South Pasadena Municipal Code Div. 2 Owner’s Permit

It shall be unlawful for any owner to operate or cause to be operated a taxicab upon the streets of the city without having been granted an owner’s permit as provided for in this division. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

Any person may apply to the city for an owner’s permit to operate one or more taxicabs upon the streets of the city by filing with the city manager, upon forms supplied by the city, an application setting forth the name and address of the applicant, the business address in the city where the applicant proposes to maintain an office, the number of taxicabs proposed to be operated, the nature and amount of liability insurance covering each taxicab, the taxicab color scheme, the owner’s trade name, monogram and insignia, the type and trade name of the taximeter used and the size, location and wording of all signs and advertising material to appear on the applicant’s taxicabs. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

No application for an owner’s permit shall be deemed to be filed and shall not be acted upon until and unless the applicant shall have made payment to the director of finance of the sum as set and adjusted by resolution of the city council per taxicab for the annual business license fee for operating a taxicab, which sum shall cover the operations of one taxicab until the next following January 1st. If the application is denied, such sum shall be returned to the applicant. (Ord. No. 1304, § 2; Ord. No. 1393, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 86; Ord. No. 2005, § 1.)

Upon the filing of an application for a permit under this division, the city council shall fix a time and place for a public hearing thereon. Notice of such hearing shall be given to the applicant and to all persons holding valid owners’ permits at least seven days before the date of such hearing. Due notice shall also be given the general public by posting a notice of such hearing on the bulletin board in the City Hall. Any interested person may file with the city council a memorandum in support of or in opposition to the issuance of an owner’s permit. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

No owner’s permit for the operation of a taxicab shall be granted until the city council shall determine that public convenience and necessity require the operation of the vehicle. In making such determination as to public convenience and necessity, the council shall consider the following:

• (a) The financial condition of the applicant.

• (b) Whether the persons already holding permits under this article are, under normal conditions, inadequately serving the public.

• (c) Any and all other facts which it may deem pertinent and proper. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

The city council shall order the issuance of an owner’s permit applied for under this division to the applicant if it finds that public convenience and necessity require the applicant’s operations in the city and that the applicant and the vehicle for which the permit is

sought fully comply with the provisions of this chapter.

Any application for an owner’s permit may be denied if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the city council that the vehicle proposed to be operated is inadequate or unsafe, that the applicant’s proposed color scheme, name, insignia or monogram will be in conflict with or imitate any color scheme, name, insignia or monogram used by any other person operating under an owner’s permit in such a manner as to be misleading or tend to deceive or defraud the public, that the applicant is not a fit or proper person to whom such permit should be issued or that other holders of owners’ permits are adequately serving the public. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

A permit issued under this division shall state the name and address of the applicant, the number of vehicles authorized under the permit and the date of issuance. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

A permit issued under this division shall be in force and effect until suspended or revoked in the manner prescribed in this article. (Ord. No. 1122, § 2.)

Notwithstanding the provisions of this division, the city manager may grant an owner’s permit to any person who maintains a principal place of business within the limits of any community the boundaries of which are at least partially contiguous to the boundaries of this city for the purpose of transporting persons for compensation from within the limits of the contiguous community wherein the applicant maintains his place of business to locations within this city and from locations within this city to points outside this city and not otherwise. Any application for such a limited permit shall meet all the requirements of this division, except that the applicant need not maintain an office in the city. Each taxicab operated in the city under such a limited permit shall, at all times while within the city, have prominently affixed thereto a license plate issued for the taxicab by the director of finance. (Ord. No. 111, § 1; Ord. No. 1122, § 1; Ord. No. 1983, § 86.)