards, or electronic format; and which register shall be preserved for a minimum period of three (3) years after the date of its most recent entry.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015; Ord. 10 § 1, 1982)

The register shall at all times be open to inspection by the chief of police, any regular police officer of this city, code enforcement officer, and city audit staff members. If an owner, keeper or proprietor of a hotel objects to an inspection of the register required by this chapter, an opportunity for pre-compliance review shall be granted unless an administrative or judicial warrant or subpoena has been issued, or an exigent circumstance or other exception to obtaining a warrant or subpoena applies. For purposes of this chapter, "pre-compliance review" means any administrative or judicial process available for review by a neutral decision-maker, including by a neutral hearing officer pursuant to Chapter 1.09. The register shall be subject to temporary impoundment if a police officer or city audit staff member reasonably suspects that a hotel operator may tamper with the registry pending a decision for the pre-compliance review.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015; Ord. 10 § 1, 1982)

Every person engaging or to whom there is furnished any room or accommodations at a lodginghouse, roominghouse, recreation vehicle park, hotel or motel shall first sign the register and give the information as provided in the preceding sections.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015; Ord. 10 § 1, 1982)

No person referred to in Section 5.24.030 shall write or allow to be written any other than his or her true name and address upon the registration; nor shall any person write thereon other than the true name and address of any other guest upon the registration.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015; Ord. 10 § 1, 1982)

No hotel owner, operator or employee shall permit the occupancy of any room by any minor child, unless the minor child is accompanied by his or her parent, legal guardian or a responsible adult authorized in writing by a parent or legal guardian of the minor child.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015)

No adult or parent registering with a minor child, as provided in Section 5.24.050, shall, except in the case of sickness, death, or act of God, fail to remain registered for a period equal to the longest period of occupation by the minor child.

(Ord. 526 § 5, 2015)