Fairmont, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 27 (2026) § 27-3

For the purposes of this chapter the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. Terms which are not defined in this section or elsewhere in this chapter shall have their ordinarily accepted meanings as determined by the context in which they are used.


Adult means a person eighteen (18) years of age or older.


Building Code or State Building Code means the Minnesota State Building Code established pursuant to M.S. § 326B.101--326B.16, and optional codes adopted by the city pursuant to this City Code, as amended from time to time.


Building official means the person designated by the city as its building official and includes any person designated by the building official to perform any of the functions of the building official under this chapter.


City means the City of Fairmont, Minnesota.


Dwelling means a building wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating purposes by human occupants, but not including hotels and motels.


Dwelling unit means a room or a group of rooms located within a dwelling or apartment building which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating purposes.


Let means to give the use of a unit by an owner, agent, or manager to a tenant in return for rent.


Local property manager means a person residing within fifty (50) miles of the City of Fairmont who is authorized by the property owner who has charge, care or control of a building or part thereof in which dwelling unit(s) or rooming unit(s) are let to make decisions for the owner about the rental, occupancy, and maintenance of the rental housing unit, or a licensed or bonded and/or insured company engaged primarily in providing such services for hire.


Occupant means an individual living in or having possession of a building or part thereof for thirty (30) consecutive days or more, whether or not the individual is occasionally absent from the premises.


Owner means a person or entity which alone or jointly with others owns or has an ownership interest in a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit within the city. Owner shall include any agent or manager designated by the owner to be responsible for the rental property, but the owner shall remain responsible for full compliance with this article.


Premises means a dwelling or dwellings, surrounding land related thereto, and other structures located on such land.


Rent or lease, let, or sublet means the leasing of a rental housing unit to a non-owner for a fixed or non-fixed period of time and shall include installment sales, purchases, and other similar arrangements whereby nonpayment of a periodic payment means the occupants may be evicted without the necessity of either a statutory mortgage foreclosure procedure, a statutory termination of contract for deed procedure, or a statutory repossession procedure.


Rental housing unit means any building, structure, or portion thereof, which is designed, built, remodeled, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied, or which is occupied as a home or residence of a person or persons other than the owner or purchaser of record.


Rental property means any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or multiples thereof on one (1) property and the related premises which are subject to this chapter.


Representative means a person who acts as an agent representing the interests of an owner of rental property.


Tenant means any person who occupies and uses as their primary residence a unit furnished to said person for payment of a rent to another.


Unit means any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit regulated by this article.


(Ord. No. 2021-03, 11-22-21; Ord. No. 2025-04, 7-28-25)