The following are hereby declared to be public nuisances affecting health, safety, comfort or repose:
(A) Diseased animals. All diseased animals running at large.
(B) Carcasses. Carcasses of animals not buried or destroyed within 24 hours after death.
(C) Weeds. All noxious weeds are prohibited. Tall grasses, nuisance weeds and rank vegetative growth shall be maintained at a height of 12 inches or less.
(1) Noxious weeds and rank vegetation shall include but not be limited to: alum (allium), buckthorn, bur cucumber, Canada thistle, corncockle, cressleaf groundsel, curly dock, dodder, field bindweed, french weed, hairy whitetop, hedge bindweed, hoary cress, horsenettle, johnson grass, leafy spurge, mile-a-minute weed, musk thistle, oxeye daisy, perennial sow thistle, poison hemlock, purple loosestrife, quack grass, Russian knapweed, Russian thistle, serrated tussock, shatter cane, sorghum, wild carrot, wild garlic, wild mustard, wild onion, and wild parsnip;
(2) Grapevines when growing in groups of 100 or more and not pruned, sprayed, cultivated, or otherwise maintained for two consecutive years;
(3) Bushes of the species of tall, common, or European barberry, further known as berberis vulgaris or its horticultural varieties;
(4) Any weeds, grass, or plants, other than trees, bushes, flowers, or other ornamental plants, growing to a height exceeding 12 inches.
(5) Rank vegetation includes the uncontrolled, uncultivated growth of annuals and perennial plants.
(6) The term "weeds" does not include shrubs, trees, cultivated plants or crops.
(7) In no event shall cultivated plants or crops include plants which have been defined by state statute or administrative rule as being noxious or detrimental plants.
(D) Debris. An accumulation of tin cans, bottles, trash, uprooted tree stumps, logs, limbs, brush, and other cut vegetative debris, or other debris of any nature or description and the throwing, dumping, or depositing of any dead animals, manure, garbage, waste, decaying matter, ground, sand, stones, ashes, rubbish, tin cans or other material of any kind on private property.
(E) Smoke and fumes. Dense smoke, noxious fumes, gas and soot or cinders in unreasonable quantities.
(F) Backyard composting. All composting consisting of yard waste and/or kitchen waste which have been left unattended and which cause offensive odors, attract rodents and/or pests or are unsightly, or do not meet the requirements of this code.
(G) Keeping of farm animals. The keeping of cows, horses, sheep, goats, or any four-legged animal commonly known as farm animals, or as defined in Chapter 95.
(H) Service stations. Operation of a business involving the sale of motor fuel and/or the repair of motor vehicles in the following manner.
(1) The use of service station premises for the sale, or for display in aid of sale, of any motor vehicle.
(2) The use of service station premises for storage of damaged or abandoned motor vehicles for more than seven days without a directive of the Chief of Police.
(3) The storing of or the allowing of accumulation of any of the following items on service station premises in view of adjacent land:
(a) Used oil cans;
(b) Discarded auto parts;
(c) Discarded tires; or
(d) Any other items of similar debris.
(I) Building maintenance and appearance. Buildings, fences, and other structures which have been so poorly maintained that their physical condition and appearance detract from the surrounding neighborhood are declared to be public nuisances because they:
(1) Are unsightly;
(2) Decrease adjoining landowners and occupants' enjoyment of their property and neighborhood; and
(3) Adversely affect property values and neighborhood pattern.
(J) Standards. Any building, fence or other structure is a public nuisance if it does not comply with the following requirements:
(1) All wires which are strung less than 15 feet above the surface of any public street or alley.
(2) All exterior doors, windows, and shutters shall be hung properly and have an operable mechanism to keep them securely shut or in place.
(3) All cornices, moldings, lintels, bay or dormer windows and similar projections shall be kept in good repair and free from cracks and defects which make them hazardous or unsightly.
(4) Roof surfaces shall be tight and have no defects which admit water. All roof drainage systems shall be secured and hung properly.
(5) Chimneys, antennae, air vents and other similar projections shall be structurally sound and in good repair. Such projections shall be secured properly where applicable to an exterior wall or exterior roof.
(6) All foundations shall be structurally sound and in good repair.
(K) Declaration of nuisance. The outside parking, storage, or installation on residentially-zoned property of vehicles, signs, materials, supplies or equipment not customarily used for residential purposes in violation of the requirements set forth below is declared to be a public nuisance because it:
(1) Obstructs views on streets and private property;
(2) Creates cluttered and otherwise unsightly areas;
(3) Introduces commercial advertising signs into areas where commercial advertising signs are otherwise prohibited;
(4) Decreases adjoining landowners and occupants' enjoyment of their property and neighborhood; and
(5) Otherwise adversely affects property values and neighborhood patterns.
(L) Unlawful parking and storage:
(1) No person may place, store, or allow the placement or storage of ice fish houses, skateboard ramps, playhouses, or other similar nonpermanent structures outside continuously for longer than 24 hours in the front-yard area of residentially zoned property. Exception: trailer style ice houses (ice castle or similar) can be parked and stored in the front yard area if stored on an improved surface as defined in this code.
(2) No person may place, store, or allow the placement or storage of pipe, lumber, steel, machinery, or similar materials including all materials used in connection with a business, outside on residentially zoned property.
(3) No person shall cause, undertake, permit, or allow the outside parking and storage of vehicles in residentially zoned property unless it complies with the following requirements.
(a) Vehicles which are parked or stored outside shall be on an improved surface as defined in this code.
(b) All vehicles, watercraft and other articles stored outside on residential property must be owned by a person who is a legal resident of that property.
(4) No person owning, driving, or in charge of any commercial vehicle exceeding 12,000 GVW may cause or permit that vehicle to be parked on a public street at any time in a residential zone.
(5) No truck or commercial vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds licensed weight shall be parked on a public street at any time in a residential zone.
(M) Exceptions. The prohibitions of this section shall not apply to the following:
(1) Any motor truck, pickup truck, or similar vehicle being used by a public utility, moving company, or similar company, which is actually being used to service a residence not belonging to or occupied by the operator of the vehicle.
(2) Any vehicle which is actually making a pickup or delivery at the location where it is parked. Parking for any period of time beyond the period of time reasonably necessary to make such a pickup or delivery shall be unlawful.
(N) Vehicles constituting a public nuisance.
(1) Abandoned and junk vehicles create hazard. Abandoned and junk vehicles are declared to be a public nuisance creating hazard to the health and safety of the public because they invite plundering, create fire hazards, attract vermin, and present physical dangers to the safety and well-being of children and other citizens. The accumulation and outside storage of such vehicles is in the nature of rubbish, litter and unsightly debris and is a blight on the landscape and a detriment to the environment. It shall be unlawful for a person to pile, store or keep wrecked, junked, or abandoned motor vehicles on private or public property.
(2) Vehicles impeding traffic flow. Any vehicle, whether occupied or not that is found stopped, standing, or parked in violation of any ordinance or state statute; or that is reported stolen; or that is found impeding firefighting, snow removal or plowing or the orderly flow of traffic is declared to be a public nuisance.
(3) Vehicles impeding road and utility repair. Any vehicle which is impeding public road or utility repair, construction, or maintenance activities after reasonable notice of the improper activities has been given to the vehicle owner or user at least 12 hours in advance, is declared to be a public nuisance.
(4) Vehicles without license plates. Except where expressly permitted by state law, any vehicle shall be deemed to be junked or abandoned if said vehicle does not have attached thereto a valid and current license plate issued by the proper state agency.
(O) Abatement of vehicles.
(1) Impounding. Any police officer or other duly authorized person may order any vehicle constituting a public nuisance to be immediately removed and/or impounded. The impounded vehicle shall be surrendered to the duly identified owner by the towing contractor only upon payment of the required impound, towing and storage fees.
(2) Sale. Notice and sale of any vehicle impounded under this chapter shall be conducted in accordance with M.S. Chapter 168B governing the sale of abandoned motor vehicles.
(P) Graffiti. Graffiti shall mean any writing, printing, marks, signs, symbols, figures, designs, inscriptions, or other drawings which are scratched, scrawled, painted, drawn, or otherwise placed on any exterior surface of a building, wall, fence, sidewalk, curb, dumpsters, or other permanent structures on public or private property, and which has the effect of defacing the property.
(Q) Any condition inside a dwelling that may pose a threat to the health, safety, and general welfare of the community, including garbage, filth, feces, mold accumulations, and the like.
(R) Un-secured dwellings. A dwelling that is not secured including open doors, windows, and garage doors.
(Ord. 300, passed 6-7-2022; Ord. 300, passed 8-3-2022)