(A) Maintenance Of Exterior Property:
1. Sanitation: All exterior property and premises shall be maintained clean, safe, sanitary and free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.
2. Grading And Drainage: All premises shall be graded and maintained to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water thereon. The natural drainage of water over land shall not be changed. Water from sump pumps or ejector pumps shall not be directed nor allowed to drain to a neighboring property.
3. Sidewalks And Driveways: All sidewalks, walkways, driveways and paved areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair and maintained free of hazardous conditions.
4. Lawn Areas: All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds and plant growth in excess of eight inches (8") (excluding trees, shrubs, and cultivated flower or garden areas) and shall be maintained with grass.
5. Ground Cover: No exterior property (except cultivated flower or garden areas) may be maintained with stone, sand, or other nonliving ground cover.
6. Rat And Rodent Harborage: All structures and exterior property shall be kept free from rat and rodent infestation.
7. Limitation Of Number Of Dogs And Cats: No person shall keep or maintain more than two (2) dogs and two (2) cats of two (2) months of age or older in any single-family residence, building or lot.
8. Exhaust Vents And Air Conditioning Units: Pipes, ducts, conductors, fans, blowers and ground air conditioning units shall not discharge onto adjacent private property.
9. Accessory Structures Including Fences: All accessory structures including detached garages, sheds, fences and walls shall be maintained structurally sound and in good repair.
10. Sidewalks: The adjoining property owner shall be responsible for notifying the village if the public sidewalk in front and to the side (if any) of their property is in a hazardous condition.
11. Parkways: The adjoining property owner shall be responsible for maintaining the public parkway in front and to the side (if any) of their property to the same standards as if it were their private property.
12. Drainage Ditches And Sewers: No person shall obstruct any drainage ditch or sewer. Furthermore, no person shall deposit or pour any substance or material into a storm sewer or sanitary sewer.
13. Corner Lots; Obstructed View: All trees, hedges, and shrubbery within fifteen feet (15') of the corner of the lot shall be maintained so as to allow a clear view of traffic by vehicles approaching an intersection.
14. Sidewalk Obstructions: No person shall obstruct a public sidewalk. All limbs of trees or shrubs belonging to the property owner shall be maintained at least eight feet (8') above the surface of the public sidewalk.
15. Storage Of Materials, Equipment: Outside storage of building materials, appliances, motor vehicle parts, furniture and other discarded material is hereby prohibited. The owner of a residence shall be responsible to provide adequate landscaping so to shield the parking of a vehicle located near the rear section or garage area of the residence. The proposed landscaping plan must be submitted to the village for its approval. The parking of a vehicle is further subject to compliance with any and all other applicable village codes, rules and regulations.
16. Storage Of Firewood: Outside storage of firewood is permitted provided that the firewood is placed on a platform at least four inches (4") above the ground.
17. Garbage Containers: All garbage shall be placed in a refuse container of not greater than thirty two (32) gallons with a tightfitting cover.
18. Trees And Shrubs: All dead trees or shrubbery, or parts thereof, shall be promptly removed.
(B) Structures And Use Of Premises:
1. Business Use Of Residential Premises: No person shall use or maintain any business which is not a home occupation on any residentially zoned property. A home occupation is any occupation or profession, practiced by a member of the family residing on the premises, and which occupation is clearly incidental and secondary to the residential use of the dwelling; and in connection with which there is no indication from the exterior, other than one unanimated, nonilluminated sign of not more than one square foot in size, that the building is being utilized in whole or in part for any purpose than that of a dwelling. A professional person may use his residence for consultation, emergency treatment, or performance of religious rites. (No accessory building shall be used for such home occupation. Home occupations, further, shall not utilize more than 25 percent of the total floor area of any one story. No vehicle used in conjunction with the home occupation may be parked on the premises, except for one passenger car designed for carrying not more than 6 persons.)
2. Vacant Structures: All vacant structures shall be maintained in a clean, safe, secure and sanitary condition so as not to adversely affect the public health or safety. No vacant structure may have any broken windows, broken doors, or other means of access thereto.
3. Boarded Up Structures: No structures may be boarded up for a period in excess of ninety (90) days. Any structure boarded up for a period in excess of ninety (90) days shall be considered abandoned and subject to demolition.
4. Bedrooms:
(a) Definitions: Whenever used in this subsection (B)4, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings as described below:
BEDROOM: A segregated and separate room or space used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes and delineated by four (4) fixed walls and a door containing a minimum of at least seventy (70) square feet of floor area for a single occupant and at least fifty (50) square feet of floor area for each additional occupant, for the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Bedford Park, excepting studios.
(b) Bedroom Requirements: All walls and ceilings in bedrooms on any floor shall have, as a minimum, a layer of one-half inch (1/2") gypsum board or equivalent, taped and finished so as to provide a continuous surface with no breaks or gaps. For all bedrooms, except basement bedrooms, the minimum height of the ceiling shall be seven feet (7'). In basement bedrooms, the minimum height of the ceiling shall be six feet eleven inches (6'11") finished height. Doors, with a minimum dimension of one and five-eighths inch (15/8") thick and six feet eight inches (6'8") in height, shall be required for all bedrooms. The door shall be side hinged, readily operable, and provided with latching hardware. A smoke detector shall be installed in each basement bedroom. Basement bedrooms, as well as other habitable basement space, shall be free of excess moisture, dampness and ground water seepage. All excess moisture shall be removed by mechanical or gravitational means. For basement bedrooms, there must be an escape window well as described herein. An escape window well with a sill height over forty four inches (44") below the adjacent ground level shall have a step permanently attached to the floor or wall directly in front of the escape window well with a minimum size of two feet by two feet (2' x 2') not to exceed ten inches (10") in height. Furthermore, the escape window well shall have horizontal dimensions that allow the window to be fully opened. The escape window well shall have an accessible and clear opening of not less than nine (9) square feet and with a length and width of not less than thirty six inches (36").
(c) Areas For Sleeping Purposes: Only "bedrooms", as defined herein, may be occupied for sleeping purposes and/or considered to be rooms occupied for sleeping purposes. Kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms and other nonhabitable rooms which do not qualify as bedrooms, shall not be used for sleeping purposes.
(d) Violations: It shall be a violation of this subsection (B)4 for any person or persons to occupy a dwelling unit in a number in excess of that provided herein.
(e) Enforcement: The village may inspect residential units for compliance with the provisions of this subsection (B)4 upon the receipt of probable cause, at which time, the village shall apply with the circuit court of Cook County for the issuance of a search warrant for said inspection. Nothing herein shall limit the right of a property owner or occupant of any residence from consenting to an unannounced search.
(C) Exterior Structures:
1. Appearance: The exterior of a structure shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the public health, safety and welfare. Any painted surface must be maintained free of scaling or chipping paint and must have a uniform surface appearance.
2. Street Numbers: Each building shall display a street number, if practicable, on the premises so as to be visible and readable from the public right of way and shall be not less than three inches (3") in height for residential and six inches (6") in height for other buildings, commercial, retail, assembly, and businesses. All numbers shall be placed on the side of or above the front door to be seen from the primary street or travel location approved by the AHJ.
3. Structural Members: All structural members shall be maintained free of deterioration, and capable of safely bearing the imposed dead and live loads.
4. Foundation Walls: All foundation walls shall be maintained plumb and free from open cracks and breaks and shall be kept in such condition so as to prevent the entry of rats.
5. Exterior Walls: All exterior walls shall be free of holes, breaks, loose or rotting materials; and maintained weatherproof and properly surface coated where required to prevent deterioration.
6. Roofs And Drainage: The roof and flashing shall be sound, tight, and not have defects which might admit rain. Roof drainage shall be adequate to prevent dampness or deterioration in the walls or interior portion of the building. All structures of more than one thousand (1,000) square feet in area shall be provided with gutters and downspouts which shall be maintained in good repair at all times. Gutters shall not be discharged to neighboring properties.
7. Exterior Surfaces: All exposed surfaces of metal or wood shall be protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic applications of weather coating materials, such as paint, stain, or similar surface treatment.
8. Handrails: Any handrail or guardrail shall be firmly attached and maintained in good condition.
9. Window And Door Frames: Every window, door and frame shall be kept in sound condition, good repair and weathertight. All glazing materials shall be maintained free of cracks and holes. Every window, other than a fixed window, shall be easily operable and capable of being held in position by window hardware.
10. Screens And Doors: During the period from May 1 through October 1, every door, window and other outside opening used or required for ventilation purposes shall be supplied with tightly fitting screens of not less than sixteen (16) mesh per inch and every swinging door shall have a self-closing device in good working order.
11. Doors And Locks: All exterior doors, hardware and locks shall be maintained in good condition and shall tightly secure the premises.
(D) Interior Structure:
1. Appearance: The interior of a structure and equipment therein shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and in a sanitary condition.
2. Structural Members: The supporting structural members of every building shall be maintained structurally sound, and capable of carrying the imposed loads.
3. Interior Surfaces: All interior surfaces, including windows and doors, shall be maintained in good, clean and sanitary condition. Peeling paint, cracked or loose plaster, decayed wood, and other defective surface conditions shall be corrected.
4. Accumulation Of Rubbish Or Garbage: The interior of every structure shall be free from any accumulation of rubbish or garbage.
5. Insect And Rat Harborage: All structures shall be kept free from insect and rat infestation. All structures in which insects or rats are found shall be promptly exterminated by approved processes that will not be injurious to human health. After extermination, proper precautions shall be taken to prevent reinfestation.
6. Stairs And Railings: All interior stairs and railings shall be maintained in sound condition and good repair.
7. Handrails And Guardrails: Every handrail and guardrail shall be firmly fastened and capable of bearing normally imposed loads and shall be maintained in good condition.
(E) Administration:
1. Inspections: The building commissioner and employees thereunder shall be charged with the enforcement of the Bedford Park property maintenance ordinance.
2. Notices: Whenever there has been determined to be a violation, a notice to correct the violation may be sent in lieu of proceeding to court. A notice to correct a violation is not required before proceeding to court.
3. Unlawful Acts And Responsibility: It shall be unlawful for any person to erect, construct, alter, extend, repair, remove, demolish, maintain, fail to maintain, provide, fail to provide, use, occupy, permit another to use or occupy any premises, structure, or equipment in violation of any provision of the property maintenance ordinance. The owner and occupant of any premises are jointly and severally responsible to maintain the structure and exterior property.
4. Court Proceedings: In any court prosecution, the village may request the court to restrain, correct or remove the violation; to prevent the occupation or use of a structure or premises; to require the removal of work in violation; to demolish any structure or part thereof; to remove any motor vehicle; and for a fine.
5. Schedule Fines: In the event that a notice of violation is given and correction is made within the time stated in the violation, there shall be no fine. In the event that a ticket is given or other court proceedings are instituted, the minimum fine shall be twenty five dollars ($25.00) if the correction is made within ten (10) days or before the first court hearing. In any other event the minimum fine shall be fifty dollars ($50.00). The maximum fine shall be five hundred dollars ($500.00). (Ord. 95-930, 5-4-1995; amd. Ord. 03-1139, 5-1-2003; Ord. 06-1196, 2-2-2006; Ord. 21-1650, 1-7-2021)