Unless otherwise specified, this chapter shall apply to all
residential and non-residentially-used buildings, structures, and
lands; and equipment; facilities for light, ventilation, heating,
plumbing, and electrical; sanitation, and other systems and facilities;
and represents the minimum standards to be met by owners, operators,
occupants and users of such property and facilities.
As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the
meanings indicated:
APPROVED
Approved by the Director of Engineering Services, Director
of Public Safety, or their designees.
BASEMENT
That portion of a building which is partly or completely
below grade.
BATHROOM
A room containing plumbing fixtures including a bathtub or
shower.
BEDROOM
Any room or space used or intended to be used for sleeping
purposes in either a dwelling or sleeping unit.
CODE OFFICER
The Director of Engineering Services, Director of Public
Safety, or his or her designee.
CONDEMN
To adjudge unfit for occupancy or habitation.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
DWELLING UNIT
A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities
for one or more persons, including provisions for living, sleeping,
eating, cooking, food preparation and/or sanitation. Cooking facilities
shall include but shall not be limited to a stove, oven, hotplate,
microwave or other similar device customarily used for cooking or
preparation of food.
[Amended 5-3-2011 by L.L. No. 17-2011; 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
EASEMENT
That portion of land or property reserved for present or
future use by a person or agency other than the legal fee owner(s)
of the property. The easement shall be permitted to be for use under,
on or above a said lot or lots.
EQUIPMENT (BUILDING SYSTEM)
The term equipment includes but is not limited to any boiler,
heating and plumbing equipment, elevator, moving stairway, electrical
wiring or device, flammable liquid containers or other equipment on
the property or within the structure.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
EXTERIOR PROPERTY
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, rats or other pests
by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making inaccessible
materials that serve as their food; by poison spraying, fumigating,
trapping or by any other approved pest elimination methods.
GARBAGE
The animal or vegetable waste resulting from the handling,
preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
GUARD
A building component or a system of building components located
at or near the open sides of elevated walking surfaces that minimizes
the possibility of a fall from the walking surface to a lower level
HABITABLE SPACE
Space in a structure for living, sleeping, eating or cooking.
Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces,
and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.
HOUSEKEEPING UNIT
A room or group of rooms forming a single habitable space
equipped and intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and
eating which does not contain, within such a unit, a toilet, lavatory
and bathtub or shower.
IMMINENT DANGER
A condition which constitutes a clear and imminent threat
to the life, safety or welfare of persons, or a clear danger to property
as set forth is this chapter.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
INFESTATION
The presence, within or contiguous to, a structure or premises
of insects, rodents, vermin or other pests.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
INOPERABLE MOTOR VEHICLE
A vehicle which cannot be driven upon the public streets
for reason including but not limited to being unlicensed, wrecked,
abandoned, in a state of disrepair, or incapable of being moved under
its own power.
LABELED
Devices, equipment, appliances, or materials to which has
been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a
nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other
organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic
inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and by whose
label the manufacturer attests to compliance with applicable nationally
recognized standards.
LET FOR OCCUPANCY OR LET
To permit, provide or offer possession or occupancy of a
dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, building, premise or structure
by a person who is or is not the legal owner of record thereof, pursuant
to a written or unwritten lease, agreement or license, or pursuant
to a recorded or unrecorded agreement of contract for the sale of
land.
MOBILE HOME
A portable structure whether or not designed to be transported
on its own wheels, which is used, designed to be used, or capable
of being used as a detached single-family residence containing sleeping
accommodations; toilet; tub or shower; food preparation facilities
or equipment; and/or plumbing and electrical connection for attachment
to outside systems.
[Added 5-3-2011 by L.L. No. 17-2011]
OCCUPANCY
The purpose for which a building or portion thereof is utilized
or occupied.
OCCUPANT
Any individual living or sleeping in a building, or having
possession or use of a space within a building or structure.
OPENABLE AREA
That part of a window, skylight 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 structure
or premises which is let or offered for occupancy.
OWNER
Any person, agent, operator, firm or corporation having a
legal or equitable interest in the property; or any person recorded
in the official records of the state, county or town as holding title
to the property; or person-in-charge or otherwise having control of
the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person,
or duly appointed executor or administrator of the estate of such
person.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership or group acting as
a unit.
PROPERTY OR PREMISES
A lot, plot or parcel of land, easement or public way and
any portion thereof, including any structure thereon.
PUBLIC WAY
Any street, alley or similar parcel of land essentially unobstructed
from the ground to the sky, which is deeded, dedicated or otherwise
permanently appropriated to the public for public use.
ROOMING HOUSE
A building arranged or occupied for lodging, with or without
meals, for compensation and not occupied as a one- or two-family dwelling.
ROOMING UNIT
Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit
occupied or intended to be occupied for sleeping or living, but not
for cooking purposes.
RUBBISH
Combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage;
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
materials.
SLEEPING UNIT
A room or space in which people sleep, which can also include
permanent provisions for living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen
facilities, but not both. Such rooms and spaces that are also part
of a dwelling unit are not sleeping units.
STRUCTURE
That which is built or constructed, or a portion thereof,
regardless of use.
TENANT
A person, corporation, partnership or group, whether or not
the legal owner of record, occupying a building or portion thereof
as a unit.
TOILET ROOM
A room containing a water closet or urinal but not a bathtub
or shower.
UNLAWFUL STRUCTURE
An unlawful structure is one found in whole or in part to
be occupied by more persons than permitted, or was erected, altered
or occupied contrary to law.
UNSAFE EQUIPMENT
Equipment on the property or within the structure which is
in such disrepair or condition that it is a hazard to the life, health,
safety, or welfare of the occupants of the property, the general public,
or a hazard or threat to property.
[Amended 1-10-2017 by L.L. No. 2-2017]
VENTILATION
The natural or mechanical process of supplying conditioned
or unconditioned air to or removing such air from any space.
WORKMANLIKE
Executed in a skilled manner; e.g., generally plumb, level,
square, in line, undamaged and without marring adjacent work.
YARD
An open space on the same lot with a structure.