SF Police Code:
Dance Hall Keeper
SEC. 1022. DEFINITIONS.
Unless the context specifically indicates otherwise, the following terms, as used in this Chapter, shall mean or include:
(a) ``Dance.'' Any gathering of persons in or upon any premises, other than a private home or residence or a class in which instruction in dancing is given for hire, where dancing is participated in. Dances, as defined herein, shall be classified in types as follows: ``General'' shall include any dance to which persons 18 years of age or older are admitted. ``Special'' shall include any dance to which no persons 15 years of age or younger or 21 years of age or older are admitted a participants.
(b) ``Dance Hall.'' Any building or place in which a dance is held.
(c) ``Person.'' Includes any person, co-partnership, firm, corporation, association, club, or any legal entity. (Added by Ord. 139-67, App 6/5/67)
SEC. 1023. PERMIT REQUIRED.
It shall be unlawful for any person to own, conduct, operate, or maintain, or to cause or to permit to be conducted, operated, or maintained any dance hall or to conduct, promote, or sponsor or to cause or to permit to be conducted, promoted, or sponsored any dance within the City and County of San Francisco without first having obtained a permit from the Chief of Police.
Any place or premises where a dance is to be held must conform to all existing health, safety, and fire ordinances of the City and County of San Francisco. (Amended by Ord. 139-67, App. 6/5/67)
SEC. 1024. APPLICATION FOR PERMIT.
Applications for said permits shall be made in writing to the Chief of Police and shall be made in such form and shall contain such information as the Chief of Police shall require. Every applicant for a permit may be required to furnish such evidence of a good moral character as the Chief of Police shall require. In granting or denying a permit, the Chief of Police shall give particular consideration to the peace, order, and moral welfare of the public; provided, however, that only one type of dance, as enumerated in section 1022(a) of this Chapter, shall be permitted in any dance hall on the same day, up to and including 2:00 a.m. of the following day. Upon application for a dance hall permit the Chief of Police shall set a time, date, and place for a public hearing thereon and shall cause a notice thereof to be conspicuously posted upon the premises concerned not les than 10 days before the date set for public hearing. The notice shall set forth the name of the applicant, the purpose for which the application is made, and the time, date, and place of the public hearing on the application.
The Chief of Police may consider, but is not limited to the following factors in the issuing or granting of a permit:
SEC. 1024.1. FILING FEE.
Every person desiring a permit pursuant to Sections 1023 and 1024 of this Article shall file an application with the Chief of Police upon a form provided by said Chief of Police and shall pay a filing fee, payable in advance.
The license fee prescribed in this section is due and payable on a calendar year basis, starting January 1, 1967. Fees for new licenses issued prior to January 1, 1967, or after the first day of January of that year, or in any subsequent calendar year, shall be prorated with regard to the calendar year on a monthly basis.
The provisions of this Section shall not apply to any dance hall used exclusively for any of the following dances:
(a) Dances of a bona fide social character, to which admission is limited strictly on invitation of the person acting as host, and for which no fee, either by way of admission or in any other manner is charged.
(b) Dances given by any public agency or by any educational, recreational, or social agency, or by any bona fied fraternal, charitable, or religious or benevolent or any other nonprofit organization having a regular membership association primarily for mutual social, mental, political, and civic welfare, to which admission is limited to members and guests, and revenue accruing therefrom to be used exclusively for the benevolent purposes of said organization.
(c) Dances conducted by any dancing academy or dancing class in which instruction in dancing is given for hire. (Amended by Ord. 555-81, App. 11/12/81)
SEC. 1026. REGULATIONS.
(a) Hours. ``Special'' dances shall be conducted only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight: ``General'' dances shall be conducted only between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. of the following day; provided, however, the Chief of Police may, in his discretion allow, by order permitting the same, the conduct of ``General'' and ``Special'' dances at hours other than the hours stated in this subsection.
(b) Supervision. The Chief of Police may require that one or more special police officers and/or special police women, satisfactory to the Police Department, be employed by any person to whom a dance permit is granted, to supervise said dances.
(c) Minors prohibited: Exceptions. No person under 16 years of age shall enter or be, or shall be permitted to enter or be, in any dance hall at any time a ``General'' dance is being conducted therein, unless a parent, guardian, or other person having the care and custody thereof.
No person 16 or 17 years of age shall enter or be, or shall be permitted to enter or be, in any dance hall after 12:00 midnight where a ``Special'' dance is conducted unless said person is accompanied by parent, guardian, or other person having the care and custody thereof: provided however, that the dance hours are permitted by the Chief of Police as enumerated in Subsection (a) of this section.
No person under 18 years of age shall enter or be, or be permitted to enter or be, in any dance hall wherein a ``Special'' dance is being held unless said person is accompanied by parent, guardian, or other person having the care and custody thereof: provided however, the Chief of Police may, in his discretion allow, by order permitting the same, said persons to attend a dance conducted, promoted or sponsored by a public agency or by an educational, recreational or social organization or agency which is incorporated in the State of California and which is exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue laws of the United States as a bona fide fraternal, charitable, religious, benevolent or nonprofit organization having a regular membership associated primarily for mutual social, mental, political, or civic welfare, and where admission to such dance is limited to members and guests and the revenue accruing from such dance is to be used exclusively for the benevolent purposes of said organization or agency.
(d) Adults Prohibited. No person 21 years of age or older shall attend or be permitted to attend a ``Special'' dance as a participant therein.
(e) Pass-Out Checks Prohibited; Exceptions. No person admitted to a dance shall be permitted to leave and thereafter reenter the dance premises during the course of said dance, and no pass-out checks shall be issued unless required by the physical arrangements of the premises. (Amended by Ord. 260-81, App. 5/21/81)
SEC. 1027. Penalty.
Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of Sections 1023 to and including 1026 of this Chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $500, or by imprisonment in the jail of the City and County for a term of not more than six months, or by both fine and imprisonment.