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City of Boston Municipal Code
CITY OF BOSTON CODE OF ORDINANCES
THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
CHAPTER I: GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER II: FORM OF GOVERNMENT
CHAPTER III: ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY
CHAPTER IV: CONTRACTS
CHAPTER V: ADMINISTRATION
CHAPTER VI: GENERAL SERVICES
CHAPTER VII: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
CHAPTER VIII: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER IX: BUILDING REGULATIONS
CHAPTER X: HOUSING SERVICES
CHAPTER XI: PUBLIC SERVICES
CHAPTER XII: PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
CHAPTER XIII: NATURAL GAS
CHAPTER XIV: LICENSING AND CONSUMER BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND OFFICERS
CHAPTER XV: DIVISIONS OF THE MAYOR’S OFFICE
CHAPTER XVI: PROHIBITIONS, PENALTIES AND PERMITS
16-A1 LICENSE AND PERMIT DENIAL, REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION.
16-A1.1 Failure and/or Refusal to Pay Municipal Charges.
16-A1.2 Safety Concerns and History.
16-A2 FINGERPRINTING AND CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORDS CHECKS REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN LICENSES
16-1 HEALTH.
16-2 HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS.
16-3 RESERVED.
16-4 TAKING OF SHELLFISH.
16-4A PROHIBITED ACTS IN WETLANDS; PERMITS.
16-5 FIREARMS.
16-5A REGULATING THE SALE AND MARKETING OF REPLICA FIREARMS IN THE CITY.
16-5B REGULATING REPLICA FIREARMS IN THE CITY.
16-6 BONFIRES.
16-7 BRICK-KILNS.
16-8 INFLAMMABLE ARTICLES.
16-9 OBSTRUCTION OF FIRE FIGHTERS AND FIRE APPARATUS.
16-10 THE MARKET LIMITS.
16-11 FANEUIL HALL MARKET LIMITS.
16-12 USE OF STREETS.
16-13 BRIDGES AND WHARVES.
16-14 RESERVED.
16-15 USE OF ROADWAY FOR VEHICLES.
16-16 STREET CARS.
16-17 MOVING BUILDINGS AND BULKY MACHINERY.
16-18 SIDEWALKS.
16-19 PUBLIC GROUNDS.
16-20 WATER SUPPLY.
16-21 WARD-ROOMS; FANEUIL HALL.
16-22 NUMBERING OF BUILDINGS.
16-23 NOTICES AND PLACARDS.
16-24 JUNK AND SECOND-HAND ARTICLES.
16-25 OBSCENE AND PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIAL.
16-26 UNREASONABLE NOISE.
16-27 NUISANCE CONTROL.
16-28 JITNEY LICENSES.
16-29 OPEN-AIR THEATERS.
16-30 ABANDONMENT OF AUTOMOBILES.
16-31 RODENT AND INSECT PREVENTION MEASURES AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
16-32 FINES.
16-33 SIGNS, AWNINGS AND THE LIKE.
16-34 UNLAWFUL TO TAKE REPRISAL AGAINST ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO TESTIFIES BEFORE THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL.
16-35 WORKPLACE SMOKING POLLUTION CONTROL ORDINANCE.
16-36 CIGARETTE SALES BY VENDING MACHINES RESTRICTED.
16-37 NON-EMERGENCY REPAIR OF VEHICLES.
16-38 PLACEMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF NEWSRACKS.
16-39 SALE OF DANGEROUS INSTRUMENTS.
16-40 LIMITING TOBACCO ACCESS BY YOUTH.
16-41 REGULATING MANNER AND PLACE OF SOLICITATION.
16-42 LASER POINTERS.
16-43 TRESPASSING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY.
16-44 SALE OF MERCURY THERMOMETERS BANNED.
16-45 PROHIBITING THE CARRYING OF KNIVES OR SIMILAR WEAPONS.
16-46 NONCRIMINAL DISPOSITION OF ZONING VIOLATIONS IN THE CITY.
16-47 PROHIBITING THE SALE AND/OR INSTALLATION OF A MUFFLER CUT-OUT OR BY-PASS AND PROHIBITING CERTAIN MODIFICATIONS TO EXHAUST SYSTEMS.
16-48 BOAT SLIPS AND MOORINGS.
16-49 IDENTIFYING JACKETS FOR VALET PARKERS.
16-50 AFTER-HOURS PARTIES.
16-51 CRACK PIPES.
16-52 MAINTENANCE OF VACANT, FORECLOSING RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES.
16-53 CLEANING OF COMMERCIAL COOKING HOOD AND VENTILATION SYSTEMS.
16-54 PROHIBITION AGAINST SALVIA DIVINORUM.
16-55 UNPAID MUNICIPAL FINES.
16-56 PENALTIES FOR VALID COMPLAINT PROBLEM PROPERTIES.
16-57 PUBLIC NUISANCE PROPERTIES.
16-58 OVER-THE-AIR DEVICES (“OTARD”).
16-59 PROHIBITION OF THE POSSESSION OR SALE OF SYNTHETIC CANNABINOIDS AND ILLICIT SYNTHETIC DRUGS.
16-60 RECREATIONAL VEHICLES.
16-61 REGULATION OF LETTER GRADING OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS AND FOOD TRUCKS.
16-62 ORDINANCE BANNING FACE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY IN BOSTON.
16-63 ORDINANCE ON SURVEILLANCE OVERSIGHT AND INFORMATION SHARING
16-64 AN ORDINANCE REGARDING TARGETED RESIDENTIAL PICKETING.
16-65 SAFE CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION OPERATIONS IN THE CITY.
16-66 UNLAWFUL CAMPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY.
CHAPTER XVII: LICENSES AND REGULATIONS AFFECTING CERTAIN TRADES
CHAPTER XVIII: FEES AND CHARGES
CHAPTER XIX: SCHOOLS
CHAPTER XX: CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS
CHAPTER XXI: MISCELLANEOUS PUBLIC BUILDINGS
CHAPTER XXII: SUFFOLK COUNTY
CHAPTER XXIII: TRASH AND REFUSE DISPOSAL
CHAPTER XXIV: BOSTON JOBS, LIVING WAGE AND PREVAILING WAGE ORDINANCE
PARALLEL REFERENCES
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16-28.8   Carriage of Passengers.
   No person operating any motor vehicle so licensed shall refuse to carry any person offering himself or herself at any regular stopping place for carriage, unless the seats of such vehicle are fully occupied, or unless such person is in an intoxicated condition, or conducting himself or herself in a boisterous or disorderly manner, or is using profane language.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 363; CBC 1985 16-28.8)
16-28.9   Lighting and the Like.
   No motor vehicle so licensed shall be operated from one-half hour after sunset until one-half hour before sunrise, with the top and curtain of said vehicle up, or while said vehicle is otherwise enclosed, unless there be sufficient light provided to adequately light the whole of the interior of said vehicle; and all motor vehicles so licensed with a seating capacity of more than seven passengers shall come to a full stop immediately before crossing the tracks of any railroad at grade.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 364; CBC 1985 16-28.9)
16-28.10   Conduct of Operators.
   No person operating any motor vehicle so licensed shall collect fares, make change or take on or discharge passengers while such vehicle is in motion; nor shall he or she have a lighted cigarette, cigar or pipe in his or her possession while any passenger is being carried therein, nor drink any intoxicating beverage or use morphine, cocaine, opium or other harmful drug of any kind, or be under the influence thereof while engaged in operating such vehicle.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 365; CBC 1985 16-28.10)
16-29   OPEN-AIR THEATERS.
16-29.1   Open-Air Projection.
   No person shall project a motion picture upon any screen in the open air on any estate in the city to which admission is obtained upon the payment of money or the delivery of any valuable thing or by a ticket or voucher obtained for money or any valuable thing if such screen is open to view from a public or private way or an adjacent estate or from any part of a building or other structure in the vicinity.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 366; CBC 1985 16-29.1)
Editor’s note:
   Enforcement preliminary enjoined. Northeast Theatre, Inc. v. McNamara, U.S.D.C. of Mass. #72-1558-F.
16-30   ABANDONMENT OF AUTOMOBILES.
16-30.1   Abandoned, Unregistered or Uninsured Vehicles.
   (A)   Abandoned cars or automotive parts prohibited. No person shall place an automobile or any automobile parts upon public or private land for the purpose of abandonment.
   (B)   Unregistered and/or uninsured vehicles.
      (1)   No person shall place, store or keep more than one unregistered automobile, truck, trailer, moped and/or motorcycle that is required to be registered under the laws or regulations of the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, M.G.L. Chapter 90, upon public or private land zoned for residential purposes of six or fewer residential units.
      (2)   No person shall place, store or keep more than one uninsured automobile, truck, trailer, moped and/or motorcycle that is required to be insured under the laws or regulations of the commonwealth, including, but not limited to, M.G.L. Chapter 90, upon public or private land zoned for residential purposes of six or fewer residential units.
      (3)   This Section shall not apply to vehicles stored within a fully-enclosed building or to vehicles stored, parked or displayed on property duly licensed in accordance with M.G.L. Chapter 140, Sections 57 through 69.
   (C)   Penalties.
      (1)   The first violation of this Subsection in any calendar year shall be issued a warning with the instructions to remediate the violation by registering, insuring or removing the motor vehicle in violation within ten business days of the issuance of the violation.
      (2)   A violation of this Subsection shall be subject to a fine of $300. Each week that a violation remains uncorrected shall be a separate and distinct violation. Any fines that remain unpaid for more than 12 months may become liens against the real estate at which the violation(s) occurred.
      (3)   The provisions of M.G.L. Chapter 40, Section 21D may be used to enforce these Sections.
   (D)   Enforcement and regulatory authority. The Commissioner of the Inspectional Services Department, the Commissioner of the Public Works Department, the Commissioner of the Boston Police Department and the Commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department shall have the authority to enforce these Sections and to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to implement and enforce these Sections.
   (E)   Applicability. If any provision of these Sections imposes greater restrictions or obligations than those imposed by any other general law, special law, regulation, rule, ordinance, order or policy, then the provisions of these Sections shall control.
   (F)   Severability. If any provision of these Sections shall be held to be invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, then such provision shall be considered separately and apart from the remaining provisions, which shall remain in full force and effect.
(CBC 1975 Ord. T14 § 367; CBC 1985 16-30.1; Ord. 2006 c. 8 § 1; Ord. 2014 c. 1 § 3)
16-31   RODENT AND INSECT PREVENTION MEASURES AT CONSTRUCTION SITES.
   In the city, no building permit shall be issued for renovation, conversion or new construction until the applicant shows evidence the premises have been treated for, or are free from insects and rodents in compliance with the commonwealth’s Sanitary Code, 105 CMR 410.550. The applicant shall be held responsible for corrective measures should his or her construction, renovation or conversion work cause infestation to immediate abutters.
(Ord. 1982 c. 38 § 1; CBC 1985 16-31)
Cross-reference:
   Section 17-10
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