[CC §18.250; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
The following words when used in this Chapter shall have the
meanings set out herein:
- AGENT
- Any individual, firm, partnership or corporation which acts for the owner in the collection of rents, the making of repairs, the commencement or termination of tenancies, or as janitor or other person in charge of any building premises or vacant lot.
- BUILDING
- Any structure, whether public or private that is adopted or intended for occupancy for dwelling purposes, for the transaction of business, for the rendering of a professional service, for amusement, for the display, sale or storage of goods, wares or merchandise, or for the performance of work or labor, including rooming houses, office buildings, public buildings, stores, theaters, markets, restaurants, warehouses, workshops, factories and all other houses, sheds, barns and other structures.
- CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
- The Code Enforcement Officer of the City, or his authorized representative.
- OCCUPANT
- The individual, firm, partnership or corporation that has the use of, control, or occupies any building, or any portion thereof, whether owner or tenant. In the case of a vacant building, or any vacant portion of a building, or in the case of a building having five (5) or more families with common rights to a cellar or basement, the owner or agent shall have the responsibilities for the occupant of a building.
- OWNER
- Any person who, alone, jointly or severally with others, shall be in actual possession of, or having charge, care or control of any building, premises, or vacant lot within the City as owner whether individual, firm, partnership or corporation, or as trustee or guardian of the estate of person of the title holder.
- RAT-HARBORAGE
- Any condition which may provide shelter or protection for rats, thus favoring their multiplication or existence.
- RAT STOPPAGE
- A form of rat proofing to prevent the ingress of rats into buildings from the exterior or from one (1) building to another. It consists essentially of the closing of all openings in the exterior walls, ground or first floors, basements, roofs, and foundations that may be reached by rats from the ground by reaching, climbing, jumping, or burrowing with material or equipment impervious to rat-gnawing and in accordance with specifications promulgated by the Code Enforcement Officer.
[CC §18.260; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
A.
All
buildings and structures shall be rat-stopped, freed of rats and maintained
in a rat-stopped and rat-free condition.
B.
It
shall be the duty of the Code Enforcement Officer to enforce the provisions
of this Chapter and to supervise the enforcement thereof by the Rat
Control Section.
C.
The
Code Enforcement Officer is hereby empowered to make such inspection
of the interior of any building, structure or any premises or vacant
lot as in his opinion may be necessary to determine full compliance
with this Chapter, and the Code Enforcement Officer shall make a periodic
inspection at intervals of not more than six (6) months of all rat-stopped
businesses or buildings, apartment houses and tenement houses to determine
evidence of rat infestation and the existence of new breaks or leaks
in the rat-stoppage, and when any evidence is found indicating the
presence of rats or opening through which rats may again enter such
buildings, the Code Enforcement Officer shall serve the owner, occupant
or agent with written notice to abate the conditions found.
[CC §18.270; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
No owner, agent or occupant shall permit or allow any building
to be infested with rats or shall permit or allow any condition to
exist in or around such building or on any premises or any vacant
lot which may be conducive to rat-infestation.
[CC §18.280; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
Upon the receipt of written notice from the Code Enforcement
Officer, the owner or agent of any building specified therein shall
take immediate measures for rat-stoppage of such building and for
the elimination of rat harborage within such buildings and on the
premises, and unless said work has been completed in the time specified
in the written notice or any written extension thereof that may be
granted by the Code Enforcement Officer, the owner or agent shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
[CC §18.290; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
The owner or agent of any rat-stopped building shall maintain
it in a rat-stopped condition and repair all breaks or leaks that
may occur in the rat-stoppage.
[CC §18.300; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for the occupant, owner, contractor, public
utility company, plumber, or any other person to remove the rat-stoppage
from any building for any purpose and fail to restore the same in
a satisfactory condition or to make any new openings that are not
closed or sealed against the entrance of rats.
[CC §18.310; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
A.
Whenever
the Code Enforcement Officer notifies in writing the occupant or occupants
of any building that there is evidence of rat-infestation of the building,
such occupant or occupants shall take immediate and effective measures
for freeing the premises so occupied of all rats.
B.
The
failure of any occupant to take effective measures for freeing his
portion of the building or premises of rats after receiving the notice
described in this Chapter shall constitute a misdemeanor.
C.
The
occupant or occupants of a building shall maintain the building and
premises in a rat-free condition.
[CC §18.330; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership 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.
[CC §18.340; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation
to place, leave, dump or permit to accumulate any garbage or rubbish
in any building or premises, or on any vacant lot, so that the same
may afford food or harborage for rats.
[CC §18.350; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974; Ord. No. 982 §1, 5-21-2012]
It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, partnership or corporation
to accumulate or to permit the accumulation on any premises or on
any open lot of any lumber, boxes, barrels, bricks, stones, or similar
materials that may be permitted to remain thereon and which may afford
harborage of rats, unless the same shall be evenly piled or stacked
either on open racks that are elevated not less than twelve (12) inches
above the ground. All salvageable materials must be removed within
thirty (30) days unless there is a building permit in effect.
[CC §18.355; Ord. No. 363 §1, 5-15-1989; Ord. No. 496 §1, 8-1-1994; Ord.
No. 983 §§1 — 2, 5-21-2012]
No person, firm, partnership or corporation shall store one
(1) or more tire(s) outside of a building located on any premises
within the City of St. John.
[CC §18.360; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
All food and feed kept within the City for feeding animals shall
be kept and stored in a rat-free and rat-proof container, compartment,
or room, unless kept in a rat-stopped building.
[CC §18.370; Ord. No. 25, 10-7-1974]
The raising or keeping of cattle, horses, sheep, ponies, goats,
poultry, fowl or any type of livestock within the corporate limits
of the City of St. John is hereby declared to be a public nuisance
and is prohibited.
[CC §18.390; Ord. No. 307, 8-17-1987; Ord. No. 361 §1, 4-17-1989]
All property within the City of St. John shall be maintained
in a sanitary manner, ever mindful of the public health and safety.
To that end, it shall be unlawful to permit or maintain property where
there is an accumulation or deposit or any vehicular and/or equipment
parts, inoperable appliances, junk or material of any nature, where
said accumulation or deposit upon open ground would constitute an
attractive nuisance danger to children and/or a possible breeding
ground for vermin, rodents and other animals.
