The exterior of buildings and structures shall be maintained so that their appearance shall not constitute a blighting factor for adjoining property owners nor an element leading to the progressive deterioration and downgrading of the neighborhood including the following:
(1) Premises shall be kept landscaped and maintained, and lawns, hedges and bushes shall be kept trimmed and maintained pursuant to the site plan approved by the city or appropriate governmental agency. Hedges and bushes shall form a compact, dense, visually opaque, living barrier free from visible evidence of disease, infestation, damage, deterioration, neglect or other visually unappealing condition. The owner of property where any tree, hedge, bush or planting is rooted shall bear responsibility for maintenance and upkeep of said tree, hedge, bush or planting and for maintenance and upkeep of any tree, hedge, bush or planting located within the swale area abutting the property.
(2) All store fronts and walls exposed to public view shall be kept in a good state of repair.
(3) Any awning or marquee and its accompanying structural members which extend over any street, sidewalk or any other portion of the premises shall be maintained in a good state of repair. In the event such awnings or marquees are made of cloth, plastic or of a similar material, such cloth or plastic, where exposed to public view, shall not show evidence of excessive weathering, dis-coloration, ripping, tearing, or other holes. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize any encroachment on streets, sidewalks or other parts of the public domain.
(4) Any property that has been damaged by fire or natural catastrophe must be repaired so as to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
(5) All materials used to board and secure vacant property must be painted so as to approximate the color of the original structure.
(6) All occupied structures must have windows and doors in good working condition and free of boards, broken or missing glass, windows, or jalousies.
(7) Premises recognized by the appropriate authority as employing environmentally friendly gardening and landscaping practices or as a habitat for native plants or animals shall be exempted from the requirements contained in division (1) above for keeping landscaping trimmed.
(‘72 Code, § 15-5(a)(B)) (Ord. O-89-53, passed 9-6-89; Am. Ord. O-96-22, passed 7-3-96; Am. Ord. O-2011-05, passed 2-2-11)