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BILLIARD ROOMS

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland pt. SIX, tit. IX, ch. 688
in effect

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.01 Definitions

§ 688.01 Definitions “Billiards” as used in this chapter, means any of the several games played on a table surrounded by an elastic ledge or cushions, with balls which are impelled by a cue, and includes all forms of the game known as pool. “Billiard room” means any public place wherein the game of billiards is permitted to be played.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.02 License Required

§ 688.02 License Required No person, society, club, firm or corporation shall open, conduct, maintain or operate a billiard room within the City unless such person, society, club, firm or corporation has first been duly licensed by the City for such purpose. However, the provisions of this chapter shall not apply to private residences or schools.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.03 License Application

§ 688.03 License Application Every person, society, club, firm or corporation desiring to open or maintain a billiard room must make application to the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses for a license, which application shall be in the form prescribed in this chapter. Such application shall be filed at least ten (10) days prior to the time of granting such license.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.05 Application Information Required

§ 688.05 Application Information Required Every applicant for a license shall file with the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses a written application stating the full name and address, including street and number of the applicant, or if more than one (1) person, or if an association or firm, the full names of all parties interested, and the addresses, including street and number. If the applicant is a club, society or corporation the application shall contain a complete list of the officers of such club, society or corporation, with their names and addresses, including street and number, and shall also give the state in which such club, society or corporation is organized, and the names of one (1) or more persons whom the club, or society or corporation desires to designate as its manager or person in charge, with their addresses. The application shall also state the following: (a) The premises where such billiard room is to be conducted, including the street and number; (b) The age of the applicants in the case of individuals, and the age of the manager and officers in the case of a club, society or corporation; (c) Whether the applicant or manager is a citizen of the United States; (d) Whether the applicant has ever been engaged in operating a billiard room, and when, where and how long in each place within the past five (5) years; (e) The name of the owner of the premises in which such billiard room is located and the complete address of such owner. The application shall be signed by the applicant or applicants, or, in the case of a club, society or corporation, the application shall be signed by the manager or any of its officers.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.06 License Investigation; Rejection; Appeal

§ 688.06 License Investigation; Rejection; Appeal The Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses shall cause an investigation to be made as to the character of the applicant or the officers of the club, society or corporation and of the person who is to have general management of the business. The application shall be rejected if the Commissioner finds any of the persons named in the application not of good moral character or that any of such persons have previously been connected with any billiard room where the license has been revoked, or where any of the provisions with reference to billiard rooms have been violated, or if the billiard room sought to be licensed does not comply in every way with the regulations, ordinances and laws applicable thereto. If rejection of his or her application is made, the applicant shall be notified in writing of the reasons for rejection and shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals, established pursuant to Charter Section 76-6. The Board shall have the power, after full hearing, to confirm the rejection or order the license issued. The applicant shall within ten (10) days after receiving notice of rejection file notice in writing of his or her intention to appeal with the Board. Such appeal shall be set for hearing within ten (10) days after such notice is filed with the Board.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.07 Inspector

§ 688.07 Inspector The Director of Finance shall appoint an Inspector of Billiard Rooms who shall obtain information pertaining to all applicants for licenses concerning their character, the physical condition of the place in which such billiard room is to be located and all other information required by the Director in determining the fitness of such applicant generally. The Inspector shall have the assistance and cooperation of the Commissioner of Building, the Commissioner of Health, the Chief of Police and any other department of the City, in procuring such information. Such Inspector shall furnish such information in writing to the Director and such Inspector shall be under the direction of the Director. Such Inspector shall have access at all times to all billiard rooms where applications for a license are pending, or to any part of the building wherein they are located. He or she shall investigate all complaints and shall at intervals inspect all billiard rooms within the City and make a report of such inspection to the Director and also report all violations of this chapter or the rules governing the same to the Director in writing.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.08 License Fees; Disposition

§ 688.08 License Fees; Disposition (a) Every person, society, club, firm or corporation to whom a license is granted shall pay a biennial fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first table and twenty dollars ($20.00) for each additional table. However, where the applicant is a society or club not organized for profit, no license fee shall be charged for the use of any table. (b) All moneys received by way of license fees shall be paid into the General Fund of the City. (Ord. No. 2393-02. Passed 2-3-03, eff. 2-3-03)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.09 License Expiration

§ 688.09 License Expiration All licenses granted under the provisions of this chapter shall expire on the 30th day of June in odd numbered years, unless sooner suspended or revoked by the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses, provided, however, that any license issued pursuant to this chapter between the effective date of this section and June 30, 1993 shall expire on June 30, 1995, unless sooner revoked by the Commissioner. (Ord. No. 228-93. Passed 2-8-93, eff. 2-16-93)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.10 License Transfer

§ 688.10 License Transfer No transfer of a license either as to person or place, shall be permitted except with the consent of the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses, which shall be endorsed upon the license. The applicant applying for the transfer of any license shall comply with all the provisions of this chapter.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.11 Hours of Operation

§ 688.11 Hours of Operation (a) No person, society, club, firm or corporation shall operate a billiard room between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on weekdays, or before the hours of 1:00 p.m., and after the hours of 11:30 p.m. on Sunday; or harbor or permit any person to be or remain in any billiard room during such hours provided, however, that a billiard room located more than one thousand (1,000) feet from a residential district as set forth in Chapter 337 of the Codified Ordinances may operate until 2:30 a.m. on weekdays and Sunday. This section shall not be construed to prevent regular employees from performing necessary work within the premises. (b) There shall be no restriction on the hours of operation of a billiard hall located more than one thousand (1,000) feet from a residential district as set forth in Chapter 337 of the Codified Ordinances. (Ord. No. 2267-90. Passed 9-14-92, eff. 9-17-92)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.12 Minors Prohibited

§ 688.12 Minors Prohibited No person shall play billiards or be permitted to remain in a billiard room for any purpose who has not reached the age of eighteen (18) years and no person shall represent himself or herself to have reached the age of eighteen (18) years in order to obtain admission to such billiard room or to be permitted to remain therein when such person, in fact, is under eighteen (18) years of age. Note: Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, amended Section 688.12 and Section 688.13 and enacted Section 688.18. However, Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, was vetoed by the Mayor. This veto was not overridden by City Council and, therefore, Ordinance No. 877-95 was never effective. Thus, Section 688.12 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 63410-A, passed September 22, 1924, and Section 688.13 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 534-66, passed October 10, 1966. Section 688.18 was never enacted.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.13 Owner’s Duty to Exclude Minors; Exceptions

§ 688.13 Owner’s Duty to Exclude Minors; Exceptions No owner, operator, agent or keeper of a billiard room shall permit any person who has not reached the age of eighteen (18) years to remain in a billiard room for any purpose. However, a minor under eighteen (18) years of age, when accompanied by either parent or his or her legal guardian, may be permitted to play both billiards and pool, or be in and remain in such parlor or public place. An adult person, who is in charge of a group of minor children under the age of eighteen (18) years, may bring such group into a billiard room or pool parlor for the purpose of permitting them to play both billiards and pool, and such group may be permitted to play billiards and pool or be in and remain in such a parlor or public place so long as they remain under the supervision and control of such adult person. (Ord. No. 534-66. Passed 10-10-66, eff. 10-13-66) Note: Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, amended Section 688.12 and Section 688.13 and enacted Section 688.18. However, Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, was vetoed by the Mayor. This veto was not overridden by City Council and, therefore, Ordinance No. 877-95 was never effective. Thus, Section 688.12 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 63410-A, passed September 22, 1924, and Section 688.13 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 534-66, passed October 10, 1966. Section 688.18 was never enacted.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.14 Games of Chance Prohibited

§ 688.14 Games of Chance Prohibited No dice shall be thrown, nor shall a peaball be used, nor shall cards or other games of chance or any form of gambling be permitted in any billiard room or in the room in which such tables are located, or at any cigar stand or other business in the same room, whether or not such room is divided by a partition, nor shall any checks be given which can be redeemed for merchandise or cash.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.15 Sanitary Condition; Inspection

§ 688.15 Sanitary Condition; Inspection All billiard rooms shall be kept at all times in a clean, healthful and sanitary condition approved by the Inspector of Billiard Rooms, and the Director of Finance shall have the power to determine if such rooms are so kept. For such purpose he or she shall, when desired, have the assistance of the Commissioner of Building and the Commissioner of Health.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.17 License Suspension; Revocation; Appeal

§ 688.17 License Suspension; Revocation; Appeal The license of any billiard room may be suspended or revoked by the Commissioner of Assessments and Licenses for disorderly or immoral conduct on the premises or for the violation of any of the rules, regulations, ordinances and laws governing or applying to billiard rooms. Ten (10) days before a license is revoked the Commissioner shall notify the licensee in writing of the reasons for such proposed revocation, and the licensee shall have the right to appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals, established pursuant to Charter Section 76-6. The Board after full hearing shall have the power to suspend or revoke the license or continue the same in force, and the action of this Board shall be final. In order to perfect his or her appeal, the licensee shall file notice in writing of his or her intention to appeal with the Board before the expiration of ten (10) days. Any license thus forfeited or revoked shall not be granted to the same person, society, club, firm or corporation, or for the same premises until at least six (6) months have elapsed from the time of the forfeiture or revocation of such license. (Ord. No. 26-42. Passed 5-11-42)

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.18 Reserved Note: Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, amended Section 688.12 and Section 688.13 and enacted Section 688.18. However, Ordinance No. 877-95, passed July 19, 1995, was vetoed by the Mayor. This veto was not overridden by City Council and, therefore, Ordinance No. 877-95 was never effective. Thus, Section 688.12 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 63410-A, passed September 22, 1924, and Section 688.13 is as enacted by Ordinance No. 534-66, passed October 10, 1966. Section 688.18 was never enacted.

Codified Ordinances of Cleveland § 688.99 Penalty

§ 688.99 Penalty (a) Any person, society, club, firm or corporation who violates any of the provisions of this chapter for which no other penalty is provided, shall in addition to the penalty provided in Section 688.17, be fined not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) or imprisoned not less than thirty (30) days, or both. (b) Whoever violates Section 688.12 shall be fined not less than five dollars ($5.00) nor more than ten dollars ($10.00) and costs. (c) Whoever violates Section 688.13 shall be fined not more than ten dollars ($10.00) and costs for the first offense and not less than twenty-five dollars ($25.00) nor more than fifty dollars ($50.00) and costs for each subsequent offense. (Ord. No. 534-66. Passed 10-10-66, eff. 10-13-66)
Source: City of Cleveland, Ohio, Codified Ordinances and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/cleveland/latest/cleveland_oh/0-0-0-37943Fetched: 11/1/2026

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