For the purpose of this article, the following definitions shall apply:
Business building.
Any structure, whether public or private, that is adapted for occupancy for transaction of business, for rendering of professional service, for amusement, for the display, sale or storage of goods, wares or merchandise, or for the performance of work or labor, including hotels, apartment buildings, tenement houses, roominghouses, office buildings, public buildings, stores, theaters, markets, restaurants, grain elevators, abattoirs, warehouses, workshops, factories and all outhouses, sheds, barns and other structures on premises used for business purposes.
Health authority.
The health authority appointed by the city, or any duly authorized representative.
Occupant.
The individual, partnership or corporation that uses or occupies any business building or part or fraction thereof, whether the actual owner or tenant. In the case of vacant business buildings or vacant portions thereof, the owner, agent or custodian shall have the responsibility as occupant.
Owner.
The actual owner, agent or custodian of the business building, whether an individual, partnership or corporation. The lessee shall be construed as the owner for the purpose of this article when business building agreements hold the lessee responsible for maintenance and repairs.
Rat eradication.
The elimination or extermination of rats within buildings by any or all of the accepted measures, such as poisoning, fumigation, trapping, clubbing, etc.
Rat harborage.
Any condition which provides shelter or protection for rats, thus favoring multiplication and continued existence in, under or outside of any structure.
Ratproofing.
Applies to a form of construction to prevent the ingress of rats into business buildings from the exterior or from one business building or establishment to another. It consists essentially of treatment with material impervious to rat gnawing of all actual or potential openings in exterior walls, ground or first floors, basements, roofs and foundations that may be reached by rats from the ground by climbing or by burrowing.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:A; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
It is hereby ordained and required that all business buildings in the city shall be ratproofed, freed of rats, and maintained in a ratproof and rat-free condition to the satisfaction of the health authority.
(b) 
For the purpose of obtaining rat-stoppage of business buildings, the following regulations are set forth as the minimum requirements for applying rat-stoppage to business buildings:
(1) 
Approval.
The health authority or his representative shall approve all materials used and the methods of installation;
(2) 
Rust protection.
Solid sheetmetal, expanded metal and wire cloth specified in these regulations shall have a rust-resisting protective coating, preferably galvanized;
(3) 
Foundation wall ventilator openings.
All foundation wall ventilator openings shall be covered for their entire height and width with perforated sheetmetal plates of a thickness not less than fourteen (14) gauge, or with expanded sheetmetal of a thickness not less than eighteen (18) gauge, or with cast-iron grills or grates, or with any other material of sufficient strength and equal rat-resisting properties. The openings therein shall be small enough to prevent the ingress of rats, and in no instance shall be larger than one-half-inch (1/2") mesh;
(4) 
Other foundation and wall openings.
All foundation and exterior wall openings, excluding those used for the purpose of ventilation, light, doors and windows, such as those openings around pipes, electric cables, or conduits, and openings due to deteriorated walls or broken masonry or concrete, shall be protected against the ingress of rats by closing such openings with cement mortar, concrete or masonry, or close-fitting sheetmetal or suitable size pipe flanges or other material with equal rat-resisting properties, which shall be securely fastened in place;
(5) 
Doors.
All exposed edges of the lower eight inches (8") of wooden doors and door jambs serving as front, rear or side entrances into business buildings from the ground, basement or cellar floors, and other doors accessible to rats, shall be protected against the gnawing of rats by covering said doors and jambs with solid sheetmetal of not less than twenty-four (24) gauge thickness. The same material shall be used on door sills or thresholds, or such door sills or thresholds may be constructed of cement, stone, steel or cast iron. Doors, door jambs and sills or coal chutes and hatchways that are constructed of wood shall be covered with solid sheetmetal of twenty-four (24) gauge or heavier, or they may be replaced with metal chutes of twenty-four (24) gauge or heavier, installed in such manner as will prevent the ingress of rats. All buildings with side and rear door entrances shall be provided with suitable automatic self-closing devices. All doors on which metal flashing has been applied shall be properly hinged to provide for free swinging. When closed, doors shall fit snugly so that the maximum clearance between any door, door jamb and sill shall not be greater than three-eighths (3/8) of an inch;
(6) 
Windows.
All windows and other openings for the purpose of light or ventilation shall be covered for their entire height and width, including frame, with wire cloth of nineteen (19) gauge or heavier, having mesh of not larger than one-half inch (1/2") in installed metal frames of twenty-four (24) gauge and anchored in place with rust-resisting screws. All windows and other openings for the purpose of light or ventilation that may be accessible to rats by way of exposed pipes, wires, conduits and other appurtenances shall be blocked from rat usage by installing sheetmetal guards of twenty-four (24) gauge or heavier. Such guards, when used on vertical pipes, wires, conduits or other appurtenances, shall be fit snugly around the pipe, wire, conduit or other appurtenances;
(7) 
Light wells.
Light wells with windows in exterior walls that are located below the outside ground level shall be protected from the ingress of rats by one of the following methods:
(A) 
Installing over light wells cast-iron or steel grills or steel gratings or other material of equal strength and rat-resisting properties, with openings in grills or gratings not to exceed one-half inch (1/2") in largest dimension;
(B) 
Installing securely to and completely covering existing metal grills that are broken or have openings larger than one-half inch (1/2") in largest dimension or are otherwise defective with expanded metal of eighteen (18) gauge or heavier, having openings not greater than one-half inch (1/2") in largest dimension; and
(C) 
At the option of the owner, the opening in the wall of the building below the grate may be entirely closed with brick or concrete or partially closed and the remaining open space covered with nineteen (19) gauge or heavier wire cloth with mesh not to exceed one-half inch (1/2");
(8) 
Buildings on piers; floors.
Business buildings constructed on piers having wooden floor sills less than twelve inches (12") above the surface of the ground shall have intervening space between the floor sill and the ground protected against the ingress of rats by installing a solid masonry or concrete curtain wall not less than four inches (4") thick around the entire perimeter of the business building and extending said curtain wall to a depth of not less than eighteen inches (18") deep with a twelve-inch (12") shelf extending outward from the wall and fastened securely to the exterior wall of the business building in such manner as will prevent rats from entering the building. In lieu of the installation of curtain walls, all ground floors of wood construction may be replaced with concrete of not less than three inches (3") in thickness. Exterior wall protection shall be securely tied into the concrete floor at all points. Business buildings constructed on piers having wooden floor sills greater than twelve inches (12") above the ground level shall have the intervening spaces between the floor sill and the ground protected against the ingress of rats by installing curtain walls in accordance with the preceding provision, or by protecting said business buildings against the ingress of rats by installing solid sheetmetal coverage of twenty-four (24) gauge or heavier snugly around each pipe, cable, wire, conduit or other utility service passing through the wooden ground floor. Said metal coverage shall not be less than eight inches (8") in diameter larger than the diameter of the pipe, cable, wire, conduit or other utility service, and shall be securely fastened to the wooden floor. All other openings in wooden ground floors through which rats may gain entrance into double walls or the interior of business buildings, such as openings that may exist in floors and double walls above floor sills, shall be closed with twenty-four (24) gauge or heavier solid sheetmetal or sixteen (16) gauge or heavier wire cloth of one-half-inch (1/2") mesh or masonry or with concrete. Wood frame constructed business buildings having concrete or masonry foundation walls shall have ventilators in foundation walls protected as provided in subsection (4) of this section. All miscellaneous wall openings, doors and windows shall be protected in accordance with this section; and
(9) 
Curb or farmers’ markets.
Curb or farmers’ markets in which fruit or vegetables or any other products are exposed and offered for sale on racks, stands, or platforms and in vehicles outside of business buildings shall have floors paved with concrete or asphalt for the entire surface area of the market. Display racks, stands or platforms on which fruits or vegetables or any other food products are displayed or offered for sale shall be of sufficient height that all such fruits, vegetables or other food products shall be kept at a distance of not less than eighteen inches (18") above the floor pavement and be so constructed that rats cannot harbor therein or thereunder.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:B; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
Upon receipt of written notice and/or order from the health authority, the owner of any business building specified therein shall take immediate measures for ratproofing the building, and unless said work and improvements have been completed by the owner in the time specified in the written notice, in no event to be less than fifteen (15) days, or within the time to which a written extension may have been granted by the health authority, then the owner shall be deemed guilty of an offense under the provisions of this article.
(b) 
Whenever the health authority notifies the occupant or occupants of a business building in writing that there is evidence of rat infestation of the building, said occupant or occupants shall immediately institute rat eradication measures and shall continuously maintain such measures in a satisfactory manner until the premises are declared by the health authority to be free of rat infestation. Unless said measures are undertaken within five (5) days after receipt of notice, it shall be construed as a violation of the provisions of the article and the occupant shall be held responsible therefor.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:C; Ordinance adopting Code)
The owner of all ratproofed business buildings are required to maintain the premises in a ratproof condition and to repair all breaks or leaks that may occur in the ratproofing without a specific order of the health authority.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:D; Ordinance adopting Code)
The health authority is empowered to make unannounced inspections of the interior and exterior of business buildings to determine full compliance with this article, and the health authority shall make periodic inspections at intervals of not more than forty-five (45) days of all ratproofed buildings to determine evidence of rat infestation and the existence of new breaks or leaks in their ratproofing and, when evidence is found indicating the presence of rats, or openings through which rats may again enter business buildings, the health authority shall serve the owners or occupants with notice and/or order to abate conditions found.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:E; Ordinance adopting Code)
Whenever conditions inside or under occupied business buildings provide extensive harborage for rats (in the opinion of the health authority), the health authority is empowered, after due notification in accordance with section 6.04.003, to close such business buildings until such time as the conditions are abated by ratproofing and harborage removal, including, if necessary, the installation of suitable concrete floors in the basements or replacement of wooden first or ground floors with concrete or other major repairs necessary to facilitate rat eradication.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:F; Ordinance adopting Code)
Whenever conditions inside or under unoccupied business buildings provide extensive harborage for rats (in the opinion of the health authority), the health authority is empowered to require compliance with the provisions of section 6.04.003, and in the event that said conditions are not corrected in the period of sixty (60) days, or within the time to which a written extension may have been granted by the health authority, the health authority is empowered to institute condemnation and destruction proceedings.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:G; Ordinance adopting Code)
It shall be unlawful under the provisions of this article for the occupant, owner, contractor, public utility company, plumber or any other person to remove and fail to restore in like condition the ratproofing from any business buildings for any purpose. Further, it shall be unlawful for any person or agent to make any new openings that are not closed or sealed against the entrance of rats.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:H)
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation hereafter to construct, repair or remodel any building, dwelling, stable, market or other structure whatsoever unless such construction, repair, remodeling or installation shall render the building or other structure ratproof in accordance with the regulations prescribed herein and hereunder. The provisions of this section apply only to such construction, repair, remodeling or installation as affects the ratproof condition of any building or other structure.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:I)
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation hereafter to occupy any new or existing business buildings wherein foodstuffs are to be stored, kept, handled, sold, held or offered for sale without complying with section 6.04.009 of this article, and, unless the provisions of this section are complied with, no city license or permit to conduct or carry on such business defined above will be issued.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:J)
All food and feed within the city for feeding chickens, cows, pigs, horses and other animals shall be stored in ratfree and ratproof containers, compartments or rooms unless stored in a ratproof building.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:K)
(a) 
Within the corporate limits of the city, all garbage or refuse consisting of waste animal or vegetable matter upon which rats may feed, and all small dead animals, shall be placed and stored until collected in covered metal containers of a type prescribed by the health authority.
(b) 
It is further declared unlawful for any person, firm 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.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:L; Ordinance adopting Code)
(a) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage, rubbish or trash in any building or any premises, improved or vacant, or on any open lot or alley in the city so that the same shall or may afford food or harborage for rats.
(b) 
It shall be unlawful for any person to permit to accumulate on any premises, improved or vacant, or on any open lot or alley in the city any lumber, boxes, barrels, bottles, cans, containers or similar materials that may be permitted to remain thereon unless same shall be placed on open racks that are elevated not less than eighteen inches (18") above ground and evenly piled or stacked.
(1986 Code, ch. 6, sec. 2:M)