Ordinance 1897CITY OF ALAMEDA ORDINANCE NO. 1897
AMENDING THE ALAMEDA MUNICIPAL CODE BY AMENDING ARTICLE
3 OF CHAPTER 2, TITLE XVI THEREOF, DEFINING AND REGULATING
BINGO FOR AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATIONS, PRESCRIBING PENALTY
FOR VIOLATIONS THEREOF, AND RELATING TO CITATION
PROCEDURE FOR VIOLATIONS
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ALAMEDA that:
Section 1 . Chapter 2 of Title XVI of the Alameda Municipal
Code is hereby amended by amending Article 3 thereof to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 3 BINGO FOR AUTHORIZED ORGANIZATIONS
Sec. 16 -231 Authority The following regulations
relating to Bingo for authorized organizations are enacted
under Section 19 of Article IV of the State Constitution
and implementing provisions of Section 326.5 of the State
Penal Code.
Sec. 16 -232 Definitions
(a) As used in this ordinance, "Bingo" means a game
of change in which prizes are awarded on the basis of
designated numbers or symbols on a card which conform
to numbers or symbols selected at random. Said
definition applies exclusively to this ordinance
and shall not be applied in the construction or
enforcement of any other provision of law.
(b) As used in this ordinance, "Authorized Orcan-
izations" shall mean those organizations exempt , rom
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the payment of the Bank and Corporation Tax by
Sections 23701(a), 23701(b), 23701(d), 23701(e),
23701(f), 23701(g) and 23701(1), of the Revenue and
Taxation Code or senior citizens organizations; provided
that the proceeds of such games are used only for
charitable purposes.
Sec. 16 -233 Authorized Organizations Permitted to
Conduct Bingo Games Authorized organizations are hereby
allowed to conduct Bingo games in the City of Alameda in
the manner permitted by the provisions of Section 326.5 of
the State Penal Code and the regulatory provisions of this
Code.
Sec. 16 -234 Application for Permit Before an
organization can conduct a Bingo game in the City of Alameda
as herein authorized, said organization shall apply for a
permit with the City Manager of the City of Alameda, and
where applicable, shall file with said application either
Certificates of the Franchise Tax Board and U. S. Internal
Revenue Service which show that the organization is currently
exempted from the payment of the Bank and Corporations Tax
by Sections 23701(a), 23701(b), 23701(d), 23701(e), 23701(f),
23701(g) and 23701(1) of the Revenue and Taxation Code or if
a senior citizens organization, the Articles of Incorporation
or Bylaws.
Sec. 16 -235 Term of Permit A permit when issued
shall be for a term of one year from the date of issuance
subject to renewal at which time current certificates
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described in Section 16 -234 shall be submitted with the
renewal application.
Sec. 16 -236 Fee Schedule
Permit Fee $50.00
Renewal Fee 50.00
Appeal Fee 25.00
If an application for a permit is denied, one -half of the
permit fee paid shall be refunded to the organization.
Sec. 16 -237 Applicant Must be Qualified No permit
shall be issued to any organization unless such organization
is authorized as defined by Section 16- 232(b) and its
application conforms to the requirements, terms, and con-
ditions of this Code.
Sec. 16 -238 Application An application for a permit
as provided by Section 16 -234 of this Code shall be made to
the City Manager upon forms provided by the City of Alameda.
The application herein required shall contain the following
information:
(a) The name, address or headquarters of the person
applying for the permit.
(b) The name(s), address(es), and signature(s) of
the applicant(s) principal officer(s) including the
presiding officer authorizing the submission of
application and the necessary certificates, including
the permit fee posted in the Office of the City Clerk.
(c) An attached list of all members of the organization
who will operate the bingo games including full names
and dates of birth.
(d) The particular property with n the City of
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Alameda, including the street number on which bingo
games will be conducted; whether the property is owned
or leased by the applicant; its primary use for which
the applicant is organized; and, the occupancy capacity
of such property.
(e) Proposed hours and days of the week when bingo
games will be conducted.
(f) The name(s) of the financial institution(s)
where funds derived from the bingo games shall be
deposited.
(g) A full statement of the proposed use of funds
derived from bingo games.
(h) A statement to the effect that if said permit
is granted, it will not be used to represent in any
way an endorsement by the City of Alameda, or by any
department, or officer thereof.
(i) That the applicant agrees to conduct bingo
games in strict accordance with the provisions of
Section 326.5 of the State Penal Code and the provisions
of this Code, and further agrees that the permit to
conduct bingo games may be summarily suspended by the
Chief of Police and /or revoked by the City Manager
upon violation of any such provisions of this Code.
(j) Said application shall be signed by the presiding
officer of the applicant under penalty of perjury.
Sec. 16 -239 Investigation of Applicant Upoi receipt
of the comllated application and fee the application shall
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be forwarded for review and approval to the Chief Building
Inspector, Planning Director, Fire Chief and Police Chief.
Each department in their area of concern shall make a
determination that the applicant's statements are true,
applicant's property qualifies and to the extent to which
it qualifies, as property on which bingo games may be law-
fully conducted, as to fire, occupancy and other applicable
restrictions..
Sec. 16 -2310 Standards for Disapproval of Permit
Application The City Manager shall approve the issuance
of a permit unless the application is incomplete, statements
in the application are false or the applicant does not meet
any of the requirements of this Ordinance.
Sec. 16 -2311 Appeal of Denial of Permit The applicant
may file an appeal and fee of the decision of the City
Manager. A hearing shall be held in a manner as provided
for in Section 13 -218 of the Alameda Municipal Code.
Sec. 16 -2312 Contents of Permit Upon being satisfied
that the applicant is fully qualified, under the law, to
conduct bingo games in the City, the City Manager's Office
shall issue a permit to said applicant, which shall contain
the following information:
(a) The name and nature of the organization to whom
the permit is issued.
(b) The address where bingo games are authorized to
be conducted.
(c) The occupancy capacity of the room in which
bingo games are to be conducted.
(d) The date of the expiration of such permit.
(e) Such other information as may be necessary or
desirable for the enforcement of the provisions of
these regulations.
Sec. 16 -2313 Inspection Any peace officer of the
City shall have free access to any bingo game authorized
under these regulations. The permittee shall have the
bingo permit, the list of approved staff, and proof of
ownership of the bingo equipment available for inspection
at all times during any bingo game. It shall be unlawful
for any person to interfere, block doorways, or otherwise
impede the efforts of the peace officer to make such
inspections.
Sec. 16 -2314 Equipment The permittee must own the
gaming equipment necessary to conduct the bingo games.
No gaming equipment may be rented, leased, or shall any
fee be paid to anyone for such gaming equipment used in
bingo games. Proof of ownership shall be displayed to any
peace officer of the City upon request.
Sec. 16 -2315 Maximum Amount of Prize The total value
of prizes awarded during the conduct of any bingo games
shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250) in cash
or kind, or both for each separate game which is held.
Sec. 16 -2316 Profits - Separate Fund or Account
All profits derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a
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special fund or account and shall not be commingled with
any other fund or account. The permittee shall keep full
and accurate records of the income and expenses received
and disbursed in connection with its operation, conduct,
promotion, supervision and any other phase of bingo games
which are authorized by these regulations. The City, by
and through its authorized officers, shall have the right
to examine and audit such records at any reasonable time
and permittee shall fully cooperate with the City by making
such records available. With respect to organizations
exempt from Payment of the Bank and Corporation Tax by
Section 23701(d) of the Revenue and Taxation Code, all
profits derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a special
fund or account and shall not be commingled with any other
fund or account. Such profits shall be used only for charit-
able purposes. With respect to other organizations authorized
to conduct bingo games pursuant to this section, all proceeds
derived from a bingo game shall be kept in a special fund or
account and shall not be commingled with any other fund or
account. Such proceeds shall be used only for charitable
purposes, except as follows:
(a) Such proceeds may be used for prizes.
(b) A portion of such proceeds, not to exceed 10
percent of the proceeds after the deduction for prizes,
or five hundred dollars ($500) per month, whichever is
less, may be used for rental of property, overhead and
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admit, :trative expenses.
Sec. 16 -2317 Financial Interest - Permittee Only
No individual, corporation, partnership, or other legal
entity except the organization authorized to conduct a
bingo game shall hold a financial interest in the conduct
of such bingo game.
See. -2318 Exclusive Operation by Permittee
A bingo game shall be operated and staffed only by members
of the authorized organization which organized it. Such
members shall not receive a profit, wage, or salary from
any bingo game. Only the organization authorized to con-
duct a bingo game shall operate such game, or participate
in the promotion, supervision, or any phase of such.
Sec. 16 -2319 Bingo Games Open to Public All bingo
games shall be open to the public.
Sec. 16 -2320 Attendance Limited to Occupancy Capacity
Notwithstanding that bingo games are open to the public,
attendance at any bingo game shall be limited to the
occupancy capacity of the room in which such game is con-
ducted as determined by the Fire Department and Building
Inspection Division of the City in accordance with applicable
laws and regulations. Permittee shall not reserve seats
or space for any person.
Sec. 16 -2321 Bingo Games Conducted on Property
Utilized by Permittee for its Charitable Purposes An
organization authorized to conduct bingo games pursuant to
Section 16- 232(b) shall conduct a bingo game only on property
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owned or leased by it, and which property is used by such
organization for an office or for performance of the pur-
poses for which the organization is organized. Nothing
in this subdivision shall be construed to require that the
property owned or leased by the organization be used or
leased exclusively by such organization. The permit issued
hereunder shall authorize the holder thereof to conduct
bingo games only on such property, the address of which
is stated on the application.
Sec. 16 -2322 Minors Not to Participate No minor
shall be allowed to participate in any bingo game.
Sec. 16 -2323 Hours Of Operation No permittee shall
conduct any bingo game more than four hours out of any
twenty -four hour period. No bingo game shall be conducted
before 10:00 A.M. nor after midnight of any day.
Sec. 16 -2324 Participant Must Be Present No person
shall be allowed to participate in a bingo game, unless
the person is physically present at the time and place in
which the bingo game is being conducted.
Sec. 16 -2325 Receipt or Pay of Profit By a Person a
Misdemeanor Under State Law It is a misdemeanor for any
person to receive or pay a profit, wage, or salary from
any bingo game authorized by Section 19 of Article IV of
the State Constitution. A violation shall be punishable
by a fine not to exceed ten thousand dollars ($10,000),
which fine shall be deposited in the g,!neral fund of the
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City of Alameda.
Sec. 16 -2326 Summary Suspension of permit
(a) Whenever it appears to the Chief of Police or
his representative that the permittee is conducting
a bingo game in violation of any of these provisions,
said Chief of Police or his representative shall have
the authority to summarily suspend the permit for the
day in question and order the permittee to immediately
cease and desist any further operation of any bingo
game on said day.
(b) Any person who continues to conduct a bingo
game after any summary suspension thereof under sub-
section (a) shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor
and upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) or by
imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceed-
ing six (6) months, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
Sec. 16 -2327 Revocation of Permit - Hearing Whenever
it appears to the City Manager that the permittee has been
or is conducting bingo games in violation of Section 326.5
of the State Penal Code, or any of these provisions, or that
the permit was obtained by fraudulent representation, the
permit may be revoked.
No permit shall be revoked unless written notice shall
have first been given at least five (5) days before the
hearing thereof by depositing in the United States Mail a
notice directed to the permittee at the address given in
the appiicut ion. The notice shall set forth a st miary of
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the ground(s) advanced as the basis of the revocation.
At the hearing before the City Manager or a Hearing
Officer in the manner provided by Section 13 -218 of this
Code the permittee or its authorized representative shall
have the right to present evidence and a written or oral
argument, or both, in response.
The City Manager or the Hearing Officer shall be bound
in the conduct of such hearing by the common law or
statutory rules of evidence and procedure, but inquiry
shall be made in such a manner to ascertain the substantial
rights of the public and the permittee.
No decision shall be invalidated because of the admission
into the record and the use as any proof of any fact in
dispute of any evidence not admissible under the common or
statutory rules of evidence. .
Within twenty (20) days after close of hearing the City
Manager shall enter his decision based upon the record
presented and notify in writing, the permittee of such
decision. The decision of the City Manager shall be final.
Sec. 16 -2328 City May Enjoin Violation The City
vi O
t O of Alameda may bring an action in a court of competent
a
o V jurisdiction to enjoin a violation of Section 326.5 of the
Q State Penal Code as amended or of these regulations.
Section 2 . This ordinance shall be in full force and
effect from and after the expiration of thirty (30) days from the
date of its final passage.
Presi g Officer of the Council
Atte s�vz
City Clerk
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Ordinance was
duly and regularly adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda
in regular meeting assembled on the 20th day of December, 1977, fy the following
Vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmen Beckam, Diament, Sherratt, Tillman and President Corica, (5).
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal
of said City this 21st day of December, 1977.
�o a
City Clerk of the City of Alameda