[CC §18.250; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
The following words when used in this Chapter shall have the
meanings set out herein:
Any individual, firm, partnership or corporation which acts
for the owner in the collection of rents, the making of repairs, the
commencement or termination of tenancies, or as janitor or other person
in charge of any building premises or vacant lot.
Any structure, whether public or private that is adopted
or intended for occupancy for dwelling purposes, for the transaction
of business, for the rendering of a professional service, for amusement,
for the display, sale or storage of goods, wares or merchandise, or
for the performance of work or labor, including rooming houses, office
buildings, public buildings, stores, theaters, markets, restaurants,
warehouses, workshops, factories and all other houses, sheds, barns
and other structures.
The Code Enforcement Officer of the City, or his authorized
representative.
The individual, firm, partnership or corporation that has
the use of, control, or occupies any building, or any portion thereof,
whether owner or tenant. In the case of a vacant building, or any
vacant portion of a building, or in the case of a building having
five (5) or more families with common rights to a cellar or basement,
the owner or agent shall have the responsibilities for the occupant
of a building.
Any person who, alone, jointly or severally with others,
shall be in actual possession of, or having charge, care or control
of any building, premises, or vacant lot within the City as owner
whether individual, firm, partnership or corporation, or as trustee
or guardian of the estate of person of the title holder.
Any condition which may provide shelter or protection for
rats, thus favoring their multiplication or existence.
A form of rat proofing to prevent the ingress of rats into
buildings from the exterior or from one (1) building to another. It
consists essentially of the closing of all openings in the exterior
walls, ground or first floors, basements, roofs, and foundations that
may be reached by rats from the ground by reaching, climbing, jumping,
or burrowing with material or equipment impervious to rat-gnawing
and in accordance with specifications promulgated by the Code Enforcement
Officer.
[CC §18.260; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
A.
All
buildings and structures shall be rat-stopped, freed of rats and maintained
in a rat-stopped and rat-free condition.
B.
It
shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer to enforce the provisions
of this Chapter and to supervise the enforcement thereof by the Rat
Control Section.
C.
The
Code Enforcement Officer is hereby empowered to make such inspection
of the interior of any building, structure or any premises or vacant
lot as in his opinion may be necessary to determine full compliance
with this Chapter, and the Code Enforcement Officer shall make a periodic
inspection at intervals of not more than six (6) months of all rat-stopped
businesses or buildings, apartment houses and tenement houses to determine
evidence of rat infestation and the existence of new breaks or leaks
in the rat-stoppage, and when any evidence is found indicating the
presence of rats or opening through which rats may again enter such
buildings, the Code Enforcement Officer shall serve the owner, occupant
or agent with written notice to abate the conditions found.
[CC §18.270; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
No owner, agent or occupant shall permit or allow any building
to be infested with rats or shall permit or allow any condition to
exist in or around such building or on any premises or any vacant
lot which may be conducive to rat-infestation.
[CC §18.280; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
Upon the receipt of written notice from the Code Enforcement
Officer, the owner or agent of any building specified therein shall
take immediate measures for rat-stoppage of such building and for
the elimination of rat harborage within such buildings and on the
premises, and unless said work has been completed in the time specified
in the written notice or any written extension thereof that may be
granted by the Code Enforcement Officer, the owner or agent shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
[CC §18.290; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
The owner or agent of any rat-stopped building shall maintain
it in a rat-stopped condition and repair all breaks or leaks that
may occur in the rat-stoppage.
[CC §18.300; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for the occupant, owner, contractor, public
utility company, plumber, or any other person to remove the rat-stoppage
from any building for any purpose and fail to restore the same in
a satisfactory condition or to make any new openings that are not
closed or sealed against the entrance of rats.
[CC §18.310; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
A.
Whenever
the Code Enforcement Officer notifies in writing the occupant or occupants
of any building that there is evidence of rat-infestation of the building,
such occupant or occupants shall take immediate and effective measures
for freeing the premises so occupied of all rats.
B.
The
failure of any occupant to take effective measures for freeing his
portion of the building or premises of rats after receiving the notice
described in this Chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor.
C.
The
occupant or occupants of a building shall maintain the building and
premises in a rat-free condition.
[CC §18.330; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation
to dump or place on any premises, land, or waterway any dead animals
or any waste, vegetable or animal matter, of any kind.
[CC §18.340; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation
to place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage or rubbish
in any building or premises, or on any vacant lot, so that the same
may afford food or harborage for rats.
[CC §18.350; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974; Ord. No. 982 §1, 5-21-2012]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation
to accumulate or to permit the accumulation on any premises or on
any open lot of any lumber, boxes, barrels, bricks, stones, or similar
materials that may be permitted to remain thereon and which may afford
harborage of rats, unless the same shall be evenly piled or stacked
either on open racks that are elevated not less than twelve (12) inches
above the ground. All salvageable materials must be removed within
thirty (30) days unless there is a building permit in effect.
[CC §18.355; Ord. No. 363 §1, 5-15-1989; Ord. No. 496 §1, 8-1-1994; Ord.
No. 983 §§1 — 2, 5-21-2012]
No person, firm, partnership or corporation shall store one
(1) or more tire(s) outside of a building located on any premises
within the City of St. John.
[CC §18.360; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
All food and feed kept within the City for feeding animals shall
be kept and stored in a rat-free and rat-proof container, compartment,
or room, unless kept in a rat-stopped building.
[CC §18.370; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974; Ord.
No. 1246, 5-1-2023]
The raising or keeping of cattle, horses, sheep, ponies, goats,
poultry or any type of livestock within the corporate limits of the
City of St. John is hereby declared to be a public nuisance and is
prohibited.
[Ord. No. 1246, 5-1-2023]
A.
Purpose And Definitions.
1.
The regulations of this Section are established to permit the
keeping of chickens in a manner that prevents nuisances to occupants
of nearby properties and prevents conditions that are unsanitary or
unsafe.
2.
CHICKEN
CHICKEN ENCLOSURE
CHICKEN SHELTER
For the purposes of this Section, the following words shall
be defined as follows:
Female domestic members of the genus Gallus gallus domesticus.
An outdoor fenced enclosure designed to contain the chickens
on the property.
A covered, predator-proof structure that is designed to house
chickens on the property.
B.
Requirements For Owning/Housing Chickens. Persons wishing to own
chickens within the City of St. John shall comply with the following:
1.
The applicant for the permit must be the owner of the property
on which the chickens will be kept.
2.
A chicken shelter shall be required to house chickens on the
property. At least four (4) square feet of space shall be provided
per chicken. Such structure shall not be greater than thirty-two (32)
square feet in area, nor shall it exceed seven (7) feet in height.
No more than one (1) chicken shelter shall be allowed on a property.
A chicken shelter is required to meet all other accessory building
requirements.
3.
A chicken enclosure shall be required such that chickens are
confined to the owner's property, with at least ten (10) square
feet of area per chicken housed on the property. The chickens are
not permitted to roam unsupervised.
4.
The chicken shelter and enclosure shall be located in the rear
yard of the property.
5.
The chicken shelter and enclosure cannot have a total encompassing
space of more than fifty percent (50%) of the side and rear yard.
6.
The chicken shelter must be at least twenty (20) feet from residential
buildings on adjacent and nearby properties. This shall not include
any buildings on the property on which the chickens are kept.
7.
The chicken shelter and enclosure shall be required to meet
building setbacks for accessory structures.
8.
The chicken shelter and enclosure shall be kept in a clean,
dry, and odor-free condition at all times. The shelter and enclosure
shall not be used for storage or other uses unrelated to the keeping
of chickens.
9.
The chicken shelter and enclosure shall be composed of quality
materials, with wood being the preferred primary material. The shelter
should appear professional in quality and workmanship. Tarp roofs,
pallet walls, and other materials not commonly used in construction
of such structures are not allowed. The shelter should be designed
to ensure the health of the chickens.
10.
The chicken enclosure may be constructed of wire fencing if
such fencing is constructed and maintained in a quality manner. The
chicken enclosure fence cannot be on the boundary line of the property
unless that fencing is constructed in such a way that will prevent
chicken waste from falling into the neighboring property, such as
a solid wall or privacy fence.
11.
No lot that has a dwelling may house more than four (4) chickens
at any one (1) time.
12.
Any heating device must be approved by the Code Official.
C.
Permit Required.
1.
A permit application must be submitted and approved by the City
of St. John prior to construction of any structures for the keeping
of chickens. Once construction has been completed, an inspection by
the Building Inspector will be required to ensure that construction
on the site matches the approved site plan.
2.
The chicken permit shall expire one (1) year from the date of
approval and must be renewed annually. An application, fee, and inspection
will be required for renewal of the permit.
3.
By applying for a permit under this Section, the property owner
authorizes City officials at all reasonable times and in a reasonable
manner to enter upon and inspect the property to determine compliance
with this Section or any other ordinance of the City of St. John as
it may relate to the keeping of chickens on the property.
4.
The permit for the keeping and/or housing of chickens shall
be non-transferrable.
5.
No permit shall be issued to any owner-occupant or tenant on
premises that have an existing or pending building or housing code
violation within the twelve (12) months immediately preceding the
date of the application for such permit.
D.
Application For Permit. The application for the permit shall require
the following:
1.
Name and address of the applicant (property owner) as well as
other pertinent information about the property.
2.
Application fee shall be set administratively.
3.
Scaled drawing of chicken shelter and enclosure with square
footage and building materials indicated.
4.
Number of chickens to be kept on the property.
5.
A site plan of the property on which the chicken shelter and
enclosure will be located, with the following information:
a.
All property lines.
b.
Location and square footage of the chicken shelter and enclosure,
as well as the location of other structures on the property.
c.
Distances between all structures and the proposed chicken enclosure,
including the distance from buildings on adjacent properties.
d.
Location and height of all existing fences on the property.
6.
Signature by the applicant certifying that he/she will comply
with the requirements of this Section.
E.
Specific Prohibitions. The following are specifically prohibited:
1.
Keeping a rooster in the City of St. John.
2.
Keeping chickens for any commercial purpose.
3.
Allowing chickens to roam unsupervised outside of the chicken
enclosure.
4.
Keeping chickens in such a way that results in a nuisance or
violates any ordinances of the City of St. John, including those regarding
noise, odor, and solid waste.
5.
Chickens are not permitted to be housed in any building or structure
used or intended to be used for human habitation.
6.
Private, unlicensed sale of chickens, eggs, or other related
products is not permitted in the City of St. John.
7.
Slaughtering of chickens is prohibited in the City of St. John.
F.
Chickens shall be kept and maintained in a clean and wholesome manner
as follows:
1.
Any manure or other waste from the chickens shall be collected
and properly removed from the premises or tilled into the soil on
the premises promptly and regularly to prevent the spreading of offensive
smells or diseases.
2.
The owner of the premises and the tenant must promptly comply
with orders of the City and/or the St. Louis County Department of
Health in respect to any unsanitary condition found to exist.
3.
The presence of numerous flies or the presence of fly larvae
in the vicinity of any such premises, enclosures or structures shall
be evidence of a lack of sanitary maintenance of the premises, and
shall constitute a public nuisance.
4.
Any obnoxious odor or allergen arising from any condition existing
within the enclosure or within any structure used or intended to be
used for the housing of chickens shall be evidence of a lack of sanitary
maintenance of the premises, and shall constitute a public nuisance.
5.
Deceased chickens must be disposed of either through burial
or in accordance with Federal, State, and County regulations.
6.
All enclosures, refuse containers, and all feed containers intended
for the use of chickens shall be constructed, maintained and kept
in such a manner as to be completely rodent proof. The floors of every
such enclosure shall be smooth and tight, and maintained so as to
prevent accumulation of filth or water or harboring of vermin there
under.
G.
Termination Of Permit.
1.
If the property owner wishes to terminate the permit and remove
the chickens from the property, the chicken shelter and fenced enclosure
shall be removed from the property within thirty (30) days, or a reasonable
extended time that is approved by the Building Official, after it
is no longer used for housing chickens.
2.
The permit may be reinstated after a new application and fee
have been submitted and an inspection of the property has been completed.
3.
If the property is found to be in violation of this Section
or any other Section or Chapter of the St. John Code or any other
ordinance of the City of John, as it may relate to keeping chickens
on the property, the owner shall be sent a violation notice notifying
him or her of the violation on the property and the requirements to
correct the violation, including the period of time allowed to correct
the violation, as reasonably determined by the City Official. If the
violation is not remedied within the time period stated in the violation
notice, the permit shall be revoked and all chickens and all structures
and enclosures built for the keeping of chickens shall be ordered
to be removed from the property in compliance with applicable law.
After the expiration of six (6) months, a new permit application may
be filed in order to reinstate the permit to keep chickens on the
property.
[CC §18.390; Ord. No. 307, 8-17-1987; Ord. No. 361 §1, 4-17-1989]
All property within the City of St. John shall be maintained
in a sanitary manner, ever mindful of the public health and safety.
To that end, it shall be unlawful to permit or maintain property where
there is an accumulation or deposit or any vehicular and/or equipment
parts, inoperable appliances, junk or material of any nature, where
said accumulation or deposit upon open ground would constitute an
attractive nuisance danger to children and/or a possible breeding
ground for vermin, rodents and other animals.
