A. Registration of the operation of all residential rental units and structures inclusive of rental units in mixed use structures and renter-occupied mobile homes.
1. No person shall operate a rental unit unless the person holds a current, unrevoked registration issued by the appropriate authority for the specific named rental unit. Failure to comply with this requirement shall result in penalties to the owner according to this chapter. Exempt dwelling units shall not be subject to this requirement.
2. Every registration shall be issued for a period of time in accordance with this chapter.
3. The appropriate authority is hereby authorized, upon application therefor, to issue new registration, and renewals thereof, in the names of applicant-owners or operators of rental housing units. No such registrations shall be issued unless the rental housing unit in connection with which the registration is sought is found, after inspection, to meet all applicable requirements of this chapter and applicable rules and regulations pursuant thereto. No such registration shall be issued to an owner who has delinquent real estate taxes on real estate in the city of Montevideo.
4. No registration shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant-owner or operator has first made application therefor on an application form provided by the appropriate authority. The appropriate authority shall develop such forms and make them available to the public.
5. No registration shall be issued or renewed unless the applicant-owner or operator agrees in the application to such inspection pursuant to this chapter as the appropriate authority may require to determine whether the rental housing unit in connection with which such registration is sought is in compliance with the applicable provisions of this chapter and with applicable rules and regulations pursuant thereto.
6. No registration shall be issued or renewed unless the completed application form is accompanied by payment of the proper registration fee.
7. No registration shall be issued or renewed for a nonresident applicant (a property owner living outside Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle or Yellow Medicine County), unless such applicant designates, in writing to the appropriate authority, the name of an agent for the receipt of service of notice of violation of the provisions of this chapter, for service of process pursuant to this chapter and to contact in the event of an emergency condition with respect to the rental unit.
8. No registration shall be issued or renewed for a resident applicant unless such applicant has first designated an agent for the receipt of service of violations of the provisions of this chapter, or to contact in the event of an emergency condition with respect to the rental unit when said applicant is absent from this city for thirty (30) or more days. Such a designation shall be made in writing and shall accompany each application form. The applicant may designate any person residing in Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle or Yellow Medicine County as an agent for this purpose or may designate the appropriate authority as an agent for this purpose.
9. No registration shall be renewed unless an application therefor has been made within sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the present operating license.
10. Each registration shall be displayed in a conspicuous place within the rental housing units. Any registration for a particular property shall be transferable to another person, except a person with uncorrected violations of any provision of this chapter on another property or delinquent real estate taxes on any property in the city of Montevideo, provided that the person holding the registration must give notice, in writing, to the appropriate authority within fifteen (15) working days after having transferred or otherwise disposed of the legal control of the registered rental housing unit. Such notice shall include the name and address of the person or persons succeeding to the ownership or control of such rental housing unit. Failure to provide proper notification of a transfer of property, or a transfer to an ineligible person, shall be cause for the property to be reregistered and the appropriate fee charged.
11. The registration fee shall be set by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 856, 12-19-2005)