§ 26-51. Denial, revocation.

(a)

No escort service permit shall be issued to any corporation, association, organization, agency, partnership, person or group of persons if the applicant, or any person helping to conduct, manage, carry on, operate or invest in the service, has been:

(1)

Convicted of a felony; or

(2)

Convicted of any offense relating to prostitution, (F.S. ch. 796), lewdness or indecent exposure (F.S. ch. 800), obscene literature, profanity (F.S. ch. 847), any other offense involving sexual misconduct, or any offense relating to a violation of the controlled substance abuse laws (F.S. ch. 893).

(b)

A determination that any false information has been or was provided on an application shall be grounds for denial or revocation of a permit.

(c)

Conviction for any felony or for any offense as set forth in subsection (a)(2) of this section, by the applicant or any person engaged in conducting, managing, carrying on, operating or investing in the service shall be grounds for denial or revocation of a permit.

(d)

Failure to comply with any provision of this article shall be grounds for revocation of any permit issued, upon conviction, or upon a finding of violation by the county code enforcement board.

(e)

An automatic suspension of the permit shall be made by the county tax collector after a review by the county attorney's office of information provided and certified to be accurate by the county sheriff's office or other duly authorized law enforcement agency that one or more of the provisions of this article have been violated by the applicant or permit holder.

(f)

The permit holder shall not operate its escort service business while the permit is suspended and shall surrender same to the county tax collector or his designee after written notification of the violation and upon written demand.

(g)

Any appeal of a permit suspension, denial or revocation shall be made, in writing, to the board of county commissioners within ten business days of the denial, revocation or suspension and the matter shall be heard within 30 days thereafter at a regular meeting of the board of county commissioners with the board acting as the final administrative review agency of the suspension, denial or revocation of the permit. At such hearing, the applicant or permit holder or an authorized representative shall have the opportunity to be heard concerning the suspension, denial or revocation of the permit, and the decision of the board of county commissioners shall be final.

(h)

After the expiration of the ten-day period for the request for an appeal, no administrative right of action shall be afforded to the petitioner if petitioner has not filed a written appeal within that time.

(Ord. No. 89-37, § 12)