Richmond Municipal Code Ch. 9.28 Pest Control

(a) Every person owning or occupying or controlling any wharf, building or basement in the City of Richmond shall prevent the ingress of rats or other rodents thereto, and to this end shall use such materials in construction or repair of such structures as are rat and rodent proof.

(b) Every person owning, occupying or controlling any premises in the City of Richmond shall maintain the same in a clean and sanitary condition and remove therefrom any matter detrimental to health. All foods, provisions, goods, wares and merchandise shall be so located as to prevent rats from gaining access thereto or coming in contact therewith.

(c) No rubbish, waste matter or manure or other material shall be placed, left or dumped, or permitted to accumulate or remain in any building, place or premises in the City of Richmond so that the same shall or may afford food or a harboring or breeding place for rats, rodents or other pests.

(d) Every person owning, occupying or controlling any premises in the City of Richmond, when evidence of rat or rodent infestation on these premises is discovered, shall at once take any and every appropriate action to eradicate the rat or rodent infestation and shall make the changes in the use of the premises or the changes in the structures on the premises as to prevent recurrence of the rat or rodent infestation.

(a) The Director of Public Health of the City of Richmond and his duly appointed deputies may:

1. Take all necessary and proper steps for the extermination of mosquitoes within the City limits.

2. Enter upon, without hindrance, any lands within the City for the purpose of inspection to ascertain whether breeding places of mosquitoes exist upon such lands, or to abate public nuisances in accordance with provisions of this chapter; or to ascertain if notices to abate the breeding of mosquitoes upon such lands have been complied with; or to treat with oil or other larvicidal material any breeding places of mosquitoes upon such lands.

(b) Any breeding place for mosquitoes which exists by reason of any use made of the land on which it is found, or of any artificial change in its natural condition, is a public nuisance.

1. The nuisance may be abated in any action or proceeding or by any remedy provided by this chapter.

2. Whenever a nuisance specified in this chapter exists upon any property in the City, the Director of Public Health may, in writing, notify the record owner or person in charge or in possession of the property of the existence of the nuisance.

3. The notice may direct that the owner shall, within a specified time, abate the nuisance by destroying the larvae or pupae that are present.

4. The notice may further direct that the owner shall, within a specified time, perform any work that may be necessary to prevent the recurrence of breeding in the places specified in the notice.

5. The notice shall be served upon the owner of record or person having charge or possession of the property upon which the nuisance exists, or upon the agent of either.

(c) Before complying with the requirements of the notice, the owner may request a hearing before the Director of Public Health at a time and place fixed by the Director within ten days of the request.

At a hearing the Director shall redetermine whether or not the owner shall abate the nuisance and prevent its recurrence and shall specify a time within which the work shall be completed.

(d) In the event that the nuisance is not abated within the time specified in the notice or at the hearing, the City may abate the nuisance by destroying the larvae or pupae and by taking appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of further breeding.

1. The cost of abatement shall be repaid to the City by the owner.

2. All sums expended by the City in abating a nuisance or preventing its recurrence are a lien upon the property on which the nuisance is abated, or its recurrence prevented.

3. Notice of the lien shall be filed and recorded by the City in the office of the County Recorder within six months after the first item of expenditure by the City Council.

4. An action to foreclose the lien shall be commenced within six months after the filing and recording of the notice of lien.

5. The action shall be brought by the City Council in the name of the City.

6. When the property is sold, enough of the proceeds to satisfy the lien and costs of foreclosure shall be paid to the City, and the surplus, if any, shall be paid into the court in which the lien was foreclosed for the use of the owner when ascertained.

7. The lien provisions of this chapter do not apply to the property of any state, county or other public corporation. However, the governing body of the state, county or other public corporation shall repay to the City the amount expended by the City upon any of its property under this chapter upon presentation by the City Council of a verified claim or bill.

It shall be unlawful for any person to suffer or permit or have upon their premises, whether owned or occupied by them, either one or more of the following unsanitary conditions:

1. Manure which is not securely protected from flies.

2. Any privy, vault, cesspool, sink, pit or like place which is not securely protected from flies.

3. Garbage which is not securely protected from flies.

4. Vegetable waste, trash, litter or refuse of any kind in which flies may breed or multiply.

Every person owning, occupying or controlling any premises in the City of Richmond, when evidence of fly or other insect infestation or breeding on these premises is discovered, shall at once take any and every appropriate action to eradicate such fly or other insect infestation or breeding and shall make such changes in the conditions on the premises as to prevent the recurrence of the fly or other insect infestation or breeding.

(Source: Ordinance No. 1746)