For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
ALTER or ALTERATION. Any change or modification in construction or occupancy.
APARTMENT. A room or a suite of rooms occupied, or which is intended or designed to be occupied, as the home or residence of one individual, family or household, for housekeeping purposes.
APARTMENT HOUSE. Any building or portion thereof which is designed, built, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which is occupied as a home or residence of more than two families living independently of each other and doing their own cooking in the building and shall include flats and apartments.
APPROVED. Approved by the Building Inspector.
AREA. When applied to the dimensions of a building, means the maximum horizontal projected area of the building at grade.
ATTIC STORY. Any story situated wholly or partly in the roof, so designated, arranged or built as to be used for business, storage or habitation.
BASEMENT. A portion of a building located partly underground, but having less than half its clear floor to ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground.
BUILDING. Any structure built for the support, shelter or enclosure of persons, animals, chattels or property of any kind. The term BUILDING shall be construed as if followed by the words “or part thereof.”
BUILDING INSPECTOR. The public officer or other designated authority charged with the administration of this chapter or his or her duly authorized representative.
DWELLING. Any building or mobile / manufactured home, or part thereof, used and occupied for human habitation or intended to be so used; provided that, temporary housing as hereinafter defined, shall not be regarded as a DWELLING.
DWELLING UNIT. Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and forming a single habitable unit with living, sleeping, cooking and eating facilities.
EXTERMINATION. 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 methods.
GARBAGE. The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
HABITABLE ROOM. 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, communicating corridors, closets or storage spaces.
INFESTATION. The presence within or around a dwelling of any insects, rodents or other pests.
MULTIPLE DWELLING. Any dwelling containing more than two dwelling units.
OCCUPANT. Any person over one year of age, living, sleeping or eating in, or having actual possession of a dwelling unit or rooming unit.
OWNER. A holder of any legal or equitable title in the premises, whether alone or jointly with others, and whether in possession or not; or any person who shall have charge, care or control of any dwelling, dwelling unit or building as owner or agent of the owner or an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of the owner.
PARTIES IN INTEREST. All individuals, associations and corporations who have interests of record in a dwelling or building and any who are in possession thereof.
PHYSICAL VALUE. The actual cost of replacement of a building or structure with similar materials erected in a like manner to the original construction. PHYSICAL VALUE could also mean the fair market value or the appraised value of a building or structure, exclusive of land value, as may appear in the tax digest of the applicable governing body.
PLUMBING. The art of installing in buildings the pipes for distributing the water supply, the fixtures for using water and drainage pipes for removing waste, water and sewage, together with fittings and appurtenances of various kinds, all within or adjacent to the building and including the service pipe which forms the connection between the shut-off valve and curb line and the building, and the street sewer or other point of disposal. The house sewer includes private sewage disposal contraptions or other methods and storm or rain water pipings, if the waste water or sewage is discharged through or connected with the house sewer or house drain.
POTABLE WATER. Water duly approved as satisfactory and safe for drinking.
ROOMING UNIT. Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit used or intended to be used for living and sleeping, but not for cooking or eating purposes.
RUBBISH. All waste materials except garbage, and the term shall include the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke and other combustible material, paper, rags, cartons, boxes, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, tin cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and dust.
STAIRWAY. One or more flights of stairs, and the landings and platforms connecting them, to form a continuous and uninterrupted passage from one story to another in a building or structure.
SUBSTANDARD DWELLING OR STRUCTURE. A dwelling, dwelling unit, multiple dwelling, apartment, apartment house or any other space used or intended to be used as a habitable living space in any building or structure which does not meet the basic minimum requirements of this code for the use.
SUBSTANTIATED CLAIM. A claim made by a tenant, agent or occupant of a violation of this chapter and found to be true by the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer in which said claim arises by no fault of the person making the claim.
TENANT. A person occupying a dwelling or dwelling unit that is not the owner or related to the owner.
UNSUBSTANTIATED CLAIM. A claim made by a tenant, agent or occupant of a violation of this chapter and found to either be untrue or perpetrated by the tenant by the Building Inspector or Code Enforcement Officer.
(1989 Code, § 151.003) (Ord. 1073, passed - -1967; Am. Ord. 2871, passed 8-24-2015)