The purpose of this chapter shall be to protect
and promote the health, safety and welfare of the people of the Town
of Brutus insofar as they are affected by the occupancy and maintenance
of structures, equipment and exterior property and to prevent the
gradual encroachment of blight, deterioration, unsightliness and property
devaluation. All residential and nonresidential structures and premises
within the Town of Brutus, whether improved or vacant, shall be maintained
in conformity with the requirements, prohibitions and storage regulation
provisions of this chapter.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
words, phrases and terms and their derivations shall have the meanings
given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in
the present tense include the future, words used in the plural number
include the singular, words used in the singular number include the
plural and words in the masculine include the feminine. The word "shall"
is always mandatory and not merely directory.
ABANDONED AUTOMOBILES
A motor vehicle, as defined herein, no longer in condition
for use for which it was intended.
AUTHORIZED PRIVATE RECEPTACLE
A litter storage and collection receptacle of steel, aluminum
or plastic of ten- to thirty-gallons capacity with tight cover, or
larger steel container with closed lid.
BRUSH
Uncultivated woody shrubs and immature trees.
GARBAGE
Putrescible animal and vegetable wastes resulting from handling,
preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
GRASS
Herbaceous ornamental plants intended to be periodically
cut close to the ground for the establishment of a lawn or ground
covering. Grass may also be used for ground covering or the establishment
of drainage swales, flood routes or water detention or retention basins.
LITTER
Garbage, refuse and rubbish, as defined herein, and all other
waste materials which, if thrown or deposited as herein prohibited,
tends to create a danger to public health, safety and welfare and
tends to create blight.
MOTOR VEHICLE
The term "motor vehicle" includes all vehicles as defined
by NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law § 125. The term "motor vehicle"
shall also include all-terrain vehicles as defined by NYS Vehicle
and Traffic Law § 2281 and snowmobiles as defined by NYS
Vehicle and Traffic Law § 2221.
NUISANCE MATERIALS
Materials and objects that are not waste and are not considered
garbage, litter, refuse or rubbish under this chapter but which nevertheless
pose a nuisance, blight or danger to public health, safety or welfare
by virtue of their accumulation or scattering in publicly visible
exterior locations such as lawns and porches for extended periods
of time, i.e., more than 30 days. Nuisance materials may include,
but are not limited to, such items as furniture, children’s
or pet’s toys, cookware, building materials (in the absence
of an active building permit), appliances and clothing/fabric.
PARK
A park, playground, recreation center or any other public
area in the Town, owned by the Town and devoted to active or passive
recreation.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or organization of any kind.
PRIVATE PREMISES
Any house, building or other structure not owned or operated
by the Town, whether inhabited or temporarily or continuously uninhabited
or temporarily or continuously uninhabited or vacant, including any
yard, ground, parking lot, walk, driveway, porch steps, vestibule
or mailbox belonging or appurtenant to such house, building or other
structure.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any and all streets, highway rights-of-way, sidewalks or
other public ways and any and all public or quasi-public parks, spaces,
grounds and buildings, including school grounds.
REFUSE
All putrescible and nonputrescible solid waste except body
waste, including garbage; rubbish; ashes, incinerator residue; street
cleanings; offal, dead animals; abandoned automobiles and any parts
thereof; agricultural wastes, excluding usable agricultural equipment;
commercial wastes; industrial wastes and construction and demolition
debris, including commercial and industrial equipment having no value
other than scrap metal. Also, unused and/or abandoned mobile homes
and recreation vehicles with accessories.
RUBBISH
Nonputrescible and solid wastes consisting of both combustible
and noncombustible wastes, such as but not limited to paper wrappings,
cardboard, tin cans, wood, glass, bedding and crockery.
WEEDS
Wild, useless, poisonous or noxious and generally undesirable
plants growing in random and inappropriate locations.