Ord 3196 6/7/1977 T
ORDINANCE NO. 3196
AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS
GOVERNING THE USE , OCCUPANCY AND MAINTENANCE
OF DWELLINGS, DWELLING UNITS AND ACCESSORY
STRUCTURES; ESTABLISHING MINIMUM STANDARDS
GOVERNING SUPPLIED UTILITIES AND FACILITIES,
AND OTHER PHYSICAL THINGS AND CONDITIONS
ESSENTIAL TO MAKE DWELLINGS SAFE, SANITARY
AND FIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION; ESTABLISHING
MINIMUM STANDARDS GOVERNING THE CONDITION AND
MAINTENANCE OF DWELLINGS AND ACCESSORY
STRUCTURES; FIXING CERTAIN RESPONSIBILITIES
AND DUTIES OF OWNERS AND OCCUPANTS OF DWELL-
INGS; CREATING A HOUSING BOARD OF ADJUSTMENTS
AND APPEALS AND FIXING THE DUTIES AND RESPONSI-
BILITIES THEREOF; AUTHORIZING THE INSPECTION
OF DWELLINGS AND ACCESSORY STRUCTURES AND PRO-
VIDING FOR THE CONDEMNATION OF ALL BUILDINGS
AND STRUCTURES DEEMED UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITA-
TION AND USE ; AND FIXING PENALTIES FOR VIOLA-
TIONS.
WHEREAS, within the area of jurisdiction of the City
of Wichita Falls there are or may be dwellings, dwelling
units and accessory structures which are unfit for human
habitation and use due to inadequate maintenance, obsoles-
cence or abandonment, containing defects which increase
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 render
such dwellings and accessory structures unsafe, unsanitary
and dangerous or detrimental to the health, safety and general
welfare of the community; and,
WHEREAS, experience and accepted national housing sur-
veys have clearly demonstrated that such conditions result
in a large measure from improper maintenance, inadequate
sanitary facilities , overcrowded conditions in residential
occupancies, buildings and premises and from general neigh-
borhood neglect; and,
WHEREAS, it has now become common knowledge that these
conditions 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.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN
OF THE CITY OF WICHITA FALLS, TEXAS, THAT:
SECTION 1. The Southern Standard Housing Code, being
particularly the 1976 edition thereof and the whole thereof,
save and except such portions as may hereinafter be amended,
of which not less than two copies are on file in the office
of the City Clerk, is hereby adopted and incorporated as
fully as if set forth at length herein, and the provisions
therein shall be controlling in the use, maintenance and
occupancy of all dwellings, dwelling units and/or structures
within the City of Wichita Falls.
SECTION 2. Whenever the words "Building Official" are
used in such Southern Standard Housing Code, they shall be
held to mean the Chief Building Inspector of the City.
SECTION 3. The following amendments are hereby made
in the Southern Standard Housing Code as adopted in this
ordinance:
A. Section 106. 1 is amended to read as follows:
"106. 1--Appointment
There is hereby created a board to be known as the
Housing Board of Adjustments and Appeals, which shall consist
of five members. The five members comprising this Board
shall be the same five persons who have been duly appointed
and qualified to serve as members of the Board of Adjustments
and Appeals established in the Southern Standard Building Code,
as adopted by Section 7-14 of the Code of Ordinances of the
City of Wichita Falls. Three members of the Board shall
constitute a quorum. In varying the application of any pro-
visions of this Code or in modifying an order of the Building
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Official, affirmative votes of the majority present, but not
less than three affirmative votes shall be required. "
B. Section 108 is amended to read as follows:
"Section 108--Violations and penalties
Any person, firm, corporation or agent, who shall violate
a provision of this Code, or fail to comply therewith, or
with any of the requirements thereof, or who shall erect,
construct, alter, demolish or move any structure, or has
erected, constructed, altered, repaired, moved or demolished
a building or structure in violation of this Code shall be
guilty of a misdemeanor. Each such person shall be deemed
guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion
thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions
of this Code is committed or continued and upon conviction of
any such violation such person shall be punished by a fine of
not less than ten dollars nor more than two hundred dollars. "
PASSED AND APPROVED this the 7th day of June, 1977.
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M Y 0 R
ATTEST:
City Clerk
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