Chapter 8.24
NUISANCES
Sections:
8.24.020 Health district performing health duties.
8.24.030 Public nuisances affecting health.
8.24.040 Authority of the board of health.
8.24.010 Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, a public or common nuisance shall be considered as that which is set up, maintained or continued so as to be injurious to the health, or an obstruction to the use of property by interfering with the repose, health, safety or life of any considerable number of persons.
For the purpose of this title, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
A. “Board of health” means the board of health of the Snohomish health district pursuant to the provisions of RCW 70.46.010 and 70.46.040;
B. “Department of health” or “department” means the Snohomish health district health department;
C. “Health officer” means the Snohomish health district health officer appointed by the board of health;
D. “Sanitary code” or “code” means the sanitary code of the Snohomish County board of health as amended by the Snohomish health district board of health and approved by the Washington State Board of Health (Ord. 278-74 Art. I § 2, Art. II § 2, 1974)
8.24.020 Health district performing health duties.
Pursuant to the provisions of RCW 76.43.020 et seq., the Snohomish health district, created by a resolution of the board of county commissioners effective January 1, 1959, shall exercise all the powers and perform all the public health duties by law vested in the city. Said health district is authorized by RCW 70.05.060 to enact such local rules and regulations as are necessary in order to preserve, promote and improve the public health. (Ord. 278-74 Art. I § 1, 1974)
8.24.030 Public nuisances affecting health.
The following are declared to be nuisances affecting health:
A. Decayed or unwholesome food offered for sale to the public;
B. Diseased animals running at large;
C. Ponds or pools of stagnant water;
D. Milk which is produced by cows which have not been tested and found free of tuberculosis within the year previous to the offering of such milk for sale to the public;
E. Carcasses of animals not buried or destroyed within twenty-four hours after death;
F. Accumulations of manure or rubbish not conforming to an order of a health officer;
G. Human excreta disposed of in a manner contrary to an order of a health officer, and any repositories of human excreta existing or maintained contrary to an order of a health officer;
H. Garbage cans which are not fly tight;
I. The polluting of any well, cistern, spring, underground water stream, lake, canal or body of water by sewage or industrial wastes or other substances harmful to human beings;
J. Dense smoke, noxious fumes, vapor gas, dust, and soot, or cinders in unreasonable or toxic quantities;
K. All public exposure of persons having a contagious disease;
L. Use of a common public drinking cup or roller towel;
M. The use or sale or distribution of any toxic substance in such a manner and for such purposes as the health officer may declare to constitute a hazard to the public;
N. Any building or structure in which people are housed or congregate for any purpose which in the opinion of the health officer has become dangerous for further occupancy because of insanitary conditions which may affect the health of the occupants or surrounding property owners;
O. All infestations of flies, fleas, roaches, lice, ticks, rats, mice, fly maggots, mosquito larvae and other biological agents capable of transmitting disease to humans;
P. The keeping or sheltering of animals in a manner which in the opinion of the health officer may affect the public health;
Q. Allowing dogs to run at large or removing dogs from the premises of their confinement which have been officially ordered by the health officer or his authorized representative to be confined for observation;
R. Allowing kitchen or laundry water to be discharged or flow into any gutter, street, roadway or public place;
S. The use of the contents of privies, septic tanks or other receptacles for human excrement for fertilizing purposes for crops or gardens. (Ord. 278-74 Art. II § 1, 1974)
8.24.040 Authority of the board of health.
A. Whenever any declared nuisance, source of filth, or cause or probable cause of injury to health shall be found by the health officer to exist on any private or public property, he shall have the power and authority to order in writing the owner, occupant, or user, to correct and remove said nuisance, source of filth or cause or probable cause of injury to health, within twenty-four hours or within such reasonable time as the health officer may order.
B. In the event of the refusal or failure of such person or persons to abate such nuisance within said time, the health officer may cause such nuisance to be abated at the expense of such person or persons, which cost may be recovered by the board of health from such person or persons in an action brought in the name of said board of health to recover the same in any court of competent jurisdiction. (Ord. 278-74 Art. II § 3, 1974)
8.24.050 Serving of notices.
Any notice required to be served on a person, owner, agent or occupant of a premises, shall be deemed to have been served under any of the following conditions:
A. Such notice is delivered to such person by hand of any authorized agent of the health officer or any officer of the law;
B. Such notice is mailed by registered mail to the owner, or representative of the owner, or the last known occupant of the premises;
C. Such notice, properly signed, is posted by an authorized agent of the health officer or any officer of the law, upon any portion of such premises visible from a public place, whenever the owner or agent of the property is unknown. (Ord. 278-74 Art. II § 4, 1974)