[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of West Hartford 5-25-1982.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any mechanical, electric or electronic device used or designed to
be operated for entertainment or as a game by the insertion of a piece of
money, coin, token or other article or by paying money to have it activated.
For purposes of this definition, each station of a device which provides multiple
stations, each of which allows separate games to be played, shall be considered
one amusement device.
Any person who is engaged in the business of distribution and/or
leasing of amusement devices.
Any person in whose premises an amusement device is placed for use
by the public and shall include any agent of an owner or proprietor of the
premises.
A person, partnership, corporation, club or association.
A.
No person shall place or maintain any amusement device
in any place within a permanent structure, open to the general public or occupied
by any club or association, without first obtaining a license therefor.
B.
No distributor shall do business within the Town without
first obtaining a license therefor.
A.
Application for or renewal of a license for amusement
devices shall be made by the operator to the Chief of Police upon a form furnished
by the Chief and shall contain information set out in this chapter under oath.
(If the operator is a partnership, all required information shall be listed
for each partner. If the operator is a club, association or corporation, all
required information shall be listed for each officer.) Information to be
contained on said application shall include:
(1)
Name.
(2)
Residence.
(3)
Date and place of birth.
(4)
Location and main use of premises to be licensed.
(5)
Whether the operator has ever been convicted of a felony,
sexual offense or gambling offense.
(6)
Number, description, name of distributor and owners of
all mechanical amusement devices to be licensed.
B.
License fee. The license fee for each amusement device
shall be $60 per device annually, which shall be prorated on a quarterly basis
for any period of less than a year.
C.
Issuance of license. The Chief of Police may issue an
operator's license or a renewal of an operator's license to place up to seven
amusement devices, but only after the Chief, or the Chief's designee, inspects
the premises and determines that:
(1)
The operator has not been convicted of a felony, sexual
offense or gambling offense.
(2)
The operator is at least 18 years of age.
(3)
The Zoning Enforcement Officer has certified that the
application meets all applicable zoning standards.
(4)
The operator's distributor(s) has (have) been issued
a valid distributor's license.
(5)
The number and placement of the machines meets all requirements
of all applicable statutes and ordinances.
(6)
The appropriate license fees have been paid.
D.
License renewable, not transferable. An operator's license
shall be valid for not more than one year and shall expire on June 30 of each
year. An operator's license may not be sold, assigned or otherwise transferred.
E.
License to be posted. The operator's license shall be
conspicuously posted in the operator's premises in the vicinity of the licensed
amusement devices.
F.
Replacement of device. A licensed operator may replace a device for which a license fee has been paid so long as he or she notifies the Police Chief and submits to the Chief the information set out in Subsection A(6) of this section. In such case, neither a new license nor any additional license fee shall be required.
Each operator shall maintain good order in the place of business and
shall not permit the amusement devices to be used for gambling. A violation
of this section by an agent or an employee of a licensee shall be deemed a
violation hereof by the licensee.
A.
Application. Application for a distributor's license
shall be made by the distributor to the Chief of Police upon a form furnished
by the Chief and shall contain the following information under oath. (If the
distributor is a partnership, all required information shall be listed for
each partner. If the distributor is an association or corporation, all required
information shall be listed for each officer.) Information to be contained
on said application shall include:
B.
License fee. The fee for a distributor's license shall
be $60.
[Amended 5-12-1987; 6-28-1994]
C.
Period of validity. A distributor's license shall be
valid for not more than one year, and licenses issued on or after the effective
date of this subsection shall expire on May 31 of each year. A distributor's
license may not be sold, assigned or otherwise transferred.
[Amended 5-12-1987]
D.
Issuance of distributor's license. The Chief of Police
may issue a distributor's license, but only after the Chief determines that:
The Police Chief shall also have the power to deny or revoke any license
issued hereunder for cause after due notice in writing to the licensee. Cause
shall be deemed to include but not be limited to conviction of a felony, sexual
offense or gambling offense subsequent to the granting of the license or false
information knowingly given in the application for a license or for any violation
of this chapter. This authority shall be in addition to any other means of
enforcement of Town ordinances.
