Rodent Control — File 192018

CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS LAW DEPARTMENT September 20, 201 1 Honorable Board of Aldermen City Hall 93 Highland Avenue Somerville, MA 02145 Re: Rodent Control Ordinance Dear Honorable Board Members: Enclosed for your consideration is draft Rodent Control Ordinance. The language of the ordinance was previously discussed in the Public Health and Safety Committee. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, Very truly yours, David Shapiro Assistant City Solicitor SO (ERVLLLE CITY HJ\LL· 93 HIGHLA D AVEl PE· S MERVILLE. MAS~ACH S n 021.+3 f6J7)6.5-66Oll, XT.4~)· Yf6171oM·{ I·F: X:\61 I tJ-S ~nmt:r-villema.~()v: E-m8il: Lrw(C <tlttlcnillt:ma.gol'

CITY OF SOMERVILLE ORDINANCE NO. 2011 ­ IN THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN: WHEREAS. notwithstanding the adoptlon of Ordimnce 2006-12, entitled "'Rat Stoppage." as amended by Ordinance 2007-10, the City ol'Somervilic continues to suffer detrimental effects as a result of evidence of signiJicant rodent activity~ and Vv1-fFREA.S. such .level s 0 f rodent activi ty rLlises conccms abou t pubIic health and public sa~ety as well as epidemic activity in certain neighhorhoocls~ and WHEREAS. the Board of" Aldermen wishes to (1(Jclress the increased levels of rouenl activity in Somerville by strengthening the R,H Sto[1)xlge ordinance ,1nd ilS enforccment capabi Iities: NOW THEREFORE. be it ordained by the Bonrd of Aldermen in session (lssembled. th,lt the Code of Ordin8nces of the Citv of Somerville is hereby amended as 1"ollo,,"s: I. Part lJ Code of Ordinances. Chapter I I I)ublic v\'orks. Article 1f - Division of Highways, Electric Lines and Lights. Section 11-38 - Rat StOppilgc- is hereby amended to read as "0 IJ ows (additio ns Jrc underl inecl and deletions are E-fft55t4--t:H:tt): Section 11-38 - Rat Stoppage Rodent Control (a) PI 11 PfJ,\'e. It is the IJurpose of this ordinance to Umlt the population growth. and !)revent the potentiJl spread If intec[ious and contagious disease' bv rats. mice. and other rodents (hereinafter referred to as '-rodel1t~~':L (bl Definitions. As uscd in this ordinance, the 1"ollowin\2 \-\'ords and phrases shall have !hc meanings ascribed (() them in tbis section: (1) Exterminate means to eliminate rodents tllWUllh methods utilized bv a licensed Rest control managemcnt companv. (2) Exterminator means an individual duly licensed bv the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to exterminate and in \Load stanclill~. 3 Infestation means the recurrenl )resence. (IS determined bv burrO\\':-;, droppinQs. Ql1aw m~lrks .. trad,~ anu other physical e\"iclence. 0[" rodents that is determined to be a lhred! ~o puhlic health.

..2) The nvvners and/or occLlI1ilnts of premises :;h~lll: h. (3) [Yery building. str:'lcture or parcel on which a buildiilP ha:.;-t-)ft;g demolished Of--i.s heing constructed within the city shall be haited. ciS required hy in:ipec{ional .'ieniccs c1cparlment personnel. /\11 ptT!,OI1S-f\cr/;"rming de1l1olilion and cORstraction work ~;hall addres:i all'. c++*ht~+ rodelll pl'llhlt:m~; that may arise from the project. ( I) RodOlf in{esfu/iot! - II' ('vidence or ~l rodent inkqati(\n ncellrs. ;[ propcrrv owner ancllor oceup,mt shall lake ,dlnecess,Hv l1leilSUrCS at the cxpcnse of the owner Jnd/or OCCLIl [11 Lto erLldicLlte Ihe illll' '(atlon 'Illel lrC\'t:l1t 1'L1ture inrestaLjon. In ilddition. lh' ~ ,v·ner and/or occu an ol'~hc JrO)cL't\, "haJJ Jerlorlll ~lll eradication l1leasures as reasonahh 1'\.'1, uir'd bv the su Jnin[(:'ndent or ins JeClional services (~r B()arcl ofHealth. includinu'. hili no! limiteclto. rodent-iroo/in!! and/or exterl1linmion bv a c1ul\' licensed e.\lerlllin'ltor. (2) Permitted ]I'OJ'/( - The superintendent nf ins~)(~ctiollal services is <1uthnrjzecllo prolllul!.2.ate retlulations ret!~lI'(ljn\.!. mandator\' rm1t'nt ex[ermin,uion me,lsures in advance o~· clemolilion.!..:nL1<;trllction anclland ekarin\! projects 011 private propert' . The superintendent of public works is :HIIIJ~{iz.ecl [0 1".!.~nmlIi~ale re\.!.ulations I'\':!!llrding mandator\' rod~nt exterminatioJl Jl1easure~ in :Iclvllncc of ,)lIhSLlrt~lcC work in tbe public riuht oj \\1<1/ nn ! (l1)l'h i . "Ir' ,ts. \VI, .. ". dent ~(Hl\r()l is determined necessarv. an extermination pl'l)~r,1l11 ·l1allll:l.!il OJ je project at least seven cia'"" prior to lhestau (~i' work. Ill1k~'s \.ViIi 'I; I hv the rcslJL'ctivc superintendent. The exterlllilliJtinlLl2rn~r<1m lllUSI ~(IIt'1lL1 • until.

[1\' the respeeti\ l' (c) Correcli m Urciers \;\.hene\cl' ncee$S,ln In make ~In II '" "lIUll 10 >;;)IJnn.,~\'" lll' dctcrlllil1l' cr,n pliancc .\:vitb the Ilrovisions of [his nnlinancc, or whenevcl' he superinlendent 01' iHspCClinllJI ...;cn'lccs or BOJnJ nrHcal.tll 11;1:: GIWiL' hi ",eliL\L' Ill:l!;\ villlatJon of ;In\, ll'Ovi,"~11l 01 this ordin,lIln' I a~: been or is belll~ 'i)l11111il (c' .111l' superinknc!cllt of lllspeclinnal SL'r\ icl..'s, illspt:c(nr~ I'l'\1111 the inspcclional service deparln1.Cllta-FlJ the health Ul'ffH:{Hk'-tll-dnd lhe' 1311;lI'd I 1'I-k;lIih :,hllil have aUlhority to enter all" bnd. lilclinu, :-;II'UClLIl'e, (lI' :'cmises ,It rClslJnable limes lQ jnspeet the SDme, IWLlVIU J such enIn i:; coIn.'lenl \ 1111 the enlist ilu tinlls 0 I' li1e. "Ilitce! SIDles ,1nd Lhe COlllmOllwe~illh 1)I'I\'''I:-:S;Jchll.''~ll< II' t.:lltrv is reCused, [he su )l'rinlendent or inspcctioll<l! S('r\'iC-6 or tioard ol II ':lllh ::!tJllltave l'ecOLIIse tQ Iht.: remedies lrnvided bv 1;1\\ 1I ''t'C\II'l' (.;lHrv. illcl! dill!..'. bUI w"!.Lli..!.lliJed In, obltlinin!.!. J sedrch \V<lIT<lnt. :-\-\+H-1-fx"-fffii~~;ior:. fif the nWller tH' nCUUplllll. with a duly uuthorized :;earch wnrrunti-sslIcd h~.. jI cOLIn ClI'c()lllpeh:'lll,jlll'jsd~~-0f witl1filll a warrant under e~,igellt cirClIlllstal1E' '~ 1 nd(::1' 110,: L: cunditions, the ';llperilltendcnt of inS.Ileclioll;11';c'1'\ icl's Ill' BOtll'e! tJ leahl rind such :'1lllhori7cd IJCrso!1nel 11l<lV--t-B inspect Ihe il1krior and c:\lerior o! hllildill,I'S. OIl' 'I' structures, or parcels on which {\ budding !l;JS been deillolished or i~; h~i 1~ cOl1stl'L1cted to cickrlllinc evidence of f-rt-l: rOcl~lllll<ll'boragc7 0~ 'i:+t 1'\)(!t'1I1 illkswtioll ilnd the t",i~jlellcc--t:t{ IW\Y leaks in {he ral :ilnppage and \\ hcn ,11}' '\i knce i~ l'oLlnd il1dic:.Itillg the presence nf I'rtt--l'Odenls or ol'enilli> 'Inough \ ,hich Hll-,rodents Illay cnter ,-;Ul'h bUildings or slruclLlITS. til l'epol'l ,'lI(,;h l ill :IKe In :he Illspectors \Nbo ..;Ilzill SCl'\'c [he O\Vller. agcnt ur occupant ol':--:II'h I '1lld'llk" ,..,li'IICl In' or ptI\'cel. vvith "'Tillcn Ilmicc to abate tile conditions "ound, rf) Al'ell /)(tilil/'; l?eC{lIil'Clllelll.\' Llm/ /-/CU/II,S2

I'nmrc~n da \'S prim wri nell nol iu.' In !<lndowner' nil J!l Ih( icknl j lie larr;.!-l and 300 ,'ed mnund, alld ;\l'lcr a pllhlic hearint!., 1118\' n:'(]lIir' lh;lT Ilk: ,111 J,lndu\\'llers witllill I h~ ~~ot!.rZl phil' area hilit th ,j r pro ' 'I \' , Ild,nr Ink,' )lhl'r 'L'n),-,d iill I11GISU res nil S,.ucll conditions ,Jill! terms clec:!llc( l,-'ceSSJ.n' hv th' Hl1;lrd ill Heallh, f.g) /Je/o Jlio/1 ofl'ules, Tile sLqxrinlellden.l <:J il1spectinl);!J ~'-T\'ices is Z1ullJnri;; 'd It) mil) 1t rules consistellt \\ itll thi" nrclil1Z1I1CC for the 1Lrr OSl: of CZlIT\'illl.: ell 'iI1t1 L'I1Clrci))" its prn 'isiOl1S, 8=-1 Ci) Ro! slol7jJUge In' ()11'I11!1' Lien. Fuill!!'L' II! cOil/eli- 11'orA- 1)\ ('(t,~,~_~Ji"17 I!n un I/Jl!I'/I.'" {I pnll receipt ofllotict' in wrilint!. rrAl1t-+h-e-"'l~' l-hkHI nJ'in,ipeclional sen'ice:;, ~-f-l'WHcr. :'lgenl. or occupant ~~. ,Itl:' e 01' ,lilY I'ui Itlillt!., ;;lruclurt:' or premises­ ~(-iecl ill :;ucll ll11tit'L'-s-Ita-l+-lltk-e.-i-ffi.Hwtliale Illej\~th,,' :,{lr the rH '.\topptlgc of s-t:tt--R huilding or slruClUre'-[l-l),j l'Qr the I'ret=ing or ',did prellli:-L:!. H ' I rat';, and l:tfl-il;!!i:, :'aicl work i:i c011lplc~ ~ HH'~1l' lime :,jJccilieti in lilt' nt\,t+te, in 110 l".Ic'llt to be ~--I-4att-15 dayfi, or any \\ I'irtell e.\(en!;ion lhereo/'tllat l1lil~, Ile-~ I--I:t-y--tfie ~jeJ"\'er 01' [he llotil,€.,....ffi.81 Ihe owner. occupant or dge-H-t " , 'lrge of said building. ::trucrure or premises shall he decll1c,,' ",H-i-l-t7<lI':'. \'lolutiuA 1"1' {hi,; section, 11':lI1 owner ;ll1d/or occupant '<Ii Is [0 cOl11plv with tllis ordinance ;lfLer notice given Ilcreinhd<1re ,'eL !()rth, till' Cil\" 1118\' C'nu.c the \\'(lrk () Ie ,)~rl;)rl11 >d, and charge the i1\'11 T or-rIle prop~l't\' alld pl~1Ct' (1 I.kJl ;\~inq 11" 1'11'1'1: H ilie mrcd '

2, Ik it further (lrclaincd by the Boarel oj" A IL1enlll.: 11. 11wI Sec!ioll 1-) 1(b) lll"lhe Code of Ordinallces is hereby <ll11cncied by addillg ill it:-; 111;ICC the Inllrmill;':' (,lddilillIlS are ~Jlldt;rlint'd ~lIld deletions <Ire ~.:~): Seuinll I-I I(b) OtTen~t' Ik' - Il!'-'rcing Personnel RCl! Sloppa!.:0 Rodellt Control (Sec. 11 -3X) . !.J..1Lli\q -;l ()rlcn-;e: ,).5().OO 2nd oITc.w;c "1 n,n.ru :~.rd cIne! slIb:-:equenl niTcnsc: S300,OO ,'"lice: in:'1 1ectioncll scr\'ices~ I~'\.ll In!' J-[c<lll!l