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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 1129 ORDINANCE NO. 1129 WHEREAS, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS HAS DETERMINED THAT THE REGULATION OF FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS IS NECESSARY FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY. IT IS THEREFORE ORDAINED THAT AN ORDINANCE REGULATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OR OPERATION OF FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENT, REQUIRING A PERMIT, LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE PRIOR TO AND DURING OPERATION AND PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION OF THIS ORDINANCE BE ADOPTED. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TEXAS, THAT: SECTION I - DEFINITIONS For the purpose of this ordinance the following terms are defined: A. Council: The City Council of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas. B. Health Department: The Tarrant County Health Department. C. Food Service Establishment: Shall mean restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, coffee shops, grocery stores, roadside stands, produce markets, meat markets and any other establishment that sells food or drink to the public. D. Regulatory Authority: Shall mean the Tarrant County Health Department or the City of North Richland Hills, Texas. E. Rules and Regulations: Shall mean the "Rules on Food Service Sanitation" of the Tarrant County Public Health Department, Environmental Health Department. A copy of those rules are attached hereto and made a part hereof. Such Rules and Regulations are adopted and shall be in full force and effect within the City limits of North Richland Hills, Texas. SECTION II - COMPLIANCE PROCEDURES A. Permits, License, or Certificates 1. General. No person shall operate a food service establishment in the City of North Richland Hills, Texas who does not have a valid permit, license, or certificate issued to him by the regulatory authority. Only a person who complies with the requirements of this ordinance shall be entitled to receive or retain such a permit, license, or certificate, permits, licenses, or certificate shall be posted in every food service establishment. The permit, license or certificate shall be issued by the Tarrant County Health Department or the City of North Richland Hills, Texas. ORDINANCE NO. 1129 Page 2 If the City of North Richland Hills issues a permit it shall collect the following fees for a permit, license or certificate: a. $ for one calendar year. b. $ for a temporary permit which shall be valid for one calendar month. All permits, licenses or certificates (other than temporary permits) shall cover the period from date of issuance until December 31st of the calendar year. 2. Suspension of Permit, License, or Certificate. The regulatory authority may, without warning, notice, or hearing, suspend any permit, license, or certificate to operate a food service establishment if the holder of the permit, license, or certificate does not comply with the requirements of this ordinance, including all terms of the Rules and Regulations adopted above. 3. Revocation of Permit, License, or Certificate. The regulatory authority may revoke a permit, license, or certificate for violations of any of the requirements of this ordinance or for interference with the regulatory authority in the performance of its duties. 4. Service of Notices. A notice provided for in this ordinance is properly served when it is delivered to the holder of the permit, license, or certificate, or the person in charge, or when it is sent by certified mail to the last known address of the holder of the permit, license, or certificate. A copy of the notice shall be filed in the records of the regulatory authority. 5. Grounds for Revocation. A violation of the Rules and Regulations or the harboring of any unsanitary condition shall be grounds for revocation of any permit or license. Notice of such violation shall be given and the food service establishment shall be given three days to correct such violation or unsanitary condition. In the event that such violation or unsanitary condition is not abated within such three day period the enforcing authority shall have the authority to revoke any permit or license and to close such establishment to the public. B. Inspections 1. Inspection Frequency. An inspection of a food service establishment shall be performed at least once ever six months. Additional inspections of the food service establishment shall be performed as often as are necessary for the enforcement of this ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 1129 Page 3 2. Access. Agents of the regulatory authority, after proper identification, shall be permitted to enter any food service establishment at any reasonable time, for the purpose of making inspection to determine compliance with this ordinance. The agents shall be permitted to examine the records of the establishment to obtain information pertaining to the food and supplies purchased, received, or used, or to persons employed. 3. Report of Inspections. Whenever an inspection of a food service establishment is made, the findings shall be recorded on a inspection report form. A copy of the inspection report form shall be furnished to the person in charge of the establishment at the conclusion of the inspection. The completed inspection report form is a public document that shall be made available for public disclosure to any person who requests it according to l~. 4. Grease Traps. Grease traps must be installed at all food service establishments. The size will be determined by the Director of Public Works or his agent. In determining size consideration will be given to flow rate, estimated volume, type of establishment, and possibility of future expansion. Cleaning of all grease traps shall take place at least once a month or more often if directed by the Director of Public Works or his agent. Cleaning shall be accomplished by a person or persons qualified and licensed by the Tarrant County Health Department to do said work. Proof of cleaning must be submitted to the City Inspection Department each time cleaning occurs. 5. Correction of Violations. a. The inspection report form shall specify a three day period of time for the correction of the violations found, and correction of the violations shall be accomplished within the period specified, in accordance with the following provisions: (1) If an imminent health hazard exists, such as complete lack of refrigeration or sewage backup into the establishment shall immediately cease food service operations. Operations shall not be resumed until authorized by the regulatory authority. (2) In the case of temporary food service establishments, all violations shall be corrected within 24 hours. If violations are not corrected within 24 hours, the establishment shall immediately cease food service operations until authorized to resume by the regulatory authority. ORDINANCE NO. 1129 Page 4 b. The inspection report shall state the failure to comply with any time limits for corrections may result in cessation of food service operations. c. Whenever a food service establishment is required under the provisions of this section to cease operations, it shall not resume operations until such time as a reinspection determines that conditions responsible for the requirement to cease operations no longer exists. Opportunity for reinspection shall be offered within a reasonable time. C. Examination and Condemnation of Food 1. General. Food may be examined or sampled by the regulatory authority as often as necessary for enforcement of this ordinance. The regulatory authority may place a hold order on or any food which it believes is in violation of items of control shown on the report form attached hereto, or any other section of this ordinance. The regulatory authority shall tag, label, or otherwise identify any food subject to the hold order. No food subject to a hold order shall be used, served, or moved from the establishment. The regulatory authority shall permit storage of the food under conditions specified in the hold order unless storage is not possible without risk to the public health in which case immediate destruction shall be ordered and accomplished. D. Review of Plans 1. Submission of Plans. Whenever a food service establishment is constructed or extensively remodeled and whenever an existing structure is converted to use as a food service establishment, properly prepared plans and specifications for such construction, remodeling, or conversion shall be submitted to the regulatory authority for review and approval before construction, remodeling or conversion is begun. The plans and specifications shall indicate the proposed layout, arrangement, mechanical plans, and construction materials of work areas, and the type and model or proposed fixed equipment and facilities. The regulatory authority shall approve the plans and specification if they meet the requirements of this ordinance. No food service establishment shall be constructed extensively remodeled, or converted except in accordance with plans and specifications approved by the regulatory authority. 2. Pre-Operational Inspection. Whenever plans and specifications are required by this ordinance to be submitted to the regulatory authority, the regulatory authority shall inspect the food service establishment prior to its beginning operation to determine compliance with the approved plans and specifications and with the requirements of this ordinance. ORDINANCE NO. 1129 Page 5 3. After such building is in use by a food service establishment the doors, windows and other parts of the building will be maintained so as to not allow entry of flies, roaches or other vermin. No unsanitary condition shall be allowed to exist which would constitute a danger to the health of persons eating in such establishment. E. Procedure When Infection is Suspected 1. General. When the regulatory authority has reasonable cause to suspect the possibility of disease transmission from any food service establishment employee it may secure a morbidity history of the suspected employee or make any other investigation as may be indicated and shall take appropriate action. The regulatory authority may require any or all of the following measures: a. The immediate exclusion of the employee from all food service establishments. b. The immediate closing of the food service establishment concerned until, in the opinion of the regulatory authority, no further danger of disease outbreak exists. c. Restriction of the employee's services to some area of the establishment where there would be no danger of transmitting disease. d. Adequate medical and laboratory examination of the employee, of other employees and of his and their body discharges. F. Remedies 1. Penalties. Any person who violates a provision of this ordinance and any person who is the permit holder of or otherwise operates a food service establishment that does not comply with the requirements of this ordinance and any responsible officer of that permit holder or those persons may be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00). 2. Injunctions.The regulatory authority may seek to enjoin violations of this ordinance. 3. Repeal and Date of Effect. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect upon adoption and publication as provided by law; and, at that time, all ordinances and parts or ordinances in conflict with this ordinance are hereby repealed. 4. Unconstitutionality Clause. sentence, clause, or phrase unconstitutional or invalid said ordinance shall not be Should any section, paragraph, of this ordinance be declared for any reason, the remainder of affected thereby. ORDINANCE NO. 1129 Page 6 5. Operation. This ordinance shall be operative within the City limits of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas and may be enforced by either the Tarrant County Health Department or the City of North Richland Hills, Texas. G. Repeal: Ordinance No. 659 be and is hereby repealed. The general health and well-being of the citizens of the City of North Richland Hills being affected hereby, it is further ordained that the provisions of this ordinance take effect immediately upon first reading as an emergency matter. PASSED AND APPROVED this 14th day of May, 1984. bv·14-- (\ I) ( L) '} ~W;j Echols - Mayor Dan ATTEST: (}/&7l~ ¡;;;ette Moore ,YJ/:úd - City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM AND Rex McEntire - City Attorney LEGAL AFFIDAVIT THE STATE OF TEXAS: COUNTY OF TAI\LANT: Before me, the undersigned authority on this day personally ap- peared Robert A. Eierdam known to me to be a credible person, who first being sworn, deposed and upon her oath said: Advertising Manager Mid Cities Daily News That she is the of the , a newspa- per which has been regularly and continuously published and of general circulation in the City/Town of Hurst , for a period of more than one year next preceding the first publication of the attached Legal Notice and that he caused said notice to be published in said newspaper on the following date(s). ..5~ ð ft Ý That the attached is a true and correct copy of said notice as published on said date(s) in said ~; N~..:..,.~ Sworn to and subscribed before me, this the 1st. day of Jun;- 19~. tß-~A.~ Eleanor ~. Lewis Notary Public, Tarrant County, Texas ORDINANCE NO. 1129 WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas, has deter~ mined that the regu- lation of food service establishments is nec- essary for the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the City it is therefore 01'-. dained that an ordi-: nance regulating the' establishment or op.., eration or food servicé establishments, reo, Quiring a permit, Ii- : cense or certification prior to and during operation and provid- ing a penalty for vio"' lation of any provision of this ordi- nance be adopted. Passed and approved this 14th day of May, 1984. s/ Dan Echols Mayor ATTEST: s/ Jeanette Moore City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: s/ Rex McEntire City Attorney MCDN PN 12796 Pub: 5/20/84