[Ord. 30-1994, 95 § 1, passed 1-23-1995]
As used in this article certain terms are defined as follows:
A building, or part therein, other than a hotel, motel or
rooming house, where meals, linen service, and or lodging are provided
for compensation, whether direct or indirect.
A building or part therein, other than a hotel, motel, or
boarding house, in which sleeping rooms are available for hire as
lodging but without meals or linen service.
[Ord. 30-1994, 95 § 2, passed 1-23-1995]
Standards and procedures for rooming houses and boarding houses
licensed on or after February 28, 1995, are as follows:
(a)
Minimum standards required. No owner, operator, or other person shall
occupy or let to another person any rooming house/boarding house or
sleeping unit which does not comply with the following minimum standards
for rooming houses/boarding houses, and no rooming house/boarding
house or sleeping unit or any premises containing such areas shall
fail to comply with the following minimum standards for rooming houses/boarding
houses.
(b)
Operating permit required. No person shall operate a rooming house/boarding
house or shall let to another for occupancy any sleeping unit in any
rooming house/boarding house, unless he first applies for and receives
a non-transferable permit to operate such rooming house/boarding house.
Such permit must be renewed prior to March 1 of each year.
(c)
Application. Application for a permit to operate a rooming house/boarding
house or sleeping unit shall be made on forms prepared and provided
by the Director of the Department of Public Safety. A fee of $45 shall
be paid upon filing said application.
[Amended by Ord. 47-2002, 03 § 1, passed 12-16-2002]
(d)
Inspection. It shall be the duty of the enforcement official to conduct
an inspection of the premises to insure compliance with the minimum
standards and conditions set forth herein. No operating permit shall
be granted until such inspection is made and approval by the Sanitation-Housing
Inspector, hereinafter referred to as the enforcement official.
(e)
Permit and fee. If the enforcement official deems a permit shall
be issued, a permit fee of $75 per building shall be paid and renewed
annually.
[Amended by Ord. 47-2002, 03 § 1, passed 12-16-2002]
(f)
Compliance with other minimum standards. Every rooming house/boarding
house and every sleeping unit shall be in compliance with the minimum
standards set forth by Article Three, Four (excluding Sections PM-404.1,
404.2, and 404.5), Five (excluding Section PM-501.2), Six, and Seven
of the BOCA Basic Property Maintenance Code, and the City Smoke Detector
Ordinance Article 1514 of the Codified Ordinances, as amended.
(g)
Required facilities. At least one water closet, one lavatory and
one shower stall shall be supplied for each two sleeping units. As
an alternative a private half bath (water closet and lavatory) shall
be supplied for each sleeping unit. In this case a shower stall shall
be supplied for each four sleeping units. Each sleeping unit shall
have a separate electric circuit or circuits as required by the National
Electrical Code.
(h)
Area for sleeping purposes. Every room occupied for sleeping purposes
shall contain at least 100 square feet of floor area.
(i)
Ceiling height. Ceiling heights shall be not less than eight feet.
(j)
Linen supplied. The operator of every boarding house shall be responsible
to supply bedding in a clean and sanitary manner; all bed linen and
towels shall be changed at least once each week and prior to the letting
of any room to any occupant.
(k)
Conversions. In the Central Business District zone, conversions are
only permitted above the first floor above said commercial uses on
the first floor. If the upper floor of a building contains a residential
dwelling unit, no non-residential use shall be permitted on that floor.
(l)
Garbage and refuse. Garbage and refuse pickup and other utility areas
shall be provided and shall be located so as not to detract from the
aesthetic character of the neighborhood and shall be enclosed and
shielded from view by fencing, walls, or shrubbery (of at least five
feet in height) around the perimeter. Planted material or fences shall
meet the standards for buffering of parking areas specified above.
(m)
Basement or cellar units. Basement or cellar sleeping units shall
be permitted only if all exterior walls of the sleeping unit are at
least four feet above the average finished grade level of the adjoining
ground.
(n)
Single-family dwelling appearance. Except for dwellings in combination
with commercial or office uses in commercial zoning districts, the
appearance of a single-family dwelling unit shall be maintained for
the rooming house/boarding house structure. Necessary changes in the
number or placement of windows to provide adequate light and air will
be allowed, but shall be minimized; any changes which occur shall
be of one manner consistent with the architectural character of the
dwelling.
(o)
Off-street parking. Off-street parking shall be provided as follows:
One space per five rooms plus one space for the resident owner or
resident manager of the property.
(p)
Notice of violation; permit revocation; hearing. Whenever, upon the
inspection, the enforcement officer finds any conditions or practices
in violation of these provisions, notice in writing of such violation
shall be given to the operator of such rooming house/boarding house
that, unless such conditions and/or practices are corrected within
the time specified for compliance, the operator's permit shall
be revoked. The operator may request and be granted a hearing, on
any violations, before the Board of Appeal under the provisions of
the Property Maintenance Code, PM-110.0; as amended.
[Ord. 30-1994, 95 § 3, passed 1-23-1995]
Any property licensed by the City Department of Public Safety
as a rooming house/boarding house at the time of the adoption of this
article shall not be subject to the requirements of this article,
and shall continue to operate under the current standards for rooming
houses as defined in Article 1903.
[Ord. 30-1994, 95 § 4, passed 1-23-1995]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this article shall
be fined not less than $50 and not more than $1,000 and/or imprisoned
not more than 90 days.
