[Code 1979, § 7.141]
No person shall engage in the business of auto salvage, or operate any junkyard or place in the dismantling, wrecking and disposing of used motor vehicles and/or junk and/or refuse material of automobiles in the City without having secured a license from the City therefor as provided in this article. No such license shall be issued except on certification of the Chief of Police.
[Code 1979, § 7.142]
Any party desiring to secure a license under this article shall file with the City Clerk an application on blanks to be furnished by the City Clerk, and in the application shall state the name, resident address and age of the applicant, and whether or not the applicant has ever been convicted of a crime, except traffic violations, and if so, the nature of the crime, date and court of conviction, if an individual. If a partnership, the same information shall be given for each officer of the corporation. In addition thereto, each application shall give the exact nature of the applicant's business and his manner of operation; the exact location of the business by street name and number and legal description of the property and the size and dimensions of the property proposed to be used. The applicant shall also file with the Clerk the written consent of 90% of the residents residing within 1,000 feet of the property and the applicant shall pay a license fee as prescribed in Chapter 38.
[Code 1979, § 7.143]
Upon receipt of the application filed under this article, the Clerk shall present it to the City Council at the next Council meeting. The application shall be reviewed by the Council, and the Council may orally examine the applicant at the meeting. If it appears that the application is properly filed, and that the applicant is a suitable operator of the business and that the granting of a license and the operation of the business would not be detrimental to the public health, interest and general welfare of the City, the Council may then authorize the Mayor to issue the license.
[Code 1979, § 7.144]
If all of the applicant's business is to be conducted within a building and all of his stock, equipment, parts and business property are to be stored and/or kept within a building, the license under this article shall be forthwith delivered to the applicant. Otherwise, the license shall be held by the City Clerk in escrow until the business property complies with the regulations provided in this article.
[Code 1979, § 7.145]
All automobile salvage business shall be conducted within a building and all materials shall be stored, kept and dealt with within a building. If an open lot or field is used in the business for any purpose other than customer parking, the lot or field shall be enclosed with a fence eight feet high. The fence shall be of boards, brick, cement blocks or other material which shall be fit close together so as to conceal the business materials stored, kept or dealt in. Where an open field adjoins the business property which is not being used for residential or recreation purposes, the portion of the fence may be of woven wire, six feet high with two strands of barbed wire one foot above the woven wire and the other one one foot above the first barbed wire. Each such place of business, unless all within a building, shall provide ample off-street parking for the customers. No fence shall be nearer than 150 feet from the nearest right-of-way line of any street. All gates, doors or openings in the fence shall be kept closed, except while entrance or exit is being made.
[Code 1979, § 7.147]
Each renewal application under this article shall contain a sworn statement of the applicant to the effect he has operated his business lawfully for the past year, that his place of business fully complies with all rules and regulations of the City and the state, and that he has not been convicted of a crime associated with the auto salvage dealership or operation during the previous year. If the applicant has been convicted of such a crime during the previous year, or if there are on file with the City Clerk written complaints made by three or more persons about his place of business and/or manner of operations, then in either event the City Clerk shall present the application to the next meeting of the City Council to be dealt with in the same manner as an original application.
[Code 1979, § 7.148; amended 5-19-2000 by Ord. No. 2000-03]
A renewal fee shall accompany the application for renewal of a license under this article. The renewal fee as well as any additional fees for applications requiring City Council attention, shall be paid before a license is issued. The amount of the fee shall be set as provided in Chapter 38 of the City code.
[Code 1979, § 7.149]
Should any application under this article contain any false statement, or should the applicant attempt to secure the license by false statement, concealment of fact or fraud, the license shall be denied.
[Code 1979, § 7.150]
Persons licensed under this article shall not be required to obtain additional licenses under this chapter even though engaged in the sale of used automobiles.