§ 15.2. Boardinghouse or roominghouse.

A building, other than a hotel, where rooms for lodging are made available to the public.

A.

The most restrictive of the following requirements will apply to the use of a building as a boardinghouse or roominghouse:

(1)

No more than two persons who are not related by blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal relationship, may occupy a lodge within the building; and

(2)

No building may be used as a boardinghouse or roominghouse unless the building is equipped with a private sanitary toilet, lavatory, and shower, or bathtub bathing facility, for every four persons occupying said building.

B.

No building may be used as a boardinghouse or roominghouse except upon the application by the owner for a specific use permit for such use, which specific use permit has been granted by the city council. No specific use permit will be granted until after the building has been inspected by the building official to determine that the building is suitable as a boardinghouse or roominghouse. The specific use permit will indicate therein, the number of rooms in the building that may be used as a lodge, and the maximum occupancy of the building. As a requirement for the issuance of a specific use permit for a boardinghouse or roominghouse, the recipient of such specific use permit authorizes the building official, or his designee, to inspect the building upon no notice to the holder of the specific use permit to determine that the holder is in compliance with this ordinance. Any violation of this ordinance is grounds for the revocation by the city council of the specific use permit for a boardinghouse or roominghouse. The revocation of the specific use permit will be in addition to any other penalties provided by the ordinance and any other ordinances of the City of Palestine, Texas, and the statutes and laws of the State of Texas.

C.

Any person who owns or operates a boardinghouse as defined herein, shall be required to keep and maintain a daily boardinghouse log in which the following information will be recorded:

(1)

Address of boardinghouse;

(2)

Name and address of owner and manager of such boardinghouse;

(3)

Number of lodges, as defined herein, in such boardinghouse; and

(4)

Name and lodge number for every person who occupied a lodge within the building for such day.

D.

The daily boardinghouse log shall be kept at the boardinghouse for inspection for one calendar year after the current year during which the log is maintained. The daily boardinghouse logs will be available for inspection by the building official or his designee upon no notice.