[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. III)]
It is declared to be the policy and intent of the Town of Indian Head that all dwellings, dwelling units, and rooming units (whether located in a bed-and-breakfast, rooming house, boardinghouse, hotel, single dwelling or multiple dwelling) let or rented for human habitation shall be licensed and regulated in accordance with this chapter to ensure the protection of the health, welfare, safety and morals of persons residing in those units and rooms. The provisions and requirements of this chapter are supplementary to Chapter
330, and the International National Property Maintenance Code adopted in Chapter
330, of this Code.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the meanings
indicated:
CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The duly appointed Code Enforcement Officer of the Town of
Indian Head or, in the absence of a duly appointed Code Enforcement
Officer, the Town Manager or the Town Manager's designee. For purposes
of conducting inspections required by this chapter, the Code Enforcement
Officer may assign such responsibility to a licensed commercial inspection
agency acting under the Code Enforcement Officer's supervision.
DWELLING
A building or portion of a building designed or used for
residential occupancy.
DWELLING UNIT
A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities
for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living,
sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.
ROOMING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit
occupied or intended to be occupied for sleeping or living but not
for cooking purposes.
[Amended 11-5-2018 by Ord. No. 10-1-18; at time of adoption
of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III)]
A. Subject to §
344-9B of this chapter, the operating license fee shall be as set by the Town Council by ordinance. The fee shall be paid in advance of issuance of the license or renewal.
B. Every applicant and licensee shall pay a fee to the Town for each
inspection or reinspection conducted pursuant to this chapter. The
inspection fee shall be as set by the Town Council by ordinance for
the inspection or reinspection of each dwelling, and where multiple
dwelling units are located within a dwelling, the fee shall be as
set by the Town Council by ordinance for the inspection or reinspection
of each dwelling unit within that dwelling. The inspection fee in
connection with an application for the issuance or renewal of an operating
license is due and payable with the filing of the application. Except
as otherwise provided in this chapter, the inspection fee for all
other inspections or reinspections is due and payable upon completion
of the inspection.
Any person who fails to obtain an operating license as required
by this chapter, after first having been given 15 calendar days' notice
of that person's failure to obtain the required license, is guilty
of a municipal infraction and is subject to a fine in the amount of
$100 per day for each dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit for
which a required license has not been obtained. Each day that a dwelling,
dwelling unit or rooming unit continues to be let or rented for human
habitation without having the required operating license is a separate
offense.
In addition to any other penalties specified in this chapter,
the Town may seek injunctive or other appropriate judicial relief
to restrain or correct violations of this chapter.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. III)]
The property owner shall file with the Town the statement required
by § 1-503 of the Local Government Article of the Annotated
Code of Maryland. An operating license shall not be issued until this
statement is filed.