Palatine — Ch. 12 Existing Structures Maintenance and Occupancy § 12-2

(a) The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this subsection, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Agent means a person authorized to act for and under the direction of another person when dealing with third parties.
Appropriate authority means that person within the governmental structure of the corporate unit who is charged with the administration of the appropriate code.
Ashes means the residue from burning or combustible materials.
Average maximum summer conditions means a temperature ten degrees Fahrenheit (5.6 degrees Celsius) below the highest recorded temperature in the locality for the prior ten-year period.
Average maximum winter conditions means a temperature 15 degrees Fahrenheit (8.3 degrees Celsius) below the lowest recorded temperature in the locality for prior ten-year period.
Cellar means a room or group of rooms totally below the ground level and usually under a building.
Code official means the official who is charged with the administration and enforcement of this chapter, or any duly authorized representative.
Commercial property means all properties where the primary function is dealing with commerce or trade and are not residential in nature.
Common area includes, but is not limited to, all hallways, stairways, lobbies, utility rooms, laundry rooms, storage rooms, recreation rooms, grounds, refuse areas, parking areas, building extensions, signs and other areas designed for common use by dwelling unit occupants.
Dilapidated means no longer adequate for the purpose or use for which it was originally intended.
Dwelling unit means any building or portion thereof that contains living facilities, including provisions for sleeping, eating, and sanitation. Condominium dwelling unit means any dwelling unit under individual ownership in multi-unit structure. A condominium building may contain more than one rental dwelling unit.
Multiple dwelling unit means any building, including each individual unit within the building, containing two or more rental dwelling units (e.g., duplex, three-flat, etc.) under common ownership.
Single-family dwelling unit means a single-family detached dwelling unit.
Townhome dwelling unit means a dwelling unit, with its own direct entrance/exit to the outside, that shares at least one common wall with an adjacent dwelling unit.
Family means : (1)
One person, spouse or offspring, legally adopted children or foster children, together with not more than three other persons who are related to said person by blood, marriage or legal adoption, including, but not limited to, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, or father-in-law; or
(2) A group of persons none of whom are related to each other by blood, marriage or adoption; provided, however, that such dwelling unit shall meet the density, space, and use requirements as set forth in this Code, and the total number of occupants in such group not exceed three.
(3) Group homes, as defined below, shall be exempt from this definition.
Garbage means the animal and vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking, serving and consumption of food.
Group home means a single dwelling unit occupied on a relatively permanent basis in a family-like environment by unrelated persons with disabilities, as identified and regulated within the Federal Fair Housing Act. Paid professional support staff, provided by a sponsoring agency, either living with the residents on a 24-hour basis, or present whenever residents are present at the dwelling, shall be required unless a special use approval is obtained to eliminate the requirement of supervision. A group home shall comply with the zoning regulations for the district in which the site is located and shall provide the necessary staff and resident parking on site, as more fully described within article III of this chapter. For purposes of this definition, the term "disability" means, with respect to a person: (1)
A physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's major life activities;
(2) A record of having such an impairment; or
(3) Being regarded as having such an impairment.
However, the term "persons with disability" shall not include any person involved in the current, illegal use of or addiction to a controlled substance (as defined in section 802 of the Controlled Substance Act (21 USC 802) nor does it include any person whose residency would constitute a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals or whose residency would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others.
Guest means an individual who shares a dwelling unit in a nonpermanent status for not more than 30 days.
Household means one or more individuals living together in a single dwelling unit and sharing common living, sleeping, cooking and eating facilities (see Family ).
Kitchen means any room used for the storage and preparation of foods and containing the following equipment: sink and/or other device for dishwashing, stove or other device for cooking, refrigerator or other device for cool storage of food, cabinets and/or shelves for storage of equipment and utensils, and counter or table for food preparation.
Kitchenette means a small kitchen or an alcove containing cooking facilities.
Meaning of certain words. Whenever the words "dwelling," "dwelling unit," "premises," or "structure" are used in this chapter, they shall be construed as though they were followed by the words "or any part thereof."
Owner means any person who, along or jointly or severally with others, shall have legal title to any premises, dwelling, dwelling unit or commercial property with or without accompanying actual possession thereof, or shall have charge, care or control of any premises, dwelling or dwelling unit as owner or agent of owner, or an executor, administrator, trustee or guardian of the estate of 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 the person were the owner.
Permissible occupancy means the maximum number of individuals permitted to reside in a dwelling unit.
Privacy means the existence of conditions which will permit an individual to carry out an activity commenced without interruption or interference either by sight or sound or by unwanted individuals.
Refuse means all putrescible and nonputrescible solids (except body wastes), including garbage, rubbish, ashes, and dead animals.
Refuse container means a watertight container that is constructed of metal, or other durable material impervious to rodents, that is capable of being serviced without creating unsanitary conditions or other containers as having been approved by the appropriate authority. Openings into the container such as covers and doors shall be tightfitting.
Rent means the consideration paid by a tenant to the owner of a rental dwelling unit for the exclusive use by the tenant of part or all of the dwelling unit. The consideration is not limited to cash.
Rental dwelling unit means any building or portion thereof that contains living facilities, including provisions for sleeping, eating, and sanitation and leased by a tenants, including, but not limited to, multiple dwelling units, condominium dwelling units, townhome dwelling units, and single-family units.
Rodent harborage means any conditions or place where rodents can live, nest or seek shelter.
Rodentproofing means a form of construction which will prevent the ingress or egress of rodents to or from a given space or building, or from gaining access to food, water or harborage. It consists of the closing and keeping closed every opening in foundations, basements, cellars, exterior and interior walls, ground or first floors, roofs, sidewalk gratings, sidewalk openings and other places that may be reached and entered by rodents by climbing, burrowing or other methods, by the use of materials impervious to rodent gnawing, and by other methods as approved by the code official.
Safety means the conditions of being reasonably free from danger and hazards which may cause accidents or disease.
Stagnant water shall be determined as any accumulation that has not dispersed within seven days of the last recorded local rainfall.
Supplied means paid for, furnished by, provided by or under the control of the owner, operator or agent.
Temporary housing means any tent, trailer, mobile home or any other structure used for human shelter which is designed to be transportable and which is not attached to the ground, to another structure, or to any utility system on the same premises for more than 30 consecutive days.
Tenant means any adult person granted use of a rental dwelling unit pursuant to a lease with the owner of the rental dwelling unit.
Toxic substance means any chemical product applied on the surface of or incorporated into any structural or decorative material which constitutes a potential hazard to human health at acute or chronic exposure levels.
Variance means a difference between that which is required or specified and that which is permitted.
(b) Undefined words. Words not specifically defined in this chapter shall have the common definition set forth in a standard dictionary.