Appendix 2014. Certificates of occupancy, fire inspections, health clearances and zone clearances.

No person applying for a business tax certificate or commencing business in any new location or in any new structure, or in any structure previously occupied by another person or business, may obtain a permanent business tax certificate for the business tax year without first having obtained the following:

(a)

A certificate of occupancy, or temporarily certificate of occupancy, or a waiver of such certificate from the Department of Building and Safety;

(b)

A zoning clearance from the Planning Department authorizing inauguration of the use;

(c)

A permit or a waiver of a permit from the Ventura County Fire Protection District.

In the event an official of any of the departments mentioned above informs the Tax Collector that an applicant for a first business tax certificate or for any subsequent business tax certificate has failed to obtain a returned certificate, permit, clearance, or waiver, the Tax Collector shall not issue a permanent business tax certificate to the applicant.

An applicant for a business tax certificate or a business in any new structure or in any structure previously occupied by another business, shall receive a temporary business tax certificate upon payment of the tax imposed by this Chapter. The temporary business tax certificate shall be dated and shall be valid for ninety (90) days after issuance. During the ninety (90) day validity period of the temporary business tax certificate, if an official of any of the departments mentioned in this section informs the Tax Collector that the applicant has failed to obtain a required certificate, permit, clearance or waiver, the Tax Collector shall not issue a permanent business tax certificate covering the remainder of the business tax year and the Tax Collector shall cause a refund of the business tax paid by the applicant to be made to the applicant for the remainder of the business tax year. If the applicant obtains the required certificates, permits, clearances or waivers, the Tax Collector shall issue a permanent business tax certificate for the remainder of the business tax year, so long as all other conditions to issuance are satisfied.

After a first business tax certificate has been issued to a business, the Tax Collector shall not issue a business tax certificate for any subsequent business tax year if the Tax Collector has been informed by a County official of any of the departments mentioned in this section that the business does not have the zoning, building, fire and environmental health certificates, permits, clearances or waivers set forth in subsections (a) through (c), or has been found in an office hearing pursuant to Section 8114-4 to be in violation of a zoning law or permit condition.

No issuance of a business tax certificate shall be construed as evidence of compliance with any laws of federal, State or local government or of the laws, rules and regulations of the County and the County departments mentioned in this section.

(Rep. & Reen. Ord. 4396—3/5/02)