§ 5.34.010. Definitions.

The words and phrases set out in this section, when used in this chapter, shall, for the purposes of this chapter, have the following respective meanings except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

"Hotel" means any public or private space or structure for living therein, including but not limited to any: inn, hostelry, tourist home or house, motel rooming house, mobile home or other living place within the city, offering the right to use such space for sleeping or overnight accommodations wherein the owner or operator thereof as defined in subsection C of this section, for compensation, furnishes such right of occupancy to any transient as defined in subsection D of this section.

"Occupancy" means the compensated use of, or the unexercised right to use, space in a hotel, as defined in subsection A of this section.

"Operator" means the person who is proprietor of a hotel whether in the capacity of owner, lessee, sublessee, mortgagee in possession, licensee, or any other possessory capacity. In the event that an operator performs his functions through a managing agent of any type or character other than an employee, the managing agent shall also be deemed an operator for the purposes of this chapter and shall have the same duties and liabilities as his principal. Compliance with the provisions of this chapter by either the principal or the managing agent shall however, be considered to be compliance by both.

"Permanent resident" means any person who, as of a given date, has occupied or has had the right to occupy a room or rooms in a particular hotel, as defined in subsection A of this section, for more than thirty (30) consecutive days immediately preceding such date.

"Person" means any non-exempt individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, association, social club, fraternal organization, joint stock company, corporation, estate, trust, business trust, receiver, trustee, syndicate, or any other group or combination acting as a unit.

"Room rental" means the total charge made by a hotel as defined in subsection A of this section, for sleeping or overnight accommodations space furnished to a transient, as defined in subsection C of this section. If the charge made by such hotel to any transient includes a charge in addition to that for such occupancy or right to the use of such space for sleeping or overnight accommodations, then that portion of the total charge that represents only the sleeping or overnight accommodations shall be distinctly set out and billed to the transient as a separate item.

"Transient" means any person who, for any period of not more than thirty consecutive days, either at his own expense or at the expense of another, obtains the right to use space for sleeping or overnight accommodations in any hotel as defined in subsection A of this section for which a charge is made therefor.

(Ord. 12061 § 1 (part), 1998: prior code § 3-22.06)