The text
Footnotes:
--- (5) --- Cross reference— Animals and fowl, ch. 4.
State Law reference— Rodent control, G.L. 1956, § 23-7.1-1 et seq.
Sec. 26-411. - Definitions.#
When used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them in this section:
Building means any structure, whether public or private, that is adapted for occupancy, for transaction of business, for rendering of professional services, for amusement, for the display, sale or storage of goods, wares or merchandise, or for the performance of work or labor, including dwelling houses, apartment buildings, tenement houses, roominghouses, hotels, office buildings, public buildings, stores, theaters, markets, restaurants, grain elevators, abattoirs, warehouses, workshops, factories and all outhouses, sheds, barns and other structures on premises used for business purposes.
Occupant means the individual, partnership or corporation that has the use of or occupies any building or a part or fraction thereof, whether the actual owner or tenant. In case of vacant buildings or any vacant portion of a building the owner, agent or other person having custody of the building shall have the responsibility of an occupant of a building.
Owner means the actual owner of a building, whether an individual, a partnership or a corporation, or the agent of the owner of the building, or other person having custody of the building or to whom the rent is paid. In the case of business buildings leased with a clause in the lease specifying that the lessee is responsible for maintenance and repairs, the lessee will be considered in such cases as the owner for the purpose of this article.
Rat eradication means the elimination or extermination of rodents within buildings so that the buildings are completely freed of rodents or there is no evidence of rodent infestation remaining, by any or all of the accepted measures, such as poisoning, fumigation, trapping, clubbing, etc.
Rat harborage means any condition which provides shelter or protection for rodents, thus favoring their multiplication and continued existence in, under or outside of a structure of any kind.
Ratproofing applies to a form of construction to prevent the ingress of rodents into buildings from the exterior or from one building or establishment to another. It consists essentially of treating all actual or potential openings in the exterior wall, ground or first floors, basements, roof and foundations, that may be reached by rodents from the ground by climbing or by burrowing, with material impervious to rodent gnawing.
(Code 1971, § 13-80)
Cross reference— Definitions generally, § 1-2.
Sec. 26-412. - Rodent-infested conditions prohibited.#
It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any premises within the city to maintain such premises in a rodent-infested condition or permit any such premises to become infested with rodents.
(Code 1971, § 13-81)
Sec. 26-413. - Structures to be ratproof.#
After November 19, 1953, no building or structure shall be erected, repaired, altered or extended unless provision is made for ratproofing such structure.
(Code 1971, § 13-82)
Sec. 26-414. - Inspections.#
It shall be the duty of the building inspector to cause an inspection of any premises in the city which he/she has good reason to believe is not in a ratproof condition.
(Code 1971, § 13-83)
Sec. 26-415. - Notice of rodent infestation—Generally.#
If premises are found to be rodent infested, a notice in writing, bearing the date of issue and signed by the building inspector or his/her duly authorized representative, shall be served upon such owner or occupant. Such notice shall state the condition of such premises and the required corrections.
(Code 1971, § 13-84)
Sec. 26-416. - Same—Manner of service.#
Any notice of rodent infestation may be served by any employee of the building inspection department or the police or the city sergeant, or may be served by mailing such notice enclosed in a postpaid envelope addressed to the person to be notified by United States registered mail, return receipt requested.
(Code 1971, § 13-85)
Sec. 26-417. - Same—Duty of owner or occupant to remedy condition.#
After the owner or occupant of any premises has been notified by the building inspector or his/her duly authorized representative that his/her premises are rodent infested, it shall be the duty of such owner or occupant to take immediate measures to remedy the condition by rat eradication, ratproofing, or such other action as may be necessary.
(Code 1971, § 13-86)
Sec. 26-418. - Removal of ratproofing safeguards prohibited.#
It shall be unlawful for any person to remove, damage or destroy any part of any building or other appurtenance of improved real estate premises, intended to protect such premises against the ingress of rodents, or in any other way to create a condition by which ingress for rodents is made possible; provided, however, that this section shall not apply where the interference with the ratproofing is made necessary in connection with a lawful construction, promptly restored.
(Code 1971, § 13-87)
Sec. 26-419. - Discarding rat harborage material.#
No person shall throw, place or deposit or permit any person under his/her control or employment to throw, place or deposit any putrid substance, night soil, filth of any kind, garbage, rubbish, refuse, piles of old lumber or other rat harborage or any unwholesome material in or upon any vacant lot, alley, lane, sidewalk, street, canal, lake or river or upon any private lot or public ground within the city without the consent of the director of public works.
(Code 1971, § 13-88)
Sec. 26-420. - Violations; penalty.#
Any person who violates any provision of this article, or any order or regulation made in pursuance thereof, or obstructs or interferes with the execution of such order or wilfully or illegally fails to obey such order, shall be punishable as provided in section 1-4. Each 24 hours of such violation shall be a separate offense.
(Code 1971, § 13-89)