The following duties and responsibilities are hereby imposed upon every owner and operator of any building covered by the provisions of this article:
(a) The exterior of the premises of all structures thereon shall be kept free of all nuisances, and any hazards to the safety of occupants, pedestrians and other persons utilizing the premises, and free of unsanitary conditions, and any of the foregoing shall be promptly removed and abated by the owner or operator. The items prohibited hereby shall include, but not be limited to: brush, weeds, broken glass, stump roots, obnoxious growths, filth, garbage, trash, refuse, debris, dead and dying trees and limbs or other natural growth, loose and overhanging objects, and ground surface hazards.
(b) Foundation walls shall be kept structurally sound, free from defects and damage, and capable of bearing imposed loads safely.
(c) Chimneys and all flue and vent attachments thereto shall be maintained structurally sound, free from defects, and so maintained as to capably perform at all times the functions for which they were designed. Chimneys, flues, gas vents or other draft producing equipment shall provide sufficient draft to develop the rated output of the connected equipment, shall be structurally safe, durable, smoke-tight, and capable of withstanding the action of flue gases.
(d) Exterior porches, landings, balconies, stairs and fire escapes shall be provided with bannisters or railings properly designed and maintained to minimize the hazard of fallings, and the same shall be kept structurally sound, in good repair, and free from defects.
(e) The exterior of the premises and the condition of the accessory structures shall be maintained so that the appearance of the premises and all buildings thereon shall reflect a level of maintenance in keeping with standards of the neighborhood.
(f) Premises shall be kept landscaped and lawns, hedges and bushes shall be kept trimmed.
(g) All permanent signs and billboards exposed to public view permitted by reason of other ordinances or laws shall be maintained in good repair. Any signs which have excessively weathered or faded or those upon which the paint has excessively peeled or cracked shall, with their supporting members, be removed forthwith or put into a good state of repair.
(h) All display windows or store fronts constructed of plate glass shall be kept clean and free of cracks, and no storage shall be permitted therein unless shielded from public view.
(i) All store fronts shall be kept in good repair, painted where required, and shall not constitute a safety hazard or nuisance. In the event repairs to a store front become necessary, such repairs shall be made with the same or similar materials used in the construction of the store front in such a manner as to permanently repair the damaged area or areas. Any cornice visible above a store front shall be kept painted, where required, and in good repair.
(j) Except for "For Rent" and "For Sale" signs, any temporary sign or other paper advertising material glued or otherwise attached to a window, or windows, or otherwise exposed to public view shall be removed at the expiration of the event or sale for which it is erected, or within sixty days after erection, whichever shall occur first.
(k) Any awning or marquee and its accompanying structural members which extend over any street, sidewalk or other portion of the premises shall be maintained in good repair and shall not constitute a nuisance or a safety hazard. In the event such awnings or marquees are not properly maintained in accordance with the foregoing, they shall, together with their supporting members, be removed forthwith. In the event such awnings or marquees are made of cloth, plastic, or of similar materials, the cloth or plastic where exposed to public view shall be maintained in good condition and shall not show evidence of excessive weathering, discoloration, ripping, tearing, or other holes. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize any encroachment on streets, sidewalks, or other parts of the public domain.
(l) The exterior of every structure or accessory structures shall be kept in good repair and kept painted where necessary for purposes of preservation and appearance. All surfaces shall be maintained free of broken glass, loose shingles, crumbling stone or brick, excessive peeling paint or other condition reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance.
(m) Restrooms shall be surfaced with waterproof floors and shall be kept dry, clean, and sanitary at all times. Sufficient restrooms shall be installed and maintained for each sex commensurate with the use of the premises. Every restroom shall be provided with a permanently installed artificial lighting fixture, and a wall switch therefor which is free from danger of short circuiting.
(n) All premises shall be properly connected to and provided with electric power. All such connections and electrical equipment shall be installed and maintained in conformity with the provisions of the National Electrical Code, and other applicable ordinances.
(o) Maximum fuse sizes consistent with safety shall be posted conspicuously, and no fuse shall be installed in a fuse box in excess of the stated maximum except that owners and operators shall not be responsible for violation in fuse installations without their knowledge where the correct maximum is stated and the fuse box is located within any part of the premises which is in the exclusive possession of occupants other than the owner, in which case such occupant shall be responsible for such violations.
(1978 Code Sec. 5-23)