Athens City Code

1. (1) It is found and declared that there exist in the city structures used for commercial, business, or industrial use which are, or may become in the future, substandard with respect to structure, equipment, or maintenance, or further, that such conditions, including, but not limited to, structural deterioration, lack of maintenance, and appearance of exterior of premises, infestation, plumbing, lack of maintenance or upkeep of essential facilities and utilities, existence of fire hazards, inadequate provisions for light and air and unsanitary conditions, constitute a menace to the health, safety, morals, welfare, and reasonable comfort of the citizens and inhabitants of the city. It is further found and declared that, by reason of lack of maintenance and progressive deterioration, certain properties have the further effect of creating blighting conditions and initiating slums and that, if the same are not curtailed and removed, the conditions will grow and spread and will necessitate in time the expenditure of large amounts of public funds to correct and eliminate the same and that, by reason of timely regulations and restrictions as herein contained, the growth of slums and blight may be prevented and the neighborhood and property values thereby maintained, the desirability and amenities of neighborhoods enhanced, and the public health, safety, and welfare protected and fostered.
2. (2) The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health, safety, morals, and welfare by establishing minimum standards governing the maintenance, appearance, and condition of commercial, business, and industrial premises; to establish minimum standards governing utilities, facilities, and other physical components and conditions essential to make the facilities fit for occupancy and use; to fix certain responsibilities and duties upon owners and operators; to authorize and establish procedures for the inspection of commercial, business, and industrial premises; to fix penalties for the violations of this chapter, and to provide for the repair, demolition, or vacation of commercial, business, or industrial premises. This chapter is declared to be remedial and essential for the public interest and it is intended that this chapter be liberally construed to effectuate the purposes as stated herein.

(Code 1972, § 4-601; Code 1995, § 12-601)