Mankato, Minn., Code of Ordinances ch. 7 § 7-30

(a) Generally. Upon receipt of an application for any dwelling unit rental license, the city clerk shall forward a copy of such application to the city inspector, whereupon the city inspector shall, within ten days after receiving such application, inspect the property to be licensed to determine whether such property complies with the provisions of applicable codes and statutes. No rental license shall be issued by the city unless the property complies with the provisions of this chapter and city housing maintenance regulations which pertain to such dwelling unit, including applicable provisions set forth in chapter 5.
(b) Requirements. During inspections, the city inspector shall determine if rental units meet the following requirements:
(1) Window screens. Screen units are required on all openable windows, with the exception that screens shall not be required on any designated egress window. Screens shall be maintained in good repair.
(2) Double glazing.
a. All windows in all residential units shall be double-glazed during the period of November 1 through April 1 each year. Double glazing shall consist of either manufactured sash panels with two panes of glass in a sealed unit or a single-pane sash unit and a removable single glass storm window or combination window.
b. All glazing shall be maintained in a good repair.
c. Nothing in this subsection (b)(2) shall preclude any owner from installing and maintaining glazing of a higher efficiency rating or having more than two glass panels.
(3) Appliances.
a. Where provided with a stove for cooking food, or a refrigerator or dishwasher or any other appliance, each appliance shall be operational and functioning safely. Any appliance must be properly installed with all necessary connections for safe, sanitary and efficient operation.
b. Such appliances need not be installed when the dwelling unit is not occupied.
c. If a rental occupant is required to furnish a stove or refrigerator, sufficient space and adequate functioning connections for the installation and operation of stove and refrigerator must exist. A rental license holder is not required to provide both gas and electrical connections for stoves and clothes dryers; however, they are required to provide either a gas or an electrical connection. The decision on gas or electricity as the primary energy source remains the sole right of the rental license holder. Rental license holders are not required to provide water service for automatic icemakers under this subsection. The term "gas and electrical connection" refers to the primary source of energy for primary operation of the appliance and does not mean the secondary energy source (generally 110-volt electrical) for operation of the appliance. Nothing in this subsection (b)(3) precludes negotiation between the tenant and landlord for installation and maintenance of a second primary energy source.
(4) Egress and exit exceptions.
a. Dwelling units may be provided with a secondary means of egress/escape that does not conform to the strict definition of the term "means of egress," but which does meet the intent of providing an alternative way out of a building. Alternative secondary means of egress/escape shall be one of the following:
1. A door, stairway, passage, or hall providing a way of unobstructed travel to the outside of the dwelling at street or ground level that is independent of and remote from the primary means of egress/escape. The door, stairway, passage or hall must not be connected in any way to any door, stairway or passage forming the primary means of egress/escape.
2. A passage through an adjacent nonlockable space independent of and remote from the primary means of egress/escape to any approved means of egress/escape and the dwelling unit was licensed prior to December 1, 2003.
b. A secondary means of egress/escape is not required if the dwelling unit is protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13 or NFPA 13R and the dwelling unit was licensed prior to December 1, 2003.
(5) Egress windows.
a. Exceptions.
1. Any window, in any sleeping room, of any owner-occupied residential property constructed before the date of adoption of the ordinance from which this subsection is derived that does not meet the minimum 5.0 square feet of clear openable area and minimum width of at least 20 inches and minimum height of at least 24 inches, and which does not exceed the maximum floor to window height of 48 inches, is allowed to continue such nonconforming use.
2. Any window, in any sleeping room, of any licensed rental unit constructed and licensed before the date of adoption of the ordinance from which this subsection is derived, and whose license is valid as of said adoption date, that does not meet the minimum 5.0 square feet of clear openable area and minimum width of at least 20 inches and minimum height of at least 24 inches, and which does not exceed the maximum floor to window height of 48 inches, is allowed to continue such nonconforming use, provided:
(i) The sleeping room has at least two avenues of egress/escape; and
(ii) All avenues of escape must be fully openable or operable from the inside without need of special tools or methods; and
(iii) All avenues of egress/escape shall be maintained in an operable and unobstructed state at all times; and
(iv) The license of any rental unit having egress windows that do not meet minimum dimensional requirements shall have their rental license modified to contain the terms: "WINDOWS WITHIN SOME OR ALL OF THE SLEEPING AREA(S) OF THIS RENTAL UNIT DO NOT COMPLY WITH HOUSING CODE STANDARDS FOR EGRESS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY"; and
(v) The rental license holder shall provide each tenant, or prospective tenant, of any unit, the windows of which do not comply with minimum code standards, a copy of the current rental license with the notice of noncompliance noted thereon. In lieu of providing a copy of the rental license, any rental license holder who uses a written lease may alternatively provide tenants and prospective tenants with the notice outlined in subsection (b)(5)a.2.(iv) of this section by including the language in the lease.
3. An egress window is not required in a sleeping room if the dwelling unit is protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13 or NFPA 13R and the dwelling unit was licensed prior to December 1, 2003.
b. Notice to owners of licensed property at time of license renewal. Owners of nonconforming licensed rental property shall be contacted by the city manager, or their designee, at the time of license renewal and reminded of the nonconforming use. The city manager, or their designee, shall encourage owners of nonconforming units to modify their egress windows to meet minimum code standards.
c. Requirements for egress windows for new construction, new rental licenses and licensure following lapse or revocation. Egress windows in any sleeping room in all newly constructed residential property, or in any rental property first licensed or relicensed following revocation or lapse of license, after the date of adoption of the ordinance from which this subsection is derived must meet the minimum requirements of the state building code in effect on the date of construction, first licensure or relicensure.
(6) Fire protection equipment.
a. Fire extinguishers in licensed rental units. All licensed rental units shall be provided with a functional, multi-purpose ABC fire extinguisher that shall be installed in an accessible location, preferably near an exit, with the top of the fire extinguisher not more than 60 inches above the floor. One of the following extinguishers is acceptable:
1. A minimum of a 1A10BC fire extinguisher in each individual dwelling unit; or
2. A minimum of one 2A10BC fire extinguisher on each floor, in common areas adjacent to dwelling units. The travel distance from the entrance door of any apartment to the extinguisher cannot exceed 50 feet as measured in a commonly used path. The path cannot traverse more than three stair steps in the common area. The extinguisher must be accessible to all tenants at all times.
b. Maintenance of fire extinguishers in licensed rental units.
1. All fire extinguishers must be checked at least annually by the rental license holder to ensure they are fully charged and operable. Extinguishers found to be inoperable must be repaired by a professional fire extinguisher service company or replaced.
2. All ABC fire extinguishers must be service tested by a professional fire extinguisher service company every six years or replaced.
c. Penalty for rendering fire extinguishers inoperable or ineffective on rental property. Any person who shall do any of the following is guilty of a misdemeanor:
1. Discharge a fire extinguisher and fail to notify, within 24 hours, the license holder, or his or her agent, of the need for recharging the fire extinguisher; or
2. Intentionally discharge a fire extinguisher for any purpose other than the controlling of a fire; or
3. Intentionally remove any fire extinguisher required under this chapter; or
4. Intentionally render inoperable, in any other manner, any fire extinguisher required under this chapter.
d. Other fire protection features. Sprinklers, fire alarms and other fire protection systems, when used, must be properly installed and maintained as required by the building and fire codes.
e. Smoke detectors.
1. Smoke detectors are required by the fire code in all dwelling units used for sleeping purposes within the city, regardless of date of construction. Smoke detectors shall be installed and maintained in compliance with NFPA Standards.
2. Working smoke detectors are required in the following locations:
(i) Existing residential properties with or without a rental license.
(ii) On the ceiling or wall at a point centrally located in the corridor or area giving access to each separate sleeping area.
(iii) Where sleeping areas are on an upper level, the detector shall be placed in the center of the ceiling directly above the stairway.
(iv) In the basement of any dwelling units having a stairway that opens from the basement into the dwelling.
3. Detectors may be battery-operated, hardwired, or both.
4. Exception. With the written approval of the inspector, small apartments/dwelling units may have required smoke detectors placed inside of bedrooms rather than outside of bedrooms when the required placement will result in excessive false alarms.
5. New construction and rental property licensed after the date of adoption of the ordinance from which this section is derived shall have:
(i) One working smoke detector on each level of the residence.
(ii) One working smoke detector adjacent to each bedroom or group of bedrooms on each floor.
(iii) One working smoke detector in each sleeping room.
6. When more than one smoke alarm is required to be installed within an individual dwelling unit, the alarm devices shall be interconnected with battery backup in such a manner that the actuation of one alarm will activate all of the alarms in the individual unit. The alarm shall be clearly audible in all bedrooms over background noise levels with all intervening doors closed.
7. All smoke alarms shall be listed and installed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and the household fire warning equipment provisions of NFPA 72.
(c) Authority of inspectors in special circumstances. The city manager, or their designated inspector under this chapter, shall have the authority to order installation of necessary egress windows, secondary means of escape or fire sprinklers in those instances where:
(1) No secondary egress exists at all; or
(2) The egress that exists is so small or configured in such a manner to not allow egress under any circumstance.