Ordinance - 876e
ORDINANCE NO. 876
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
WEST COVINA AMENDING THE 'WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL
CODE BY THE ADDITION OF CERTAIN REGULATIONS
PERTAINING TO BILLIARD PARLORS AND POOL HALLS.
The City Council of the City of West Covina does ordain as
follows:
SECTION 1. The West Covina Municipal Code is hereby amended
by the addition to Chapter 3 of Article VI of a new Part 5 consisting
of Sections 6370 through 6379 reading as follows:
"PART 5 - BILLIARD PARLORS AND POOL HALLS
6370. DEFINITIONS.
Unless otherwise expressly stated or where the context
clearing indicates a different construction, the following terms,
for the purpose of this Part, shall have the meanings indicated
as follows:
(a) Billiards. Billiards shall mean any of the several
games played on a table, surrounded by an elastic ledge or
cushions, with balls which are impelled by cues and shall
include all forms of the game known as pool.
(b) Billiard Room. Billiard room shall mean that portion
of any public place set aside for, devoted to or used in con-
nection with the playing of the game of billiards, pool or
• snooker where.a fee is charged, which is directly or indirectly
conditioned upon or related to the playing of any such game.
. (a) Table Unit. Table unit shall be defined as the space
occupied by one table and the open space needed to play at the
table.
6371. EXEMPTIONS.
The provisions of this Part shall not apply to any insti-
tution or organization which is conducted, managed or carried on
wholly for charitable purposes or from which profit is not derived,
either directly or indirectly, by any individual firm or organi-
zation.
6372. DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS.
Every person maintaining, conducting or operating any billiard
room shall comply with the following standards:
(a) Size of Table Unit. The floor area square footage
required for each table unit shall be a minimum of 225 square
feet. No playing space provided around any table for the purpose
of complying with these provisions shall be considered as pro-
viding playing space for any other table unit.
(b) Lighting. The interior and exterior of the building
. and parking lot shall be brightly lighted with no dark areas.
Exterior lighting shall be installed and maintained in a manner
eliminating any nuisance to adjacent residential property.
(c) Floor Covering. All floor surface of the playing and
spectator area shall be covered with fabric carpet.
(d) Proximity to School. No billiard room shall be located
within one-half mile of an existing high school.
(e) Open View. All billiard rooms shall be so constructed
and maintained that a clear and unobstructed view of the entire
interior thereof may at all times be had from the street or side-
walk in front of the same, except in those cases where the billiard
room is an auxiliary use to a bowling center. No partitions
forming rooms, stalls, or other enclosures where the public congre-
gates shall be permitted. This provision, however, shall not be
construed to preclude the maintenance of washrooms, toilet rooms
for proper purposes or the maintenance of closets for storage
purposes exclusively.
6373. PERMIT. POSTING.
No person shall maintain, conduct, or operate any billiard
room without first having applied for, and received, a permit
as provided in this Article. A copy of this Part and such permit
shall be posted and maintained in a conspicuous place on the premises
where the billiard room is conducted.
6374. HOURS OF OPERATION.
No person shall operate a billiard room between the hours of
2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m., or permit or allow any person to play
billiards or remain in any billiard room between the hours of
2:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. This Section, however, shall not be
construed to prevent regular employees from performing necessary
work within the premises.
6375. POLICE INSPECTION.
Any billiard room and any room adjacent to the same under
• the same management or control shall be subject at all times to
police inspection and supervision for the purpose of ascertaining
if the provisions of this Part are being observed, and no personnel
shall hinder, obstruct or delay any police officer from entering
any such place.
No person shall keep any door or entrance to any billiard
room locked, barred or barricaded in such manner as to make it
difficult of access or ingress to police officers while two or
more persons are present in such room, and no person shall visit
or resort to any such locked, barred or barricaded room or place
protected in any -,manner to make it difficult of access or ingress
to police officers when two or more persons are present.
6376. ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.
At no time shall alcoholic beverages be sold, dispensed,
possessed, brought or allowed on the premises of any billiard room
except in those cases where the billiard room is an auxiliary use
to a bowling center.
6377. GAMBLING. CARDS.
No person shall permit gambling of any kind or description,
or playing any games whatsoever for money or anything of value,
within any billiard room.
• No card table shall be kept or any card games played or
allowed in any billiard room.
6378. ATTENDANCE OF MINORS.
(a) No person under the age of sixteen years shall be in,
remain in, enter or visit any billiard room, unless accompanied by
his parent or guardian.
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(b) No person having charge or control of any billiard room
shall permit or allow any person under the age of sixteen years to
be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room, unless such
minor person is accompanied by his parent or guardian.
(c) The provisions of subdivisions (a) and (b) of this
Section shall not apply to any person under the age of sixteen
years, if such person while in any billiard room is a member of a
bona fide organized recreational group attending such room as a
part of its activities, and there is in charge of such group and
accompanying such group, while in a billiard room, a person over
the age of 21 years.
(d) No person shall represent himself to have reached the
age of sixteen years in order to obtain admission to a billiard
room or to be permitted to remain therein when such person in fact
is under sixteen years of age.
(e) No person under the age of eighteen years shall be in,
remain in, enter or visit any billiard room after 10:00 p.m. and
before 6:00 a.m. of the next day, unless accompanied by his parent
or guardian.
(f) No person having charge or control of any billiard room
shall permit or allow any person under the age of eighteen years
to be in, remain in, enter or visit any billiard room, after 10:00
p.m. and before 6:00 a.m. of the next day, unless such minor person
is accompanied by his parent or guardian.
(g) The proprietor or manager of each billiard room shall
maintain a notice at the front entrance thereof to the effect
• that persons under the age of sixteen years of age are prohibited
from entering the same unless accompanied by his parent or guardian.
6379. NUMBER OF PLAYERS. NON -PLAYERS.
The number of players per table shall be restricted,to four
or less. Spectators and non -players shall be confined to a desig-
nated.area or areas. Such areas shall be marked and locationally
separated from the playing area."
SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the passage of
this ordinance and shall publish the same as required by law.
Passed and approved this 27th day of July 1964.
0 '0�elv� , , 6
STATE OF CALIFORNIA Mayor
COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES SS.
CITY OF 'WEST COVINA
I, ROBERT FLOTTEN, City Clerk of the City of 'West Covina, do
hereby certify that the above Ordinance No. 876 was regularly introduced
and placed upon its first reading at a regular meeting of the City Council
on the 13th day of Jul , 1964. That, thereafter, said ordinance
was duly a-Eopted ana passe a are ular meeting of the City Council on
• the 27th day of July , 19N, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmen: Jett, Krieger, Nichols
NOES: Councilmen: None
ABSENT:Councilmen: Heath,.Mayor Snyder
City UIer
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