(a) Accumulation of vegetation prohibited. Each owner, lessee, tenant, resident or occupant shall maintain a property so it is free of the accumulation or untended growth of vegetation. The accumulation or untended growth of vegetation means the presence of plants on property that create a fire, safety or health hazard, or that attract vermin either on the property, on neighboring properties, or on both, and includes but is not limited to:
(1) Any lawn grass that exceeds six (6) inches in height.
(2) All weeds that exceed six (6) inches in height.
(3) Dead trees or dead shrubs.
(4) Dead palm fronds within ten (10) feet of the ground, a structure, a fence or wall, or of any combustible other than the tree from which the fronds have grown;
(5) Any tree, shrub, or other form of vegetation of any kind on the property or on the adjoining right-of-way, street, or alley that extends over or under the sidewalk space or roadway in a manner that may interfere with the reasonable use of the street, sidewalk, or alley for pedestrian or vehicular traffic of any kind or that may obstruct the view or light distribution of traffic-control devices or luminaries. Vegetation must be trimmed and maintained to provide an unobstructed pedestrian path a minimum of forty eight (48) inches in width and eighty (80) inches in height from grade.
(b) Accumulation of refuse and debris prohibited. Each owner, lessee, tenant, resident or occupant shall maintain a property so it is free of accumulated refuse and debris. Accumulated refuse and debris means contained or uncontained refuse and debris that is present on the property in a manner not authorized by the Tucson Code. Material recycling facilities meeting the requirements of section 15-24.7 are exempt from this prohibition.
(c) Composting permitted on residential property; standards and procedures; violation. The provisions of subsections (a) and (b) of this section do not prohibit the maintenance of a compost pile on residential property, so long as the compost pile does not create a hazard and is:
(1) Contained;
(2) Maintained so as not to produce offensive odors or attract flies or vermin;
(3) Located, insofar as reasonably possible, so that it is not visible from abutting properties or streets;
(4) Maintained in compliance with all rules, regulations and procedures that may be promulgated by the code official.
A compost pile not in compliance with all the provisions of this section is in violation of this chapter.
(d) Duty to remove weeds, debris and refuse from abutting sidewalks, streets and alleys upon notice. Upon receipt of notice served pursuant to section 16-45, the owner, lessee, tenant or occupant of any premises shall remove from the premises and the abutting portions of contiguous sidewalks, streets and alleys, all weeds, garbage, debris or other refuse which may endanger the health, safety or welfare of the persons in the vicinity of such premises. This duty extends to and includes any abutting sidewalk area and one-half (1/2) the width of abutting alleys, from the property line to the center line of the alley.
(e) Exterior insect, rodent and animal control. All premises shall be kept free from infestation of insects, rodents and other noxious pests where such infestation threatens the health, safety or welfare of a person or persons.
(f) Burning of refuse prohibited. Except as specifically permitted by this or other adopted codes, the open burning or incineration of refuse is prohibited.
(g) Exterior hazard or attractive nuisance. All premises shall be kept free of any condition that constitutes a health hazard, imminent hazard, or attractive nuisance. Such prohibited conditions include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) Abandoned refrigerators. All premises shall be kept free of iceboxes, refrigerators or other containers with a capacity of one and one-half (1 1/2) cubic feet or greater that have an attached door or lid, snaplock or other locking device that may not be released from the inside and that are abandoned, discarded or no longer used for refrigeration and are in any place accessible to children. In addition to any other remedy provided under this chapter, a code official may immediately and without prior notice remove an attached door, lid or other locking device or take other similar action to abate the hazard presented.
(2) Hazardous excavations. All premises shall be kept free of abandoned or unsecured excavations; or any excavation that creates a hazard to public safety or an attractive nuisance. An excavation made under permit and secured and maintained in a manner that complies with the applicable permit requirements is not considered a violation of this section.
(3) Hazardous pools. Any swimming pool or other contained body of water that contains water eighteen (18) inches or more in depth at any point and that is wider than four (4) feet at any point and is intended for swimming must be properly secured and maintained so as not to create a hazard to public safety, a health hazard or attractive nuisance, and shall be entirely enclosed by a wall, fence or other barrier that is adequate to prevent access by children. Water shall not be allowed to stagnate or to harbor insect infestation.
(h) Outdoor storage. Outdoor storage on residential properties is prohibited under the following conditions:
(1) When stored in the front yard.
(2) When stored in the side yard or rear yard and is not screened by a minimum five (5) foot high solid wall or opaque fence.
(3) When exceeds twenty five (25) percent of the total lot area.
(4) When stored in an open covered porch that is visible from beyond the boundaries of the lot.
(5) When stored in an open carport that is visible from beyond the boundaries of the lot where the amount of storage restricts an automobile from being properly stored within the carport. A double carport will require enough space to store two (2) automobiles.
(6) When storage items include garbage, refuse or debris.
(i) Sidewalks, driveways, parking areas. All paved sidewalks, walkways, stairs, steps, driveways and parking areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair and maintained free from hazardous conditions.
(Ord. No. 9816, § 15, 2-24-03; Ord. No. 10126, § 4, 3-1-05; Ord. No. 10348, § 5, 11-28-06; Ord. No. 10833, § 4, 8-4-10; Ord. No. 11126, § 3, 11-6-13)