DATE:

 

07/15/2002

SUBJECT:  FINAL READING ORDINANCE NO. 2002-O-149

Amending Section 13-39. Fees, of Division 2. License, of Article II. Food Products Establishments of Chapter 13.  Food and Food Products, of the City of Laredo Code of Ordinances to increase the annual license fee to be paid by a food establishment, which will continue to be based on the number of employees per establishment; establishing fee of $50 for a new food establishment application and fee of $25 for request for inspection services;  providing for publication and effective date.

 

INITIATED BY:                                                           STAFF SOURCE:               

Cynthia Collazo                                                              Hector F. Gonzalez, M.D., M.P.H.

Asst. City Manager                                                         Health Director

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:   On July 1, 2002, Council held public hearing introducing ordinance and instructed staff to proceed with final readings.

 

BACKGROUND:

 

To ensure public health, safety and disease prevention, the director of the  City of Laredo Health Department has determined that it is necessary to increase the annual fee for issuance of a license to a food products establishment for sanitary compliance and of processing applications for the issuance of the annual licenses to provide more effective and quality services.  The Director has determined that it is necessary to increase the annual fee for the issuance of license to a food establishment if such establishment is a meat or fish market in order cover the increase in cost involved in inspecting such to determine fitness for license.

 

The fee will continue to be based on the number of employees per establishment as specified below:

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

 

 

 

 

 

City Food Lic.

Current Fees

# of Establishments

Total Current Rev.

New Fees

New Revenues

1-2 empls.

35.00

385

13,475.00

50.00

19,250.00

3-6 empls.

70.00

278

19,460.00

100.00

27,800.00

7-10 empls.

140.00

135

18,900.00

200.00

27,000.00

11 or more empls.

280.00

195

54,600.00

400.00

78,000.00

Meat & Seafood Mkts.

70.00

37

2,590.00

100.00

3,700.00

Temp. Food Estab.

17.50

159

2,783.00

20.00

3,180.00

TOTAL

 

 

111,808.00

 

158,930.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

FINANCIAL:    The City of Laredo will receive an estimated amount of $47,122 in additional revenues if this proposal is approved.

 

RECOMMENDATION:

STAFF:  Recommends that Council approve  ordinance.

 

 

 

 

 

ORDINANCE NO. 2002-O-149

 

AMENDING SECTION 13-39 (FEES) OF DIVISION 2 (LICENSE) OF ARTICLE II (FOOD PRODUCTS ESTABLISHMENTS) OF CHAPTER 13, FOOD AND FOOD PRODUCTS, OF THE CODE OF ORDINACES TO RAISE THE ANNUAL LICENSE FEE TO BE PAID BY A FOOD ESTABLISHMENT, WHICH FEE WILL CONTINUE TO BE BASED UPON THE  NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN AN ESTABLISHMENT;  ESTABLISHING FEE OF $50.00 FOR A NEW FOOD ESTABLISHMENT APPLICATION AND  FEE OF $25.00 FOR REQUEST FOR INSPECTION SERVICES; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION AND EFFECTIVE DATE; SPECIFICALLY SETTING THE LICENSE FEE FOR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING MANNER:

 

1.  THOSE EMPLOYING TWO (2) OR FEWER

PERSONS, FIFTY ($50.00) DOLLARS;

 

2.  THOSE EMPLOYING MORE THAN TWO (2)

AND NOT MORE THAN SIX (6) PERSONS, ONE

HUNDRED ($100.00) DOLLARS;

 

3.  THOSE EMPLOYING MORE THAN SIX (6)

AND NOT MORE THAN TEN (10) PERSONS,

TWO HUNDRED ($200.00) DOLLARS;

 

4.  THOSE EMPLOYING MORE THAN TEN (10)

PERSONS, FOUR HUNDRED ($400.00) DOLLARS;

 

5. TEMPORARY FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

OPERATING LESS THAN 14 DAY SHALL BE IN

THE AMOUNT OF $20.00.

 

6.  MEAT & SEA FOOD MARKETS SHALL BE

IN THE AMOUNT OF $100.00;

 

.

 

WHEREAS, to ensure public health, safety and disease prevention, the director of the  City of Laredo Health Department has determined that it is necessary to increase the annual fee for issuance of a license to a food products establishment for sanitary compliance and of processing applications for the issuance of the annual licenses to provide more effective and quality services; and

 

WHEREAS, the Health Director   has determined that it is necessary to increase the annual fee for the issuance of license to a food establishment if such establishment is a meat or fish market in order cover the increase in cost involved in inspecting such to determine fitness for license; and

 

WHEREAS, a public hearing has been held  as to the proposed increase in the annual license fees, for food establishment at least sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of this Ordinance in compliance with Section 6.10(B) of the City Charter; and

 

WHEREAS, after public hearing thereon, the City Council of the City of Laredo has determined that it is necessary to increase the annual license fees paid by food products establishments to cover increase costs of inspections and application review relating to issuance of licenses.

 

NOW THEREFORE BE IT ORDANINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LAREDO:

 

Section 1.  Amendment.

 

                That Section 13-39 of the Code of Ordinances be and is hereby amended to read as follows:

 

Sec. 13-39.  Fees.

 

   (a) The annual license fees to cover the cost of inspection of food products establishments shall be collected by the health department and shall be graded in accordance with the volume of business transacted, to be determined by the number of persons employed in connection with such business, including the applicant for such license, if the applicant’s services are devoted to such business, and shall be paid in advance of the issuance of such license as follows for each establishment employing:

 

(1) One (1) to two (2) persons, [thirty five dollars ($35,00)] fifty dollars ($50.00).

(2) Three (3) to six (6) persons, [seventy dollars ($70.00)] one hundred dollars ($100.00).

(3) Seven (7) to ten (10) persons, [one hundred forty dollars ($140.00)] two hundred dollars ($200.00).

(4) Eleven (11) or more persons, [two hundred eighty dollars ($280.00)] four hundred dollars ($400.00).

(5) Temporary Food Establishments that operate fourteen days or less, twenty dollars ($20.00).

 

   (b) An additional annual license fee of [seventy dollars ($70.00) ]one hundred dollars ($100.00) shall be charged to any food products establishment which is a meat market or a fish market to cover the additional cost of inspection thereof.

 

  (c) A fee of fifty dollars ($50.00) shall be charged to any new food products establishment upon application for a new food products establishment.

 

  (d) A fee of twenty five dollars ($25.00) shall be charged for food products establishment requesting an inspection of a food products establishment, including request for inspection of Beer & Wine Permit applications, food products establishments requesting additional follow-up inspections, foster homes, registered family homes, group day homes and other similar food products establishments requesting inspection services.

 

Section 2. Publication.

 

                This Ordinance shall be published one (1) time in a newspaper of general circulation in Laredo.

 

 

Section 3. Effective Date.

 

                This Ordinance shall become effective not less than sixty (60) days from the date of the public hearing on this Ordinance, in accordance with the City Charter.

 

 

PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR ON THIS THE ____________ DAY OF ________________________, 2002 .

 

 

______________________

ELIZABETH  G. FLORES

MAYOR

 

ATTEST:

 

______________________

GUSTAVO GUEVARA, JR.

CITY SECRETARY

 

 

APPROVED AS TO FORM BY:

 

______________________

JAIME L. FLORES

CITY ATTORNEY