§ 70-54. 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:

Brush means scrub vegetation or dense undergrowth.

Carrion means the dead and putrefying flesh of any animal, fowl or fish.

Dump means to dispose, discharge, place, deposit, throw, leave, sweep, scatter, unload, toss.

Filth means any matter in a putrescent state.

Garbage means any kitchen refuse, food stuffs or related material, including all decayable waste.

Impure or unwholesome matter means any putrescible or nonputrescible condition, object or matter which tends, may or could cause injury, death or disease to human beings.

Junk means all worn out, worthless or discarded material, including, but not limited to, any of the following materials, or parts of said materials or any combination thereof: new or used iron, steel or nonferrous metallic scrap, brass or waste materials; used and/or inoperative household appliances, household electrical or plumbing fixtures, floor coverings and/or window coverings not currently in use; used lumber, brick, cement block, wire, tubing and pipe, tubs, drums, barrels, and/or roofing material not currently in use; air conditioning and heating equipment not currently in use; used vehicle components and parts not currently in use; used furniture other than that designed for outdoor use or that which would normally be considered as antique furniture; used and/or inoperative residential lawn care equipment and machinery not currently in use; used pallets, windows or doors not currently in use; new or used sheet metal, structural steel and/or chain not currently in use; used and/or inoperable vending machines, radios and/or televisions not currently in use; and any other type of used and/or inoperable machinery or equipment not currently in use.

Matter means that of which any physical object is composed.

Nuisance means any condition, object, material or matter that is dangerous or detrimental to human life or health; or that renders the ground, the water, the air or food a hazard or likely to cause injury to human life or health; or that is offensive to the senses; or that threatens to become detrimental to the public health; and shall include, but not be limited to: any abandoned wells, shafts or basements, abandoned refrigerators, stagnant or unwholesome water, sinks, privies, filth, carrion, rubbish, junk, trash, debris or refuse, impure or unwholesome matter of any kind, any objectionable, unsightly, or unsanitary matter of whatever nature.

Objectionable, unsightly or unsanitary matter means any matter, condition or object which is objectionable, unsightly or unsanitary to a person of ordinary sensitivities.

Owner means any person or entity shown as the property owner on the latest property tax assessment rolls or any person having or claiming to have any legal or equitable interest in the property, including any agent who is responsible for managing, leasing or operating the property.

Person means any individual, firm, partnership, association, business, corporation or other entity.

Property means all privately owned, occupied or unoccupied property, including vacant land, and/or a building designed or used for residential, commercial, business, industrial or religious purposes. The term shall also include a yard, ground, wall, driveway, fence, porch, steps or other structure appurtenant to the property.

Putrescible means the decomposition of organic matter with the formation of foul-smelling, incompletely oxidized products.

Refuse means heterogeneous accumulation of worn out, used, broken, rejected or worthless materials, including, but not limited to, garbage, rubbish, paper or litter, and other decayable or nondecayable matter.

Rubbish means junk, trash, debris, rubble, stone, useless fragments of building materials, and other miscellaneous, useless waste or rejected matter.

Trash and debris means all manner of refuse including, but not limited to: mounds of dirt, piles of leaves, grass and weed clippings, paper trash, useless fragments of building-material, rubble, furniture other than furniture designed for outside use, useless household items and appliances, items of salvage, such as scrap metal and wood, old barrels, old tires, objects that hold water for an extended time, tree and brush trimmings, and other miscellaneous wastes or rejected matter.

Vegetative growth means any grass, weeds, shrubs, trees, brush, bushes or vines.

Weeds means any vegetation that because of its height is objectionable, unsightly or unsanitary, excluding: shrubs, bushes and trees, cultivated flowers, and cultivated crops.

(Code 1982, § 20-61; Ord. No. 99-12-99, § 2, 12-7-1999)