§ 26-71. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Bedroom means a room used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes and not as a kitchen, bathroom, living room, closet, hallway, utility space, entryway, garage, patio or breezeway.

Building official means the chief building official of the city or his designated representative.

Dwelling unit means a structure, or that part of a structure, which is used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one or more persons maintaining a common household to the exclusion of all others.

Family means any number of individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit in which not more than two individuals are unrelated by blood, marriage or adoption when residing in multifamily zoning districts, or high-density residential areas, or in a single-family dwelling containing one or two bedrooms; or not more than three individuals unrelated by blood, marriage or adoption when residing in a single-family dwelling containing three or more bedrooms. Foster children shall be considered as a related member of the family.

Foster child means a person under the age of 19 years of age who is reared by another, though not related by blood or adoption.

Landlord means any owner, resident or nonresident, who leases, barters or rents his single-family residence to another.

Lease, barter or rent means any agreement which gives rise to a relationship of landlord and tenant.

Nonresident owner means any person who does not live, stay or dwell in a single-family residence which he owns.

Owner means the person who, in accordance with the most recently recorded deed, deed of trust, security instrument, trust instrument, affidavit of heirship, muniment of title or other similar document indicating title to real property recorded in the Official Public Records of Dallas County, Texas, is vested in, the ownership, dominion or title of real property, including, but not limited to:

(1)

The owner of a fee simple title; or

(2)

The owner of a life estate; or

(3)

The purchaser named in an executory contract for conveyance entered in compliance with Title 2, Chapter 5, Subchapter D of the Texas Property Code, as amended, and recorded in the Official Public Records of Dallas County, Texas if required by V.T.C.A., Propety Code § 5.076, as amended; or

(4)

A mortgagee, receiver, executor or trustee in control of real property.

Person means an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association, two or more persons having a joint or common interest, or any other legal or community entity.

Premises means a lot, plot or parcel of land, including any structure thereon, and furthermore, including a dwelling unit, appurtenances thereto, grounds and facilities held out for the use of tenants generally and any other area or facility the use of which is promised to the tenant.

Property manager means a person who for compensation has managing control of a single-family residence for a nonresident owner.

Resident manager means a property manager or agent of a property manager who resides in the single-family residence.

Resident owner means any person who lives, stays, or dwells in a single-family residence which he owns.

Single location means property held in common ownership that is compact and contiguous property separated only by public streets.

Single-family residence means a single-family residence as referred to in this article which includes the following:

(1)

One-family dwelling (detached): A dwelling designed and constructed for occupancy by one family and located on a lot or separate building tract and having no physical connection to a building located on any other lot or tract.

(2)

One-family dwelling (attached): A dwelling which is joined to another dwelling at one or more sides by a party wall or abutting separate wall and which is designed for occupancy by one family and is located on a platted separate lot, delineated by front, side and rear lot lines.

(3)

Two-family dwelling: A single structure designed and constructed with two dwelling units under a single roof for occupancy by two families, one in each unit.

(4)

Condominium: The separate ownership of single dwelling units in a multiple unit structures with common elements.

Single-family residence license means the license issued by the building official pursuant to this article and referred to as the "license" in this article.

Tenant means any person who occupies a dwelling unit for living or dwelling purposes with the landlord's consent.

(Ord. No. 1420, § 2, 4-18-1983; Ord. No. 1468, § 1, 10-31-1983; Ord. No. 2999, § 2, 9-2-2008; Ord. No. 3001, § 2, 10-21-2008; Ord. No. 3097, § 1, 9-7-2010)

Cross reference

Definitions generally, § 1-2.