[Added 6-8-2006 by Ord. No. 20-2006]
A.
Scope. The provisions of this article shall govern
the minimum conditions and standards for the light, ventilation and
space for the occupancy of a structure.
B.
Responsibility. The owner of the structure shall provide
and maintain light, ventilation and space conditions in compliance
with these requirements. A person shall not occupy as owner-occupant
or permit another person to occupy or use any premises that do not
comply with the requirements of this article.
C.
Alternative devices. In lieu of the means for natural
light and ventilation herein prescribed, artificial light or mechanical
ventilation shall be permitted when complying with the building code.
A.
Habitable spaces. Every habitable space shall have
at least one window of approved size facing directly to the outdoors
or to a court. The minimum total glazed area, measured between stops,
for every habitable space shall be 8% of the floor area of such room,
except in kitchens when artificial light is provided in accordance
with the provisions of the building code. Wherever walls or other
portions of a structure face a window of any room and such obstructions
are located less than three feet from the window and extend to a level
above that of the ceiling of the room, such window shall neither be
deemed to face directly to the outdoors nor to a court and shall not
be included as contributing to the required minimum total window area
for the room. As an exception to the above requirement, where natural
light for rooms or spaces without exterior glazing areas is provided
through an adjoining room, the unobstructed opening to the adjoining
room shall be at least 8% of the floor area of the interior room or
space, but not less than 25 square feet. The exterior glazing area
shall be based on the total floor area being served.
B.
Common halls and stairways. Every common hall and
stairway, other than in one- and two-family dwellings, shall be lighted
at all times with at least a sixty-watt standard incandescent light
bulb or equivalent for each 200 square feet of floor area or equivalent
illumination, provided that the spacing between lights shall not be
greater than 30 feet.
C.
Other spaces. All other spaces shall be provided with
natural or artificial light sufficient to permit the maintenance of
sanitary conditions, and the safe occupancy of the space and utilization
of the appliances, equipment and fixtures.
A.
Habitable spaces. Every habitable space shall have at least one openable window. The total openable area of the window in every room shall be equal to at least 45% of the minimum glazed area required in § 218-72.2A. As an exception to the above requirement, where rooms and spaces without openings to the outdoors are ventilated through an adjoining room, the unobstructed opening to the adjoining room shall be at least 8% of the floor area of the interior room or space, but not less than 25 square feet. The ventilation openings to the outdoors shall be based on the total floor area being ventilated.
B.
Bathrooms and toilet rooms. Every bathroom and toilet room shall comply with the ventilation requirements for habitable spaces as required by § 218-72.3A, except that a window shall not be required in spaces equipped with a mechanical ventilation system. Air exhausted by a mechanical ventilation system from a bathroom within a dwelling unit shall be exhausted to the exterior and shall not be recirculated.
C.
Cooking facilities. Unless specifically approved in
writing by the Code Official through the certificate of occupancy,
cooking shall not be permitted in any rooming unit or dormitory unit,
and a cooking facility or appliance shall not be permitted to be present
in a rooming unit or dormitory unit.
D.
Process ventilation. Where injurious, toxic, irritating
or noxious fumes, gases, dusts or mists are generated, a local exhaust
ventilation system shall be provided to remove the contaminating agent
at the source. Air shall be exhausted to the exterior and not be recirculated
to any space.
E.
Clothes dryer exhaust. Clothes dryer venting systems
shall be independent of all other systems and shall be exhausted in
accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
A.
Privacy. Dwelling units, rooming units and dormitory
units shall be arranged to provide privacy and be separate from other
adjoining spaces.
B.
Minimum room widths. A habitable room, other than
a kitchen, shall not be less than seven feet in any plan dimension.
Kitchens shall have a clear passageway of not less than three feet
between counter fronts and appliances or counter fronts and walls.
C.
Minimum ceiling heights. Habitable spaces, hallways,
corridors, laundry areas, bathrooms, toilet rooms and habitable basement
or cellar areas shall have a clear ceiling height of not less than
seven feet. The minimum headroom in all parts of the stairway shall
not be less than six feet, eight inches measured vertically from the
sloped plane adjoining the tread nosing or from the floor surface
of the landing or platform. Following are exceptions to the foregoing
requirements:
(1)
In one- and two-family dwellings, beams or girders
spaced not less than four feet on center and projecting not more than
six inches below the required ceiling height.
(2)
Basement or cellar rooms in one- and two-family
dwellings occupied exclusively for laundry, study, or recreation purposes,
and having a ceiling height of not less than six feet eight inches
with not less than six feet four inches of clear height under beams,
girders, ducts, and similar obstructions.
(3)
Rooms occupied exclusively for sleeping, study
or similar purposes and having a sloped ceiling over all or part of
the room, with a clear ceiling height of at least seven feet over
not less than one-third of the required minimum floor area. In calculating
the floor area of such rooms, only those portions of the floor area
with a clear ceiling height of five feet or more shall be included.
D.
Bedroom requirements. Every bedroom shall comply with
the following requirements:
(1)
Area for sleeping purposes. Every bedroom occupied
by one person shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor area,
and every bedroom occupied by more than one person shall contain at
least 50 square feet of floor area for each occupant thereof.
(2)
Access from bedrooms. Bedrooms shall not be
used as the only means of access to other bedrooms or habitable spaces
and shall not serve as the only means of egress from other habitable
spaces, except in the case of dwelling units that contain fewer than
two bedrooms.
(3)
Water closet accessibility. Every bedroom shall
have access to at least one water closet and one lavatory without
passing through another bedroom. Every bedroom in a dwelling unit
shall have access to at least one water closet and lavatory located
in the same story as the bedroom or an adjacent story.
(4)
Prohibited occupancy. Kitchens and nonhabitable
spaces shall not be used for sleeping purposes.
(5)
Other requirements. Bedrooms shall comply with
the applicable provisions of this article, including but not limited
to the light, ventilation, room area, ceiling height and room width
requirements.
E.
Overcrowding. Dwelling units shall not be occupied
by more occupants than permitted by the minimum occupancy area requirements
below:
|
Space
|
Minimum area 1-2 occupants
|
Minimum area 3-5 occupants
|
Minimum area 6 or more occupants
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
Living room
|
No requirements
|
120 square feet
|
150 square feet
|
|
Dining room
|
No requirements
|
80 square feet
|
100 square feet
|
|
Kitchen
|
50 square feet
|
50 square feet
|
60 square feet
|
|
Bedrooms
|
(1)
Sleeping area. The minimum occupancy area required in the above table shall not be included as a sleeping area in determining the minimum occupancy area for sleeping purposes. All sleeping areas shall comply with § 218-72.4D.
(2)
Combined spaces. Combined living room and dining
room spaces shall comply with the requirements of the above table
if the total area is equal to that required for separate rooms and
if the space is located so as to function as a combination living
room/dining room.
F.
Efficiency unit. Nothing in this article shall prohibit
an efficiency unit from meeting the following requirements:
(1)
A unit occupied by not more than two occupants shall have a clear floor area of not less than 220 square feet. A unit occupied by three occupants shall have a clear floor area of not less than 320 square feet. These required areas shall be exclusive of the areas required by Subsections F(2) and F(3).
(2)
The unit shall be provided with a kitchen sink,
cooking appliance and refrigerator facilities, each having a clear
working space of not less than 30 inches in front. Light and ventilation
conforming to this article shall be provided.
(3)
The unit shall be provided with a separate bathroom
containing a water closet, lavatory and bathtub or shower.
(4)
The maximum number of occupants shall be three.
G.
Food preparation. All spaces to be occupied for food
preparation purposes shall contain suitable space and equipment to
store, prepare and serve foods in a sanitary manner. There shall be
adequate facilities and services for the sanitary disposal of food
wastes and refuse, including facilities for temporary storage.
