(a) The City of St. Albans hereby declares that a clean, attractive visual environment is of vital importance to the continued general welfare of its citizens, and that the outdoor storage of junk, rubbish, or litter, regardless of quantity, is hereby prohibited within the sight of persons lawfully traveling the public roads or within sight of one or more neighboring properties anywhere in the City of St. Albans.
(b) The City of St. Albans hereby declares the same to be a nuisance, a potential fire hazard, and potential encumbrance to first responders.
(c) By adoption of this article, the City of St. Albans declares its intent to preserve and promote a quality environment and reasonable aesthetics and to prohibit the outdoor storage of junk, rubbish, or litter that tend to depreciate not only the property on which it is located but also the property of other persons in the neighborhood and community in general.
(Ord. 2021-02. Passed 5-3-21.)
As used in this article:
(a) "Enclosed porch or balcony" shall mean a platform located at or attached to or abutting the entrance to a building completely covered by a roof and completely enclosed by fully intact glass or fully intact mesh bug screens.
(b) "Enforcement officer" shall mean an employee of the St. Albans Building Department, the St. Albans Police Department and any other person appointed by the Mayor to enforce the provisions of this article.
(c) "Front Yard" shall mean that part of the property whereby the front of the house or structure faces the public street and encompasses that open space extending the full width of the lot, the depth of which is the minimum horizontal distance between the front lot line and the nearest point of the main building.
(d) "Yard" shall mean the remainder of the property that is not covered by structure and is not the Front Yard.
(e) "Owner" shall mean the actual owner, agent or custodian of the property, whether individual or partnership association, corporation or other entity of any other kind.
(f) "Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, association, corporation, or any entity of any other kind, either being the owner, occupier or lessee of the property.
(g) "Open Storage" or "Open Store" shall mean such accumulation of materials stored for later use which is visible from any public street, alley or sidewalk, or from any adjoining property when viewed standing at ground level.
(h) "Screening Structure" shall mean a physical rigid structure that partially obscures what is behind it from view from outside the property line, such as lattice or fence.
(i) "Building Materials" shall include but not be limited to lumber, bricks, concrete or cinder blocks (CMU), plumbing materials, electrical wiring or equipment, heating and cooling materials or equipment, shingles, mortar, concrete or cement, nails, screws, or any other materials used for construction.
(j) "Indoor Furniture or Equipment" shall include items such as upholstered items not designed for outdoor use, mattresses, or other furniture or equipment not weatherized for outdoor use.
(k) "Rubbish" as defined by the International Property Maintenance Code shall mean Combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage; the term shall include the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke and other combustible materials, paper, rags, cartons, boxes, wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, tin cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and dust and other similar materials.
(l) "Garbage" as defined by the International Property Maintenance Code shall mean animal or vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
(m) "Junk" shall mean Scrapped, broken, or neglected items and materials. Junk includes items such as plastic, cloth, glass, rags, paper or metals that can be converted into usable articles or stock, or articles that have outlived their usefulness in their original form. Examples of “junk" include, but are not limited to, empty bottles and jars; empty metal, plastic or paper products; discarded engine or motor parts; automobile and truck parts of all descriptions; used tires, wheels and inner tubes; discarded batteries; cardboard; discarded and/or pre-used building materials; discarded and/or preused electrical and plumbing materials; broken pieces of concrete; discarded, broken, or neglected electrical, gas or hand-operated appliances; previously used packing materials; discarded, broken, or neglected household goods and furnishing; or any household item located outdoors that is designed for indoor use; as well as parts and pieces of any of the foregoing.
(n) "Litter" shall mean Tangible personal property which has been unlawfully scattered and/or abandoned in a public place, typically outdoors, as a form of solid waste - material which, if thrown or deposited, creates a danger to public health, safety and welfare. Litter is further defined as either hazardous, reusable-recyclable, non-hazardous, or non-usable material. Litter includes, but is not limited to, polystyrene foam, plastics, cigarette butts, candy and gum wrappers, paper towels, food wastes, chip bags, aluminum and steel beer/soda cans, leather, rubber, clothing, textiles, wood, glass, metal, abandoned tires, vehicle parts, or other such debris that has fallen onto a public right-of-way as a result of negligent litter; litter from trash-hauling vehicles, unsecured loads, or construction sites.
(o) "Outdoor Equipment" shall include exercise equipment, above-ground pools, outdoor playsets, outdoor recreational equipment, lawn care equipment, outdoor cooking equipment.
(Ord. 2021-02. Passed 5-3-21.)
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