[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Ipswich as Ch. XI, § 13, of the 1973 Bylaws. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Criminal record background checks — See Ch. 127.
[Amended 10-20-1997 STM, approved by Attorney General 2-10-1998; 11-7-2017 STM by Art. 10, approved by Attorney General 2-26-2018]
The Tax Collector shall annually, and may periodically, furnish to each department, board, commission or division, hereinafter referred to as the licensing authority, that issues licenses or permits including renewals or transfers, a list of any person, corporation, or business enterprise, hereinafter referred to as the party, that has neglected or refused to pay any local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments or other municipal charges, including amounts assessed under the provisions of MGL c. 40, § 21D, and that such party has not filed in good faith a pending application for an abatement of such tax or pending petition before the appellate tax board.
[Amended 10-17-1994 STM, approved by Attorney General 12-6-1994; amended 10-20-1997 STM, approved by Attorney General 2-10-1998]
The licensing authority may deny, revoke or suspend a building permit, or any license or permit, including renewals and transfers of any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing authority from the Tax Collector or with respect to any activity, event or other matter which is the subject of such license or permit and which activity, event or matter is carried out or exercised or is to be carried out or exercised on or about real estate owned by any party whose name appears on said list furnished to the licensing authority from the Tax Collector; provided, however, that written notice is given to the party and the Tax Collector, as required by applicable provisions of law, and the party is given a hearing, to be held not earlier than 14 days after said notice. Said list shall be prima facie evidence for denial, revocation or suspension of said license or permit to any party. The Tax Collector shall have the right to intervene in any hearing conducted with respect to such license, denial, revocation or suspension. Any findings made by the licensing authority with respect to such license denial, revocation or suspension shall be made only for the purposes of such proceeding and shall not be relevant to or introduced in any other proceeding at law, except for any appeal from such license denial, revocation or suspension. Any license denied, suspended or revoked under this bylaw shall not be reissued or renewed until the license authority receives a certificate issued by the Tax Collector that the party is in good standing with respect to any and all local taxes, fees, assessments, betterments, or other municipal charges, payable to the municipality as of the date of issuance of said certificate.
Any party shall be given an opportunity to enter in a payment agreement, thereby allowing the licensing authority to issue a certificate indicating said limitations to the license or permit, and the validity of said license shall be conditioned upon the satisfactory compliance with said agreement. Failure to comply with said agreement shall be grounds for the suspension or revocation of said license or permit; provided, however, that the holder shall be given notice and a hearing as required by applicable provisions of law.
The Licensing Authority may waive such denial, suspension or revocation if it finds there is not direct or indirect business interest by the property owner, its officers or stockholders, if any, or members of his/her immediate family, as defined in MGL c. 268, § 1,[1] in the business or activity conducted in or on said property.
[1]
Editor's Note: So in original; should refer to MGL c. 268A, § 1.1.
[Amended 4-7-1986, approved by Attorney General 5-16-1986]
This section shall not apply to the following licenses or permits: open burning; bicycle permits; sale of articles for charitable purposes; children work permits; club and associations dispensing food or beverage licenses; dog licenses; fishing, hunting and trapping licenses; marriage licenses; and theatrical event and public exhibition permits.