HomeMy Public PortalAboutOrd. 0246ORDINANCE NO. 246
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF LYNWOOD, CALIFORNIA,
REGULATING DANCE HALLS, DANCING CLUBS AND PUBLIC
DANCES IN THE CITY OF LYNWOOD.
The City Council of the City of Lynwood does ordain as
follows:
Section 1. It shall be unlawful for any person, associa-
tion or persons, or corporation to conduct or assist in con -
ducting any public dance hall, dancing club, or any public
dance, in the City of Lynwood unless under and by authority of
a written permit from the City Council of said City; and it
shall be unlawful for any person to participate in any such
dance conducted without such permit.
Permits to conduct public dance halls, dancing clubs or
public dances in said city may be issued by said City Council
upon the written application of any person for himself,, or on
behalf of any association of persons or corporation. The
Council must first satisfy itself that such conduct of such
dance hall, dancing club or public dance will comport with the
public welfare, and for this purpose may consider any facts or
evidence bearing on the place where the proposed public dance
hall, dancing club or public dance is to be located, the
character, reputation and moral fitness of those who will be in
charge of it, and any other facts or evidence tending to en-
_ - lighten -said- , Council- in. this .respect.-- = _ - -- -: - -_ 1 -11-1
Provided, that the Chief of Police may, without any action
on the part of the City Council, grant a permit to any person,
association or club to conduct not more than one (1) public
or club dance in any calendar year, after first satisfying
himself as to the good character, reputation and moral fitness
of those who will be in charge of such dance, and that such
dance will be conducted in an orderly, legal and proper manner.
When the'Council shall issue any permit under the terms of
this section, the same may be revoked at any time thereafter by
said Council, if such Council become satisfied that the conduct
of such dance hall, dancing club or na.ablic dance does not or
will not comport with the public welfare for any reason or that
the same has been conducted in an illegal, improper or dis-
orderly manner. Said Council may make rules governing the public
dance halls, public dances, and dancing clubs, and may revoke
or suspend permits issued for any public dance hall or dancing
club where the proprietor or person, or persons, in charge
thereof violates or permits any infraction of any such rules or
any law of the State of California or any ordinance of the City
of Lynwood; provided, however, that no permit for a public dance
hall or dancing club shall be revoked or suspended under the
terms of this section unless hearing and notice thereof be
given the permittee; provided, however, that any such permit may
be temporarily suspended by written order signed by the Chief
of Police, a copy of which order shall be transmitted by the
Chief of Police to the City Council at its next regular meeting.
Such order shall be passed upon -by the City Council at its
regular meeting after such issuance and shall cease to be of any
effect thereafter, but said City Council may at such meeting adopt
a resolution continuing such temporary suspension in effect pending
a regular hearing.
For the purpose of this ordinance, a public dance hall is
defined to be a place where dancing is conducted whether for
profit, and to which the public Is admitted, either with or
without charge, or at which the public is allowed to participate
in the dancing, either with or without charge.
For the purpose of this ordinance the term. "public dance"
is defined to be a gathering of persons in or upon any premises'
where dancing is participated in, either as the main purpose
for such gathering or -as an incident to some other purpose, and
to which premises the public is admitted.
For the purpose of this ordinance a dancing club is defined
to be any club or association of persons which conducts dances
other than public dances for its members or bona fide guests
more often than once per month, at which a fee is charged, either
for admission to such dance or for dancing therein, or at which .
any collection or donation of money is made or received, or in
which the amount of dues to be paid by each member is dependent
upon attendance at such dances by such member; and a club dance
is defined to be any dance held by a dancing club.
Section 2. The fee for such permit shall.be the sum of
Twenty -five dollars ($25.00) per annum, payable annually in
advance, and in addition to such permit fee, such permittee
shall, on the first day of each week, deposit with the License
Clerk the sum of one (1) dollar for each hour during the pre -
vious week in which any dancing has been conducted under such
permit, such deposit being for the payment of the costs of
such special supervision as the Chief of Police may deem ad-
visable. The Chief of Police is hereby authorized to waive
`any of the said weekly denosi't - s "of - asiy permittee" should he de=
termine that no special supervision is necessary to such
per.mittee.
That nothing in this section shall be deemed or construed
as applying to any dance conducted or given by any recognised
religious, charitable, civic, fraternal, public school or
patriotic organization of the City of Lynwood.
Section 3. It shall be unlawful for any minor person
under eighteen years of age to enter, be or dance in any public
or club dance unless such minor is accompanied to such public
or club dance by one or both of his or her parents or by his
or her guardian; it shall be unlawful for any parent or guardian
of a minor under eighteen (18) years of age, or the proprietor
or person in charge of any public dance or club dance to permit
any such minor person to enter, be or dance in any public or
club dance unless such minor person is accompanied to such
public or club dance by one or both of his or her parents or by
his or her guardian; provided, that nothing herein shall be con-
strued to prevent a minor person.under the age of eighteen (18)
years from being in a bona fide hotel,, cafe or other place where.
meals are regularly served, and where a public dance is being
held, in the event that such minor does not participate in the
dancing therein.
That nothing in this section shall be deemed or construed
as applying to any, dance conducted or given by any recognized
religious, charitable, civic, fraternal, public school or
patriotic organization of the City of Lynwood principally.for
minors provided such dance is conducted or given under proper.
supervision of adults.'
. Section 4. The proprietor or permittee under a permit
from the City Council conducting a public dance hall or public
dance or club dance, shall have the right to apply to such
City Council for the appointment of a special police officer
or special police officers, to be paid by such proprietor, and
to attend in such public dance hall, public dance or club dance
during such times as dances are conducted therein, for the
purpose of preserving order and seeing that no violation of any
law of the State of California or any ordinance of the City of
Lynwood is permitted, but the presence of such special police
officer or officers at any such public dance hall, public dance
or club dance shall not relieve the proprietor thereof, or any
of his employees, from the responsibility for any violation of
any law or any ordinance.
Any police officer of the City of Lynwood on duty whether
in uniform or working in civilian clothes, shall be admitted
without charge to any such public dance, club dance or public
dance hall at anv time for the pur of inspecting the con-
duct of those participating in the dancing and to see that the
provisions of this ordinance are being properly complied with.
Section 5. It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct
or assist in conducting any public dance, public dance hall or
club dance on Sunday, or between the hours of 1 o'clock A. Pd.
and 6 o'clock A. M. on other days.
Section 6. All public dance halls or places where public
or club dances are held must at all times when open for dancing
therein be brightly lighted throughout, and the volume of
illumination must not vary during the time, such dance hall or
,public.dance,.is._open to the.public or such club is open to its
members or guests.
Section 7. It shall be unlawful for any person to take any
form of alcoholic liquor into any premises where a public dance
or club dance is being held, and it shall be unlawful for any
person in charge, or assisting in the conduct of any public
dance hall or any public dance or club dance to permit any person
therein, and it shall be unlawful for any person to be or remain
therein, who has any form of alcoholic liquor in his possession,
or to permit any intoxicated, boisterous or disorderly person
to enter, be or remain in any public dance hall, public dance
or club dance, or for any person to conduct himself in a
boisterous or disorderly manner in a publip dance hall, public
dance or club dance.
Section 8. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or
corporation.conducting, maintaining or carrying on a public
dance, dance hall, or having charge or control thereof, to em-
ploy or permit any female under the age of twenty -one (21)
years to give instruction in dancing therein to persons of
the opposite sex.
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation
conducting, maintaining or carrying on a public dance hall or
having charge or control thereof, to permit any instructor
who is under the age of twenty -one (21) years to give in-
structions in dancing to persons of the opposite sex in any
private room� booth in such public dance hall.
For the purpose of this .section, -the term "private room
or booth" shall include any room booth; alcove or enclosure,
every part of which is not clearly visible at. all, times from
the main;dance floor iocated.upon the same floor upon which
such private room or booth is located.
That nothing in this section contained shall be deemed,
or construed as applying to any place wherein dancing is the
principal subject taught.
Section 9. Anv Derson, associ.afi9.oii or, corporation who
shall violate'.any of'.the provisions of this ordinance shall
be deemed guilty of,a'misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof,,
shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding Five Hundred-
Dollar's (4500.00) or by imprisonment in the.city jail or in
the county jail of the County of Los Angeles for 'a period not,
exceeding six,(6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment;
and, upon conviction, any permit which may have been granted to
such person, association'of persons or corporation to conduct,
—maintain or carry on any public dance hall, public dance-or
club .dance, shall be rendered void, ipso facto, shall b,e
revoked'by the City Council as hereinbefore provided; and no
new.permit'shall be'issued to such person,'association of
persons or corporations to conduct, any public dance'hall,,
public dance, or club 'dance "for at• least one year thereafter:
Section 10. That Ordinance No.'223 of the of Lynwood
be`and the same is hereby 'repealed.
Section 11. That the City.Clerk shall'certify to the
passage and adoption of this ordinance, and shall cause the
—passage -
- same to'be`pizbli'sfied' "onoe "in "'the LYNWOOD'PRESS, - a'.weekly hews=
,paper of general circulation, published and circulated within
the City,o£ Lynwood, and which is hereby designated for that
purpose.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this. 13th day of November, 1934.
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., f. rr
Mayor ,o e� y o ynwoo
� ATTEST � � ,
?City erk,s_City of Lynwood
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