[Code 1974 §8-701; CC 2000 §8-701]
For the purposes of this Article, the following words and phrases
shall have the following meanings:
BUILDING
Any structure, whether public or private, that is adapted
for occupancy as a residence, the transaction of business, the rendering
of professional services, amusement, the display, sale or storage
of goods, wares or merchandise or the performance of work or labor,
including office buildings, public buildings, stores, theaters, markets,
restaurants, workshops and all other houses, sheds and other structures
on the premises used for business purposes.
OCCUPANT
The person that has the use of, controls or occupies any
business building or any portion thereof, whether owner or tenant.
In the case of vacant business buildings or any vacant portion of
a business building, the owner, agent or other person having custody
of the building shall have the responsibilities of an occupant of
a building.
OWNER
The owner of any building or structure, whether individual,
firm, partnership or corporation.
RAT HARBORAGE
Any condition which provides shelter or protection for rats,
thus favoring their multiplication and continued existence in, under
or outside a structure of any kind.
RAT-STOPPAGE
A form of rat-proofing to prevent the ingress of rats into
buildings from the exterior or from one building to another. It consists
essentially of the closing of all openings in the exterior walls,
ground or first (1st) floors, basements, roofs and foundations that
may be reached by rats from the ground by climbing or by burrowing
with material or equipment impervious to rat-gnawing.
[Code 1974 §8-702; CC 2000 §8-702]
All buildings and structures located within the present or future
boundaries of the City shall be rat-stopped, freed of rats and maintained
in a rat-stopped and rat-free condition.
[Code 1974 §6-403; CC 2000 §8-703]
Upon receipt of written notice from the Governing Body, the
owner of any building or structure specified therein shall take immediate
measures for the rat-stoppage of such building or structure. The work
shall be completed in the time specified in the written notice, which
shall be within fifteen (15) days or within the time of any written
extension thereof that may have been granted by the Governing Body.
[Code 1974 §6-403; CC 2000 §8-704; Ord. No. 1477, 3-21-2018]
If the owner fails to comply with such written notice or extension,
then the Governing Body is authorized to take such action as may be
necessary to completely rat-stop the building or structure at the
expense of the owner and the City Clerk shall submit bills for the
expense thereof to the owner of the building or structure. If the
bills are not paid within sixty (60) days, the City Clerk shall certify
the amount due to the City and the charge shall be a lien against
the property where the work has been done and the owner shall be promptly
billed therefor. The expense thereof shall include the cost of labor,
materials, equipment and any other actual expense necessary for rat-stoppage.
[Code 1974 §6-404; CC 2000 §8-705]
It shall be unlawful for any occupant, owner, contractor, public
utility company, plumber or any other person to remove the rat-stoppage
from any building or structure 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.
[Code 1974 §6-405; CC 2000 §8-706; Ord. No. 1477, 3-21-2018]
Whenever the Governing Body notifies in writing the owner of
any building or structure theretofore rat-stopped, as hereinabove
defined, that there is evidence of rat infestation of the building
or structure, the owner shall immediately institute appropriate measures
for freeing the premises so occupied of all rats. Unless suitable
measures for freeing the building or structure of rats are instituted
within five (5) days after the receipt of notice and unless continually
maintained in a satisfactory manner, the City is hereby authorized
to free the building or structure of rats at the expense of the owner
thereof and the City Clerk shall submit bills for the expense thereof
to the owner of the building or structure and if the same are not
paid, the City Clerk shall certify the amount due from the owner to
the City and the owner shall be promptly billed therefor. The expense
thereof shall include the cost of labor, materials, equipment and
any other actual expense necessary for the eradication measures.
[Code 1974 §6-406; CC 2000 §8-707]
A. All
food and feed kept within the City for feeding animals shall be kept
and stored in rat-free and rat-proof containers, compartments or rooms
unless kept in a rat-stopped building.
B. It
shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave, dump or permit to
accumulate any garbage or trash in any building or premises so that
the same shall afford food and harborage for rats.
C. It
shall be unlawful for any person to accumulate or to permit the accumulation
on any premises and on any open lot any lumber, boxes, barrels, bricks,
stone or similar materials that may be permitted to remain thereon
and which are rat harborages, unless the same shall be placed on open
racks that are elevated not less than twelve (12) inches above the
ground, evenly piled or stacked.
D. Whenever
conditions inside or under any building or structure provide such
extensive harborage for rats that the Health Department deems it necessary
to eliminate such harborage, he/she may require the owner to install
suitable cement floors in basements or to replace wooden first (1st)
or ground floors or require the owner to correct such other interior
rat harborage as may be necessary in order to facilitate the eradication
of rats in a reasonable time and thereby to reduce the cost of such
eradication.
[Code 1974 §6-407; CC 2000 §8-708]
The Public Works Department is empowered to make such inspections
and reinspections of the interior and exterior of any building or
structure as in its opinion may be necessary to determine full compliance
with this Article.