Explanation
BACKGROUND:
This ordinance amends Chapters 585, 587, and 589 in the City's Vehicle for Hire Code specifically relating to the powers of the Vehicle for Hire Board.
At a special meeting of the Vehicle for Hire Board on December 12, 2013, it came to the City’s attention that certain provisions relating to the transfer and issuance of new licenses were ambiguous. Upon further examination by the City Attorney’s office, it was determined that the Vehicle for Hire Board was not adhering to a strict interpretation of these provisions.
For as long as staff and board members could remember, the Department of Public Safety, License Section had transferred and issued new licenses for drivers and owners as the applications were processed, on a rolling basis. The Vehicle for Hire Board would then vote on approval of these transfers and issuances at its monthly meetings. This allowed for applications to be processed in a timely, business friendly manner.
The City Attorney’s office determined that this was not a strict adherence to the code as written. Pursuant to Chapters 585, 587, and 589, the Board shall approve all vehicle for hire owners’ licenses, vehicle to vehicle transfers and owner to owner transfers. Once these have been approved, the Board will then give authority to the Director of Public Safety to issue the license and/or transfer the license.
On December 17, 2013, the License Section notified the Vehicle for Hire Board that it would not issue any new taxicab, livery, pedicab or horse carriage license until the Board approves the license. It would also not approve any vehicle to vehicle transfers or owner to owner transfers until the Board approves the transfer.
The Vehicle for Hire Board has a duty to meet at least once a month. A quorum is necessary for each meeting. It became apparent that strict adherence to the code would be either a burden for the board members who would need to meet more than once a month to approve the transfer...
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