1969-670ORDINANCE NO. 38 -69 -670
AN ORDINANCE ADOP�PING CHAPTER_42A_OF THE CODE
OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF SOUTH m"i ---, FLORIDA,
TO PROVIDE "FOR RODENT`CONTROL;`PRESCRIBING
PENALTYES FOR VIOLATI'ON bF THE PROVISIONS
HEREOF; AND, DECLARING INTENT HEREUNDER.
BE IT ORDAINED 'BY THE -MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF SOUTH MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. That there be and`here'by is established
and adopted a new chapter to the Codeof "Ord races, City of
South Miami, Florida, to be known as Chapter 12A, and reading
as follows, to -wit:
CHAPTER 1%2A
RODENT CONTROL
Sec. 12A -1. Definitions.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following
words and phrases s-, il have 'the 'meanings` respec-
tively ascribed to them by this section, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise.
BUILDING. Ariy structure, whether public or private,
�. P p y, ansaction
that is adapted for occu anc or for the tr
of business, or for the display, sale or storage of
goods, wares or mercha6d1se, or for the performance of
work or labor, including but not limited to: hotels,
apartment houses, rooming houses, duplexes, single unit
dwellings occupied by either the owner or a tenant,
office buildings, stores, theatres, ma'rk`ets, restaurants,
grain elevators, abattoirs, warehouses, workshops,
factories and all outhouses, sheds, barns and other
utilized structures on the premises.
OCCUPANT. The person who has the use of or occupies
any building, or a part thereof, whether he is the
actual owner or tenant. In the 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. The title holder to the building or his
agent except in cases where the buildi g is leased
with a clause in the lease specifying that the lessee
is responsible for maintenance and repairs in which
case the lessee will be considered as the "owner" for
the purposes of this chpater.
RAT HARBORAGE. Any condition which provides shel-
ter or protection for rats, thus favoring their multi-
plication and continued existence in or un -.:r a structure,
or around the general area surrounding a structure.
-1-
RATPInOFING. A process of closing all openings-in
the exterior walls, ground or first floor's, basements,
roofs and foundations that a«ay be reached by rats from
the ground, by climbing 'or by burrowing, with matbrial
impervious to rat gnawing. It prevents the ingress
and egress of rats into buildings from the exterior, or
from one building to another.
Secs J,2 -=2. General requirements for business
buildings.
All All buil`8in's -located at least partially
wit hin - Oi,e " municipality of =South Miami -shall be
ratproofed, freed of' rats ,and mail "ed in a
rat r oof and rat free Condition , under the
P.,�
dire0eion and su p ervision of the county health
director.
Sec. 12A -3. Notice to owners to raSie oof.
Upon receipt `'of a written notice °or o`rer
from t he county Health director or hi`s''repre
sentative, the owner of any business building
specifi`ed&V6 i` iW`shall take imm6diarte measures
for ra£p
F 'ng x �'
ro Ping the building, and unless such
work and ir►pro ements have been completed bye
the owner in, `;the time specified i"n the 40T en
not ice, '`"or within "'the time to which =a' wri't�ten
extension may ha'Ve been granted by the county
hearth director, the,owner shall be deemed
guilty'of An offense under the provisions of
this chapter.
SeCratsA rom premossib l ty of owners - Removal
_oT Whenever the county healthdiiec`tor or his
that theretiseevid "
represe ifies the "`owner of a building
ence of 'rat infestat'i *oh of
the building, such owner shall immediately
institute appropriate measures for freeing the
premises he owns of allrats, and unless suit-
able measures for `freeing the building,of rats
.tn -3st -
are instituted within the time limit indicated
after receipt of notice, and continuously
manntained in a satisfactory manner until the
building 's free of rats, the owner shall be
deemed guilty of an offense under the provisions
of this chapter.
Sec. 12A -5. Same - Maintenance of rat'probfing.
The owners of all ratproofed buildings are
4, .
required to maintain the premises in a ratproof
condition and to repair all breaks or leaks
that may occur in the ratproofing.
Sec. 12A -6. Reeluiring'installa`tion of cement
floors, correction of interior rat harborage, etc.
Whenever conditions inside or under buildings
provide such extensive harborage for rats that
the county health director deems it absolutely
necessary to eliminate such harborage permanently,
he may require the owner to install suitable
cement floors in basements or to replace wooden
first or ground floors or to correct other
conditions conducive to interior rat harborage.
-2-
�: -
Sec 12A -7. Removal of ratproofing, etc.
It shall be unlawful for the occupant,
owner, or any other person to remove the
ratproofing "from any building for any purpose
and fail to restore the same in a satisfactory
condition' ' "or to make any new opeir'iiigs "_that
__. __ _
are not °closed or sealed against the i'.t-g(ress
of rats. .Accumulations of arba`
Sec. 12A =8. r�pubbish
g
or trash°prohi}iited.
It shall he unlawful for any person' "to
place, leave, dump*obr "permit to accumulate
any 'garbage, rubbish or _tra "sh or any similar
substance an in
' y W ldin "`� ng ' or premises in- "the
city so that the same shall or may afford
food or harborage for rats.
Sec M -9. A_ ccumulations of liAbPr, boxes,
barrels, etc.
It ;shall be unlawful for any�'person to
permit 'to accumulate' on any`p`remises, improved
or vacant, or on any'open lots and alleys, any
lumber, boxesi`}harrels, bricks, stones or
similar''materials unless the `same are placed
on "open-racks that are elevated at least dig it -
es' tack` ed'sob t o v l
that pile
or d
not
afford harborage for rats.
Sec 12A-10. Inspec o `s by county health
director abatement notices.-
The county heaiih4l rect6r or his represen-
inslectia -ke empowered'to make unannounc6,1
f the interior and exterior'of
pF i 1- .-•
buildings into which the public 'is' iiiv`ited as
in the county health di•rector's- opinion may be
necessar'`
this`cha tero and full compliance with
p d may 1116fit er, after securing
proper authority, private premises for such
purposes and the countyhealth direct ro ' and
his representative "s khall makP`perioaic inspec-
tions`of all rat -freed building's to determine
evidence of rat infestation and the existence
of new breaks or leaks in ratproofing.
Section 2. That any person, persons, firm, partnership
or corporation violating any of the provisions of this ordinance shall,
upon conviction, by punished by a fine not to exceed $500.00, or by
imprisonment not to exceed six months, or by both such fine and
imprisonment in the discretion of the Municiapl Judge. Each day that
a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 4'of November ,1969.
MbLyor
ATTEST: V
it- y Clerk
ORDINANCE ND. 38 -69 -670