Currently, the City of Goodyear requires every person conducting business within the city to register a business with the city and obtain a business registration permit. The amendment to Article 8-7 will change the current process to require all businesses conducting business within the city to obtain a business license prior to commencing any business operations within the City of Goodyear. The change from a business registration permit to a business license is needed because a business registration permit is a catalogue of each business but a business license is the City giving permission to conduct business within city limits, and without such permission the business being conducted is unlawful.
All currently issued business registration permits expire each calendar year and must be renewed on or before December 31 of each year. Every person that has been issued a valid business registration permit by the city shall be allowed to continue to operate as if they have been issued a business license until such business registration permit expires and shall submit an application to the city to renew any business registration permit as a business license on or before December 31, 2024.
The amendment to Article 8-7 shall require any person engaged in any business within the city to first obtain a business license by applying to the city for a business license and paying a fee. The City shall review the application and conduct any needed inspections of the business property. Certain activities or institutions shall be exempt from obtaining a business license including federal, state, or municipal governments, religious institutions, public schools, those with city franchise agreements or telecommunication license agreements, and any person or business exempted by state law from obtaining a business license.
After being issued a license, the business must display their license at a fixed location within the city at all times or to carry their license with them if there is no fixed location. City police officers and code compliance officers shall have the authority to inspect the business at reasonable times and require the operator of the business to produce their license upon demand.
The amendment to Article 8-7 allows a business license to be suspended or revoked for City Code violations and the business must cease all operations once the license is suspended or revoked. The City may impose fines for non-compliance under the amendment to Article 8-7 and every person that violates a provision may be pursued civilly or criminally.
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