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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06292J ORDINANCE NO. 6292 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 1 TITLE VIII OF THE 1971 CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATING TO HOUSING REGULATIONS AND ADOPTING THE 1997 UNIFORM HOUSING CODE PUBLISHED BY THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF BUILDING OFFICIALS, 5360 WORKMAN MILL RD., WHITTIER, CALIFORNIA 90601 -2298 AND PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR THE VIOLATION THEREOF. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PUEBLO, that: (Brackets indicate matter being deleted, underscoring indicates new matter being added.) SECTION 1. Section 8 -1 -1 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -1: LEGISLATIVE FINDING It is hereby found that there exist and may in the future exist, within the City of Pueblo, buildings, dwellings, dwelling units, rooming units, or parts thereof, which by reason of their structure, equipment, sanitation, maintenance, use, or occupancy affect or are likely to affect adversely the public health, including the physical, mental, and social well -being of persons and families, safety, and general welfare. To correct and prevent the existence of such adverse'conditions, and to achieve and maintain such levels of residential environmental quality as will protect and promote public health, safety, and general welfare, it is further found that the establishment and enforcement of minimum housing standards is required. SECTION 2. Section 8 -1 -2 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -2: LEGISLATIVE PURPOSE It is hereby declared that the purpose of this Chapter is to protect, preserve, and promote the physical and mental health and social well -being of the people, to prevent and control incidence of communicable diseases, to regulate privately and publicly owned 1 buildings and dwellings for the purpose of maintaining adequate^sanitation and public health, and to protect the safety of the people and to promote the general welfare by legislation which shall be applicable to all dwellings now in existence or hereafter constructed. It is hereby further declared that the purpose of this Chapter is to insure that the quality of housing is adequate for protection of public health, safety and general welfare, including: establishment of minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities for light, ventilation, and thermal conditions, for safety from fire and accidents, for the use and location and amount of space for human occupancy, and for the adequate level of maintenance, determination of the responsibilities of owners, operators and occupants of dwellings; and provision for the administration and enforcement thereof. SECTION 3. Section 8 -1 -3 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -3: ADOPTION OF HOUSING CODE The Uniform Housing Code, 19[85]97 Edition, published and promulgated by the International Conference of Building Officials, 5360 South Workman Mill Road, Whittier, California 90601-2298, herein referred to as Housing Code or U.H.C., as amended by Section 8 -1 -4 of the 1971 Code of Ordinances of the City of Pueblo, is hereby adopted and enacted by reference and made a part hereof as if set out herein in full and all references and footnotes to the Uniform Building Code contained in the Housing Code shall be construed to be and shall be references and footnotes to the 19[85]97 Edition of the Uniform Building Code as amended and adopted by Chapter 2, Title IV of this Code. Three copies of the Housing Code, all certified to be true copies, shall be on file in the office of the City Clerk, City of Pueblo. Copies of said Code shall be available for sale in the office of the Pueblo Regional Building Department. SECTION 4. Section 8 -1 -4 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -4: AMENDMENTS [TO HOUSING CODE] [The Housing Code is hereby amended as follows:] 2 (1) Subsection 201.[(a)] 1 entitled "Authority" of the [Uniform, Housing Code] U U.H.C. is amended to read as follows: [(a) "] Authority. Authority or Building Official shall mean the Building Official of the Pueblo Regional Building Department or [his] the Building Official's duly authorized representative for inspection or enforcement of the provisions of the Uniform Housing Code. (2) [Subsection (b) of] Section 201 entitled "Right of Entry" of the U.H.C. is amended by the addition of the following paragraph: [ "No owner or occupant or any other person having charge, care or control of any building or premises shall fail or neglect, after proper demand is made herein provided, to properly permit entry therein by the Building Official of Health Officer or their authorized representatives for the purpose of inspection and examination pursuant to this Code. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished as prescribed in Section 1 -2 -1 of the 1971 Code of Ordinances of the City of Pueblo. "] [ "]The Municipal Court or any judge thereof shall have power upon complaint made before it by the Building Official or [his] the Building Official's authorized representative, that any person has refused [him] the Building Official or [his] the Building Official's duly authorized representative entrance into or upon the building or premises owned or occupied by such person for the purpose of inspecting the same to determine the condition thereof, to issue a warrant commanding such building or premises to be inspected in the daytime, upon any day of the week except Sunday, said search warrant shall be issued pursuant to Section 1 -6 -24 through 1 -6 -26 of the 1971 Code of Ordinances[ "]. (3) Section 201 of the [Housing Code] U.H.C. is amended by the addition of [the following subparagraph (d)] a new section to read as follows [(d)] 201.2.1 Notwithstanding the provision of section [(b), Sec.] 201.2 of the Housing Code to the contrary, neither the Building Official nor [his ]the Building Official's authorized representatives shall enter any [single family dwelling] building; or structure occupied by the owner thereof without the consent of said owner except pursuant to a search warrant issued by a Judge of the Municipal Court upon affidavit made by: (i) A person over 18 years of age that he has personally observed 3 conditions inside said [dwelling] building or structure which make such dwelling substandard as defined in Section 202 of the Housing Code; or (ii) The Building Official or [his] the Building; Official's authorized representative that the exterior of said [dwelling] building or structure or the area adjacent to said [dwelling] building or structure is in such poor repair and condition that he has reasonable cause to believe that there exists in said [dwelling] building or structure conditions which make such [dwelling] building or structure substandard as defined in Section 202 of the Housing Code. [ "] (4) Section 203 entitled "Housing Advisory and Appeals Board" of the U.H.C. is amended to read as follows: [ "] The authority and power to provide for final interpretation of the provisions of this code and to hear appeals provided for hereunder is vested in the Building Board of Review of the Pueblo Regional Building Department (herein "Board "). The Building Official shall be an ex- officio member of and shall act as Secretary to said Board. The Board may adopt reasonable rules and regulations for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a copy to the Building Official. Appeals to the Board shall be processed in accordance with the provisions contained in Section 1201 of this Code. Copies of all rules or regulations adopted by the Board shall be delivered to the Building Official who shall make them freely accessible to the public. [ "] (5) Section 204 entitled "Violations" of the U.H.C. is amended to read as follows: [ "] No person, firm, or corporation, whether as owner, agent, lessee, sublessee, or occupant, shall erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, demolish, equip, rent, use, occupy, or maintain any building or premises, or cause to permit the same to be done, contrary to or in violation of any of the provisions of this Code or any order issued by the Building Official hereunder. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this Section shall be punished as prescribed in Section 8 -1 -7 of the 1971 Code of Ordinances of the City of Pueblo.["] (6) The following definitions contained in Section 401 of the U.H.C. are amended to read as follows: [ "] Health Officer. Health Officer shall be the Director or acting Director 4 of the Pueblo City- County Health Department or [his] the Health Officer's duly authorized representative. (7) [Subsection (c) of] Section 1101 entitled "Service of Notice and Order" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(c)] The notice and order, and any amended or supplemental notice and order, shall be served upon the record owner or if unknown or unable to be served within the City the order and notice shall be posted on the property and a copy thereof mailed by first class mail postage prepaid to the recorded owner at this last known address as shown in the records of the Pueblo County Assessor; and one copy thereof shall be mailed by first class mail postage prepaid to each of the following if known to the Building Official or disclosed from the Pueblo County Assessor's records: the occupant of the property; the holder of any mortgage or deed of trust or other lien or encumbrance of record; the owner or holder of any lease of record; and the holder of any other estate or legal interest of record in or to the building or the land on which it is located. The failure of the Building Official to serve any person required herein to be served shall not invalidate any proceedings hereunder as to any other person duly served or relieve any such person from any duty or obligation imposed on him by the provisions of this Section or any other Section of the Housing Code. (8) [Subsection (d) of] Section 1101 entitled "Method of Service" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(d)] Method of Service. Service of the notice and order shall be made upon all persons entitled thereto either personally or in the manner set forth in Section 1 -1 -11(5) of the 1971 Code or Ordinances of the City of Pueblo, or by mailing a copy of such notice and order by first class mail to each such person at [his] their address as it appears on the records of the Pueblo County Assessor. If no address of any such person so appears or is not known to the Building Official, then a copy of the notice and order shall be so mailed, addressed to such person, at the address of the building involved in the proceedings. The failure of any such person to receive such notice shall not affect the validity of any proceedings taken under this Section. Service by certified mail in the manner herein provided shall be effective on the date of mailing. [ "] (9) [Subsection (b) of] Section 1104 entitled "Compliance" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(b)] Whenever such notice is posted, the Building Official shall include a notification thereof in the notice and order by him under Section [(b) of Section] 1101.2, reciting the emergency and specifying the conditions which necessitate the posting. No person shall remain in or enter any building which has been so posted, except that entry may be made to repair, demolish or remove such building under permit. No person shall remove or deface any such notice after it is posted until the required repairs, demolition, or removal have been completed and a Certificate of Occupancy issued pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform Building Code. Any person who shall be convicted of a violation of this Section shall be punished as prescribed in Section 8 -1 -7 of the 1971 Code or Ordinances of the City of Pueblo. (10) Section 1202 entitled "Effect of Failure to Anneal" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "Sec. 1202.] Failure of any person to file an appeal in accordance with the provisions of Sections 1101 and 1201 shall constitute a waiver of [his] that person's right to an administrative hearing and adjudication of the notice and order, or to any portion thereof; provided, however, that the Building Board of Review by majority vote upon good cause shown may hear a written appeal duly filed within [sixty (60)] thirty 30 days from the date of service of such order under Section 1101 [(c). "].2 5). (11) [Subsection (c) of ] Section 1301 entitled "Reporting" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(c) Reporting.] The proceedings at the hearing shall also be reported by a certified reporter if requested by any party thereto in writing delivered to the Secretary of the Board at least five (5) days prior to the hearing. A transcript of the proceedings shall be made available to all parties upon request and upon payment of the fee prescribed therefore. Such fees may be established by the Board, but shall in no event be greater than the direct cost involved plus fifteen percent for expenses directly incurred.[ "] (12) [Subsection (c) of] Section 1303 entitled "Penalties" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(c) Penalties.] Any person who refuses without lawful excuse to attend any hearing, or to produce material evidence in his or her possession or under his or her control as required by any subpoena served upon such person as provided M for herein shall be deemed to have violated this Section.and upon conviction shall be punished as prescribed in Section 8 -2 -7 of the 1971 Code or Ordinances of the City of Pueblo. [ "] (13) [Subsection (h) of] Section 1305 entitled "Effective Date of Decision" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(h) Effective Date of Decision.] The effective date of decision shall be stated therein. The decision may be reviewed by the District Court, Tenth Judicial District, under Rule 106(a) (4), Colorado Rules of Civil Procedure. Petition for review shall be filed within thirty (30) days after the effective date of the decision.["] (14) [ Subsection (a) of] Section 1401.1 entitled General of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(a) General.] After any order of the Building Official or the Building Board of Review made pursuant to this Code shall have become final, no person to whom any such order is directed shall fail, neglect, or refuse to obey any such order. Any person who shall be convicted of violating this Section shall be punished as prescribed in Section 8 -1 -7 of the 1971 Code or Ordinances of the City of Pueblo.["] (15) [Paragraph 1 of Subsection (c) of] Section 1401 entitled "Failure to Commence Work" subsection 1 , is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "] 1. The Building Official shall cause the building described in such notice and order to be vacated by posting at each entrance thereto a notice reading: [ "]SUBSTANDARD BUILDING DO NOT OCCUPY It is a violation of the Housing Code to occupy this building or to remove or deface this Notice. Building Official[ "'] (16) [Subsection (a) of] Section 1501 entitled "Procedure" of the U.H.C. is 7 hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(a) Procedure] When any work of repair or demolition is to be done pursuant to Section 1401 [(c) (3)] .3 Subsection 3 of this Code, the Building Official may issue a request therefor to the Director of Public Works and the work may be accomplished by City personnel or by private contract under the direction of said Director. Plans and specifications therefor may be prepared by said Director, or he may employ such architectural and engineering assistance on a contract basis as may deem reasonable necessary. If any part of this work is to be accomplished by private contract, standard Public Works contractual procedures shall be followed. [ "] (17) [Subsection (b) of] Section 1501 entitled "Costs" of the U.H.C. is hereby deleted. (18) [Subsection (a) of] Section 1502.1 entitled "General" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(a) General.] The City Council may annually out of the general fund of the City budget funds to defray the costs and expenses which may be incurred by the City in doing or causing to be done the necessary work of repair or demolition of dangerous buildings. Said funds shall be designated Repair and Demolition Funds and shall be expended and paid upon the request of the Director of Public Works. [ "] (19) [Subsection (b) of] Section 1502 entitled "Maintenance of Fund" of the U.H.C. is hereby deleted. (20) [Subsection (a) of} Section 1605.1 entitled General of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "(a) General.] The City Council may thereupon order that said charge shall be made a personal obligation of the property owner, or assess said charge against the property involved, or order that said charge be both a personal obligation and assessment. Upon recording in the Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder's office a statement under oath of the City Manager or [his] the City Manager's designee showing the cost of repairs or demolition and describing the land, such costs and interest thereon at the rate of 10 percent (10 %) per annum shall be and constitute a perpetual lien on the land having priority over all other 0 liens except general tax liens. Such lien shall remain in .fall force and effect until such costs and interest have been paid in full. The remedies of the City hereunder shall be cumulative. [ "] (21) Section 1609 entitled "Report to Assessor and Tax Collector: Addition of Assessment to Tax Bill of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "Sec. 1609.1 After confirmation of the report, certified copies of the assessment shall be given to the Director of Finance. (22) Section 1610 entitled "Filing, Copy of Report with County Auditor" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "Sec.1610.] The Director of Finance shall file a certified copy of the assessment with the County Treasurer with [his] a warrant for the collection of same. The description of the parcels reported shall be those used for the same parcels on the County Assessor's map books for the current year. [ "] (23) Section 1611 entitled "Collections of Assessment: Penalties for Foreclosure" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "Sec. 1611.1 The amount of the assessments, penalties and interest shall be collected in the same manner as special assessments for Local Improvements are collected pursuant to Chapter 1, Title XII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances of the City of Pueblo; and shall be subject to the same penalties and procedure and sale in case of delinquency as special assessments for Local Improvements. All Ordinances applicable to the collection and enforcement of assessments for Local Improvement and Municipal taxes shall be applicable to such assessments. [ "] (24) Section 1612 entitled "Repayment of Repair and Demolition Fund" of the U.H.C. is hereby amended to read as follows: [ "Sec. 1612.1 All money collected in payment of the charge or assessment or from the sale of the property at foreclosure sale shall be paid to the Director of Finance who shall credit same to the general fund. [ "] SECTION 5. Section 8 -1 -5 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -5: CONFLICT WITH OTHER ORDINANCES In any case where a provision of the Uniform Housing Code or this Chapter is found to be in conflict with any other provision of this Code, or any secondary code adopted thereby, that provision which establishes the higher or more restrictive standard for the promotion and protection of the health, safety and welfare of the people shall prevail. SECTION 6. Section 8 -1 -6 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -6: SEVERABILITY If any part, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Chapter or of the Housing Code is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Chapter or of the Housing Code. SECTION 7. Section 8 -1 -7 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is hereby amended to read as follows: [8 -1 -7: VIOLATION Any person convicted of a violation of this Chapter of any section or provision of the Housing Code shall be punished by a fine of not more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00) for any one offense or by imprisonment for a period of not more than ninety (90) days or by both such fine and imprisonment.] 8 -1 -7 OFFENSES: CRIMINAL PENALTIES: PERMIT REVOCATION: OTHER ENFORCEMENT (a� It shall be unlawful and a Class 1 Municipal Offense for any person to knowingly violate, disobey, omit, neglect, refuse, or fail to comply with or resist the enforcement of any provision of the Chapter of the Uniform Housing Code, and upon conviction thereof, the punishment therefore shall be a fine of not more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300) or imprisonment for not more than ninety (_90) days, or both such 10 fine and imprisonment. It shall be unlawful and a Class 1 Municipal Offense for any person to refuse or fail to timely comply with any order issued by the building official, the Director of the Pueblo Regional Building Department or other designated building inspector pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter of the Uniform Building Code, and upon conviction thereof, the punishment therefor shall be a fine of not more than Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00 ) or imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days, or both such fine and imprisonment. U It shall be unlawful and a Class 1 Municipal Offense for any person to knowingly make any false statement, representation or certification in any application, record, report, plan or other document filed or required to be maintained pursuant to any requirement of this Chapter of the Uniform Housing Code, and upon conviction thereof, the punishment therefor shall be a fine of not more than three hundred dollars ($300) or imprisonment for not more than ninety (90) days or both such fine and imprisonment. Any permit issued pursuant to the provision of this Chapter of the Uniform Housing Code may be suspended, terminated or revoked by the building official for (11 any of the reasons stated in subsection 106.4.5 of the Uniform Building Code or (2) any material violation of the terms of said permit or requirements applicable thereto. U In the event any owner or occupant of premises within the City shall refuse entry to the building official or any building inspector, or if any premises are locked and the building official or any building inspector has been unable to obtain permission of the owner of occupant to enter, the Municipal Court is authorized to issue a search warrant authorizing such entry in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Colorado Municipal Court Rules. L o In the event any owner or occupant of premises within the City, or an y licensed contractor, or any permittee shall fail or refuse to comply with any provisions of this Chapter, the Uniform Housing Code, or any permits issued thereunder, the City ma initiate an action for injunctive relief in any court of competent jurisdiction to compel compliance with said Chapter. Uniform Housing Code or permit. (0 The enforcement remedies set forth in this Section are hereby expressly declared to be cumulative, and the exercise of any one or more of them is not dependant upon the exercise of any other remedy_ nor does the exercise of any of more of them constitute any bar or limitation to the exercise of any other. SECTION 8. Section 8 -1 -8 of Chapter 1, Title VIII of the 1971 Code of Ordinances, as amended, is 11 hereby amended to read as follows: 8 -1 -8: EMERGENCY HOUSING REHABILITATION PROGRAM (1) A special housing rehabilitation revolving fund to be designated Emergency Housing Rehabilitation Fund is hereby established. Appropriations to said Fund may be made by the City Council by resolution. Payments out of said Fund shall be made by the Director of Finance upon the written request of the Director of the Department of ; Housing and Community Services based upon applications for assistance submitted and approved in accordance with the [P] provisions of this section. (2) The owner of any building who receives a Notice and Order under Sec. 1101 [(b)].2 of the Uniform Housing Code shall be entitled to make application for emergency housing rehabilitation assistance within thirty (30) days after receipt of said Notice and Order. Applications shall be timely made to the Department of Housing and Community Services upon forms prepared by said Department. The Notice and Order given under said Sec. 1101 [(b)].2 shall include reference to the emergency housing rehabilitation program and shall advise the owner of the right to make application for assistance under said program specifying the minimum qualifications and the thirty (30) day period within which application must be made. (3) The owner of a building receiving a Notice and Order under said Sec. 1101 [(b)].2 may apply for housing rehabilitation assistance if the income and assets, excluding the value of the building in question, of such owner, or of a family the head of which or whose spouse is the owner, are within the limits prescribed for persons or families occupying public housing in Pueblo, Colorado financed pursuant to Chapter 8, Title 42 United States Code. The Department of Housing and Community Services shall certify all owner - applicants meet such qualifications. The department will prepare an estimate of the costs of repairs required to rehabilitate said building to meet the standards of the Housing Code. (4) The City Council shall appoint seven persons to a committee to be known as the Housing Rehabilitation Committee. Said appointments shall be for terms of three years. The Committee shall be reorganized annually and a chairman and vice chairman elected for the coming year at a meeting of the Committee to be held in July of each year. The Committee shall meet at the request of the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Services and shall act upon matters referred to the Committee by the Director. All grants of assistance shall be used only for repairs and rehabilitation of a building which will abate the conditions which make the building substandard. (5) The Department of Housing and Community Services shall not approve any application for assistance until after the Director of Finance of the City of Pueblo shall certify in writing to the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Services 12 that there is sufficient monies in the Emergency Housing Rehabilitation Fund for such grant of assistance and until after the Department of Housing and Community Services receives proof that the applicant -owner is the fee owner of said land and building. (6) The owner of any building who receives housing rehabilitation assistance shall enter into an agreement with the City, on forms to be approved by the City Attorney, to repay to the City of Pueblo such financial assistance based on existing loan formulas and criteria used within the Department of Housing and Community Services. Such repayment agreement shall be placed of record and shall become and remain in lien and encumbrance on the building and land upon which the building is located until paid in full. Said grant of assistance shall become due and payable immediately upon the transfer of title to said Iand and building by the owner, or, upon the death of the owner, unless title to said land and building shall pass to the spouse of or an issue of such owner who meets the qualification of subsection (3) hereof and the Department of Housing and Community Services shall certify same in writing to the Director of Finance within sixty (60) days after the death of such owner. Failure of the surviving spouse or issue of the deceased owner to request and obtain such certification from the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Services within said sixty (60) day period shall conclusively constitute a waiver of all rights of such surviving spouse or issue to further defer repayment of the grant of assistance. (7) All repayments of rehabilitation grants of assistance shall be credited to the Emergency Housing Rehabilitation Fund. (8) Nothing contained in this section shall obligate the City Council to appropriate funds to the Emergency Housing Rehabilitation Fund. SECTION 9. A public hearing to consider the adoption of the Uniform Housing Code, 1997 Edition, with modifications, shall be held in the Council Chambers, City Hall, 1 City Hall Place, Pueblo, Colorado at 7:30 p.m. on February 23, 1998. The City Clerk is directed to publish notice of such hearing pursuant to Section 31 -16 -203 of the Colorado Revised Statutes. SECTION 10 The adoption of this Ordinance and of the Uniform Housing Code shall not create any duty to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity with regard to the enforcement or 13 nonenforcement of this Ordinance or said code. No person, firm, corporation, or other entity shall have any private right of action, claim or civil liability remedy against the City of Pueblo of the Building department, or their officers, employees or agents, for any damage arising out of or in any way connected with the adoption, enforcement, or nonenforcement of this Ordinance or said code. Nothing in this Ordinance or in said code shall be construed to create any liability, or to waive any of the immunities, limitations on liability, or other provisions of the Governmental Immunity Act, C.R.S. 24 -10 -101 et seq., or to waive any immunities or limitations on liability otherwise available to the City of Pueblo or the Pueblo Building Department, or their officers, employees or agents. SECTION 11 If any part, section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance or the adopted Uniform Housing Code is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or of the Uniform Housing Code. SECTION 12 The Council finds and declares that a certified true copy of the Uniform Housing Code, 1997 Edition, has been on file in the office of the City Clerk of the City of Pueblo for not less than 15 days preceding the public hearing referred to in Section 11 of this Ordinance, and shall remain in said office for public inspection. After adoption of this Ordinance, a copy of the Uniform Housing Code shall be kept in the office of the Building Official at 316 15th St. W., Pueblo Colorado. Copies of the Uniform Housing Code shall be available through the Pueblo Regional Building Department for purchase by the public at a moderate price. 14 SECTION 13 This Ordinance shall become effective 30 days after final passage and approval. INTRODUCED: January 26, 1998 By John Verna Councilmember ATTEST: APPROVED: City Jerk President of y C0461 197