No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let or sublet to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit designed or intended to be used for the purpose of living, sleeping, cooking, and eating therein, nor shall any vacant dwelling be permitted to exist which does not comply with the following requirements.
(A) Sanitary facilities required. Every dwelling unit shall contain not less than a kitchen sink, lavatory, tub or shower, and a water closet, all in good working condition and properly connected to an approved water and sewer system. Every plumbing fixture and water and waste pipe shall be correctly installed and maintained in good sanitary working condition, free from defects, leaks, and obstructions. All new water closets shall be of the three gallon conservation type.
(B) Location of sanitary facilities. All required sanitary facilities shall be located within the dwelling unit and be accessible to the occupants of same. The water closet, tub, shower, and lavatory in at least one bathroom shall be located in a room affording privacy to the user and such rooms shall have minimum floor space of 30 square feet.
(C) Hot and cold water supply. Every dwelling unit shall have connected to the kitchen sink, lavatory, and tub or shower an adequate supply of both cold and hot water. All water shall be supplied through an approved pipe distribution system connected to a potable water supply.
(D) Heating facilities. Dwellings that are closed completely during winter (December 21 through March 21) shall not be required to comply with minimum heating facilities in division (D)(1) and (2) of this section.
(1) Every dwelling unit shall have heating facilities which are properly installed, maintained in safe and good working condition, and are capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments in every dwelling unit therein to a temperature of at least 68° F. measured at a distance of three feet above the floor during ordinary winter conditions.
(2) Where a gas or electric central heating system is not provided, each dwelling unit shall be provided with sufficient fireplaces, chimneys, flues, or gas vents, whereby heating appliances may be connected so as to furnish a minimum temperature of 68° F. measured at a point three feet above the floor during ordinary winter conditions, and in safe and proper working order.
(3) Any cooking or heating units suspected of being defective or dangerous shall be checked by a qualified technician and certified is safe and in good working order if deemed necessary by the Building Inspector. Such certification shall be in writing.
(E) Cooking and heating equipment. All cooking and heating equipment and facilities shall be installed in accordance with the appropriate building, gas, or electrical code and shall be maintained in a safe and good working condition.
(F) Garbage disposal facilities. Every dwelling shall be equipped with means of adequate garbage disposal in accordance with the town code.
(G) Approved smoke detectors. Every building that contains a dwelling unit shall install an approved smoke detector within ten feet of any bedroom door as set forth in the North Carolina Building Code. This division shall be remedial and all dwelling units shall comply within one year of the date of adoption or by May 27, 1983.
(Ord., passed 1-22-77; Am. Ord. 1845, passed 6-22-23) Penalty, see § 152.999