Applied meaning of words and terms. As used in this chapter, the
following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
APPROVED
"Approved," as applied to a material, device or method of
construction, shall mean approved by the Building Officials under
the provisions of this chapter or approved by other authority designated
by law to give approval in the matter in question.
BASEMENT
A portion of a building located partly underground, but having
less than half its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average
grade of the adjoining ground.
BUILDING CODE
The Building Code of the City of Watertown, Wisconsin, latest edition, including amendments; see Chapter
253, Building Construction.
BUILDING OFFICIALS
The officials designated by the City to enforce building,
zoning or similar laws and this chapter, or their duly authorized
representatives.
CELLAR
A portion of a building located partly or wholly underground
and having half or more than half of its clear floor-to-ceiling height
below the average grade of the adjoining ground.
DEFAULT
For a residential building containing four or fewer dwelling
units, when the mortgagor is 60 days past due on the mortgagor's obligation
to make a scheduled payment under a mortgage or a mortgage note. With
respect to all other residential buildings, "default" shall mean when
the mortgagor is 90 days past due on the mortgagor's obligation to
make a scheduled payment under a mortgage or a mortgage note.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
DWELLINGS
(1)
SINGLE-FAMILY DWELLINGA building designed for or used exclusively for residence purposes by one family or housekeeping unit.
(4)
BOARDINGHOUSE; LODGING HOUSEA dwelling or part thereof occupied by a single housekeeping unit where meals and lodging are provided for compensation by previous arrangement but not for transients.
(5)
DORMITORYA building arranged or used for lodging six but not more than 20 individuals and having common toilet and bathroom facilities.
(6)
HOTELAny building or portion thereof used as a temporary abiding place for remuneration, with or without meals, containing five or more guest rooms or suites where no provision for cooking is made in any individual guest room or suite; except hospitals and jails.
(7)
TOURIST HOMEA building or part thereof, other than a hotel, boardinghouse, lodging house or motel, where lodging is provided by a resident family in its home for compensation, mainly for transients.
DWELLING UNIT
One room or a suite of two or more rooms designed for or used by one family for living and sleeping purposes and having only one kitchen or kitchenette. See §
332-2A(4).
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
The officials designated herein or otherwise charged with
the responsibility of administering this chapter, or their authorized
representatives.
EXTERIOR PROPERTY AREAS
The open space on the premises and on adjoining property
under the control of owners or operators of such premises.
EXTERMINATION
The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other
pests by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making
inaccessible materials that may serve as their food; by poison spraying,
fumigating, or trapping; or by any other approved pest elimination
methods.
FAMILY
A person living alone, or two or more persons living together
as a single housekeeping unit, in a dwelling unit, as distinguished
from a group occupying a boardinghouse, lodging house, motel or hotel,
or fraternity or sorority house.
FORECLOSING
The process by which a property, placed as security for real
estate loan, is prepared for sale to satisfy the debt if the borrower
defaults.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
GARBAGE
The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling,
preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
GROSS FLOOR AREA
The total area of all habitable space in a building or structure.
HABITABLE ROOM
A room or enclosed floor space arranged for living, eating
and sleeping purposes (not including bathrooms, water closet compartments,
laundries, pantries, foyers, hallways and other accessory floor spaces).
INFESTATION
The presence, within or contiguous to a multifamily dwelling,
dwelling unit, rooming house, rooming unit, or premises, of insects,
rodents, vermin or other pests.
MORTGAGE
Any consensual lien created by a written instrument which
grants or retains an interest in real estate to secure debt or other
obligation. The term includes, without limitation: mortgages securing
reverse mortgage loans; mortgages securing revolving credit loans;
every deed conveying real estate, although an absolute conveyance
in its terms, which shall have been intended only as a security in
the nature of a mortgage; and equitable mortgages.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
MORTGAGEE
The creditor, including but not limited to, service companies,
lenders in a mortgage agreement and any agent, servant or employee
of the mortgagee, or any successor in interest and/or assignee of
the mortgagee's rights, interests or obligations under the mortgage
agreement.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
MORTGAGOR
The person whose interest in the real estate is the subject
of the mortgage and any person claiming through a mortgagor as successor.
Where a mortgage is executed by a trustee of a land trust, the mortgagor
is the trustee and not the beneficiary or beneficiaries.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
MOTEL
For purposes of this chapter, a motel shall be defined the
same as a hotel.
OCCUPANT
Any person over one year of age (including owner or operator)
living and sleeping in a dwelling unit or having actual possession
of said dwelling or rooming unit.
OPENABLE AREA
That part of a window or door which is available for unobstructed
ventilation and which opens directly to the outdoors.
OPERATOR
Any person who has charge, care or control of a multifamily
dwelling or rooming house in which dwelling units or rooming units
are let or offered for occupancy.
OWNER
The owner or owners of the freehold of the premises or lesser
estate therein, a mortgagee or vendee in possession, assignee of rents,
receiver, executor, trustee, lessee or other person, firm or corporation
in control of a building, or their duly authorized agents.
PERSON
An individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership.
PLUMBING or PLUMBING FIXTURES
Water heating facilities, water pipes, gas pipes, garbage
and disposal units, waste lavatories, bathtubs, shower baths, installed
clothes washing machines, or other similar equipment, catch basins,
drains, vents or other similarly supplied fixtures, together with
all connections to water, gas, sewer or vent lines.
PREMISES
A lot, plot or parcel of land including the buildings or structures thereon. See §
332-2A(4).
RESIDENCE BUILDING
A building in which sleeping accommodations or sleeping accommodations and cooking facilities as a unit are provided, except when classified as an institution under the Building Code. See §
332-2A(4).
ROOMING HOUSE
Any residence building, or any part thereof, containing one or more rooming units, in which space is let by the owner or operator to more than five persons who are not members of the family. See "dwellings: boardinghouse." See also §
332-2A(4).
ROOMING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit used or intended to be used for living and sleeping but not for cooking or eating purposes. See §
332-2A(4).
RUBBISH
Combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage,
and the term shall include the residue from the burning of wood, coal,
coke and other combustible materials, paper, rags, cartons, boxes,
wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, tin
cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and dust and other similar
material.
SECURING
Measures that assist in making the property inaccessible
to unauthorized persons.
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
SUPPLIED
Installed, furnished or provided by the owner or operator.
VENTILATION
The process of supplying and removing air by natural or mechanical
means to or from any space.
(2)
NATURALVentilation by opening to outer air through windows, skylights, doors, louvers or stacks without wind-driven devices.
WORKMANLIKE
Whenever the words "workmanlike state of maintenance and
repair" are used in this chapter, they shall mean that such maintenance
and repair shall be made in a reasonably skillful manner.
VACANT
[Added 7-21-2015 by Ord.
No. 15-23]
(1)
Any real estate improved with a complete structure containing
one or more dwelling units or an incomplete structure if the real
estate is zoned for residential development, where the structure is
empty or otherwise uninhabited by persons and the structure or lot
is in need of maintenance, repair or securing, and with respect to
which one or more of the following conditions exist:
(a)
All lawful construction operations have ceased for six months;
(b)
It has been declared unfit for occupancy and ordered to remain vacant and unoccupied under an order issued by a building inspector, environmental health inspector and/or a fire inspector pursuant to §
332-1D or by an order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction;
(c)
No construction or legal repairs have commenced for six months;
(d)
The doors or windows are smashed through, broken, unhinged,
removed or continuously unlocked;
(e)
Law enforcement officials have received at least one report
of trespassers or vandalism or other illegal acts being committed
at the property in the last six months; and
(f)
Gas, electric or water services to the entire premises have
been terminated.
(2)
A property shall not be considered vacant if: (i) there is an
unoccupied building which is undergoing construction, renovation or
rehabilitation that is proceeding diligently to completion, and the
building is in compliance with all applicable ordinances, codes, regulations
and legislation; (ii) there is a building occupied on a seasonal basis,
but otherwise secure; (iii) there is a secure building on which there
are bona fide rental or sale signs; or (iv) there is a building that
is secure, but is the subject of probate action, action to quiet title,
or other ownership dispute; or (v) there is otherwise a building that
is secure and in substantial compliance with all applicable ordinances.
YARD
An open space, other than a court, on a lot, unoccupied or
unobstructed from the ground upward.