Background/Discussion
The City Clerk and the City Legal Department recently reviewed the current code of Chapter 3 of the Council Bluffs Municipal Code (“Business Regulations and Licenses”).Many of the proposed changes are simply deleted code sections that we have not had any further inquiry for licensing within at least the last 15 years. Some code sections are better placed in other section of the Code and under direction of other City departments. Additionally, we are removing all fees from being specifically named within separate ordinances and chapters of the Code, with the intent to have them all placed into our Schedule of Fees (2.08) in order to allow for periodic review and updating along with other fees. This will allow for simple changing of the Schedule Of Fees rather than each separate ordinance.
Also please note, changes to Chapter 3.31 and Chapter 3.32 are addressed in separate items before this Council by Community Development.
City Clerk Comments
A lot of these sections were implemented in 1882-1928 and have never been updated, so they are outdated and not enforced today.
Summary of the changes:
Deleting sections, Bail Bonds, Handbills, Public entertainment, Endurance Contests, games and amusement, Miniature Golf, Motion picture theaters, pool and billiard halls, public building and halls and vehicles for hire.
We haven't issued a taxi cab permit in several years and not something we have enforced. It is my understanding we can not regulate the rideshare type of transportation (Uber, Lyft, etc.)
We have combined the Handbills, Solicitor and Transient Merchant into one permit, Solicitors permit.