Same—Maintenance

No person shall maintain or operate any commercial, business, institutional or industrial structure which does not comply with the following standards:

(1)

Maintenance of exterior of premises. The exterior of the premises and of all structures thereon shall be kept free of all nuisances and any hazards to the safety of occupants, customers, pedestrians and other persons utilizing the premises and free of insanitary conditions, and any of the foregoing shall be promptly removed and abated by the owner or operator. It shall be the duty of the owner and/or operator to keep the premises free of hazards which include, but are not limited to, the following:

a.

Brush, weeds, broken glass, stumps, roots, obnoxious growths and accumulations of filth, garbage, trash, refuse, debris and inoperative machinery;

b.

Dead and dying trees and limbs;

c.

Loose and overhanging objects which by reason of location above ground level constitute a danger of falling on persons in the vicinity thereof;

d.

Holes, excavations, breaks, projections, obstructions and excretions of pets and other animals on paths, walks, driveways, parking lots and parking areas and other parts of the premises which are accessible to or used by persons on the premises;

e.

Inadequate runoff drains for stormwaters;

f.

Sources of infestation;

g.

Foundations, floors and walls which are not structurally sound;

h.

Chimneys and flue and vent attachments which are not safe, durable, smoketight and capable of withstanding the action of flue gases;

i.

Exterior porches, landings, balconies, stairs and fire escapes which are not provided with guardrails and handrails properly designed and maintained to minimize the hazard of falling.

(2)

Appearance of exterior of premises and structures. The exterior of the premises and the condition of accessory structures shall be maintained so that the appearance of the premises and all buildings thereon shall reflect a level of maintenance in keeping with the standards of the neighborhood or such higher standards as may be adopted as part of a plan of property standards of the city and such that the appearance of the premises and structures shall not constitute a blighting factor for adjoining property owners nor an element leading to the progressive deterioration and downgrading of the neighborhood, including the following:

a.

Premises shall be kept landscaped and lawns, hedges and bushes shall be kept trimmed.

b.

All windows exposed to public view shall be kept clean and free of marks or foreign substances, except when necessary in the course of changing displays. No storage of materials, stock or inventory shall be permitted in window display areas or other areas ordinarily exposed to public view unless the areas are first screened from the public view by drapes, venetian blinds or other permanent rendering of the windows opaque to the public view. All screening of interiors shall be maintained in a clean and attractive manner and in a good state of repair.

c.

All store fronts and walls exposed to public view shall be kept in a good state of repair.

d.

Any awning or marquee and its accompanying structural members which extend over any street, sidewalk or any other portion of the premises shall be maintained in a good state of repair. If awnings or marquees are made of cloth, plastic or of a similar material, the cloth or plastic, where exposed to public view, shall not show evidence of excessive weathering, discoloration, ripping, tearing or other holes. Nothing herein shall be construed to authorize any encroachment on streets, sidewalks or other parts of the public domain.

(3)

General maintenance. The exterior of every structure or accessory structure shall be maintained in a good state of repair, and all surfaces thereof shall be kept painted or sealed with an approved material where necessary for purposes of preservation and appearance. All surfaces shall be maintained free of broken glass, vegetation, loose shingles, crumbling stone or brick, excessive peeling paint or other condition reflective of deterioration or inadequate maintenance.

a.

Floors, interior walls and ceilings of every structure shall be structurally sound and maintained in a clean and sanitary condition.

b.

All roofs shall have an approved covering free of holes, cracks or excessively worn surfaces which will prevent the entrance of moisture into the structure and provide reasonable durability. Metal roofs showing signs of corrosion shall be painted with an approved product, applied in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications.

c.

Every room open to the public or in which persons are employed and every public hall and stairway in every structure shall be adequately lighted at all times the structure is in use or open to the public. Unless otherwise provided by law, adequate lighting for the purpose of this subsection shall mean not less than one (1) foot candle, measured at any point on the floor of a room, hall or stairway.

d.

Every room open to the public or in which persons are employed shall have at least one (1) window or skylight which can easily be opened or such other device as will adequately ventilate the room. The total of openable window area in every such room shall be equal to at least eight (8) percent of the floor area, except where there is an approved device installed which shall provide at least one (1) complete change of air every four (4) minutes at an air velocity not exceeding six hundred (600) feet per minute.

e.

Washroom and water closet compartment floors shall be surfaced with water-resistant materials and shall be kept in a dry, clean and sanitary condition at all times.

f.

Supporting structural members are to be kept structurally sound, free of deterioration and capable of bearing imposed loads safely.

g.

Walls and ceilings shall be maintained in a good state of repair. Walls shall be provided with paint, paper, sealing material or other protective covering and shall be kept clean, free of visible foreign matter and well maintained at all times.

h.

Every washroom and water closet compartment shall be provided with permanently installed artificial lighting fixtures with a switch and wallplate so located and maintained that there is no danger of short circuiting from water or plumbing.

i.

All premises shall be properly connected to electric power through safely insulated conductors conforming to the electrical code.

j.

All wiring or cables shall be properly affixed or attached to the structure and kept in a good state of repair. No loose cords or loose extension lines in excess of six (6) feet in length shall be permitted, and no ceiling or wall fixture shall be used for supplying power to equipment other than that for which it is designed.

k.

Garbage storage containers or garbage disposal facilities shall be provided and maintained for the disposal of garbage at every occupied structure.

l.

Flammable or combustible liquids or other materials may not be stored on the premises, unless they are of a type approved for storage by the regulations of the fire department, and then only in such quantities and in such fireproof storage containers as may be prescribed by the regulations of the department.

(Ord. No. 89-269, § 2(48-177), 10-12-89; Ord. No. 90-124, § 2(48-177), 5-17-90; Ord. No. 96-204, § 36, 9-26-96)