[HISTORY: Adopted by the Village Board of the Village of
Williams Bay as §§ 9.09 and 9.12 of the 2011 Code.
Amendments noted where applicable.]
A.
It is hereby found and declared that there exist in the Village residential
structures and nonresidential structures which are, or may become
in the future, substandard with respect to structure, upkeep or maintenance.
B.
Such conditions, including, but not limited to, structural deterioration,
lack of maintenance, poor exterior appearance, infestation and the
existence of fire and health hazards, constitute a menace to the health,
safety, morals, welfare and reasonable comfort of the citizens and
inhabitants of the Village and may further result in the deterioration
of property values. If such conditions are not curtailed and removed,
they will grow and spread and necessitate future expenditures of large
amounts of public funds to correct and eliminate. The purpose of this
chapter is to protect the public health, safety, morals and welfare
and retain property values by establishing minimum standards governing
the maintenance, appearance and condition of residential and nonresidential
premises. Further, this chapter authorizes and establishes procedures
for the inspection of residential and nonresidential premises and
establishes penalties for violations of its contents.
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings assigned to them in this section. Words and
phrases not herein otherwise defined shall have the meanings accepted
by common use.
A condition having an adverse effect on surrounding properties.
An adverse effect upon surrounding properties is created when the
value of surrounding properties is deteriorated, however slightly,
by the condition of the subject property.
Broken concrete, bricks, blocks or other mineral matter;
bottles, porcelain and other glass or crockery; boxes; lumber (new
or used), posts, sticks or other wood; paper; rags, including old
clothing or discarded clothing; cardboard; excelsior; rubber; plastic;
wire, tin and metal items; discarded furniture, household goods or
appliances; junk lawn mowers; tar paper; residues from burning; or
any similar materials which constitute health, fire or safety hazards
or a blighting influence upon surrounding properties, the neighborhood
or the Village in general.
Animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation,
cooking, and serving of food or from the handling, storage, and sale
of food products or produce.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. II)]
Any old or scrap metal, metal alloy, synthetic or organic
material or waste or any junked, ruined, dismantled, or wrecked motor
vehicle or machinery or any part thereof, whether salvageable or not
or inoperable.
Material that cannot be burned.
A lot, plot or parcel of real estate or land including all
buildings and structures thereon.
Debris as defined above.
Combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage,
and the term includes the residue from the burning of wood, coal,
coke and other combustible materials, paper, rags, cartons, boxes,
wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tin cans, metals, mineral matter,
glass crockery, dust and other similar materials.
A.
Every residential, nonresidential or mixed-occupancy premises located
within the corporate limits of the Village used or intended to be
used for dwelling, commercial, business or industrial occupancy shall
comply with the provisions of this chapter, whether or not the buildings
and structures thereon were constructed, altered or repaired before
or after the enactment of this chapter and irrespective of any permits
or licenses which have been issued for the use or occupancy of the
premises, for the construction or repair of the premises or for the
installation or repair of equipment or facilities upon such premises
prior to the effective date of this chapter.
B.
In any case where the requirements of this chapter create a higher
standard than set by any other Village ordinance or under the laws
of the state, the standards set forth herein shall prevail.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. II)]
C.
No license, permit or other certification or indication of compliance
with this chapter shall constitute a defense against violations of
any other local ordinance applicable to any structure or premises
nor shall any provision herein relieve any owner, operator or occupant
from complying with any such other ordinance or preclude any official
of the Village from enforcing any such other ordinance.
The owner, occupant or lessee of every premises shall keep the
exterior of such premises and all structures thereon in a clean and
sanitary condition, free from any accumulation of combustible or noncombustible
debris, junk, rubbish or refuse or any similar material which could
or may cause fire, safety or health hazards or constitute a blighting
influence upon surrounding properties and free of all nuisances and
of any hazards to the safety of the occupant, pedestrians or other
people utilizing the premises. Further, the exterior of every structure
within the boundaries of the Village shall be maintained in good repair
by the owner, occupant or lessee. Such maintenance shall include,
but not be limited to, the avoidance of broken glass, loose shingles,
crumbling stone or brick, excessive peeling of paint, loose boards,
exposed insulation or exposed tar paper or other conditions reflective
of deterioration or inadequate maintenance. The purpose of such required
maintenance is to eliminate safety and fire hazards, preserve the
property and its value and protect adjoining properties from blighting
influences and deteriorating values.
A.
Litter shall mean and include any uncontainerized waste which, if
not deposited in a litter receptacle, tends to create a danger to
public health, safety and welfare or impairs the environment of the
people of the Village. Litter includes, but is not limited to, garbage,
trash, refuse, debris, grass clippings or other lawn or garden waste,
newspaper, magazine, glass, metal, plastic, paper, motor vehicle parts
or other nauseous and offensive matter.
B.
Every owner, occupant or lessee of a premises used for residence,
business or commercial purpose shall maintain litter collection and
storage areas if present on the premises in a clean condition and
ensure that all litter is properly stored in containers. Such litter
containers shall have sealed covers to avoid distribution of the litter
by animals or the elements.
C.
The owner or person in control of any public premises, including
but not limited to restaurants, shopping centers, fast-food outlets,
stores, hotels, motels, industrial establishments, office buildings,
apartment buildings, housing projects, gas stations, hospitals and
clinics shall at all times keep the premises clean of all litter and
shall take measures, including daily cleanup of the premises, to prevent
litter from being carried by the elements to adjoining premises.
Persons owning, occupying or in control of premises shall keep
the sidewalks and alleys adjacent to such premises free of litter,
refuse, garbage and other debris. Owners, occupants or those in control
of such premises shall sweep or rinse off the sidewalks abutting their
premises as often as may be required to keep the walk reasonably free
from such materials.
A.
This chapter shall be enforced by the Building Inspector, who may
investigate potential violations of this chapter upon complaint or
upon his own observation. Upon presentation of proper credentials,
the Building Inspector may enter at any reasonable time any building,
structure or premises to investigate potential violations of this
chapter or enforce the provisions of this chapter.
B.
If any owner, occupant or other person in charge of a building, structure
or premises refuses, impedes, inhibits, interferes with, restricts
or obstructs entry or free access to any part of the structure or
premises upon the request of the Building Inspector, he may apply
for and obtain a special warrant pursuant to § 66.0119,
Wis. Stats. Nothing in this chapter should be read to limit the Village's
powers under § 66.0413, Wis. Stats. Prior to commencement
of legal proceedings to enforce the provisions of this chapter, the
Building Inspector shall, as a condition precedent, issue a warning
letter to a person in violation of this chapter, which letter shall
state the violation and advise that unless the violating condition
is remedied within 14 days from the date of the letter, legal process
will issue for the enforcement thereof. Each day a violation continues
shall constitute a separate offense.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person who shall violate any provision of this chapter or any rule, regulation or order made hereunder shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-4 of this Code.
