Every dwelling unit shall contain at least 150 square feet of habitable
area for one occupant, and 100 square feet for each additional person. The
floor area shall be calculated only on the basis of the total area of all
habitable rooms.
B.
Certificate of temporary exception. Should the Housing
Official determine that special circumstances exist, such as abnormally large
dwelling units or lots, unusual room arrangements or other factors that will
minimize the likelihood of creating a neighborhood nuisance, he may issue
a certificate of temporary exception from the specific requirements of this
section not to exceed 30 days. The applicant shall be the owner, his legal
authorized agent or the lessee. The certificate shall be nontransferable.
It does not run with the property and it may be rescinded by the Housing Official
if:
A.
Cooking in rooming units is prohibited.
B.
Communal cooking and dining facilities in a boardinghouse
are prohibited, except in kitchen areas and other areas as approved by the
Housing Official in writing.
C.
Access doors to rooming units shall have operating locksets
to ensure privacy.
D.
Special requirements for boardinghouses shall be subject
to all provisions herein required and the following:
(1)
Each such boardinghouse shall, at all times, have a resident
manager at such boardinghouse.
(2)
The name, address and phone number of the owner, his
agent or lessee, if any, shall be posted on the back of the main entrance
door.
(3)
An updated register of all occupants shall be made available
to the housing official within 48 hours, when requested.
(4)
The owner, his agent or lessee shall be responsible for
maintaining the grounds in a clean condition. He shall take necessary steps
to prevent parking of vehicles in front yards, except in driveways. He shall
take necessary steps to prevent the placing of interior-type furnishings on
porches or front yards, and chronic accumulation of rubbish.
A.
Motor vehicles shall be defined as set forth in the Transportation
Article of the Code of Maryland, § 11-135, as amended from time
to time. For purpose of this chapter, however, motor vehicles shall not include
motor homes, as defined in § 11-134.3 of the Transportation Article
of the Code of Maryland, as amended from time to time, if used for temporary
purposes while parked at a licensed campsite.
B.
Motor vehicles, as described in this chapter, shall not
be occupied or used for a dwelling unit or rooming unit.
C.
No basement may be used as a habitable sleeping room
unless it is in compliance with the following:
(1)
The floor and those portions of the walls below grade
are of waterproof and damp-proof construction;
(2)
The minimum window area is equal to at least that required
in this Code for such window area, or if windows are located wholly or partly
below grade, there shall be constructed a properly drained window well whose
open area is equal to or greater than the area of the masonry opening for
the window, the bottom of the window well is below the top of the impervious
masonry construction under this window, and the minimum horizontal distance
at a right angle from any point of the window well is equal to or greater
than the vertical depth of the window well as measured from the bottom of
the masonry opening for the window, except where there is supplied adequate
artificial illumination.
(3)
The total openable window area in each room is equal to at least the minimum as required under this Code § 160-78, except where some other devices affording adequate ventilation and humidity control are supplied.
(4)
The basement ceiling shall be furnished and covered with
a normal ceiling covering.
(5)
A fire extinguisher shall be supplied in the basement
area.
(6)
Smoke detectors shall be installed at the top of the
basement stairway and in each habitable space in the basement.
(7)
Habitable basement spaces shall have a clear ceiling
height of not less than six feet six inches. Exceptions:
(a)
Beams or girders spaced not less than four feet on center
and projecting not more than six inches below the required ceiling height.
(b)
Basement rooms in one- and two-family dwellings occupied
exclusively for laundry, study or recreation purposes, having a ceiling height
of not less than six feet six inches with not less than five feet six inches
of clear height under beams, girders, ducts and similar obstructions.
(c)
Dropped or furred ceilings over not more than 1/2 of
the minimum floor area required by this Code, provided that no part of such
dropped ceiling is less than six feet in height.
A.
No dwelling unit or boardinghouse containing two or more
sleeping rooms shall have access to a bathroom or water closet compartment
by going through another sleeping room.
B.
Boarding and rooming houses shall not have access to
sleeping rooms, limited by access through another sleeping room, bathroom
or water closet compartment.
The ceiling height of any habitable room shall be at least six feet
six inches, except that in any habitable room with a sloping ceiling where
at least 1/2 of the floor area shall have a ceiling height of at least six
feet six inches. The floor area of that part of such a room where the ceiling
height is less than five feet shall not be considered as part of the floor
area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose of determining
the maximum permissible occupancy.
