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Ordinance 657ORDINANCE NO. 657 AN ORDINANCE PHO' IDING FOR THE LICENSING OF TAXICABS IN THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON. THE CITY OF EDMONDS, BY ITS DULY ELECTED COUNCIL, ORDAINS AS FOLLOWS: • Section 1 - Definitions. (1) 'Operating a taxicab" shall be defined to mean the operation of any taxicab, for -hire car or sight-seeing car from any stand or any business telepF;)ne within the corporate limits of the City of Edmonds, or the solicitation of fares within the corporate limits of the City of Edmonds. (2) "Operator" shall be defined to mean any person, firm, or corpora- tion owning or having charge of any taxicab, fur -hire car or sight-seeing car which is being operated within the corporate limits of the City of Edmonds, as defined in subsection(1) above. (3) "Driver" shall be defined to mean any person including the owner who actually drives any taxicab, for -hire ca. or sight-seeing car within the corpo- rate limits of the City of Edmonds as defined in subsection (1) above. Section 2, - License Required. It is declared to be essential to the public interests that no person shall be authorized or permitted to operate a taxicab within the corporate limits of the City of Edmonds unless such person shall be the hol-ier of a valid taxicab license issued by the City of Edmonds. Section 3. - Application For License. Every person desiring to operate or have c -large of a taxicab, for -hire car or sight-seeing car within the City of Edmon( g, shall make written application to the City Clerk for a license so to do; such application shall be made upon .Tanks furnished by the City Clerk and shall be signed and sworn to by the applicant before a Notary Public or some other officer duly authorized to administer oaths. Each applicant shall state his name, age, place of birth, place of resi- dence, length of time he has resided in the City, marital status, fast place of - 1 - employment with name and address of employer, whether ne has been previously licensed as a taxicab driver or o aerator, and if so, where and whether or not his license has ever been suspended or revoked and if so for what cause; whether or not he has ever been convicted of a crime and if so, the number of such convic- tions, the approximate dates t ereof, the name of the Courts, the crimes with which charged, and the final disposition of the case or cases. Every application shall be referred to the Chairman of the Safety Committee whose duty it shall be to investigate the applicant, and if satisfiedwith his quaifications, recommend to the City Council that a license be issued. If the report of the Chairman of the Safety Committee is unfavorable no license shall be issued. Jpon proper authorization by the City Council the City Clerk shall, upon receipt of the annual license fee, issue a license which shall expire on the 31st day of December of the year in which it is issued. Tae annual license fee shall be $25.00 f<,r each vehicle to be operated, except that the fee for licenses issued after June 30th shall be only $15. 00. The applicant shall furnish full information concec ning ownership; number and classification of vehicles to be operated; the name under which the applicant intends to operate; and such other informal ?on as may be deemed by the Chairman of the Safety Committee to be necessary for proper supervision and regulation of such vehicles. If the Chairman shall fiuu from his investigation and from the inforn a - tion obtained that the applicant is a financially and morally responsible person and • the bona fide owner of the vehicles for which licenses are sought and has met all of the requirements of this ordinance; that the vehicles are safe and are equipped with valid state licenses; that they are properly bonded for the protection of the public as required by the motor vehicle laws of the Stater of Washington; and the convenience and necessity of the City will be promoted by granting such applicant -1 - one or more licenses, said Chairman shall recommend to the City Council that the license be granted; provided, no more than a total of four (4) such licenses shall be issued to all applicants to be operated at any one time. Section 4, Qualifications of Drivers. Each operator must submit with • his application a list of proposed drivers of the taxicabs, said list of drivers to be kept current at all times, and said operator snall supply therewith the same information on each driver as is required of operators under Section 3 above. S ction 5. Inspection of Vehicles. All vehicles operating under authority of this ordinance shall be inspected from time to time by the Chief of l'olice for the purpose of determinin„ whether the same are clean, properly equipped, of good appearance and in his opinion in a safe operating condition, and said Chief of Police shall, at the time of his inspection, ascertain that the vehicle is carrying the permits issued by the Department of Licenses of the State of Washington, showing such vehicles to be properly bonded for the public protection, and alsc he licenses issued pursuant to this ordinance. Section 6. InsuranL . No license shall be issued for any taxicab until proof has first been filed with the City Clerk that the owner thereof carries public liability and property dama ,c insurance thereon in amounts of $10, 000. 00, $20, U00. 00, and $40, 000. 00. Section 7. Regulations for Operation. It shall be unlawful for any operator to knowingly employ any driver who has been convicted of any felony or of driving while intoxicated. It shall be unlawful for any driver of a taxicab or for -hire car to leave • the same unattenu,�d or to make repairs or wash his vehicle while in a taxicab stand. All taxicab stands shall be designated by the Mayor. No license shall be granted to any person desirous of operating a taxicab on a part-time basis. All operators must be readv, willing and able to provide consistent full-time service to the public. - 3 - Section 8. Penalties. An. person violating orfailing to comply with any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guiity of a m�sdemranur and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine in any sum not exceeding $300. 00 and/or by imprisonment in the City jail for a period not exceeding ninety (50) days. • Section Revocation. If at any time the Chairman of the Safety 0 Committee finds any parson holding such a license has conducted or permitted said taxicab business to be conducted in a manner detrimental to the beat interests of the City of Edmondg, the Chairman shall forthwith make a report to the City Council and snall make recommendations as to the suspension or revocation of such license. The City Council shall, before acting thereon, set a date for hearing upon t..e matter and n( tify the licensee in writing of such date of hearing and of the contents of such report, at least ten days in advance thereof. Such license may be suspended or revoked for such time and on such terms as shall be imposed by majority vote of members of the City Council present and voting at such hearing. Section 10. This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force by virtue of its passage and approval, and its publication in accordance with law. MAYOR ATTEST: CITY CLERK PASSED: j I U BLISHE D: -5 0 . _/ - 4 -