Unless specifically defined below, words or phrases used in this chapter shall be interpreted so as to give them the meaning they have in common usage and to give this chapter its most reasonable application.
BUILDING OFFICIAL. The officer designated by the county to enforce the county codes as well as designees of such person.
CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES. Activities initiated by the county to determine the condition of a building and require the property owner to make necessary repairs, to vacate the building or to take other action as necessary to bring the property into compliance with applicable state or local zoning, building or housing standards, including but not limited to standards contained in the San Benito County Code, the Uniform Fire Code, Uniform Housing Code and the Health and Safety Codes as adopted by the state, county and other technical codes adopted and enforced by the county for existing residential properties, including codes addressing dangerous or hazardous buildings. CODE ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES shall include drug nuisance abatement actions taken by the county pursuant to Cal. Health and Safety Code §§ 11570 et seq. The District Attorney’s Office may enforce the provisions of this chapter.
DAY. Calendar day, unless otherwise specified.
DECLARATION OF SUBSTANDARD. A declaration, notice or order executed by the Director of Planning or his or her designee under the authority of the San Benito County Code or other provision of law declaring that a property is substandard, unsafe and/or a public nuisance.
DIRECTOR OF PLANNING. The officer designated by the county to enforce the county codes as well as designees of such person.
DISPLACEMENT. The state of removing from the usual or proper place.
ENFORCEMENT ACTION. The issuance of a notice of summary abatement, notice of hearing on proposed abatement, administrative penalty, nuisance abatement order or other administrative action, or the filing of a civil complaint or criminal citation or complaint.
NON-COMPLYING BUILDING OR UNIT. A building, room or rental unit in the county which has been found or determined by an authorized enforcement official of the county to be substandard, blighted, unsafe, a public nuisance, a drug nuisance or otherwise not in conformance with applicable state or local zoning, building or housing standards, including but not limited to standards contained in the San Benito County Codes, the Uniform Fire Code, Uniform Housing Code and the Health and Safety Codes as adopted by the county, and other technical codes adopted and enforced by the county for existing residential properties, including codes addressing dangerous or hazardous buildings.
NON-COMPLYING CONDITION or NON- COMPLIANCE. Any physical condition or use with respect to the building, room or unit.
NOTICE TO ABATE LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION. A notice and/or order to abate a substandard or non-complying condition issued by the county pursuant to its code enforcement activities, however the notice or order is denominated, that indicates on its face that a life-threatening condition is present.
NOTICE TO VACATE. A notice and/or order, however denominated, issued by the county or a court of competent jurisdiction to a property owner and/or a tenant household pursuant to the county’s code enforcement activities requiring that a residential building, unit or room be vacated, either immediately or at some future specified time, as a result of a determination that the building, unit or room is substandard, blighted, unsafe or a public nuisance.
NOTICE OF VIOLATION. A notice, including but not limited to, a compliance order, issued by the county stating that a unit, due to its substandard condition, is in violation of the housing, building or fire codes, or stating that a unit shall be vacated because its existence, use or occupancy is unlawful under state law or applicable county code.
OWNER. Any person who owns legal title, in whole or in part, to a unit subject to this chapter.
TENANT. Tenant in the singular or in the plural refers to a person or persons who rent or are otherwise in lawful tenancy of a unit under the terms of tenancy or with the knowledge or consent of the owner or the owner’s agent.
UNIT. Any dwelling, room or space, which is the permanent or customary and usual residence from which a tenant is displaced.
(1966 Code, § 19A-3) (Ord. 774, § 1(part))