525
URDILsALv`CL' NO. ,5~ ~
AD7 ORDILIALv~CF, ESTT3BLISHIL~TG T~ITvIMUD~i STAL~TDARDS GOVERL~iING
THE USE, OCCUPANCY AL;D T~iAILT~lTLL~ANC~' OF %1'oJL:LLINGS, D'r^dELLIL~G
ULQITS AND ACCr;SSORY STRUCTURES; :f~STt~BLISI~II~U IWiININiUI~i
STANDARDS GOVERLti~IT~1G SUPPLIED UTILI~.C'IES AID FACILITIES
ALlD OTHER PHYSICAL TILII7GS AND COL~DITIONS ESSENTIAL TO
L~IAKE DWELLINGS SAFE, S>>~:iITARY, AND FIT FOR IiUMAN HA$I-
TATION; ESTABLISIiIL1CG T~iINII~2UM 5Ti'~ND%=~iZL~S GOV:':RNING THE
COLvDITION AND T~~ IN~l':%:Nl~rdCE OF D~'dELLIL~lGS ATvD ACCESSORY
STRUCTURES; FIIITvG CERTAIN RESPOT~fSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
OF OTr`7L~fERS AND OCCUPAL~~TS OF L"ti°rELLINGS; CRE;.~~TING A BOARD
OF HOUSING CODt~ 1~PPLALS AND FIXING THL DUTIES AIvTD
RESPONSIBILI'1'IE5 THLi~EOF; AUTHORIZITvG THE ILVSPECTIOL~!
OF DtiYELLIT`iGS AND 1'~CCLSSORY STRUCTURES AVID PROVIDING
FOR THE C01VD~I~.L~ATIOTv OF ALL BUILDINGS AIv~D STRUCTURES
DEEMED UNFIT FOR HUru-~1i I-iABITATION AL7D U51~; AND, FIXING
PENALTIi;S FOR VIOLATIONS.
WHEREAS, within the area of jurisdiction of the City of GJest
T;emphis, Arkansas, there are or may be dwellings, dwelling units
and accessory structures which are unfit :nor human habitation and
use due to inadequate maintenance, obsolescence or abandonment;
containing defects increasing the hazards of fire, accident, or
other calamities, and which by reason of the lack of maintenance,
inadequate ventilation, light and sanitary facilities or other
conditions rendering such dwellings and accessory structures unsafe,
unsanitary and dangerous or detrimental to the health, safety,
morals, and general welfare of the community; and,
V~HEREAS, experience and accepted national housing surveys have
clearly demonstrated that such conditions result in a large rnea-
sure from improper maintenance, inadequate sanitary facilities,
overcrowded conditions in residential occupancies, buildings and
premises and from general neighborhood neglect; and,
j~VHEREA5, it has now become common knowledge that these condi-
tions can be relieved, in a measure prevented and often eliminated
through planned and properly enforced minimum housing standards,
resulting thereby in the upgrading of living conditions and an
overall enhancement of the general health, safety and welfare of
all residents and property owners of the community; and,
WHEREAS, the Southern Building Code Congress, a non-profit
association, has developed and made available a set of minimum
housing standards which have been recognized as being acceptable
as a model housing code; and,
V7HEREA.5, Act No. 267 of the Acts of the General Assembly of
Aransas of 1949 provide that such model codes may be adopted by
reference.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT ENACTED BY TIIi:~ CITY COUNCIL, THAT,
Section 1: The Southern Standard Housing Code, being particu-
larly the 1965 edition thereof and the whole thereof, save and
e~~cept such portions as may hereinafter be amended, of which not
less than three (3) copies have been and are now filed in the office
of the City Clerk or the City of West Memphis, Arkansas, and the
same are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set forth
at length herein, and from the date on wizich this ordinance shall
take effect, the provisions therein shall be controlling in the use,
maintenance and occupancy of all dwellings, dwelling units and/or
structures within the area of jurisdiction of the City of West
Memphis, Arkansas.
Section 2: Nothing in this ordinance or in the code hereby
adopted shall be construed to affect any suit or proceeding now
pending in any court, or any rights acquired or liability incurred,
nor any cause or causes of action accrued or existing, under any
act or ordinance repealed hereby. Nor shall any right or remedy
of any character be lost, impaired or affected by this ordinance.
Section 3: The invalidity of any section or provision of
this ordinance or of the code hereby adopted shall not invalidate
other sections or provisions thereof.
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Section 4: All ordinances or parts of ordinances in force
at the time that this ordinance shall take effect and inconsis-
tent herewith are hereby repealed.
Section 5: This ordinance shall ta]:e effect immediately
upon passage for the welfare of the City of 'Test Memphis, Arkansas.
Adopted this ~~ day of April, 1967.
~ , ~,
i
t'.iAYOR
Attest:
~;~... ~
City Clerk
ir..
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