Ordinance 1955ORDINANCE NO. 1955
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON,
AMENDING CHAPTER 4.60 OF THE EDMONDS CITY CODE;
REGULATING THE OPERATION OF TAXICABS WITH-
IN THE CITY OF EDMONDS; REQUIRING OPERATORS
LICENSES THEREFORE; ESTABLISHING FEES; SETTING
FORTH INFORMATION REQUIRED OF APPLICANTS; PROVID-
ING FOR INVESTIGATION AND INSPECTION OF APPLICANTS
AND THEIR VEHICLES; REQUIRING INSURANCE ON ALL
TAXICABS; PROVIDING FOR REVOCATION OF LICENSES
AND ESTABLISHING THE PROCEDURES THEREIN; AND PRO-
VIDING PENALTIES.
WHEREAS, the following additions to the Edmonds
City Code are necessary for the health, safety and general
welfare of the public, now, therefore,
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, DO ORDAIN
AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 4.60.010 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.010. Definitions
1. "Driver" means a person actually engaged in
driving a taxicab within the City of Edmonds.
2. "Operate as a taxicab" shall mean to conduct
the operations of any taxicab from any taxi
stand or any telephone within the City of Edmonds
or the solicitation of fares within the City of
Edmonds.
3. "Person" shall mean any individual, corporation,
association, or any other legal entity.
4. "Taxicab" means a motor vehicle engaged in the
business of carrying passengers for hire within
the City of Edmonds including, but not limited
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to, cabulances, sightseeing cars and wheelchair
taxies. As used herein taxicabs shall not be
construed to include ambulances as that term is
defined in Chapter 4.08 of the Edmonds City Code.
Section 2. Section 4.60.020 of the Edmonds
City Code is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.020. Operator's License Required.
No person shall operate or permit a motor vehicle
owned or controlled by him to be operated as a
taxicab unless he has first obtained an operator's
license."
Section 3. Section 4.60.030 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.030. Application for Operator's License.
The application for an operator's license shall be
made on forms furnished by the City Clerk. The
completed application shall be signed and sworn to
by the applicant before a Notary Public or some
other officer duly authorized to administer oaths.
At the time of making application for an operator's
license, the applicant shall pay the fee as set
forth in section 4.60.090 of the Edmonds City
Code."
Section 4. Section 4.60.040 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.040. Information Required.
All applicants for operator's license shall fur-
nish the following information:
1. The applicant's name, drivers license number,
date of birth and place of birth.
2. The applicant's place of residence and the
length of time he has resided in the City,
if applicable.
3. The applicant's last place of employment with
the name and address and telephone number of
the employer.
4. Whether the applicant or any of his employees
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are presently, or have been previously licensed
or have previously applied for a license as a
taxicab driver or operator, and if so, where,
when and whether or not a license has ever been
suspended, revoked, or denied and if so, by what
jurisdiction and for what cause.
5. whether or not the applicant or any of his
employees have ever been convicted of or for-
feited bail for a crime including all traffic
offenses for the preceding 5 years, and if so,
the number of such convictions, approximate
dates thereof, and the name of the Courts, the
crime of which charged, and the final disposition
of the case or cases.
6. The number of vehicles to be operated or con-
trolled by the applicant, and the make, model,
year, Vehicle Identification Number and vehicle
license number of each vehicle.
7. A list of the names, drivers license numbers,
date of birth and addresses of all employees.
8. The applicant's financial status including
any and all unpaid judgments and the nature
of the transaction or acts giving rise to
said judgments.
9. The name under which the applicant intends to
operate.
10. Proof of insurance as required by section 4.60.100
of the Edmonds City Code.
11. Such other and further information as may be
required by the Police Department."
Section 5. Section 4.60.050 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.050. Investigation.
Upon completion of the application and payment of
the fee, the City Clerk shall forward copies of the
application to the Police Department. The Police
Department shall investigate to see whether all infor-
mation contained in the application is true and correct
and shall verify that all vehicles to be operated as
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taxicabs are properly licensed. The Police Department
shall forward its report and recommendations to the
City Council after its investigation is completed."
Section 6. Section 4.60.060 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.060. Council Approval.
The City Council shall approve or disapprove all
applications for operator's licenses. Before approving
an operators license, the City Council shall determine:
1. That the applicant is financially sound, and has
fulfilled the insurance requirements of section
4.60.100 of the Edmonds City Code.
2. That all the requirements of this Chapter have
been met.
3. That the needs of the public would be served by
granting the applicant the operator's license.
4. The number of motor vehicles authorized to be used
as taxicabs.
5. Whether any restrictions should be placed on the
license, including restrictions on hours of oper-
ation.
Section 7. Section 4.60.070 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
114.60.070. Issuance of License.
A City Clerk shall issue an operator's license for
each motor vehicle authorized by the Council to be
operated as a taxicab. Each such license shall
contain the description of the taxicab, its motor
vehicle license number, its Vehicle Identification
Number and any restrictions imposed by the Council.
The licenses are restricted to the taxicab described
thereon and are not transferable to any other motor
vehicle.
The license shall state that it is to be displayed
at all times in the taxicab and presented upon re-
quest to a police officer. The City Clerk shall
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keep on file a copy of all licenses currently
issued."
Section 8. Section 4.60.080 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.080. Current List of Drivers Required
Every person holding an operator's license issued
under authority of this Chapter shall maintain
on file at the Edmonds Police Department, a
current list of the names, addresses, date of birth
and drivers license numbers of all person authorized
to act as drivers.
Section 9. Section 4.60.090 of the Edmonds City Code
is hereby amended to read as follows:
"4.60.090. Operator's License Fees - Expiration Date.
The annual license fee for operator's licenses shall
be $30.00 for each taxicab to be operated in the
City of Edmonds and $20.00 for each driver.
Provided, however, the fee for operator's license
applied for after June 30th of any year shall be
$15.00 for each taxicab and $10.00 for each driver.
The license shall expire on the 31st day of December
in the year in which it is issued.
Section 10. A new section 4.60.100 is hereby added to
the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
"4.60.100. Insurance Requirements.
No license shall be issued under this Chapter nor
shall any motor vehicle regulated by this Chapter
be operated in the City, unless there is at all
times in full force and effect insurance coverage
issued by an insurance company licensed to do
business in the State of Washington, for each and
every vehicle to be operated under the license,
providing for public liability insurance in the
amounts of $100,000 for personal injuries to
one person, or $300,000 for more than one person,
arising out of each accident or occurrence and
property damage insurance in the amount of $25,000
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for each accident or occurrence. Evidence of
insurance policies for the full term of the license
shall be submitted to the City Clerk at the time
of application for an operator's license. Such
evidence shall be a certificate from the licensee's
insurance company that the insurance exists and
that it will not be cancelled without thirty (30)
days written notice of cancellation previously
given to the City Clerk."
Section 11.
A new section 4.60.110 is hereby added
to the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
"4.60.110. Prohibited Activities.
1. No person shall knowingly employ any driver who
has been convicted of a felony, if the felony
directly relates to the position of a taxicab
driver and the time elapsed since the conviction
is less than ten years.
2. No driver shall leave his taxicab unattended
or to make repairs or wash his taxicab while
in a taxicab stand.
3. No person shall operate a motor vehicle as a
taxicab unless he is authorized to do so by the
holder of an operator's license issued pursuant
to this Chapter.
4. No holder of an operator's license issued pursuant
to this Chapter shall knowingly permit any person
to act as a driver unless said person appears
on the list required by section 4.60.080 of
the Edmonds City Code.
5. No holder of any operator's license issued pursuant
to this Chapter shall operate his taxicab business
in violation of any restrictions on his license
set by the City Council.
6. No driver shall fail to have the operator's license
displayed at all times in the taxicab. The driver
shall present the license to a police officer upon
request."
Section 12. A new section 4.60.120 is hereby added to
the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
"4.60.120. Revocation, Su
ion, or Denial of License.
The City Council may suspend, revoke, or deny any operator's
license issued under this Chapter for the licensee's
failure or refusal to comply with any of the provisions
of this Chapter, or for knowingly making any false
statement, misrepresentation or material omission from
the license application. Before suspending, revoking,
or denying any such license, the City Council shall set
a date for hearing upon the matter and notify the licensee,
in writing, of such date of the hearing and a summary
of the reasons why the license may be suspended,revoked,
or denied. Such notice shall be sent to the licensee
at the address last appearing on his application and
shall be mailed at least ten (10) days in advance of
the hearing. At the conclusion of the hearing the
license may be suspended, revoked, or denied for such time
and on such terms as shall be imposed by a majority
of the members of the City Council present and voting
at such hearing."
Section 13. A new section 4.60.130 is hereby added to
the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
114.60.130. Appeal.
Appeal from any decision of the City Council shall
be made within ten (10) days of the Council's de-
cision by application to the Snohomish County
Superior Court for a Writ of Review or Certiorari.
The official minutes as transcribed by the City Clerk
and approved by the City Council shall be deemed
the official transcript and record of said meeting
for all purposes on appeal. The costs of transcription
of all records ordered certified by the Court for
review shall be borne by the appellant."
Section 14. A new section 4.60.140 is hereby added to
the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
"4.60.140. Penalties.
Any person violating or failing to comply with any
of the provisions of this Chapter shall, upon con-
viction thereof, be punished in the manner set forth
in section 5.45.020 of the Edmonds City Code.
MVM
Section 15. A new section 4.60.300 is hereby added to
the Edmonds City Code to read as follows:
"4.60.300. Severabilitv.
If any section, subsection, clause, phrase, or word
of this Chapter or any provision adopted by reference
herein is for any reason held to be invalid or uncon-
stitutional by a Court of competent jurisdiction,
such invalidity or unconstitutionality shall not affect
the validity or constitutionality of the remaining
portions of this Chapter."
APPROVED:
WRINAVENZ-0 . � , "
• '•
ATTEST:
J
CITY`CLERK, IRENE RNEY MORAN
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK:
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL:
PUBLISHED: November 2, 1977
October 18, 1977
October 25, 1977