§ 29-137. Generally.

(a)

Required. It shall be unlawful to operate or cause to be operated within the city any taxicab unless a certificate of public convenience and necessity has been issued to the owner thereof by the Chief of Police covering the operation of such vehicle and unless the conditions, regulations and restrictions set forth and prescribed in this article have been complied with by such owner. An owner shall operate under only one certificate, and the certificate shall provide for the operation of a specified number of taxicabs. It shall be unlawful to operate or cause to be operated more vehicles than the number provided in the certificate. Additional vehicles may be operated by a certificate holder only upon written application on a form provided by the Chief of Police, approval of such application, payment of fees provided under this article and compliance with all other sections of this article.

(b)

Expiration; application and renewal. The certificate of public convenience and necessity shall remain in effect until January 31 following its issuance and may be renewed thereafter annually. The Chief of Police shall prescribe a form to be used in applying for the certificate and a form to be used in applying for a renewal.

(c)

Interruption of use; lapse. A certificate of public convenience and necessity shall lapse with respect to an individual vehicle or any one of the specified number of vehicles for which the certificate has been issued when the particular vehicle has not been used to provide taxicab service for 60 or more consecutive days.

(d)

Transferability. A certificate of public convenience and necessity shall not be transferable.

(e)

Fees. In addition to any other fees prescribed elsewhere in this Code, each applicant for a certificate of public convenience and necessity shall pay an application fee as set forth in Appendix A to this Code per vehicle listed in the certificate and upon each annual request for renewal of such certificate shall pay the same fee.

(f)

Limitation of number issued. When it appears that it is in the public interest to limit the number of the owner's certificates issued by the chief of police, the council may, if it finds after an advertised public hearing that it is in the public interest, prescribe the maximum number of vehicles for which such certificates are to be issued. Thereafter, no new certificates shall be issued until the total number of vehicles for which certificates are outstanding is less than the prescribed number, provided that renewal of an existing certificate shall not be regarded as a new certificate for purposes of this section.

(g)

Age and mileage limits of vehicles under certificate. It shall be unlawful for a certificate holder to place into service a taxicab which either is more than 12 model years old or which is more than eight model years old and has more than 300,000 miles at the time it is placed into service.

(h)

Minimum specifications for vehicles. It shall be unlawful for a certificate holder to place into service a taxicab unless the vehicle is a hardtop vehicle with a minimum of four doors and wheel size of at least 14 inches.

(Code 1993, § 30-12; Code 2004, § 110-32; Ord. No. 2015-198-205, § 1, 11-9-2015)

(Code 1993, § 30-12; Code 2004, § 110-32; Ord. No. 2015-198-205, § 1, 11-9-2015)