Highwood ARTICLE C. RENTAL PROPERTY SAFETY § 10-2C-2

The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this article:


BUILDING OFFICIAL: The building official for the city of Highwood or his designee; also the code official.


CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: A certificate issued by the code official certifying that the applicant for such certificate and/or owner of a residential rental premises or dwelling unit, subject to inspection, is currently in compliance with city ordinances. Such certificate may be temporary or conditional.


CITY: The city of Highwood, Illinois.


CITY COUNCIL: The city council of the city of Highwood, Illinois.


CODE OFFICIAL: The code official for the city of Highwood or his designee; also the building official.


DWELLING: Any structure which is wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants.


DWELLING UNIT:


A. The permanent or temporary abode of a family, an individual, or group of individuals.


B. A single unit providing complete independent facilities for the exclusive use of the family, individual, or group of individuals, including, but limited to, permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.


ENFORCEMENT OFFICER: Any of the following: building official, code official, health inspector, police chief, or fire chief of the city of Highwood, Illinois, or their designees. Any "enforcement officer" may discharge the duties of the code official.


FAMILY: An individual, or two (2) or more persons related by blood or marriage or adoption, living together in a dwelling unit, or a group of not more than four (4) persons who need not be related by blood or marriage or adoption, living as a single housekeeping unit in a dwelling unit, and sharing common facilities as considered reasonably appropriate for a family related by blood, marriage or adoption.


GUEST: A person who is a temporary resident (less than 10 percent of the time) of a dwelling unit and who does not utilize the unit as a legal address for any purpose. "Guest" shall also mean a person who occupies a rental unit without providing compensation for the privilege of occupying such rental unit.


HOTEL: A building which is arranged and designed for rooms or suites reserved with bathroom and closet space, located on a single zoning lot to provide living and sleeping accommodations for transient or temporary guests, making use of the facilities for a period of less than thirty (30) days and with no provisions in the said rooms or suites for cooking facilities.


INITIAL INSPECTION: The first inspection of a dwelling unit for the purpose of determining compliance with the city ordinances and codes including, but not limited to, the city building, zoning, property maintenance, fire and life safety codes.


LET FOR OCCUPANCY OR LET: To permit, provide or offer possession of occupancy of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, building, premises or structure to a person who is or who is not the legal owner of record thereof, pursuant to a written or unwritten lease, agreement or license, or pursuant to a recorded or unrecorded agreement of contract for the sale of the premises. The term "of the letting" shall be the period which has been agreed upon during which the rent or other compensation is fixed and/or no further agreement or permission is needed to remain in occupancy.


MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE OCCUPANCY: The maximum number of persons permitted to occupy a dwelling unit as determined under the zoning regulations and/or property maintenance code.


MOTEL: An establishment consisting of a group of attached or detached living or sleeping accommodations with bathroom and closet space, located on a single zoning lot and designed for use temporarily by transient automobile tourists, making use of the facilities for a period of less than thirty (30) days, with garage attached or parking space conveniently located to each unit, including auto courts, motels, motor lodges or other similar type uses, and which furnishes customary hotel services.


OCCUPANT: A person occupying a dwelling unit or using the property as a legal address for any purpose.


OWNER: Any person, agent, operator, association, organization, firm, entity, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership or corporation having a legal or equitable ownership interest in the fee title to the property.


PERSON: Any firm, entity, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership, corporation, association, organization or any group acting as a unit, as well as a natural person.


PROPERTY AGENT: A person, operator, firm, partnership, corporation, or other legal entity designated by the property owner to the code official to manage any residential rental property including the authority to receive notices or citations.


PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE: That code adopted in section 10-1-1 of this title, with those amendments provided in section 10-1-4-5 of this title.


REINSPECTION: An inspection of a dwelling unit to determine the landlord's or owner's correction of ordinance and code deficiencies cited during a prior inspection.


RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY: Any dwelling unit or rooming unit let or intended to be let to a family, person or persons for any amount of rent or other compensation for the use of the rental property as a dwelling.


ROOMING UNIT: A room or a suite of rooms forming a single, separate, habitable unit to be used for living, or for living and sleeping, or for sleeping, but not for cooking and eating purposes.


STATUS REINSPECTION: Any additional reinspection of a rental dwelling unit that occurs after the initial inspection and reinspection. (Ord. 2003-O-75, 12-16-2003; amd. Ord. 07-O-4, 2-6-2007; 2009 Code)