§ 22-156. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Accessory structure means a structure, the use of which is incidental to that of the main building and which is attached thereto or located on the same premises.

Board of appeals means the building board for examinations, adjustments and appeal.

Building means a combination of materials to form a construction adapted to permanent or continuous occupancy for use for public, institutional, residence, business or storage purposes.

Building code means the building code of the county.

Deterioration means the condition or appearance of a building, or parts thereof, characterized by holes, breaks, rot, crumbling, cracking, peeling, rusting or other evidence of physical decay or neglect, excessive use or lack of maintenance.

Enforcing authority means the Pinellas County Building Department.

Exposed to public view means any premises, or any part thereof, or any building, or any part thereof, which may be lawfully viewed by the public or any member thereof, from a sidewalk, street, alleyway, licensed open-air parking lot or from any adjoining or neighboring premises.

Exterior of premises means those portions of a building which are exposed to public view and the open space of any premises outside of any building erected thereon.

Extermination means the control and elimination of insects, termites, rodents and vermin by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making inaccessible material that may serve as their food; or by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, tenting, trapping, or any other approved means of pest elimination.

Fire hazard means any thing or any act which increases or may cause an increase of the hazard or menace of fire to a greater degree than that customarily recognized as normal by persons in the public service of preventing, suppressing, or extinguishing fire; or which may obstruct, delay or hinder or may become the cause of an obstruction, delay, a hazard or a hindrance to the prevention, suppression or extinguishment of fire.

Garbage means putrescible animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.

Health officer means the health officer of the county.

Infestation means the presence of insects, termites, rodents, vermin or other pests on the premises, which constitutes a health or structural hazard.

Mixed occupancy means any building containing one or more dwelling units or rooming units and also having a portion thereof devoted to nondwelling uses.

Nuisance means any one or combination of the following:

(1)

Any public nuisance known at common law or in equity jurisprudence or as provided by the statutes of the state or ordinances of the county.

(2)

Any attractive nuisance which may prove detrimental to the health or safety of children, whether in a building, on the premises of a building, or upon an unoccupied lot. This includes, but is not limited to: abandoned wells, shafts, basements, excavations, abandoned iceboxes, refrigerators, motor vehicles and any structurally unsound fences or structures, lumber, trash, fences, debris or vegetation such as poison ivy, oak or sumac, which may prove a hazard for inquisitive minors.

(3)

Physical conditions dangerous to human life or detrimental to the health of persons on or near the premises where the condition exists.

(4)

Unsanitary conditions or anything offensive to the senses or dangerous to health, in violation of this article.

(5)

Whatever renders air, food or drink unwholesome or detrimental to the health of human beings.

(6)

Fire hazards.

Operator means any person who has charge, care or control of premises or a part thereof, whether with or without the knowledge or consent of the owner.

Owner means any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others, shall have legal or equitable title to any premises, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; or shall have charge, care or control of premises, as owner or agent of the owner, or as executor, administrator, trustee, receiver, or guardian of the estate, or as a mortgagee in possession either by virtue of a court order or by voluntary surrender by the person holding the legal title. Any person who is a lessee subletting or reassigning any part or all of any premises shall be deemed to be a co-owner with the lessor and shall have joint responsibility over the portion of the premises sublet or assigned by such lessee.

Plumbing means all of the following supplies, facilities and equipment: Gas pipes, gas burning equipment, water pipes, garbage disposal units, waste pipes, water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories, bathtubs, shower baths, installed clothes washing machines, catchbasins, vents, and any other similar supplied fixtures, together with all connections to water, sewer or gas lines and water pipes and lines utilized in connection with air conditioning equipment.

Premises means a lot, plot or parcel of land, including the buildings or structures thereon.

Refuse means all putrescible and nonputrescible solid wastes (except body wastes), including but not limited to garbage, rubbish, ashes, street cleanings, dead animals, abandoned automobiles and solid market and industrial wastes.

Registered mail means registered mail or certified mail.

Room means space in an enclosed building or space set apart by a partition or partitions.

Rubbish means nonputrescible solid wastes consisting of both combustible and noncombustible wastes, such as paper, wrappings, cigarettes, cardboard, tin cans, yard clippings, leaves, wood, glass, bedding, crockery and similar materials.

Sanitary sewer means any sanitary sewer owned, operated and maintained by the county and available for public use for the disposal of sewage.

Sewage means waste from a flush-toilet, bathtub, sink, lavatory, dishwashing or laundry machine, or the water-carried waste from any other fixture, equipment or machine.

Story means that portion of a building included between the upper surface of any floor and the upper surface of the floor next above, except that the topmost story shall be that portion of a building included between the upper surface of the topmost floor and the ceiling or roof above. If the finished ceiling level directly above a basement or cellar is more than six feet above grade, such basement or cellar shall be considered a story.

Structure means a combination of any materials, whether fixed or portable, forming a construction, including buildings.

Washroom means an enclosed space containing one or more bathtubs, showers, or both, and which shall also include toilets, lavatories, or fixtures serving similar purposes.

Water closet compartment means an enclosed space containing one or more toilets which may also contain one or more lavatories, urinals and other plumbing fixtures.

Weathering means deterioration, decay or damage caused by exposure to the elements.

(Ord. No. 73-4, § 4, 4-17-73; Ord. No. 96-37, § 1, 4-16-96; Ord. No. 97-50, § 1, 7-1-97)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.