[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township
of Riverside 7-23-1975 by Ord. No. 1975-17 (Ch. 205 of the 1995
Code). Amendments noted where applicable.]
This chapter is enacted for the purpose of revenue as well as
for the proper regulation, control and operation of the business and
premises described herein.
It shall be unlawful in the Township of Riverside to conduct
a billiard room, poolroom or combination thereof or such other places
where the business of playing billiards or pool are conducted for
gain, reward or profit without first having obtained a license for
that purpose in accordance with the provisions of this chapter as
herein set forth.
A.
An application for such license issuable under this chapter shall
be made to the Township Clerk, in writing, signed by the person or
persons, society, club, corporation or association intending to conduct
such place of business, and said writing shall specify the location
of the premises, the approximate size and the type and nature of the
building and the structure thereon, the nature of the business to
be conducted therein, the name, residence, age and occupation of the
applicant, the number of tables to be licensed and such other information
and data which, by the rules and regulations of the Township Committee,
shall be considered pertinent. Applicants shall furnish two-by-two-inch
photographs of owners, corporate officers, directors and stockholders.
Applicants shall submit to being fingerprinted.
B.
All applications shall be submitted to the Director of Public Safety
for his inspection and investigation, and he shall report thereon
his approval or disapproval of the application. The application shall
also be submitted to the Fire Marshal for his inspection of the premises
and investigation, and he shall make notation thereon as to his approval
or disapproval.
[Amended 3-28-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-4]
C.
Where the Township Clerk considers it appropriate, the application
shall also be submitted to the Health Officer, who shall investigate
and who shall indicate upon said application his approval or disapproval.
D.
The Director of Public Safety, Fire Marshal and Health Officer shall
respectively satisfy themselves as to the moral and public safety
hazard, the sanitary requirements and conditions and the fire hazards
involved and shall make report thereon, together with their approval
or disapproval, within 10 days after the application has been submitted
to them.
[Amended 3-28-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-4]
E.
Upon return of said application to the Township Clerk by the Director
of Public Safety, Health Officer and Fire Marshal, the Township Clerk
shall then refer the application for license to the Township Committee
of the Township of Riverside for its consideration and determination.
[Amended 3-28-1994 by Ord. No. 1994-4]
F.
Upon favorable action of the Township Committee, the license herein
provided shall be issued to the licensee.
A.
The term of each license issued hereunder shall run from January
1 and expire December 31 following the issuance thereof. Any and all
licenses covered by this chapter now issued and outstanding shall
expire as of December 31, 1975. Any games now being conducted and
covered by this chapter which are not licensed shall be licensed in
accordance herewith and the persons conducting the same shall be given
30 days after final passage of this chapter in which to secure said
license.
B.
Any license issued after August 1 of any year shall require payment
of 1/2 of the full license fee for the year, and such license shall
expire on December 31 after its issuance.
C.
Each license issued shall apply only to the person, firm or corporation
specified therein and shall not be transferable to any other firm
or corporation or to any other place or location other than that shown
or set forth in said license.
The license herein provided for shall be posted and displayed
in a conspicuous place in the billiard room, poolroom or such other
place where the business of playing billiards or pool is conducted
under such license.
A.
The annual fee payable for licenses to be issued under this chapter
shall be the sum of $100 for one pool or billiard table and an additional
sum of $25 for each additional pool or billiard table on the premises.
B.
The aforesaid fees shall be paid to the Township Clerk of the Township
of Riverside at the time the application for license is submitted.
In the event that the license is refused or not issued, then the aforesaid
license fees shall be refunded.
No license to operate or conduct a billiard room, poolroom or
combination thereof or such other place where the business of playing
billiards or pool is conducted shall be issued to any minor or person
convicted of crime or violation of any state law or municipal ordinance
involving gambling or moral turpitude.
A.
No person operating or having control of any billiard or pool table
for profit or who has the control of any room or rooms wherein is
kept, used or operated for profit any billiard or pool table of any
kind whatsoever shall permit or allow any minor under the age of 18
to play thereon or to use any such table or to be, remain in or frequent
or loiter in any such room, nor shall any person known to have been
convicted of a crime or violation of a state law or municipal ordinance
involving gambling be permitted to use any such table or to remain
in or frequent any such room.
B.
It shall be the duty of any person who is the proprietor or keeper
of a billiard parlor or poolroom to post conspicuously in his place
of business the following sign: MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS NOT
ALLOWED HERE.
No license shall be issued to conduct the business of billiard
or pool rooms within 1,500 feet of any school, library or church premises.
This chapter shall not apply to any duly authorized church or
to any bona fide veterans, charitable, educational, religious, civic
or fraternal organizations; provided, however, that such organizations
are organized on a non-pecuniary-profit basis and do not have a plenary
retail consumption license issued by any Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board.
Every licensed poolroom or billiard room or combination thereof
shall be established to admit a view of the interior thereof from
the entrance to licensed premises; provided, however, that a curtain
or other means of screening may be used on windows or doors of the
premises to a height of five feet from the floor of said premises;
provided, however, that said screening shall not obstruct or prevent
the view of examination of the interior of the premises by a police
officer or any inspection by any other officer of the law.
The owner or operator of every billiard room, poolroom or such
other place as may exist wherein billiards or pool is licensed hereunder
shall not permit the use of the billiards and pool tables to be used
for any purpose between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on weekdays,
and between 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. The hours herein mentioned
refer to standard time or daylight saving time, whichever time shall
then be in effect and shall apply thereto.
A.
A complaint may be filed by any interested citizen or by a member
of the Police or Fire Department of the Township of Riverside if said
complainant shall have reason to believe that a violation of this
chapter exists in any premises licensed in accordance with this chapter.
B.
The license issued hereunder may be suspended or revoked by the Township
Committee upon a hearing to be held after notice to the licensee.
Section 319-6 of this chapter shall not apply to licensed taverns. In such taverns, the annual license fee shall be $10 per table. No person operating such a tavern shall permit any minor under the age of 18 years to play on or use any pool or billiard table.
The number of licenses issued or to be issued under this chapter
for the conduct of a billiard room, poolroom or combination thereof
shall not exceed one for every 10,000 residents of the Township of
Riverside according to the last federal census.
[Amended 9-25-1995 by Ord. No. 1995-10; 8-23-2006 by Ord. No.
2006-18]
