EXPLANATION: CAPITALS indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL
Introduced by: Councilmember Conaway
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ORDINANCE concerning
Title
Dwelling Units - Utility Cut-Offs
FOR the purpose of requiring gas and electric utilities to provide certain notices before terminating service to a dwelling; requiring the Fire Department to inspect for and, if needed, install smoke detectors in dwellings to which the electricity has been cut off; requiring the Housing Commissioner to revoke the occupancy permit of a dwelling to which the gas or electricity has been cut off; and generally relating to the termination of gas or electric service.
Body
BY adding
Article 13 - Housing and Urban Renewal
Section(s) 10A-1 to 10A-7, to be under the new subtitle,
"Subtitle 10A. Utility Cut-Offs"
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
SECTION 1. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 13. Housing and Urban Renewal
SUBTITLE 10A. UTILITY CUT-OFFS
§ 10A-1. DEFINITIONS.
(A) IN GENERAL.
IN THIS SUBTITLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS HAVE THE MEANINGS INDICATED.
(B) COMMISSIONER.
"COMMISSIONER" MEANS THE COMMISSIONER OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OR THE COMMISSIONER'S DESIGNEE.
(C) DWELLING UNIT.
"DWELLING UNIT" HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 202.2 OF THE PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE OF BALTIMORE CITY.
§ 10A-2. IN GENERAL.
BEFORE IT TERMINATES SERVICE TO A DWELLING UNIT IN THE CITY, A GAS OR ELECTRIC UTILITY MUST PROVIDE THE NOTICES REQUIRED BY THIS SUBTITLE, IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER NOTICES REQUIRED BY LAW.
§ 10A-3. NOTICE OF INTENT.
AT LEAST 7 DAYS BEFORE TERMINATION OF SERVICE, THE UTILITY MUST:
(1) NOTIFY THE COMMISSIONER IN WRITING OF THE PENDING TERMINATION; AND
(2) PROVIDE, BY FIRST CLASS MAIL, TO THE OWNER OF THE DWELLING, AS LISTED IN THE RECORDS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ASSESSMENTS AND TAXATION:
(I) A COPY OF THE NOTICE TO THE COMMISSIONER; AND
(II) A WARNING THAT THE TERMINATION OF GAS OR ELECTRIC SERVICE MAY RESULT IN REVOCATION OF THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT ISSUED UNDER THE BUILDING CODE.
§ 10A-4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
AT THE TIME OF TERMINATION OF SERVICE, THE UTILITY MOST NOTIFY THE COMMISSIONER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF THE TERMINATION. THIS NOTICE MAY BE GIVEN BY FACSIMILE OR ELECTRONIC MAIL.
§ 10A-5. INSPECTION FOR SMOKE DETECTORS.
(A) FIRE DEPARTMENT TO INSPECT.
ON NOTICE THAT ELECTRIC SERVICE TO A DWELLING UNIT HAS BEEN TERMINATED, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHALL UNDERTAKE AN ON-SITE INSPECTION OF DWELLING UNIT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE UNIT IS EQUIPPED WITH BATTERY-OPERATED SMOKE DETECTORS.
(B) INSTALLATION REQUIRED.
IF THE DWELLING UNIT DOES NOT HAVE THE REQUISITE NUMBER OF BATTERY-OPERATED SMOKE DETECTORS, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHALL INSTALL THEM.
§ 10A-6. REVOCATION OF OCCUPANCY PERMIT.
ON NOTICE THAT GAS OR ELECTRIC SERVICE TO A DWELLING UNIT HAS BEEN TERMINATED, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REVOKE THE OCCUPANCY PERMIT FOR THAT DWELLING UNIT AND MAY NOT REINSTATE THE PERMIT UNTIL THE SERVICE HAS BEEN REINSTATED.
§ 10A-7. RULES AND REGULATIONS.
(A) COMMISSIONER MAY ADOPT.
THE COMMISSIONER MAY ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SUBTITLE.
(B) FILING WITH LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE.
A COPY OF ALL RULES AND REGULATIONS ADOPTED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE MUST BE FILED WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.
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