§ 54-66. 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:

Business building means any structure, whether public or private, that is adapted for occupancy:

(1)

For transaction of business;

(2)

For rendering professional service;

(3)

For amusement;

(4)

For display, sale or storage of goods, wares or merchandise; or

(5)

For the performance of work or labor.

The term includes hotels, roominghouses, 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 person that has the use of or occupies any business building or a part or fraction thereof, whether the actual owner or tenant. In the case of a vacant business building or any vacant portion of a business 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 the business building, whether an individual, partnership or corporation, or the agent of the building or other person having custody of the building or to whom rent is paid. In case of business buildings leased with a clause in the lease specifying that the lessee is responsible for the maintenance and repairs, the lessee will be considered in such cases as the "owner" for the purpose of this article.

Rat harborage means any condition which provides shelter or protection for rats.

Rat-stoppage or ratproofing means any form of ratproofing to prevent the ingress of rats into business buildings from the exterior or from one business building to another. This consists essentially of the closing of all openings in the exterior walls, ground or first floors, basements, roofs and foundations that may be reached by rats from the ground either by climbing or by burrowing, with material impervious to rat gnawing; provided, however, that drive-in type grocery markets may operate with an open front, provided such open front faces upon a paved or blacktop parking lot, that all merchandise sold or displayed in such building shall be in packaged containers, that all meats be prepackaged under sanitary conditions, and that no open containers of candy or cookies shall be displayed in such building.

(Code 1980, § 14-36)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.