WEESAW TOWNSHIP – ORDINANCE ADOPTION – PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE

TOWNSHIP OF WEESAW
COUNTY OF BERRIEN
Notice of Ordinance Adoption – Property Maintenance Code

On Wednesday, April 21, 2021, Weesaw Township adopted the Property Maintenance Code (the “Code”), which will be effective ten (10) days from this publication, on May 10, 2021. The code is based upon the International Property Maintenance Code published by the International Code Council, Inc. A copy of the entire code may be viewed or a copy purchased at the Weesaw Township Hall, 13518 State Street, New Troy, MI 49119, by contacting the Township Clerk, Wanda Green, at 269-426-3002, during business hours.

Violations of the code are a municipal civil infraction punishable by a fine of up to $250 plus costs. The following is a brief summary of the provisions of the Code. The Code:

• Provides standards for the maintenance of property, structures and equipment located in the township.
• Provides notice to owners, occupants or other responsible parties of violations and requirements to correct violations.
• Provides for the appointments and outlines the duties and responsibilities of the enforcement officials.
• Authorizes the closing of structures that are not fit for occupancy, the posting of notice of closing and prohibits occupancy of such structures.
• Authorizes an enforcement official to take emergency action when there is a dangerous condition.
• Upon notice by the enforcement official, requires owners or persons in control of unsafe or unsanitary structures to repair or remove the structure; allows the township to remove such structure in the event that the owner or person in control fails to do so; and authorizes the township to place a lien upon the property to recover the costs of demolition.
• Designates a board of appeals and provides the procedure for an appeal of a decision or order of the enforcement official.
• Requires owners of property to maintain the exterior of such property:

-in a safe, sanitary and clean condition

-graded to prevent erosion or accumulation of water

-by keeping sidewalks in good repair

-free of weeds or plant growth over 8 inches in height, with noxious weeds prohibited

-by preventing discharge of smoke, odor or gases to adjacent properties

-by limiting or prohibiting unregistered vehicles

-by prohibiting outside storage of vehicles in disrepair

-by requiring the display of house numbers

-by requiring insect screens on open windows from April 30 to October 31

-by maintaining windows and doors in good repair and operable condition.

• Requires owners to maintain the interior of structures, including interior surfaces and structural members.
• Requires owners and occupants to keep exteriors and interiors neat and clean, free of accumulation of garbage or rubbish, except in approved containers. Requires owners and occupants to keep property free of rodents.
• Requires adequate interior and exterior lighting by windows and/or artificial lighting.
• Requires adequate ventilation by windows or mechanical exhaust systems.
• Provides for minimum dimensions of rooms in dwellings and lodging units, egress from bedrooms, accessibility to bathrooms and provides for maximum numbers of occupants in a dwelling unit.
• Requires owners to provide and maintain adequate plumbing, including required bathroom and drinking facilities for dwellings and lodging units.
• Requires adequate sanitary water supply system for all plumbing fixtures and specifies location and operation of water heaters.
• Requires all plumbing fixtures to be connected to public sanitary sewer or other approved private sewer system.
• Prohibits storm drainage that creates a public nuisance.
• Requires owners to install adequate mechanical facilities and maintain the facilities in good working order, including: 1. heating facilities in dwellings and indoor workspaces. 2. fireplaces and stoves. 3. cooking facilities.
• Requires owners to maintain electrical systems in compliance with the specifications of the code and the state electrical code, free of hazards and requires laundry and bathroom receptacles to be grounded.
• Requires elevators and escalators to be properly maintained.
• Requires owners to be responsible for fire safety by:

-providing and maintaining unobstructed and adequate means of exit from any building

-providing and maintaining barriers to resist movement of smoke in certain circumstances

– providing and maintaining handrails for stairs with more than four steps and on porches or decks of greater than 30 inches above adjoining grade

-providing and maintaining proper signage of floor numbers and exits for certain buildings

– providing and maintaining an emergency exit from sleeping rooms

-prohibiting storage of combustibles, explosive or hazardous materials except in accordance with fire codes

-installing and maintaining fire doors and fire resistant materials as required

-installing and maintaining required fire suppression systems

-installing and maintaining smoke detectors in sleeping areas in residences and group homes.

The Ordinance includes a severability clause and a repealer. This Ordinance repeals any other Township ordinances that are in direct conflict with its provisions.

Wanda Green, Weesaw Township Clerk