6836' ^r ORDINANCE N0. 6836•
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AN ORDI 4 CE T.0 PROTECT THE PUBLIC HEALTH BY CONTROLLING THE SPREAD
EXDIVIC TYPHUS FEVER, AND OTHER RAT -BORNE DISEASES BY REQUIRING
THAT CE$ --111N STRUCTURES SHALL BE MAINTAINED IN A RAT PROOF AND RAT
FREE COHDIIION, BY ELIMINATING CERTAIN CONDITIONS FAVORING THE
HARBORAGE OF RATS, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
ST ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSASt
SECTION 1. That for the purposes of this ordinance the following
definitions shall apply:
(A) The term "Business Building" shall mean any structure,
?fie pi "or ''private, that; is adapted f or ocoupanayrrrtaz 4
(1) for transaction of business
(2) for rendering of professional service
(3) for amusement
(4) for display, sale or storage of goods, wares or
merchand -tse
(5) for the performance of work or labor
The term includes hotels, rooming houses, office buildings, public
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buildings, stores, theaters, mwkets, restaurants, grain e]e vators, i
abattoirs, warehouses, workshops,, factories, and all outhouses, sheds, i
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barns and other structures on premises used for business purposes.
1' (B) The term "Rat - Stoppage" or "Rat- Proofing" as used herein
applies -to a form of rat - proofing to prevent the ingress of rats into '
qrp buiId3n a from th aic er#.ar or from A# bueia_L
another. It consists essentially of the olosing ofFall openings in
the exterior walls, ground or first floors, basements, roofs and
foundations, that may be reached by rats from the ground either by
climbing or by burrowing, with material impervious to rat- gnawing.
(C) The term "Rat - Harborage" shall mean any condition which
provides shelter or protection for rats.
I (D) The term "Health Offic.&r" as used herein means the city
c howlth'offiosr or any duly authorised person who may represent him.
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The term '*Owner" shall mean the actual owma�
building, whether individual, partnership, or corporation, or the
:►gent *t the building or other person ° having custody of the-build 1W,,-
or, to whom rent is paid. In the case of business buildings
9 with a clause in the lease specifying that the leases is responsible'
for maintenance and repairs' the 1_easee -wi.11 ba considered in such
cases as the "Owner" for the purposes of this ordinance.
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(F) The term "Occupant" as used herein shall mean the in-
dividual, partnership or corporation that 'has the use or occupies
any business building or a part or fraction thereof whether the
actual owner or tenant. In the case of vacant business buildings
or any vacant portion of a business building the owner, agent or
other person having custody of the building shall is ve the respon-
sibility of an occupant of a building.
. " a9621I0M, 2. All bueAnsss buildings in the City of Little Roal- _
shall be rat- proofed, freed of rats, and maintained in a rat -proof
and rat -free condition under the direction and supervision of the
health officer.
SECTION 3. Upon receipt of written notice and /or order from the
health officer the owner of any business building specified therein
shall take immediate measures for rat - proofing the building,.and
unless said work and improvements have been completed by the owner
in the time specified in the written notice, in no event to be less
than fifteen (15) days, or within the time to which a written extension
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may -have been granted by the health off ioer,.then the owner shall -be
proyisions� of-. this or.d ��i�n �e•
SECTION 4. BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED: That whenever the Health
Officer notifies the occupant or occupants of a business building
that there is evidence of rat infestation of the building said
occupant or occupants shall immediately institute appropriate measures
for freeing the premises each occupies of all rats, and that unless
suitable measures for freeing the buildings of rats are instituted
within three (3) days after receipt of notice and unless continuously
maintained in a satisfactory manner -until the building is free. -flvm
:rats'ethe` Health Officer is hereby authorized and directed to..fra the
building of rats at the expense of the owner thereof, and the Health
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Officer shall submit bills for the costs thereof to the 'owner or
occupant of the building, and if the same are not paid the 'Health
Officer- shall certify the 'amount due from the owner or occupant to
the City Attorney, and the City Attorney shall brJAS suit to collect
the same.
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SECTION 5. The owners of all rat-proofed business buildings are
required to maintain the premises in a rat -proof condition and to repair
all breaks or leaks that may occur in the rat - proofing unless such
breaks or leaks develop as a result of natural deterioration of the
building, in which event, the owner shall repair same as directed by
the health officer.
SECTION 6. From and after passage of this ordinance the Health
Officer is empowered to make unannounced inspections of the interior
and exterior of business buildings, as in his opinion may be necessary
to determine full compliance with this ordinance, and the heal.th
officer shall make periodic inspections at intervals of not more than
forty -five (45) days of all rat - stopped buildings to determine evidence.•
of rat infestation and the existence of new breaks or leaks in their
rat - proofing and when any evidence is found indicating the presence of
rats or openings through which rats may again enter business buildings
the health officer shall serve the owners or occupants with notices'
and /or orders to abate the conditions found.
SECTION 7* whenever conditions inside or under business buildings
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provide such harborage for rats that the health officer deems it x
necessary to eliminate such harborage he may require the owner to
install suitable cement floors in basements or toreplace wooden
first or ground floors or require the owner to correct such other
interior rat harborage as may be necessary in order to facilitate
the eradication of rats in a reasonable time and thereby to reduce
the cost thereof.
SECTION Be It shall be uniawful under the provisions of this
ordinance for the occupant, owner, contractor, public utility company,
plumber or any other person to remove the rat - proofing from any business
building for any purpose and fail to restore same in a satisfactory
condition or to make any new openings that are not closed or sealed
against the entrance of rats.
SECTION 9. All food and feed kept within the City of Little Rook j
for feeding chickens, cows, pigs, horses and other animals shall be
kept and stored in rat -free and rat -proof containers, compartments
or rooms unles s kept in a rat -proof building.
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SECTION 10. Within the corporate limits of the City of Little
Rock all garbage or refuse consisting of waste animal or vegetable
matter upon which rats may feed, and all small dead animals, shall
be placed and stored until collected by the garbage department in
covered containers of a type prescribed by the health officer, accord-
'� ing to existing conditions, and it is hereby declared unlawful for
- any. ;pern,onj firm- or oorporation to dump or plaoe on any premises, lam
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j or waterway, any dead animals or any waste vegetable or animal matter
of any kind.
SECTION 11. It shall be unlawful for any person to place, leave,
dump or permit to accumulate any garbage, rubbish or trash in any
building or prrmises in the City of Little Rook so that same shall or
' may afford food or harborage for rats.
SECTION 12. It shall be unlawful for any person to permit to
accumulate on any premises, improved or vacant, and on all open lots
and alleys in the City of Little Rook any lumber, boxes, barrels, bricks,
stones or similar materials that.may be permitted to remain thereon
.shall> be .pla oed on oPen racks that are elevated not, la fle
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than eighteen (18) inches above the ground, and evenly piled or stacked
so that these materials will not afford harborage for rats.
SECTION 13. Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate -any
provision or provisions of this ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a
misdeameanor and upon conviction shall be punished by a fine not to
exceed thirty ($30.00) dollars and /or imprisonment for not more then
thirty (30) days. -Each day of fiolation shall constitute a separate
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offense.
SI.OTION 14. REPEAL CLAUSE: All ordinances or parts of ordinances!""', +,
in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict
only.
SECTION 15. Because at the present t ime the City of Little Rook
has inadequate protection against the disease borne by and waste .oaused
{ by rate, and because such disease and waste is dangerous to the health
and safety of the Citizens of Little Rock and constitutes a present and
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I an increasing peril and should be corrected immediately, •n'
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emergency is hereby declared to exist, and this ordinance is found
f to be necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health
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and safety and shall be in full force and effect from and after
its passage.
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PASSED: Ootober 22, 1945.
APPROVED: C
Mayor
ATTEST:
C'ty Clerk
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