As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER: The individual appointed by the Elgin city council to carry out the duties of the council specified in this chapter.
ADVERTISING: Any letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing, or other mark of any kind lawfully placed on property by an owner or tenant of the property, or agent of such owner or tenant, for the purpose of promoting products or services or conveying information to the public.
BOARDING AND SECURING OR BOARDED AND SECURED: The closing, boarding or locking of any or all exterior openings so as to prevent entry into a structure.
CLEANING: The removal of trash from property.
DILAPIDATED BUILDING:
A. A structure which through neglect or injury lacks necessary repairs or otherwise is in a state of decay or partial ruin to such an extent that the structure is a hazard to the health, safety, or welfare of the general public.
B. A structure which is unfit for human occupancy due to the lack of necessary repairs and is considered uninhabitable or is a hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.
C. A structure which is determined by the city council or its designated administrative officer to be an "unsecured building", as defined in this section, more than three (3) times within any twelve (12) month period.
D. A structure which has been boarded and secured, as defined in this chapter, for more than eighteen (18) consecutive months.
E. A structure declared by the city council or its designated administrative officer to constitute a public nuisance.
GRAFFITI: Shall mean, without limitation, any letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing, or other mark of any kind visible to the public that is drawn, painted, chiseled, scratched or etched on a rock, tree, wall, bridge, fence, gate, building, or other structure; provided, that this definition shall not include advertising or any other letter, word, name, number, symbol, slogan, message, drawing, picture, writing, or other mark of any kind lawfully placed on property by an owner of the property, a tenant of the property, or an authorized agent for such owner or tenant.
OWNER: The owner(s) of record, as shown by the most current tax rolls of the county treasurer.
REMOVAL, REMOVE, OR REMOVED: When used in relation to the eradication of graffiti, means the act of taking graffiti off of, or masking the presence of graffiti on, a rock, tree, wall, bridge, fence, gate, building or other structure.
TENANT: Any person shown by the records of the county clerk's office as a lessee of property, or any person lawfully in actual physical possession of property.
TRASH: Any refuse, litter, ashes, leaves, debris, paper, combustible materials, rubbish, offal, or waste, or matter of any kind or form which is uncared for, discarded, or abandoned.
UNFIT FOR HUMAN OCCUPANCY: A structure that, due to lack of necessary repairs, is considered uninhabitable and is a hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.
UNSECURED BUILDING: Any structure which is not occupied by a legal or equitable owner thereof, or by a lessee of a legal or equitable owner, and into which there are one or more unsecured openings such as broken windows, unlocked windows, broken doors, unlocked doors, holes in exterior walls, holes in the roof, broken basement or cellar hatchways, unlocked basement or cellar hatchways or other similar unsecured openings which would facilitate an unauthorized entry into the structure.
WEED:
A. The word "weed" includes, but is not limited to, poison ivy, poison oak, or poison sumac and all vegetation at any state of maturity which:
1. Exceeds twelve inches (12") in height, except healthy trees, shrubs, or produce for human consumption grown in a tended and cultivated garden unless such trees and shrubbery by their density or location constitute a detriment to the health, benefit and welfare of the public and community or a hazard to traffic or create a fire hazard to the property or otherwise interfere with the mowing of said weeds;
2. Regardless of height, harbors, conceals, or invites deposits or accumulation of refuse or trash;
3. Harbors rodents or vermin;
4. Gives off unpleasant or noxious odors;
5. Constitutes a fire or traffic hazard; or
6. Is dead or diseased.
B. The word "weed" shall not include tended crops on land zoned for agricultural use which are planted more than one hundred fifty feet (150') from a parcel zoned for other than agricultural use. (Ord. 12-04, 8-23-2012)