(A) Preliminary inspection and investigation. Prior to issuing a license, the City Manager or designee will inspect the rental dwelling to determine compliance with this chapter, the city code and the International Property Maintenance Code. The City Clerk will review the application for completeness and determine whether all real estate taxes and municipal utilities are paid and current.
(B) Compliance order. If the rental dwelling is not in full compliance with this subchapter, the city will provide the owner or resident agent with a compliance order pursuant to § 152.12. If the owner corrects the items in the compliance order within the specified period of time, the city will issue a license to the owner.
(C) Unsafe or dangerous conditions. No owner or resident agent may operate a rental dwelling, regardless of the type of license issued, if the City Manager or designee determines that a condition exists in or on the rental dwelling or premises that is unsafe or poses an imminent danger to the health or safety of the tenants or the public. Any determination by the City Manager or designee is subject to suspension or revocation of the license, criminal prosecution and any civil remedies available to the city.
(D) Posting of license. The owner shall post a copy of the license in the rental dwelling in a conspicuous place. In multiple dwelling units requiring a single license, the license shall be posted in a common area of the building such as a corridor, hallway, or lobby. The posted license shall be framed with clear glass or plastic.
(E) Renewal of license. An owner may continue to rent a dwelling after the expiration day of the license provided the owner has filed with the city on or before June 30, the appropriate renewal license application and license fee. The issuance of a license under this chapter shall be considered a privilege and not an absolute right of the owner and shall not entitle the owner to an automatic renewal of the license. Allowing the owner to continue to rent while the renewal is being processed does not obligate the city to automatically renew the license.
(F) Transfer of license. Licenses are not transferable. Any change in the ownership of the rental dwelling requires a new license.
(G) Resident agent required. Owners of rental dwellings with five or more individual units appoint a resident agent who shall reside within the rental dwelling to be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the rental dwelling and common areas and to handle licensing issues with the city. Owners of rental dwellings containing fewer than five units who do not reside within the counties of Ramsey, Hennepin, Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Scott, Washington, Wright, Chisago, Isanti, or Sherburne shall appoint an agent that resides within one of these counties that shall be the responsible resident agent.
(H) Register of occupancy. The owner, or his, her, or their resident agent, shall keep a current register of occupancy for each rental dwelling. This register of occupancy may be reviewed by the city at the time. Said register of occupancy shall contain, at a minimum, the following information:
(1) Address(es) of the rental dwelling;
(2) Number of bedrooms of each unit;
(3) Number of units in each building; and
(4) Number of adults and children (under 18) currently occupying each unit.
(Prior Code, § 150.130) (Ord. 08-003, passed 4-22-2008) Penalty, see § 10.99