Soledad Municipal Code Ch. 5.12 Public Dances

As used in this chapter:

A. "Person" includes every person, club, firm, association or corporation conducting a public dance, or series thereof, or permitting public dances to be conducted under their auspices, and includes the principals, agents, officers and employees thereof.

B. "Public dance" includes every dance to which the public is admitted; provided, "public dance" does not apply to any dance given in a public school by any of the classes thereof.

(Prior code § 7-1)

It is unlawful for any person to suffer or permit any public dance or series of such dances to be held in any hall, room or place in the city without first obtaining a permit therefor from the city council. The permit, when granted, shall be in writing and shall contain the following information:

A. The name and residence of the person to whom the permit is issued;

B. The description of the particular place for which the permit is granted;

C. The place where the dances are to be held under the permit.

(Prior code § 7-2)

Every permit to conduct a public dance under the provisions of this chapter shall expire upon the lapse of six months from the date of its issuance, unless the permit specifies an earlier date for its expiration, or unless the permit be sooner revoked as provided by Section 5.12.040.

(Prior code § 7-3)

The city council may, by resolution, adopt and from time to time amend regulations and guidelines, consistent with the provisions of this chapter, governing the issuance of public dance permits, specifying the days and hours during which public dances may be conducted pursuant to such permits, imposing requirements to protect the public peace, health and safety and requirements relating to the maintenance and supervision of the premises and exterior areas where public dances are conducted, providing for the temporary suspension of permits for violations of permit conditions or of the regulations and guidelines, and providing for the appeal to the city council of any action taken pursuant to the regulations and guidelines denying the issuance of a permit, suspending a permit, or citing a permittee for a violation of the regulations and guidelines.

(Ord. 493 § 1, 1990)

A. The city council may revoke any permit issued under the provisions of this chapter upon proof to its satisfaction that:

1. The holder thereof has violated any provision of this chapter, or of the regulations and guidelines adopted pursuant to Section 5.12.035 of this chapter; or

2. The holder thereof has violated any other provision of federal, state or local law, or regulations issued pursuant to any such law, pertaining to activities regulated by this chapter or other activities conducted by the permittee on the premises to which the permit applies; or

3. The permit was procured through fraudulent representations; or

4. The continued holding of public dances under such permit would constitute a public nuisance or would be contrary to the public peace, health, safety or general welfare; or

5. The permittee has failed to comply with one or more of the conditions attached to the approval and issuance of the permit;

B. Prior to taking any action to revoke, the city clerk shall give written notice to the permittee of the proposed revocation and shall set a date for a public hearing thereon. The notice shall be served personally on the permittee, or by mail addressed to the permittee, at the address of the premises to which it applies or such other address as the permittee may have designated in writing for service of notice. Following the public hearing, if the city council finds that there is good cause therefor, the city council may revoke the permit.

(Ord. 493 § 2, 1990: prior code § 7-4)

No permit granted pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be transferable or assignable.

(Prior code § 7-5)

Upon the granting of any permit provided for by this chapter, no public dance shall be conducted until any and all license fees required by the license provisions of this code have been paid in full.

(Prior code § 7-6)

The place where public dancing is to be conducted under this chapter shall at all times while dancing is being conducted therein be under the supervision and control of the police department of the city. The city council may require, as a condition to the issuance of a permit under this chapter, that a specially appointed police officer of the city be present at all times while dancing is being conducted. The compensation of the police officer shall be paid to the city by the person to whom the permit is issued.

(Prior code § 7-7)

It is unlawful for any person to conduct a public dance between the hours of two a.m. and six a.m. It is unlawful for any person to participate in or be present at a public dance between such hours.

(Prior code § 7-8)

All places for which the permit has been granted under the provisions of this chapter shall be brightly lighted during the hours a public dance is being conducted therein.

(Prior code § 7-9)

It is unlawful for any person conducting a public dance to admit or permit to remain in or about the place where a public dance is being conducted any lewd, dissolute or boisterous or intoxicated person of either sex.

(Prior code § 7-11)

It is unlawful to admit or permit to remain in or about the place where a public dance is being conducted after the hour of eleven p.m. any person under eighteen years of age unless the person is accompanied by his parent or legal guardian, or by some adult person bearing written consent of his parent or legal guardian, and it is unlawful for any such person to attend a public dance unless so accompanied. It is unlawful for any person to make any false statement as to his or her age or the age of any other person for the purpose of obtaining admission to a public dance.

(Prior code § 7-12)

It is unlawful to conduct a public dance at which any person is to, or does receive, directly or indirectly, compensation in any form for participating in any type of dancing.

(Prior code § 7-13)

It is unlawful for any person to conduct any public dance on any premises used in whole or in part for the conducting of any business, or the performances of any acts, declared unlawful by the laws of the United States of America, or of the state.

(Prior code § 7-14)

The public streets, sidewalks and gutters in and about the place where dancing is being conducted under this chapter shall at all times during such dancing be kept free of dirt, refuse, rubbish and garbage and shall be swept clean immediately following the dance.

(Prior code § 7-15)

It is unlawful for any person conducting a public dance to allow any violation of any one or more of the provisions of this chapter and failure to strictly enforce such provisions shall be cause for the revocation by the city council of the permit to conduct a public dance.

(Prior code § 7-16)