Laserfiche WebLink
<br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />I <br /> <br />Sf{ I <br /> <br />ORDINANCE <br /> <br />AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS GOVERNING <br />THE USE, OCCUPANCY AND MAINTENANCE OF DWELLINGS, DWELLING <br />UNITS AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES WITHIN THE CORPORATE LIMITS <br />OF THE CITY OF SAN MARCOS, TEXAS; ESTABLISHING MINIMUM <br />STANDARDS GOVERNING SUPPLIED UTILITIES AND FACILITIES AND <br />OTHER PHYSICAL THINGS AND CONDITIONS ESSENTIAL TO MAKE <br />DWELLING SAFE, SANITARY, AND FIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION; ES- <br />TABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS GOVERNING THE CONDITION AND <br />MAINTENANCE OF DWELLINGS AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES; FIXING <br />CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES OF OWNERS AND OCCU- <br />PANTS OF DWELLINGS; CREATING A BOARD OF HOUS ING CODE AP- <br />PEALS AND FIXING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES THEREOF; <br />AUTHORIZING THE INSPECTION OF DWELLINGS AND ACCESSORY <br />STRUCTURES AND PROVIDING FOR THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL BUILD- <br />INGS AND STRUCTURES DEEMED UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION AND <br />USE; AND, FIXING PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS. <br /> <br />WHEREAS, within the area of jurisdiction of the City of San Marcos, <br />Texas, there are or may be dwellings, dwelling units and accessory <br />structures which are unfit for human habitation and use due to inade- <br />quate maintenance, obsolescence or abandonment; containing defects in- <br />creasing the hazards of fire, accident, or other calamities, and which <br />by reason of the lack of maintenance, inadequate ventilation, light <br />and sanitary facilities or other conditions rendering such dwellings <br />and accessory structures unsafe, unsanitary and dangerous or detrimen- <br />tal to the health, safety, morals, and general welfare of the commu- <br />nity; and, <br /> <br />WHEREAS, experience and accepted national housing surveys have <br />clearly demonstrated that such conditions result in a large measure <br />trom improper maintenance, inadequate sanitary facilities, overcrowded <br />conditions in residential occupancies, buildings and premises and from <br />general neighhorhood neglect; and, <br /> <br />WHEREAS, it has now become common knowledge that these conditions <br />can be relieved, in a measure prevented and often eliminated through <br />planned and properly enforced minimum housing standards, resulting <br />thereby in the upgrading of living conditions and an overall enhance- <br />ment of the general health, safety and welfare of all residents and <br />property owners of the community; and, <br /> <br />WHEREAS, the Southern Building Code Congress, a non-profit asso- <br />ciation, has developed and made available a set of minimum housing <br />standards which have been recognized as being acceptable as a model <br />housing code; <br /> <br />NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF <br />SAN MARCOS, TEXAS: <br /> <br />Section 1. The Southern Standard Housing Code, being particularly <br />the 1965 edition thereof and the whole thereof, save and except such <br />portions as are hereinafter amended, of which not less than three (3) <br />copies have been and are now filed in the office of the Secretary of <br />the City of San Marcos, and the same is hereby adopted and incorporated <br />as fully as if set forth at length herein, and from the date on which <br />this ordinance shall take effect, the provisions therein shall be con- <br />trolling in the use, maintenance and occupancy of all dwellings, dwel- <br />ling units and/or structures within the area of jurisdiction of the <br />City of San Marcos, Texas. <br /> <br />Section 2. The said "Southern Standard Housing Code" is amended <br />and changed in the following respects: <br /> <br />(a) Section 109 of said Code is amended so that it will now <br />read in full as follows: Any person, firm, corporation or agent, who <br /> <br />-1- <br />