Irondequoit, NY Public Health Rules: Rodent Control (2026)

The rodent rule in the Town of Irondequoit Code sits in the Vacant and Unsafe Properties Law, Chapter 104, Article II. Section 104-5(C) lists what the owner of a vacant building must do on the property: no accumulation of garbage, refuse or debris; the property maintained free of insects, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation; and no storage of junk vehicles, equipment, materials or personal property. Section 104-5(C)(7) adds that yards must be trimmed and mowed, with grass and weeds no more than six inches high and dead, damaged or diseased trees or shrubs removed or replaced. The Town Board's findings in § 104-2(B) explain the concern: a vacant or dilapidated building can serve as a place of rodent infestation, creating a health menace to the community.

The duty attaches once a building is vacant. Under § 104-4(A) the owner registers with the Code Enforcement Official, defined in § 104-3 to include the Building Inspector, Fire Marshal and Director of Community Development, by the later of 30 days after the building becomes vacant or 10 days after being notified of the requirement. Registration includes a vacant property plan describing how the property will be secured, and the fee is set in the Town of Irondequoit fee schedule. A building damaged by fire or extreme weather is exempt from registration for 90 days if the owner requests the exemption in writing to the Director of Community Development.

Rodent conditions also start the unsafe-building process. Section 104-8 directs the Code Enforcement Official to inspect and report in writing to the Town Board when a building is or may become a place of rodent infestation, among other dangers. If an owner fails to maintain the property under § 104-5, § 104-7(B) provides for Town-initiated repair and maintenance, with costs handled under § 104-14 and assessed against the land. Section 104-5 reaches vacant buildings only.