Torrance Municipal Code Art. 7 License Review Board

a) The License Review Board is hereby created to review applications for a business license in the following cases:

1. When a license is denied by the License Supervisor or any other officer or employee of the City;

2. Applications made for the issuance of free licenses;

3. For those businesses which, under the provisions of this Division, require License Review Board approval before a license may be issued; and

4. All such other business license applications as in the discretion of the License Supervisor should be sent to the License Review Board.

b) All matters pertaining to the revocation and suspension of business licenses shall be referred to the License Review Board for hearing and findings.

c) The License Review Board shall review applications for fund solicitation certificates, as set forth in Article 2 of Chapter 4.

(Amended by O-2169; O-3501)

The License Review Board will be composed of three City employees designated by the City Manager.

(Amended by O-1173; O-1493; O-1590; O-1725; O-2021; O-2266; O-2288; O-2894; O-3087; O-3102; O-3924)

No license shall be issued to carry on any of the following businesses except upon approval of the License Review Board:

1. Animal shelter, humane society or dog pound

2. Automobile parts and supplies; secondhand

3. Automobile wrecking

4. Baths

5. Billiard or pool hall

6. Bowling alley

7. Carnival, circuses, rodeos or itinerant shows

8. Cemetery

9. Dance halls

10. Entertainment

11. Foster homes

12. Handbills

13. Junk dealer, junk collector, salvage pickup

14. Mausoleum

15. Secondhand dealers

16. Swap meets

17. Swim at home instruction

18. Massage parlors - massagist

19. Hypnotist

20. Fortune telling

21. Escorts and escort bureaus

(Amended by O-3011)

a) Every application for a license for the businesses listed in Section 31.7.3. of this Article shall be in the form required by the License Review Board and shall be accompanied by a fee sufficient to cover the cost of processing the application and conducting the investigation required by this Section. The License Review Board may adopt regulations and procedures to implement this Division.

b) The Revenue Administrator shall cause such investigation of the application to be made as he deems necessary. The License Review Board shall, within thirty (30) days after receiving the application, deny the permit or issue the same as applied for or with conditions. Such thirty (30) days shall be extended by the time required for reporting the application to state or federal agencies. The time for processing may be further extended with consent of the applicant.

c) The License Review Board shall deny a license provided for in this Article if it finds the applicant is unfit for the particular business. The Board may find the applicant is unfit based on the following factors where relevant to the business activity for which the application is made:

1. If the applicant has engaged in an unlawful, fraudulent, unfair or deceptive business acts or practices;

2. If the applicant has been convicted of a felony;

3. If the applicant has been convicted of a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude;

4. If the applicant has violated any law or lawful regulation of the United States, or any state, county or city relevant to the business or activity for which he is making application;

5. If the applicant has made any material misstatement or concealment in the application for such a permit; or

6. If the Board finds on any of the foregoing bases that the applicant is unfit to conduct such a business.

The Board may also deny a permit if it shall reasonably determine that the conduct of such business or activity by the applicant at the location for which application is made will violate any law, or lawful regulation of the City of Torrance, the State of California, the United States or any agency thereof; or will constitute a public nuisance; or by reason of the nature of the activity or subject of the business or the proposed location, can reasonably be expected to be substantially detrimental to the health or safety of the public.

d) Upon issuance of any license, the Board may limit the permit by any condition reasonably necessary to preserve the intent and purpose of this Chapter.

Any person denied a license by the License Supervisor or the License Review Board shall be entitled to a hearing thereon before the License Review Board upon the filing of a written request therefor with the License Supervisor. The License Review Board shall hold such hearing not later than ten (10) days thereafter, unless an extension of time therefor is requested by the applicant. The hearing shall be conducted in the manner provided in Section 31.9.4.

(Amended by O-2822)

In any case where the License Review Board approves or fails to approve the issuance of a business license, an appeal may be taken pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, Chapter 1, Division 1 of this Code, commencing at Section 11.5.1.