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Council to amend license proration: new businesses get anniversary annual licenses rather than April 30 renewals
Summary
Council considered amending Article 6 of Chapter 28 of the Wilkes-Barre Code to make business licenses anniversary-based rather than all due April 30, eliminating prorating and easing inspection workload.
Council reviewed a draft amendment to Article 6 of Chapter 28 of the Wilkes-Barre Code that would change how business license terms are calculated. Under the proposed change, licenses would become effective for one year from the opening date of the business rather than all licenses expiring on April 30 each year.
City staff said the amendment is intended to spread inspection and renewal workloads so inspectors are not required to process a large volume of renewals at the same time. Under the current practice, a business licensed late in the year might have been charged a prorated fee; the proposal would eliminate prorating because each license would be valid for a full year from issue.
Council members noted the change would apply to restaurants and other licensed businesses and that the food truck ordinance’s annual-license provision would be consistent with this amendment. No vote was taken at the work session; the measure will proceed to the council voting session on Thursday.
