Bethel, Conn., Code of Ordinances ch. 63 (2026) § 63-2

A. The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter. Section 201.0 of the Connecticut State Basic Building Code applies by reference. ACCESSORY STRUCTURE A detached structure which is not used or not intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants and which is located on the same premises with a dwelling. APPROVED Approved by the local or state authority having such administrative authority. ASHES The residue from the burning of combustible materials (and the noncombustible portion of refuse loaded into an incinerator). BASEMENT The portion of the building partly underground, but having less than half its clear height below the average grade of the adjoining ground. CELLAR The portion of the building partly underground but having less than half its clear height below the average grade of the adjoining ground. CENTRAL HEATING SYSTEM A single system supplying heat to one or more than one dwelling unit or more than one rooming unit. DILAPIDATED Fallen into partial ruin or decay. DWELLING Any enclosed space which is wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants, provided that temporary housing as hereinafter defined shall not be regarded as a dwelling. DWELLING UNIT Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and forming a single habitable unit with facilities which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating. ENFORCEMENT OFFICER The official designated herein or otherwise charged with the responsibilities of administering this code, or his authorized representative. EXTERMINATION The control, destruction and elimination of insects, rodents or other pests by eliminating their harborages, by removing or by making inaccessible materials that may serve as their food and by the use of poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping or any other pest elimination methods approved by the enforcing officer. FAMILY One adult person plus one or more persons who are legally related to said person and residing in the same dwelling unit with said person. FLUSH WATER CLOSET A toilet bowl flushed with water under pressure with a water-sealed trap above the floor level. GARBAGE The animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, serving and nonconsumption of food, and shall also mean combustible waste material. GROSS FLOOR AREA The total area of all habitable space in a building or structure. GUEST Any person who shares a dwelling unit in a nonpermanent status for not more than 30 days. HABITABLE ROOM A room or enclosed floor space used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes, excluding bathrooms, water closet compartments, laundries, furnace rooms, pantries, kitchenettes and utility rooms of less than 50 square feet, foyers or communicating corridors, stairways, closets, storage space and workshops, hobby and recreation areas in unsealed or uninsulated parts of a structure below ground level or in attics. HEALTH OFFICER The duly designated health authority of the Town of Bethel or his authorized representative. HEATED WATER Water heated to a temperature of not less than 120º F. at the outlet. HOUSEHOLD A family and/or one or more unrelated persons, including servants and not more than two boarders, who share the same dwelling and use some or all of its cooking and eating facilities. HOUSING OFFICIAL The official charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter, or his authorized representative. INFESTATION The presence in large numbers within or around a dwelling or other structure of insects, rodents or other pests. KITCHEN or KITCHENETTE Any room containing any or all of the following equipment or area of a room within three feet of such equipment: sink and/or other device for dishwashing, stove or other device for cooking and refrigerator or other device for cool storage of food. KITCHEN SINK A sink of a size and design adequate for the purpose of washing eating and drinking utensils, located in a kitchen, properly connected with a cold and hot water line. LAVATORY A handwashing basin which is properly connected with both a hot and cold water line and which is separate and distinct from a kitchen sink. LEAD PAINT Any pigmented liquid substance applied to surfaces by brush, roller or spray in which the total nonvolatile ingredient contains more than 1% of lead, by weight, calculated as metallic lead. MULTIPLE DWELLING Any dwelling containing more than two dwelling units. OCCUPANT Any person, over one year of age, living, sleeping, cooking or eating in or actually having possession of a rental dwelling unit or a rental rooming unit, except that in dwelling units a guest will not be considered an occupant. OPERATOR Any person who has charge, care or control of a building, or part thereof, in which rental dwelling units or rental rooming units are let. ORDINARY SUMMER CONDITIONS A temperature range between 65º F. and 75º F. ORDINARY WINTER CONDITIONS A temperature 15º F. above the lowest recorded out-of-door temperature in the locality for the prior ten-year period. OWNER Any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others: (1) Shall have legal title to any rental dwelling, premises or dwelling unit, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; or (2) Shall have charge, care or control of any rental dwelling, premises or dwelling unit as owner or agent of the owner, or an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of the owner. Any such person thus representing the actual owner shall be bound to comply with the provisions of this chapter and of rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto to the same extent as if he were the owner. PERMISSIBLE OCCUPANCY The maximum number of persons permitted as family or household to reside in a rental dwelling unit or rooming unit based on the square footage per person in habitable rooms. PERSON Includes any individual, firm, corporation, association or partnership. PLUMBING Includes all of the following supplied facilities and equipment: gas pipes, gas-burning equipment, water pipes, garbage disposal units, waste pipes, water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories, bathtubs, shower baths, installed clothes-washing machines, catch basins, drains, vents and any other similar supplied fixtures, together with all connections to water, sewer, septic tank systems or gas lines. POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS MATERIAL Any material, including building material, containing lead and/or other toxic heavy metal compound in concentrations dangerous to the public health as deemed by the State Department of Health. PREMISES A platted lot or part thereof or unplatted lot or parcel of land or plot of land, either occupied by any dwelling or nondwelling structure, and includes any such building, accessory structure or other structures thereon. PRIVACY The ability of a person or persons to carry out an activity commenced without interruption or interference, either by sight or sound by unwanted persons. RATPROOFING A form of construction which will prevent the ingress or egress of rats to or from a given space or building or their gaining access to food, water or harborage. It consists of the closing and keeping closed of every opening in foundations, basements, cellars and exterior and interior walls. REFUSE All putrescible and nonputrescible solids (except body wastes), including garbage, rubbish, ashes and dead animals. The term shall also include paper, rags, cartons, boxes, wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings and other combustible waste materials. ROOMING HOUSE Any dwelling or that part of any dwelling containing one or more rooming units in which space is occupied by three or more persons who are not members of a single family. ROOMING UNIT Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit used or intended to be used for living and sleeping, but not for cooking or eating purposes. RUBBISH Nonputrescible solid wastes (excluding ashes) consisting of both: (1) Combustible wastes, such as old batteries, paint scrapings, paper, cardboard, plastic containers, yard clippings and wood; and (2) Noncombustible wastes, such as tin cans, glass and crockery. SAFETY The condition of being free from danger and hazards which may cause accidents or disease. SEPTIC TANK A receptacle, usually underground, to which sewage is drained and retained to effect disintegration of the organic matter by bacteria and as defined in Section 19-13-B20A of the Connecticut Public Health Code. SPACE HEATER A self-contained, vented, fuel-burning appliance of either the circulating type or the radiant type. SUPPLIED Paid for, furnished, provided by or under the control of the owner or operator. TEMPORARY HOUSING Any tent, trailer, mobile home or any other structure used for human shelter which is designed to be transportable and is not attached to the ground, to another structure or to any utility system on the same premises for more than 30 consecutive days. TOILET A water closet, with a bowl and trap made in one piece, which is of such shape and form that it holds a sufficient quantity of water under pressure so that no fecal matter will collect on the surface of the bowl and which is equipped with flushing rims which permit the bowl to be properly flushed and scoured when water is discharged through the flushing rims. VENTILATION The process of supplying and removing air by natural or mechanical means to or from any space. B. Meaning of certain words. (1) Wherever the words "dwelling," "dwelling unit," "rooming house," "rooming unit," "premises" and "structure" are used in this chapter, they shall be construed as though they were followed by the words "or any part thereof" and preceded by the word "rental." (2) Words used in the singular include the plural, and the plural the singular. (3) The masculine gender includes the feminine, and the feminine the masculine.