Taxi License Limits

A. The number of taxicabs authorized to be licensed to operate on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai shall be limited on the basis of one taxicab for each sixty hotel rooms or five-hundred-resident population on each respective island, whichever is greater. The director of finance shall recompute the number of taxicabs authorized at least once every calendar year. B. The number of hotel rooms or resident population within the county shall be determined by reference to the most current statistics of the Hawaii visitors bureau. C. For the purposes of this section, "hotel room" includes all units available for occupancy in a building classified as a hotel, as defined in section 19.04.500, and for which a hotel license has been obtained. D. If the periodic count of hotel rooms permits an increase in the number of taxicabs, the director shall publish a notice in a newspaper of general circulation within the County of the additional number of taxicabs permitted and shall award the additional taxicab licenses to interested applicants by public drawing. The taxi license shall be issued or denied within forty-five days after the public drawing. Publication shall occur at least thirty days before such public drawing, and application for such taxicab licenses shall be made with the director within fifteen days after such publication. E. If the periodic counts of hotel rooms and census are lower than the previous counts, the maximum number of taxicabs allowed will be adjusted but those already licensed will be permitted to continue operating. F. Any taxicab licensed to operate as of the effective date of the ordinance codified in this section shall be permitted to continue operating in spite of any limitation to the contrary. G. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent the replacement or substitution of a licensed taxicab by another vehicle or prevent the sale of a taxicab; provided, that the replacement or substitution of the taxicab shall be on the island on which the taxicab has been operating. (Ord. 2817 § 6, 1999; Ord. 2076 § 2, 1991: Ord. 1571, 1986: Ord. 918 § 1 (part), 1978; Ord. 822 § 1(e) (part), 1975: prior code § 17-1.10)