The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation
and enforcement of this chapter:
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE
A detached structure which is not used or not intended to
be used for living or sleeping by human occupants and which is located
on the same premises with a dwelling.
APPROPRIATE AUTHORITY
The official department or agency designated by the Town
to administer and enforce these regulations pursuant to the provisions
of this chapter.
APPROVED
Approved by the local or state authority having such administrative
authority.
ASHES
The residue from the burning of combustible materials (and
the noncombustible portion of refuse loaded into an incinerator).
BASEMENT
A portion of the building partly underground, but having
less than half its clear height below the average grade of the adjoining
ground.
CELLAR
The portion of the building partly underground, having half
or more than half of its clear height below the average grade of the
adjoining ground.
CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEM
A single system supplying heat to one or more dwelling units
or more than one rooming unit.
DORMITORY
A room or group of rooms in a dwelling used for living and
sleeping purposes by four or more persons.
DWELLING
Any enclosed space which is wholly or partly used or intended
to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants, provided that
temporary housing, as hereinafter defined, shall not be regarded as
a dwelling.
DWELLING UNITS
Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and
forming a single habitable unit with facilities which are unused or
intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating.
ENFORCING OFFICER
The official charged with the administration and enforcement
of this chapter or his authorized representative.
EXTERMINATION
The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other
pests by eliminating their harborages, by removing, or making inaccessible,
materials that may serve as their food; by poisoning, spraying, fumigating,
trapping, or by any other recognized and legal pest elimination methods
approved by the health officer.
FAMILY
One adult person plus one or more persons who are legally
related to said person and residing in the same dwelling unit with
said person.
GARBAGE
The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling,
preparation, cooking, serving, and nonconsumption of food.
GUEST
Any person who shares a dwelling unit in a nonpermanent status
for not more than 30 days.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
HABITABLE ROOM
A room or enclosed floor space used or intended to be used
for living, sleeping, cooking, or eating purposes, excluding bathrooms,
water closet compartments, laundries, furnace rooms, pantries, kitchenettes
and utility rooms of less than 50 square feet, foyers or communicating
corridors, stairways, closets, storage spaces and workshops, hobby
and recreation areas in unsealed or uninsulated parts of a structure
below ground level or in attics.
HEALTH OFFICER
The legally designated director of health of this state,
or his authorized representative.
HEATED WATER
Water heated to a temperature of not less than 120° Fahrenheit.
HOUSEHOLD
A family or one or more unrelated persons, including servants
and not more than two boarders, who share the same dwelling and use
some or all of its cooking and eating facilities.
INFESTATION
The presence within or around a dwelling or other structure
in large numbers of insects, rodents or other pests.
KITCHEN
Any room containing any or all of the following equipment,
or area of a room within three feet of such equipment: sink, or other
device for dish washing, stove or other device for cooking, refrigerator
or other device for cool storage of food.
LEAD-BASED SUBSTANCES
Any paint, plaster, or other building material which contains
lead at levels in excess of acceptable environmental lead levels established
by department of health regulations.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]
LEAD HAZARD MITIGATION
For dwellings constructed prior to 1978, compliance with
the lead hazard mitigation standard in RIGL Chapter 128.1 of Title
42, the Lead Hazard Mitigation Act.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions,
Art. I)]
OCCUPANT
Any person, over one year of age, living, sleeping, cooking
or eating in, or actually having possession of, a dwelling unit or
a rooming unit, or structure except that in dwelling units, a guest
will not be considered an occupant.
OPERATOR
Any person who has charge, care or control of a building,
or part thereof, in which dwelling units or rooming units are let.
OWNER
Any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others:
(1)
Shall have legal title to any dwelling, dwelling
unit or structure without accompanying actual possession thereof;
or
(2)
Shall have charge, care or control of any dwelling,
dwelling unit or structure as owner or agent of the owner, or an executor,
administrator, trustee, or guardian of the estate of the owner, any
such person, thus representing the actual owner, shall be bound to
comply with the provisions of this chapter and of rules and regulations
adopted pursuant thereto to the same extent as if he were the owner.
PERMISSIBLE OCCUPANCY
The maximum number of persons permitted as family or household
to reside in a dwelling unit or rooming unit based on the square feet
per person in habitable rooms.
PLUMBING
Includes all of the following supplied facilities and equipment:
gas pipes, gas burning equipment, waste pipes, garbage disposal units,
water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories, bathtubs,
shower baths, installed clothes washing machines, catch basins, drains,
vents and any other similar supplied fixtures, together with all connections
to water, sewer, septic tank or gas lines.
POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS MATERIAL
Any material, including building material containing heavy-metal
compounds in concentrations dangerous to the public health as deemed
by the Department of Health of this state.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
PREMISES
A platted lot or part thereof or unplatted lot or parcel
of land, or plot of land, either occupied or unoccupied by any dwelling
or nondwelling structure, and includes any such building, accessory
structure or other structure thereon.
PRIVACY
The ability of a person to carry out an activity commenced
without interruption or interference, either by sight or sound, by
unwanted persons.
REFUSE
All putrescible and nonputrescible solids (except body wastes)
including garbage, rubbish, ashes and dead animals.
REFUSE CONTAINERS
A container of impervious material with a lid which shall
lock or snap into place so as to render the material therein contained
harmless from intrusion of animals, fowl and all other intrusions
from whatever source.
ROOMING HOUSE
Any dwelling or that part of any dwelling containing three
or more rooming units in which space is occupied by three or more
persons who are not members of a single family.
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.
RUBBISH
Nonputrescible solid wastes (excluding ashes) consisting
of both:
(1)
Combustible wastes such as paper, cardboard,
plastic containers, yard clippings and wood.
(2)
Noncombustible wastes such as tin cans, glass
and crockery.
SAFETY
The condition of being free from danger and hazards which
may cause accidents or disease.
SEPTIC TANK
A receptacle, usually underground, to which sewage is drained
and retained to effect disintegration of the organic matter by bacteria.
SPACE HEATER
A self-contained, automatically controlled, vented, fuel-burning
appliance of either the circulating type or the radiant type.
STRUCTURE
All structures used or intended to be used for commercial,
business or industrial use or occupancy.
SUPPLIED
Paid for, furnished, provided by, or under the control of
the owner or operator.
TEMPORARY HOUSING
Any tent, trailer, mobile home, or any other structure used
for human shelter which is designed to be transportable and is not
attached to the ground, to another structure, or to any utility system
on the same premises for more than 30 consecutive days.