Article II. HOTELS.

of use and occupancy from the Department of Permitting Services;

from the fire marshal stating that the building complies with the fire prevention code; and

from the Director stating that the building or buildings and rooms to be occupied or used by the guests of the hotel, and the premises on which such buildings are located, comply with the standards and regulations of the County and State Boards of Health.

Section 10-202 (keeping disorderly house);

Title 12 (gaming);

Title 5 (controlled dangerous substances, prescriptions, and other substances); or

Section 10-201 (disturbing the public peace and disorderly conduct).

When an application for a license under this Division, or when a previously issued license is in the renewal process, the Director or the Director’s designee must conduct all investigations and inspections required by this article. The Director must approve or deny the application within 90 days after the date of filing, or as soon thereafter as practicable. Applications for renewal of a license filed on or before October 1 under Section 54-25 and that have not been approved or denied by the Director before the following January 1, remain in effect until approved or denied by the Director.

If, after all investigations and inspections are completed, the Director finds that the hotel for which a license under this Division is requested does not satisfy the requirements of this chapter, the Director must, within 10 days after making such a finding, transmit notice of such finding to the applicant. The notice must advise the applicant of the necessary corrective measures to be taken before the Director will issue the license. The Director may direct the applicant to appear within 10 days from the date of service of the notice to show cause why the license should not be denied. If the applicant fails to show cause as directed in such notice, or fails to take the necessary corrective action, the Director may deny the application.

The Director must send all of the Director’s orders and notices to the applicant either by registered mail or by personal delivery at the address shown on the application. If the applicant cannot be found in the County, service by personal delivery must be made to the person who is in charge of the hotel.

The Director must investigate any complaint that a licensee is in violation of this Article within 30 days of receiving the complaint.

If a violation is found, the Director must issue written notice of the violation to the owner or operator requiring that the violation be corrected immediately.

If the violation is not corrected immediately, the Director may revoke or suspend the license under Section 54-26.

Whenever a hotel changes its location, the current license held by such owner or operator under this Division is void.

The Director may authorize the transfer of a license issued under this Division to a new owner or operator upon an application for transfer of the license and payment of a transfer fee. The Executive must establish the transfer fee by regulation adopted under method (3) of Section 2A-15 of this Code.

The Director may revoke or suspend any license issued under this Division if the Director finds that the owner or operator of any hotel is in violation of any provision of this Article. Any such revocation or suspension must be by written order directed to the owner or operator of the hotel under the procedures of subsection 54-21(c). Any such notice of revocation or suspension must require the holder of the license to appear before the Director and show cause why the license should not be revoked or suspended.

The Director may revoke or suspend any license issued under this Division if the Director finds that the hotel is disruptive to the general peaceful enjoyment, dangerous to the health and safety, of the community or is a nuisance because of noise or indecent or immoral activity by any guest, owner, operator or employee. The Director may also revoke or suspend any license issued under this Chapter if the owner or operator of the hotel has, while operating the hotel, been convicted of violating:

Any habitable room in a hotel must be at least 70 square feet in floor area and there must be at least 50 square feet of floor area for each person. Children under 12 years of age are counted as one-half person. Children under 1 year of age are not counted as a person for the purpose of this requirement.

At least one-half of the floor area of every habitable room must have a ceiling height of at least 7 feet, and the floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling height is less than 5 feet is not considered as part of the floor area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose of determining the maximum permissible occupancy of the room.

All mattresses, blankets and other bedding used at hotels must be kept clean and free of bedbugs.

Clean sheets and pillow slips must be provided in hotels at least once each week and after each succeeding guest.