For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, copyright 1986, shall be considered as providing ordinary accepted meanings. Words in the singular include the plural and the plural the singular. Words used in the masculine gender include the feminine and the feminine the masculine.
APARTMENT BUILDING. A building or portion of a building that contains three or more dwelling units.
BUILDING CODE.BUILDING CODE is the Minnesota State Building Code.
CODE OFFICIAL.CODE OFFICIAL is the official who is charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter, or any duly authorized representative.
CONDEMN.CONDEMN shall mean to adjudge unfit for occupancy.
CONGREGATE RESIDENCE.CONGREGATE RESIDENCE is any building or portion thereof that contains facilities for living, sleeping and sanitation, as required by this chapter, and may include facilities for eating and cooking and for occupancy by other than a family. A CONGREGATE RESIDENCE may be a shelter, convent, monastery, dormitory, and fraternity or sorority house but does not include jails, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels or lodging houses.
DWELLING.DWELLING is a building wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes by human occupants; but not including hotels and motels.
DWELLING UNIT.DWELLING UNIT is a room or a group of rooms located within a dwelling forming a single habitable unit with facilities, which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating purposes.
EGRESS.EGRESS is an arrangement of exit facilities to assure a safe means of exit from a building.
ELECTRICAL CODE.ELECTRICAL CODE is the Minnesota State Electrical Code.
EXTERMINATION.EXTERMINATION is 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 pest elimination method approved by the code official; and to remove all signs of extermination thereafter.
FIRE CODE.FIRE CODE is the Minnesota State Fire Code.
FLOOR AREA.FLOOR AREA is the net floor area within the enclosed walls of a room in which the ceiling height is not less than five feet, excluding areas used for closets and built-in equipment, such as cabinets, kitchen units, fixtures and appliances.
HABITABLE ROOM.HABITABLE ROOM is a room or enclosed floor space, used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes, excluding bathrooms, water closet compartments, laundries, pantries, foyers or communicating corridors, closets and storage spaces.
HEALTH OFFICER.HEALTH OFFICER is the legally designated health officer or official of the state, county and/or city.
HOT WATER.HOT WATER is water supplied to plumbing fixtures at a temperature of not less than 120 degrees F (49 degrees C.)
INFESTATION.INFESTATION is the presence of insects, rodents, or other pests within or around the dwelling on the premises.
KITCHEN.KITCHEN is a room or an area equipped for preparing and cooking food.
LET.LET is to give the use of a dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit by an owner or manager to a tenant in return for rent.
MANAGER.MANAGER is a person or firm who has charge, care or control of a building or part thereof, in which dwelling units or rooming units are let.
MECHANICAL CODE.MECHANICAL CODE is the Minnesota State Mechanical Code.
NUISANCE. The following shall be defined as NUISANCES:
(1) Any public nuisance known at common law or in equity jurisprudence.
(2) Any attractive nuisance that may prove detrimental to children whether in a building, on the premises of a building or on an unoccupied lot. This includes any abandoned wells, shafts, basements or excavations; abandoned refrigerators and motor vehicles; any structurally unsound fences or structures; or any lumber, trash, fences, debris or vegetation that may prove a hazard for inquisitive minors.
(3) Whatever is dangerous to human life or is detrimental to health, as determined by the code official or health officer.
(4) Overcrowding a room with occupants.
(5) Insufficient ventilation or illumination.
(6) Inadequate or unsanitary sewage or plumbing facilities.
(7) Un-cleanliness, as determined by the health officer.
(8) Whatever renders air, food or drink unwholesome or detrimental to the health of human beings, as determined by the health officer.
OCCUPANCY.OCCUPANCY is the purpose for which a building or portion thereof is utilized or occupied.
OCCUPANT.OCCUPANT is a person living alone, or two or more persons all related by blood, marriage or adoption, including foster children, occupying and maintaining a common household in a single dwelling unit, or a group of not more than five persons, any two of whom are not related by blood, marriage or adoption, including foster children, occupying and maintaining a common household in a single dwelling unit.
OWNER.OWNER is a person, firm or corporation who, alone, jointly or severally with others, owns or has an ownership interest in a dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit within the city.
PLUMBING CODE.PLUMBING CODE is the State of Minnesota Plumbing Code.
PLUMBING SYSTEM.PLUMBING SYSTEM is all potable water supplies and distribution pipes, all plumbing fixtures and traps and all drainage and vent pipes.
PREMISES.PREMISES are the dwelling and its land and all buildings thereon and areas thereof.
REFUSE.REFUSE is all putrescible and non-putrescible waste solids including garbage and rubbish. REFUSE is liable to undergo bacterial decomposition when in contact with air and moisture at normal temperatures.
RENT.RENT is a stated return or payment for the temporary possession of a dwelling, dwelling unit or rooming unit. The return or payment may be money or service or property.
ROOMING HOUSE.ROOMING HOUSE is a building arranged or occupied for lodging, with or without meals, for compensation and not occupied as a one- or two-family dwelling.
ROOMING UNIT.ROOMING UNIT is a room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit used or intended to be used for living and sleeping, but not for cooking purposes, along with a private or shared sanitation facilities.
SAFETY.SAFETY is the condition of being reasonably free from danger and hazards, which may cause injury or illness.
SUBSTANDARD BUILDING.SUBSTANDARD BUILDING is any building where any condition exists that endangers the life, limb, health, safety or welfare of the public or the occupants thereof.
SUBSTANDARD PROPERTY CONDITION CITATION.SUBSTANDARD PROPERTY CONDITION CITATION shall be issued in the event of a substandard building and shall, upon posting of the citation, prohibit the occupancy of the building until such time as corrections are made and verified by inspection.
TENANT.TENANT can be a person, corporation, partnership or group, whether or not the legal owner of record, occupying a building or portion thereof as a unit.
VARIANCE.VARIANCE is a difference between that which is required or specified and that, which is permitted.