(A) For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
BASEMENT. A portion of the building located partly under ground, but having not more than one-half of its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground.
CELLAR. A portion of a building located partly or wholly underground, and having more than one-half of its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground.
DILAPIDATED. No longer adequate tor the purpose or use for which it was originally intended.
DWELLING. Any building 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 of the following:
(a) Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling forming a single habitable unit when those units possess facilities which are used, or intended to be used, for living, sleeping, cooking and eating; and
(b) Any mobile home.
EGRESS. An arrangement of exit facilities to assure a safe means of exit from buildings.
EXTERMINATION. The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other pests by eliminating their harborage places, by removing or making inaccessible materials that may serve as their food, by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping or by any other recognized and legal vector elimination methods approved by the Health Officer.
GARBAGE. The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
HABITABLE ROOM. A room or enclosed floor space for use as a 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 structure below ground level or in attics.
HEALTH OFFICER. The County Health Officer or his or her duly authorized representative.
INFESTATION. The presence, within or around a dwelling, of any insects, rodents or other pests.
MOBILE HOME. Any vehicle which is constructed to permit its being used as a conveyance, either self-propelled or non-self-propelled, upon the public streets and highways, and which is designed and constructed to permit its occupancy as a dwelling or sleeping place for one or more persons and which has no foundation other than wheels, jacks, skirting or other temporary support.
MULTIPLE DWELLING. Any dwelling containing more than two dwelling units.
OCCUPANT. Any person, living, sleeping, cooking or eating in or having actual possession of a dwelling unit or rooming unit.
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:
(a) Shall have legal title to any dwelling unit, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; provided, however, that, whenever the dwelling or dwelling unit is subject to conditional sales contract, lease with option to purchase, or any other form of written contract under the terms of which any person is entitled to a conveyance of legal title upon payment of a specified sum, the term OWNER shall mean the person who shall have the contractual right, rather than the person holding legal title; or
(b) Shall have charge, care or control of any dwelling or dwelling unit as executor, executrix, trustees, receiver or guardian of the owner as defined in division (a) immediately preceding. Any person thus representing the actual OWNER shall be bound to comply with the provisions of this ordinance to the same extent as if he or she were the OWNER. Any person acting as agent of the OWNER shall not be construed to be an OWNER within the terms of this chapter, but shall be bound to notify the owner, by means of a registered letter addressed to the owner at his or her last known address, of any order or notice by the Health Officer relating to the property of the owner.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership.
PLUMBING. All of the following supplied facilities and equipment; gas pipes, gas burning equipment, water pipes, garbage disposal units, waste pipes, 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 or gas lines.
REASONABLE CAUSE. The follow-up of a community complaint or the apparent substandard health conditions as determined by the Health Officer.
ROOMING HOUSE. Any dwelling or that part of any dwelling containing one or more rooming units, in which space is let by the owner or operator to five or more persons who are not husband or wife, son or daughter, mother or father, or sister or brother of the owner or operator.
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. Combustible and non-combustible waste materials, except garbage; and the term shall include the residue from the burning of wood, coal, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, leaves, tin cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and dust.
SUPPLIED. Paid for, furnished or provided by or under the control of the owner or operator.
TEMPORARY HOUSING. Any tent, mobile home, or other structure used for human shelter which is designed to be transportable and which is not attached to the ground, to another structure or to any utilities system on the same premises for more than 30 days.
(B) Undefined words not specifically defined in this chapter shall have the common definition set forth in a standard dictionary.
(C) Whenever the words “dwelling”, “dwelling unit”, “rooming house”, “rooming unit”, “premises” are used in this chapter, they shall be construed as though they were followed by the words “or any part thereof”.
(D) The word “premises”, occupied or vacant, shall mean any lot or area located in the county.
(Prior Code, § 5-45) (Ord. 1988-09, passed 6-6-1988)