Chapter 6.68

INSPECTION AND GRADING OF RESTAURANTS

The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter:

• (1) "Health officer" means the health officer of the city;

• (2) "Itinerant restaurant" means any restaurant, operating from temporary facilities, serving, offering for sale, selling or giving away food or beverage, and includes, but is not limited to, a restaurant where only wrapped sandwiches or other, wrapped and packaged, ready-toeat foods are served, and any mobile unit on which food is prepared and served;

• (3) "Restaurant" means any coffee shop, cafeteria, short-order cafe, luncheonette, tavern, cocktail lounge, sandwich stand, soda fountain, private school cafeteria or eating establishment, in-plant or employee eating establishment, and any other eating establishment, organization, club, including veterans' club, boardinghouse or guest house, which gives, sells or offers for sale, food to the public, guests, patrons, or employees, as well as kitchens in which food is prepared on the premises for serving elsewhere, including catering functions. The term "restaurant" shall not include itinerant restaurants, vending machines, vehicles, cooperative arrangements by employees who purchase food or beverages for their own consumption and where no employee is assigned full time to care for or operate equipment used in such arrangement, or private homes, or private clubs or other nonprofit organizations which purchase food or beverages for the consumption of their members and where no employee or member is assigned full time to care for or operate equipment used in such arrangement.

• (Ord. 8 Sec. 2 (County Ord 493 Sec. 1), 1964)

No person shall operate a restaurant without a valid permit issued by the health officer. Application for a permit shall be made to the health officer upon a form provided by him, and shall be accompanied by a fee as required by Ordinance No. 640.4 of the county of Riverside, and in addition, shall be accompanied by a grading and posting fee which shall be established from time to time by resolution. A permit may be granted at any time during the year, but all permits shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of December, and must be renewed within thirty days thereafter. No permits shall be issued unless the restaurant complies with the minimum requirements of the laws of the state of California and this chapter.

(Ord. 8 Sec. 2 (County Ord. 493 Sec. 2), 1964; Ord. 408 Sec. 1, 1978; Ord. 783, 2001)

The health officer shall inspect and grade each restaurant from time to time as tie shall deem proper, and must inspect and grade, within five days after receipt of written demand therefor by the owner, any restaurant which received a grade of less than ninety percent on the previous inspection. A signed copy of each inspection, computation and determination of grading of each restaurant shall be delivered to the owner, operator or person in charge of the restaurant who shall sign a receipt therefor.

(Ord. 8 Sec. 2 (County Ord. 493 Sec. 3), 1964)

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/NO4562 on 2026-07-07

City of Norco, CA

HEALTH AND SANITATION

§ 6.68.040

§ 6.68.050

All restaurants shall be inspected and graded uniformly by the health officer in conformity with the score card on file in the office of the city clerk, and by this reference made a part of this chapter.

The grade of each restaurant shall be computed and determined by adding together the scores attained for "Equipment" and "Methods" on the score card and then dividing the sum by two. The grade of each restaurant shall be evidenced by the posting of a grade card bearing a letter, "A," "B," or "C." The letter "A" shall indicate a grade of ninety percent, or higher. The letter "B" shall indicate a grade of less than ninety percent but not less than eighty percent. The letter "C" shall indicate a grade of less than eighty percent.

The grade card shall be provided by the health officer, and shall be of dimensions of not more than nine inches by eleven inches, and the grade letter shall not be more than five inches in height. Grade A cards shall be printed in blue, Grade B cards in green, Grade C cards in red, all on white stock.

The grade card shall be posted in a conspicuous place selected by the health officer at or near each entrance to the restaurant used by its patrons, and shall be removed only by the health officer; provided, however, private schools shall not be required to post a grade card. (Ord. 8 Sec. 2 (County Ord. 493 Sec. 4), 1964)

The continued operation of a restaurant which has received a grade of less than eighty percent is not in the public interest and creates a potential danger to the public health and welfare. The health officer shall revoke the permit of any restaurant that does not receive a grade of eighty percent or higher within thirty days after service of written notice. Such written notice is sufficient if it specifies the equipment and methods that are deficient, and is delivered or mailed to the owner, operator, or person in charge of the restaurant at the address of the restaurant shown on the permit.

(Ord. 8 Sec. 2 (County Ord. 493 Sec. 5), 1964)

Downloaded from https://ecode360.com/NO4562 on 2026-07-07

City of Norco, CA

HEALTH AND SANITATION

§ 6.72.010

§ 6.72.030