Staff Analysis
On November 27, 1962, the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 1684 (Attachment B), which established a regulatory structure for taxicab drivers operating within the unincorporated area of the County. Taxicab permits were issued by the County Sheriff after submission of an application and a fee. On May 17, 1983, the Board of Supervisors adopted Ordinance No. 83-18 (Attachment C), which repealed in full the existing taxicab permitting ordinance. It is unclear why the taxicab permitting ordinance was repealed at that time.
After reviewing the current Statute, it has been determined that the County is required to regulate taxicab service for the unincorporated area regardless of necessity. The CAO requested the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) conduct a brief survey of California counties to determine how existing regulatory structures are implemented in unincorporated areas across the State (Attachment D). In brief, five out of seven responding counties identified the County Sheriff’s Office as the lead agency for purposes of implementing the Statute. Of the two counties that did not identify the Sheriff’s Office as the lead agency, one indicated that a countywide transportation authority was the lead agency and one did not have a regulatory structure in place in accordance with the Statute.
To determine the scope of potential taxicab operators with businesses established in the county unincorporated area, the CAO requested that the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s office search for active taxi related business licenses. That query resulted in five active licenses, two of which are located at the same address. Of the five active licenses, two appear to have a business address located in the unincorporated area – one in Pacheco and one in Bay Point.
Proposed Implementation Framework
After reviewing the Statute and the active business licenses within the County, CAO worked with staff from the Sheriff’s Office and Treasurer-Tax Collector to structure an implementation framework to bring the County into compliance with Statute at no additional county cost. Below is an outline of the proposed framework:
Treasurer-Tax Collector
I. Issues general business license to taxi companies operating in the unincorporated area.
II. Notifies applicants of the need to acquire a taxicab permit in jurisdiction where business is located.
Sheriff’s Office
I. Issues Permits to new taxicab operators and businesses located in the County unincorporated area
a. Applicant provides valid business license to operate in the unincorporated area
b. Sheriff facilitates referrals for the California Department of Justice Live Scan and drug testing for permit applicants with businesses established in the unincorporated area, at cost of the applicant.
c. Applicant provides proof of taxicab vehicle inspection conducted by private entity at time of application for a permit, at cost of the applicant.
d. Sheriff to establish a fee for reviewing new applications and annual renewals as part of the Taxicab ordinance
II. Existing taxicab operators and businesses permitted in other jurisdictions within Contra Costa County doing business in an unincorporated area.
a. Ordinance to allow a permit from any other jurisdiction within Contra Costa County to operate a taxicab to be accepted with no further
action required by Sheriff’s Office.
b. Business owner are still responsible for acquiring a business license to operate in the unincorporated area from Treasurer Tax Collector.
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