PERMIT

Richmond, Va., City Code ch. 3, art. II, div. 2

in effect

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-56 Required; annual renewal; posting.

Sec. 3-56. - Required; annual renewal; posting. (a) No person shall conduct or operate a public dance hall in the City without a valid permit authorizing the operation of such public dance hall. (b) Permits issued under this division shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed on an annual basis thereafter. (c) Whenever two or more establishments sponsor a special event that meets the definition of a public dance hall, a separate permit shall be required for that special event in addition to the permit held by any one or more of the establishments. Such a permit shall be valid only for the duration of the special event sponsored by the establishments applying for the permit. (d) The permit holder shall be responsible for ensuring that the permit is posted at a location within the public dance hall for which the permit is issued that is conspicuously visible to members of the general public. (e) Permits issued under this division shall be issued in the same name as the name displayed on the applicant's business license. (Code 1993, § 3-66; Code 2004, § 6-156; Code 2015, § 3-96; Code 2020, § 3-96; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-57 Application.

Sec. 3-57. - Application. Any person desiring to obtain a permit required by this article shall submit a written application therefor to the Chief Administrative Officer, on forms prescribed by the Chief Administrative Officer, accompanied by a nonrefundable processing fee of $100.00. Such application shall contain, or have appended to it, the information required by this section. (1) In general. As part of the application required by this section, each applicant shall be required to submit the following: a. The street address where the proposed public dance hall is to be located; b. The name, phone number, residence address of each individual who has or will have an ownership interest in the proposed public dance hall and, if the owner will not be the only individuals responsible for the management of the public dance hall, in addition thereto, the names, phone numbers and residence addresses of each manager; c. If the applicant is a corporation or other entity, such application shall include a copy of the entity's articles of incorporation, articles of organization, fictitious name report or similar documentation required by State law and shall set forth the names, phone numbers and residence addresses of the officers and directors of such corporation or other entity and the names, phone numbers and addresses of all persons having an ownership interest therein of ten percent or more; d. A statement signed by the person authorized to sign the permit application on behalf of the applicant certifying that all information provided by or on behalf of the applicant is true and correct; e. The name, phone number, address and signature of all persons responsible for the maintenance of the public dance hall's premises in compliance with building and fire code regulations; and f. The name and address of the person who is designated to receive notices given pursuant to Section 3-59. (2) Required permits. As part of the application required by this section, each applicant shall be required to submit copies of the following licenses and permits: a. A valid certificate of occupancy for the establishment in the name of the applicant, issued by the Commissioner of Buildings; b. A valid assembly permit for the establishment in the name of the applicant issued by the Fire Marshal; c. A statement of whether or not alcoholic beverages are to be served on the premises and, if alcoholic beverages are to be served on the premises: 1. The application submitted to the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board for the establishment; or 2. A valid license issued by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board or a writing from the Board constituting a denial of such application; d. Any necessary health permits for the establishment required by any agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia; e. A valid business license for the establishment; and f. Where the applicant is submitting a valid license issued by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board, a valid City companion license issued pursuant to the applicable requirements of Sections 26-934, 26-937 and 26-938. (3) Compliance with laws. As part of the application required by this section, each applicant shall be required to submit the following: a. A statement of whether any of the individuals whose names are required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Subsections (1)b and c of this section has ever applied for or had an ownership interest in any business entity which applied for a permit required by this article or a similar ordinance of any other county, city or town within the five years preceding the date of the application. If such statement is in the affirmative, the applicant shall give full particulars as to the nature of the application, the date thereof, and the disposition of the application; b. As to all persons whose names are submitted pursuant to Subsections (1)b and c of this section, evidence that the fully executed consent forms have been submitted to the Chief of Police necessary to enable the Chief of Police to conduct background checks sufficient to determine that the application meets the requirements of Section 3-58(a)(1) and to report the results to the Chief Administrative Officer; and c. As to all persons whose names are submitted pursuant to Subsections (1)b and c of this section, a statement from the Department of Finance that all filings or taxes of any kind due the City from such persons are paid in full and not delinquent. (Code 1993, § 3-67; Code 2004, § 6-157; Code 2015, § 3-97; Code 2020, § 3-97; Ord. No. 2004-175-165, § 1, 6-28-2004; Ord. No. 2004-360-330, § 1, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-58 Grant or denial.

Sec. 3-58. - Grant or denial. (a) The Chief Administrative Officer shall issue the permit required under this article if the application for the permit contains all of the information required by Section 3-57 and: (1) No person whose name is required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Section 3-57 or reported to the City pursuant to Section 3-61 has been convicted of: a. Any violent felony involving a crime against a person; b. Any other felony within the five years preceding the date of the application; c. Any misdemeanor involving contributing to the delinquency of a minor within the five years preceding the date of the application; d. Any other criminal offense against a juvenile; or e. Any crime within the five years preceding the date of the application involving: 1. The possession, sale or distribution of, attempted possession, sale or distribution of, or conspiracy to possess, sell or distribute a controlled substance, alcohol or firearms; or 2. The sale or distribution of, attempted sale or distribution of, or conspiracy to sell or distribute marijuana; (2) There has been no misrepresentation or misstatement concerning or omission of any fact, material or otherwise, in the application, whether such misrepresentation, misstatement or omission is intentional or inadvertent; (3) No person whose name is required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Section 3-57 has been a holder of a permit revoked under Section 3-59 within three years prior to the date of the application; (4) No person whose name is required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Section 3-57 owes any delinquent taxes of any kind to the City; and (5) No person whose name is required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Section 3-57 owns or has owned any establishment that has been adjudicated to be a common or public nuisance pursuant to applicable State law. (b) The Chief Administrative Officer shall grant the permit or deny the application within 45 days after receipt of a complete application. However, if the Chief Administrative Officer is unable to determine within such time whether or not the application complies with the requirements for the granting of a permit on the basis of the information provided, the Chief Administrative Officer may so notify the applicant and require the applicant to provide such additional information as may be necessary. In such case, the Chief Administrative Officer shall have an additional 30 days from the date on which such information is furnished to grant the permit or deny the application. If the applicant fails to provide such information within the amount of time specified by the Chief Administrative Officer, the application shall be denied. (Code 1993, § 3-68; Code 2004, § 6-158; Code 2015, § 3-98; Code 2020, § 3-98; Ord. No. 2004-360-330, § 1, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-59 Revocation of permit.

Sec. 3-59. - Revocation of permit. (a) Every permit granted under this division shall be subject to all applicable laws, ordinances and regulations. (b) The Chief Administrative Officer may, after notice and hearing, take such action as is allowed pursuant to Subsection (d) of this section if he finds, by a preponderance of the evidence presented at such hearing, that: (1) Three or more violations of this article have occurred at the public dance hall within a 12-month period; (2) The public dance hall has become a meeting place for persons committing serious criminal violations of the law on or immediately adjacent to the premises so frequent and serious as to be deemed a continuing threat to public safety; (3) A violation of any of the provisions of the Virginia Fire Prevention Code, the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, Chapter 30, or public health regulations has occurred at the public dance hall; (4) The application contains any misrepresentation, misstatement or omission, intentional or inadvertent, concerning any information required to be provided in, or in connection with, the application; (5) The permit has been assigned or otherwise transferred, or the permit holder has failed to provide the Chief Administrative Officer with the information required by Section 3-61; (6) Any person whose name is required to be set forth in the application pursuant to Section 3-57 fails to make any filing required by Chapter 26 or to pay any taxes, fees or other monies due the City from that person; (7) The applicant fails to renew his business license as required by Chapter 26; (8) Conduct punishable under Code of Virginia, Title 18.2, Ch. 4, Art. 2.1 (Code of Virginia, § 18.2-46.1 et seq.), concerning crimes by gangs, has occurred on the premises of the public dance hall or immediately adjacent to such premises; or (9) Any of the conditions upon which the permit was granted pursuant to Section 3-58(a) are violated. (c) Upon the submission by the Chief of Police or his designee of a written complaint to the Chief Administrative Officer, setting forth facts which, if proven, would constitute grounds for taking any of the actions set forth in Subsection (d) of this section, the Chief Administrative Officer shall promptly notify the permit holder, or his designee for receiving notice, of such complaint and schedule a hearing thereon within five days of the Chief Administrative Officer's receipt of the written complaint. Such grounds shall be limited to those set forth in Subsection (b) of this section. The notice shall be personally delivered or sent by certified or regular mail to the person designated to receive such notices and shall: (1) Set forth the grounds and the facts upon which the complaint is based or, alternatively, make reference to the complaint and contain a copy of such complaint as an attachment; (2) State the actions which may be taken by the Chief Administrative Officer pursuant to Subsection (d) of this section or, alternatively, make reference to this section and contain a copy thereof as an attachment; (3) State the date, time and place of such hearing, which shall not be held less than seven days after the date the notice is mailed or delivered; and (4) State that the applicant is entitled to be present at the hearing, in person or by a representative, and to present evidence on his behalf. (d) If the Chief Administrative Officer finds, by a preponderance of the evidence presented at such hearing, that one or more of the grounds alleged in the complaint have been proven, he may: (1) Revoke the permit; (2) Suspend the permit until the applicant has abated the violations alleged in the complaint that the Chief Administrative Officer has found to have been proven; or (3) Require the posting of a bond, in an amount and form satisfactory to the Chief Administrative Officer, securing to the City the compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances and regulations. The Chief Administrative Officer shall render a decision in writing to the permit holder within ten days of the date of the hearing and shall promptly notify the permit holder, or the person designated to receive notices, and the owner of the property at which the public dance hall is located, if a person other than the permit holder, of the action taken by the Chief Administrative Officer. Such notice shall be personally delivered or sent by certified or registered mail. (e) Any permit holder aggrieved by a decision of the Chief Administrative Officer may appeal such action to the Circuit Court by proper application filed within 30 days from the date of such decision; provided, however, that the commencement of such appeal shall not stay the action of the Chief Administrative Officer. Upon the filing of such application, the court may issue a writ of certiorari ordering the Chief Administrative Officer to produce within the time prescribed by the court, but not less than ten days, the record of his action and the documents that he considered in making the decision appealed. The Chief Administrative Officer may comply with such writ by producing certified or sworn copies of the record and documents rather than the original record and documents. In addition, the Chief Administrative Officer may submit, in writing and verified by affidavit, such other facts as may be pertinent and material to show the grounds of the decision appealed. The court shall review the record, documents and other materials produced by the Chief Administrative Officer pursuant to the issuance of the writ and may reverse or modify the decision reviewed, in whole or in part, when the court is satisfied that the decision of the Chief Administrative Officer is contrary to law or that his decision is arbitrary and constitutes an abuse of discretion. The court shall affirm the decision unless it finds that the decision is contrary to law or is arbitrary and constitutes an abuse of discretion. If the court finds that the testimony of witnesses is necessary for a proper disposition of the matter, it may hear such evidence. (Code 1993, § 3-69; Code 2004, § 6-159; Code 2015, § 3-99; Code 2020, § 3-99; Ord. No. 2004-175-165, § 1, 6-28-2004; Ord. No. 2004-360-330, § 1, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-60 Transferability.

Sec. 3-60. - Transferability. A permit granted under this division shall not be transferable from one person to another. (Code 1993, § 3-70; Code 2004, § 6-160; Code 2015, § 3-100; Code 2020, § 3-100; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Richmond, Va., City Code § 3-61 Changes in ownership, management or location.

Sec. 3-61. - Changes in ownership, management or location. Any change in the ownership of a controlling interest in a permit holder of a public dance hall shall invalidate the permit for such public dance hall. The permit holder of a public dance hall shall furnish the City with written notice of any change in the ownership of less than a controlling interest in the permit holder, containing all of the information required by Section 3-57(2) and (3), within 30 days of such change. Upon any change in the management of a public dance hall, the permit holder shall report the change to the Chief Administrative Officer within 14 days by submitting information sufficient for the Chief Administrative Officer to determine whether the permit holder remains in compliance with this article. Any change in the location of a public dance hall shall invalidate the permit for such public dance hall. (Code 1993, § 3-70; Code 2004, § 6-161; Code 2015, § 3-101; Code 2020, § 3-101; Ord. No. 2004-175-165, § 1, 6-28-2004; Ord. No. 2010-113-159, § 1, 9-13-2010)

Source: City of Richmond, Virginia, Code (2026 recodification) and Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/va/richmond/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICICO_CH3AMEN_ARTIIPUDAHA_DIV2PEFetched: 11/8/2026