In this chapter the following terms have the meanings indicated below:
ACCUMULATE: To store, gather, collect, heap or pile up.
BLIGHTED: Deteriorated, in a state of ill repair, filthy, decaying.
BLIGHTED PREMISES: Any vacant building or structure or any portion of said property that is defined by one or more of the following definitions:
A. It is determined by the department that existing conditions pose a serious or immediate danger to the community; i.e., a life threatening condition or a condition which puts at risk the health or safety of the public;
B. It is not being maintained; the following factors may be considered in determining whether a structure or building is not being maintained: missing or boarded windows or doors; a collapsing or missing wall, sagging or collapsed roof or floor; siding that is seriously damaged or missing; fire damaged; a foundation that is seriously damaged or missing; a foundation that is structurally faulty; or garbage, trash or abandoned cars situated on the premises (unless the premises is a legal junkyard);
C. It is becoming dilapidated;
D. It has attracted illegal activity;
E. It is a fire hazard;
F. It is a factor in materially depreciating property values in the immediate neighborhood because of its poorly maintained condition;
G. It is a factor creating a substantial and unreasonable interference with the reasonable and lawful use and enjoyment of other space within the building or of other premises within the neighborhood;
H. It constitutes a health or sanitary problem.
COMMUNITY DECAY: A public nuisance:
A. Community decay shall apply to public nuisances on agricultural land which is not necessary to the normal operation of the agricultural land.
B. Community decay does not include properly permitted construction of demolition projects during the time any necessary permits are in effect.
C. Community decay does not include persons servicing, manufacturing or processing materials, goods, or products on lots in public view, so long as the materials used in the normal operation of the business are neatly stacked or piled.
D. Community decay does not include normal residential maintenance or landscaping.
DEPARTMENT: The department, officer, or person the city council designates to enforce this chapter.
DILAPIDATED: A state of decay or partial ruin.
IN PUBLIC VIEW: Any area visible from a point up to six feet (6') above the surface of the center of a public roadway.
JUNK: Any metal, glass, paper, rags, wood, machinery parts, appliances or equipment parts, cloth, rubble, or other waste or discarded material of any nature or substance whatsoever, or any scrap or salvage materials.
JUNK VEHICLE: A discarded, ruined, wrecked, or dismantled motor vehicle including component parts, or that is not lawfully or validly licensed, or remains inoperative, or incapable of being driven.
MOBILE HOME: A form of housing known as "trailers", "house trailers", or "trailer coaches" designed to be moved from one place to another by independent power connected to the mobile home or any trailer, house trailer, or trailer coach used as a residence.
NUISANCE: Anything which is injurious to health, indecent or offensive to the senses, or an obstruction to the free use of property, so as to interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life or property, or which unlawfully obstructs to free passage or use, in the customary manner, or any navigable lake, river, bay, stream, canal or basin or any public park, square, street, or highway including, but not limited to:
A. Any junk; or
B. Any junk vehicle; or
C. Dead animal(s); or
D. Animal waste; or
E. Appliances; or
F. Blighted premises; or
G. A mobile home that is not skirted.
PERSON: An individual, firm, partnership, company, association, corporation, town, or any other entity whether organized for profit or not.
PUBLIC NUISANCE: A nuisance, which affects, at the same time, an entire community or neighborhood or any considerable number of persons, although the extent of the annoyance or damage inflicted upon individuals may be unequal.
SHIELDING: Refers to fencing or other manmade barriers to conceal community decay from public view. It also refers to natural barriers. Any shielding barrier must conform to all local, state, building and protective covenant provisions. Any shielding is to be sufficient height so that none of the violations on the premises is visible to public view.
TRAILER SKIRT: A barrier that extends from the ground to the bottom of a mobile home that completely conceals and protects the area underneath a mobile home. (Ord. 808, 9-4-2012)