(a) Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to establish minimum standards for basic equipment, lighting, ventilation, plumbing, and electrical services for habitable residential buildings and parts thereof to safeguard the public health and safety, promote sanitation, and to obtain the public and private benefits accruing from the provision of such services. A suitable environment for safe and healthy living is encouraged and fostered by having available: adequate water and sanitary facilities; proper storage; proper removal of garbage, recyclables and other refuse; safe means of ingress/egress and ventilation; and adequate provision of light, air, heat, and electrical service.
(b) Minimum Standards. No person shall occupy as owner or let to another for occupancy any space in a residential building or dwelling unit for the purpose of living, sleeping, cooking, or eating therein which does not comply with the following requirements:
(1) Basic Plumbing Requirements.
a. Every dwelling unit shall contain a kitchen sink, a water flush toilet, a lavatory basin, and a bathtub or shower, all in good working condition and properly connected to hot and cold water lines and to an approved water and sewer system.
b. The water flush toilet, bathtub or shower, and lavatory basin shall be contained within a separate room, irrespective of the sink required as part of the kitchen facility. The kitchen sink shall be located in the room in which the food is cooked or prepared.
c. The room wherein the toilet and bathtub or shower required under this Section are installed shall afford privacy to a person within. The bathtub or shower may be in a room separate from the room housing the toilet and lavatory basin, but shall afford privacy to a person within.
d. Plumbing systems shall be maintained in a sanitary and functional condition. Leaking pipes or broken fixtures shall be considered unsanitary.
(2) Water Supply.
a. Every required kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub and shower shall be properly connected with both hot and cold potable water, and every flush toilet shall be properly connected to a supply of water adequate in volume and pressure for flushing purposes.
b. Water pressure shall be available at all fixtures as specified in the Wisconsin Administrative Code.
(3) Water Heating Facilities.
Every residential building shall have supplied water heating facilities which are properly installed, are maintained in safe and good working condition, are properly connected with the hot water lines required hereunder and are capable of heating water to such a temperature as to permit an adequate amount of water to be drawn at any required kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub or shower at a temperature of not less than one hundred twenty (120°) degrees Fahrenheit.
(4) Refuse and Garbage Receptacles and Storage.
Each owner of any residential building shall be responsible for supplying every dwelling unit with garbage/refuse receptacles large enough to store garbage, refuse and recyclable materials generated by that residential unit. Such receptacles shall be maintained in serviceable condition and comply with the standards established by the municipality and/or its designated collection service, specifically, but not limited to: Title 8, Chapter 3 "Refuse Disposal and Collection", and Title 8, Chapter 4 "Recycling" of this Code of Ordinances.
(5) Ingress/Egress in One- and Two-Family Dwellings; Stairways; Multi-Family Dwellings.
a. Every one and two-family dwelling unit and rooming unit shall have direct access to at least two (2) accessible unobstructed means of egress/ingress leading to a safe and open public street, alley, or court connected to a street. Exterior stairways or exit platforms, or a combination thereof, will be permitted as second exits, provided the platform or stairways terminate at a point not more than ten (10) feet above the grade directly below the lowest platform.
b. All stairs in one and two-family dwellings shall terminate at grade or a platform. Platforms shall have a minimum area of fourteen (14) square feet with a minimum dimension of three (3) feet in depth. All stairways and platforms shall be protected with handrails and guardrails as specified in SPS 321.04, Wis. Adm. Code, and shall be equipped with treads and risers reasonably uniform. Guardrails in place at the time of the adoption of this Chapter are not required to be replaced until such time as the guardrails are:
1. Not in a sound structural condition;
2. Deteriorated;
3. No longer functional; or
4. Unsafe.
c. Stairways and porches in multi-family dwellings shall comply with the appropriate provisions of the Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling Code, as may be amended from time to time.
d. Every inside and outside stairway, porch, guardrail and appurtenance thereto shall be so constructed and maintained as to be safe to use and capable of supporting the load that normal use would be caused to be placed thereon, and shall be kept in good repair and in sound condition. Stairways shall be kept free of refuse or stored material which could pose a threat to the safety of users.
(6) Rooming House Plumbing.
a. Each rooming house shall provide at least one (1) water flush toilet, lavatory basin, and bathtub or shower, properly connected to an approved water and sewer system and in good working condition for each seven (7) persons or fraction thereof residing therein, including members of the operator's family wherever they share the use of said facilities.
b. All such rooming house facilities shall be located on the floor occupied by persons sharing such facilities or the floor directly above or below and shall be accessible from a common hall or passageway. Every lavatory basin and bathtub or shower shall be supplied with hot water at all times.
(7) Natural Gas Ranges.
When used or provided in any dwelling unit, natural gas or LP gas ranges, ovens and oven/range combination units of any such type shall be installed, maintained and operated in a safe and non-hazardous manner, pursuant to any state or national codes and regulations and the manufacturer's specifications. If such an appliance is determined to be unsafe, no person shall use, or permit others to use, the appliance until all appropriate repairs have been made.
(8) Smoke Detector Alarms; Carbon Monoxide Detector Alarms.
a. All occupied or vacant dwelling units shall be provided with a functioning, listed and labeled smoke detector alarm in the basement and on each floor of the dwelling, excluding the attic, garage and storage areas of said dwellings, as required by Sec. 101.645, Wis. Stats., and SPS 328.03, Wis. Adm. Code. Alarms shall be certified by Underwriters Laboratories.
b. Smoke detector alarms may be separate or combination units powered by batteries, except in the case of new dwellings constructed after June 1, 1980, smoke detectors shall be directly powered by the dwelling's electrical system, with battery backup power.
c. Owners are responsible for smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm installations and battery replacement as necessary. Tenants shall be responsible for notifying the owner in writing of any smoke detector or carbon monoxide alarm malfunction, including the need to replace batteries. Owners shall repair or replace a smoke detector or carbon monoxide alarm within five (5) days of written notice from a tenant or an inspector. The property owner shall replace the battery at the beginning of a new lease or tenancy, or on an annual basis. The owner shall provide the tenant at the start of a new lease or tenancy written notice of the responsibilities of the tenant and the obligations of the owner regarding smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarms, including maintenance and battery replacement.
d. All residential structures, new and existing, shall have functioning carbon monoxide detectors on every floor near sleeping areas, as required by SPS 321 and SPS 326, Wis. Adm. Code and Sec. 101.647, Wis. Stats. Newly constructed dwellings shall have carbon monoxide detectors which are directly powered by the dwelling's electrical service; owners of existing homes may install battery- powered or plug-in detectors. Owners of multi-family dwellings shall comply with the rules for alarms in the Wisconsin Commercial Building Code as prescribed in SPS 361-366, Wis. Adm. Code, specifically SPS 362.1200, Wis. Adm. Code.
e. A person may apply for a waiver to smoke detector and carbon monoxide alarm requirements provided the standards of Sec. 101.648, Wis. Stats., can be met.
(9) Windows, Doors and Ventilation.
a. Every living, sleeping, kitchen or bathroom shall have available natural light and ventilation complying with Sec. SPS 321.05, Wis. Adm. Code, as dictated by the occupancy of the building. Generally every habitable room shall be provided with openable door and/or window areas equal to a minimum of four percent (4%) of the floor area, except mechanical ventilation can be provided in a kitchen in lieu of doors/windows when the ventilation system is designed and installed according to accepted engineering practices or manufacturer's specifications.
b. Exhaust ventilation shall be installed in all toilet rooms, except those having only one (1) fixture [toilet or one (1) urinal] and in which the window area is greater than four (4) square feet and more than two (2) square feet is openable directly to the exterior of the building. The volume of air exhausted shall not be less than two (2) cubic feet per minute per square foot of floor area.
c. All doors and windows openable directly to the outside shall be properly screened with untorn screens in serviceable condition.
d. Existing habitable rooms without openable windows shall be provided with a mechanical ventilation system producing one (1) air change per hour. All required exhaust vents shall terminate outside the structure.
e. Exterior entry/exit doors shall be of a solid construction and capable of providing security with a locking device.
f. In providing natural lighting, every habitable room shall be provided with window areas equal to at least eight percent (8%) of the floor area.
g. All openings to a residential building which might provide an entry for rodents shall be effectively protected at all times so as to prevent rodent entry.
(10) Electrical Service.
a. Every dwelling unit and all public and common areas in multiple dwellings shall be supplied with electrical service, outlets, and fixtures which shall be properly installed, maintained in good and safe working conditions, and be connected to a source of electric power in a manner prescribed by the Wisconsin Electrical Code or in this Subsection, whichever is more restrictive.
b. Every habitable room shall contain a minimum of two (2) separate wall electric convenience outlets or one (1) such wall convenience outlet and one (1) ceiling- type or wall-type electric fixture.
c. Every toilet compartment, furnace room, laundry room, and public hall shall contain a minimum of one (1) ceiling or wall-type electric fixture. Every bathroom shall contain one (1) wall electric convenience outlet or one (1) wall or ceiling light fixture.
d. In every building containing two (2) or more dwelling units using the same corridors and stairways, adequate lighting shall be provided in such corridors and stairways when needed, by the following means:
1. Corridor light switches: Conveniently located light switches.
2. Stairway light switches: At least the equivalent of a three-way light switch system located at the bottom and top of all stairways.
3. Any automatic type of operation which will maintain adequate lighting at all times, either natural or artificial.
e. Exterior lighting shall be required to illuminate exterior entry/exit steps leading to dwelling units.
f. All cords and temporary wiring not in compliance with NEC Article 400-A, and all exposed abandoned wiring, shall be removed immediately upon the direction of the Building Inspector or Fire Inspector.
g. Electrical service panels shall be readily accessible to all occupants in a dwelling without passing through another dwelling unit, as required by the Wisconsin Electrical Code
(11) Heating.
a. Every dwelling shall have heating equipment which is capable of adequately and safely heating all habitable rooms and bathrooms to a minimum temperature of sixty-five (65°) degrees Fahrenheit when the outdoor temperature is (0°) degrees Fahrenheit, absent the wind-chill factor, and a minimum temperature of sixty (60°) degrees Fahrenheit shall be maintained in all habitable rooms and bathrooms when the outdoor temperature is zero (0°) degrees Fahrenheit or lower, absent the wind-chill factor. The outdoor temperature for the Village for compliance purposes shall be the temperature as reported by the National Weather Service.
b. The occupant of a room or an apartment may voluntarily maintain a lesser temperature than is specified above as long as it does not affect the temperature in other habitable residential areas of the building.
(12) Lighting.
a. Illumination shall be provided at all intersections of passageways, at all exits, and at the head, foot, and landings of every stairway in all buildings accommodating transients, three (3) or more apartments, and rooming houses. The illumination shall be provided during a period one (1) hour before sunset to one (1) hour after sunrise.
b. Every residential building that will accommodate transients, three (3) or more families, or twenty (20) persons shall have lights at the emergency exit doors or other places as may be necessary to direct an occupant to the exit doorways. The lights shall be red and accompanied by a sign bearing the word "EXIT" in plain letters five (5) inches high, or a red illuminated translucent exit sign may be employed on the premises.
(13) Emergency Work Contact Information.
Every owner of a multi-family dwelling shall make available to the occupants the names of two (2) or more persons that may be called to arrange for emergency work. Such names, with their telephone numbers and email addresses, shall be revised periodically as necessary to maintain accurate information at all times.
(c) Optional KNOX Box Requirement. When ordered as necessary by the Building Inspector or Fire Inspector, a KNOX box shall be installed on the exterior of a multi-family dwelling with six (6) or more dwelling units to gain non-destructive entry to the structure for fire and other public safety emergency responses. The cost of the KNOX box and installation shall be the responsiblity of the property owner.