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Township of West Deptford, NJ
Gloucester County
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Table of Contents
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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of West Deptford 6-18-1970 as Section 12:1 of the General Ordinances. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
License required. It shall be unlawful in the Township of West Deptford to conduct a billiard room, poolroom or combination thereof or such other places where the business of playing billiards or pool is 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. In any place of business licensed under the provisions of Chapter 73, Alcoholic Beverages, of the Code of the Township of West Deptford, up to three coin-operated pool tables may be maintained without the necessity of compliance with the provisions of this chapter. Except as heretofore described, any place which has any pool table, billiard table or other device of similar nature and purpose which mechanically or manually operates shall be deemed a billiard room or poolroom under the provisions of this chapter and shall be subject to its requirements.
B. 
Enforcement officials. The Chief of Police, Chief of the Fire Department, the Code Enforcement Officer and the Construction Official of the Township of West Deptford shall be the enforcement officials charged with the duties of enforcing the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 7-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-17]
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. 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 billiard and/or pool tables to be licensed and such other information and data as under the rules and regulations of the governing body shall be considered pertinent. Applicants shall furnish a two-by-two-inch photograph of the principal owners and/or operators of the business in question. In addition, the applicant shall agree, in writing, to conform his business hours to those set forth in this chapter.
A. 
Submission to police, fire and health officials. All applications shall be submitted by the Clerk to the Chief of Police for his inspection and investigation, and he shall report thereon, in writing, to the Township Clerk. The application shall also be submitted to the Chief of the Fire Department for his inspection of the premises and investigation, and he shall also report thereon, in writing, to the Township Clerk. Where the Township Clerk considers it appropriate, the application shall also be submitted to the Health Officer, who shall investigate and who shall report thereon, in writing, to the Township Clerk.
B. 
Approval standards. The Chief of Police, Chief of the Fire Department and Sanitary Inspector shall respectively satisfy themselves as to the moral, public safety hazard, the sanitary requirements and conditions and the fire hazards involved and shall make a report thereon, together with their approval or disapproval, within 10 days after the application has been submitted to them.
C. 
Final approval of governing body. Upon return of said application to the Township Clerk by the Police Chief, Fire Chief and Health Officer, the Township Clerk shall then refer the application for license to the governing body of the Township of West Deptford for consideration and determination. Upon favorable action of the governing body, the license herein provided shall be issued to the applicant.
No license to operate or conduct a billiard room and/or poolroom, or combination thereof, or such other place where the business of playing billiards and/or pool is conducted, shall be issued:
A. 
To any person under the age of 18 years.
[Amended 7-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-17]
B. 
To any person convicted of crime or violation of any state law or municipal ordinance involving gambling or moral turpitude.
C. 
Unless the applicant is found to be of good moral character and the particular application will not work to the detriment of the health or welfare of the Township of West Deptford or the residents thereof. The term "applicant" hereunder shall include the principals of a corporate applicant.
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 nonpecuniary profit basis and do not have a plenary retail consumption license issued to such organization.
A. 
The annual fee payable for licenses to be issued under this chapter shall be as set forth in Chapter 11 for each pool or billiard table, including coin-operated or otherwise on the premises.
[Amended 3-10-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-01]
B. 
The aforesaid fee shall be paid to the Township Clerk of the Township of West Deptford at the time application for or renewal of the license is submitted. In the event the license is refused or not issued, then the aforesaid license fees shall be refunded.
C. 
No license issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be valid until a stamp has been affixed thereto by the Township or its authorized agents and the fees required under this chapter are paid. A properly stamped license shall be prima facie evidence of payment of the fees required under this chapter.
A. 
The term of each license issued hereunder shall run from January 1 and expire December 31 following the issuance thereof. Any premises now being conducted and covered by this chapter which are not licensed shall be licensed in accordance herewith, and the person and/or persons, firm or corporation conducting same shall be given 30 days after final passage of this chapter in which to make said application for 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 no such license shall be transferable to any other firm, person or corporation or to any other place or location than that shown or set forth in said license.
A. 
License. The license herein provided for shall be posted and displayed in a conspicuous place in the billiard room and/or poolroom or such other place where the business of playing billiards or pool is conducted under said license.
B. 
Minors. It shall be the duty of any person who is the proprietor or keeper of a billiard parlor or poolroom, or the person who has the control of such room and/or rooms, to post conspicuously in said place of business the following sign: MINORS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS NOT ALLOWED HERE.
C. 
No gambling. It shall be the duty of any person who is the proprietor or keeper of a billiard parlor or poolroom to post conspicuously at each pool or billiard table on the premises the following sign: NO GAMBLING.
A. 
Nearness to school, library or church. No license shall hereafter be issued to conduct the business of a billiard or pool room within 200 feet of any school, library or church premises.
B. 
Off-street parking. Every licensed premises subject to the provisions of this chapter shall provide off-street parking space accommodating not less than two automobiles for each billiard and/or pool table in the premises.
C. 
View of interior. Every licensed pool or billiard room or combination thereof shall be established to admit a view of the interior thereof from the entrance to the 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 exterior sidewalk level of said premises; so long as said screening shall not obstruct or prevent the view or examination of the interior of the premises by a police officer or any inspection by any other officer of the law.
A. 
Minors. No person operating or having control of any billiard or pool table for profit or who has the control of any such room or rooms where is kept, used or operated for profit any billiard and/or pool table of any kind whatsoever shall permit or allow any minor under the age of 18, unless accompanied by an adult relative over the age of 21 years or person standing in loco parentis, to play thereon or to use any such table, or to be, remain in, 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 such room.
B. 
Time. The owner or operator of every billiard and/or pool room or such other place as may exist wherein billiards and/or pool is licensed thereunder shall not use or permit the use of the billiard or pool tables for any purpose except during the hours of 8:00 a.m. on each and every day of the week until 12:00 midnight. In no event shall such tables be used between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 8:00 a.m. 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 West Deptford 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 governing body upon a hearing to be held after notice to the licensee.
C. 
A revocation of a license under Subsection B shall not preclude the imposition of a penalty under § 1-15 of Chapter 1, General Provisions, of the Code.
[Added 7-2-1981 by Ord. No. 81-17]