A.
Scope. The provisions of this article shall govern
the minimum conditions and standards for light, ventilation and space
for the occupancy of a structure. All light, ventilation and space
conditions shall comply with the requirements herein prescribed insofar
as they are applicable.
B.
Responsibility. The owner of the structure shall provide
and maintain such light and ventilation and space conditions in compliance
with these requirements. A person shall not occupy as owner-occupant
or let to another for occupancy for use any premises which does not
comply with the following requirements of this article.
C.
Access to public property. All structures shall be
provided access to public property. Such access means shall be maintained
and unobstructed.
D.
Open space. An open space, when used for the origin
of light and ventilation, shall be maintained and unobstructed.
A.
General. All spaces or rooms shall be provided sufficient
light so as not to endanger health and safety.
B.
Habitable rooms. Every habitable room shall have at
least one window of approved size facing directly to the outdoors
or to a court. The minimum total window area, measured between stops,
for every habitable room shall be 8% of the floor area of such room,
except in kitchens when artificial light may be provided in accordance
with the provisions of the Building Code. Whenever walls or other
portions of a structure face a window of any room and such obstructions
are located less than three feet (0.91 meter) from the window and
extend to a level above that of the ceiling of the room, such a window
shall not 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.
C.
Common halls and stairways. Every common hall and
stairway, in every building other than one-family dwellings, shall
be adequately lighted at all times with an illumination of at least
a sixty-watt light bulb per each 75 square feet of floor area thereof.
Such illumination shall be provided throughout the normally traveled
stairs and passageways.
D.
Other spaces. All other spaces shall be provided with
natural or artificial light of sufficient intensity and so distributed
as to permit the maintenance of sanitary conditions and the safe use
of the space and the appliances, equipment and fixtures.
A.
General. All spaces or rooms shall be provided sufficient
natural or mechanical ventilation so as not to endanger health and
safety. Where mechanical ventilation is provided in lieu of the natural
ventilation, such mechanical ventilating system shall be maintained
in operation during the occupancy of any structure or portion thereof.
B.
Habitable rooms. Every habitable room shall have at least one window which can be easily opened or such other device as will adequately ventilate the room. The total openable window area in every room shall be equal to at least 45% of the minimum window area size required in § 206-55B hereof.
C.
Toilet rooms. Every bathroom and water-closet compartment shall comply with the light and ventilation requirements for habitable rooms as required by § 206-55B, except that a window shall not be required in bathrooms or water-closet compartments equipped with an approved mechanical ventilation system.
D.
Cooking facilities. Cooking shall not be permitted
in any sleeping room or dormitory unit, and a cooking facility or
appliance shall not be permitted to be present in a sleeping room
or dormitory unit.
E.
Process ventilation. Where any process permits and
where injurious, toxic, irritating or noxious fumes, gases, dusts
or mists are generated by said process, a local exhaust ventilation
shall be provided to remove the contaminating agent at the source
so that it is not allowed to permeate the general atmosphere of the
workroom.
A.
Separation of units. Dwelling units shall be separate
and apart from each other. Sleeping rooms shall not be used as the
only means of access to other sleeping rooms or habitable spaces.
B.
Privacy. Hotel units, lodging units and dormitory
units shall be designed to provide privacy and be separate from other
adjoining spaces.
C.
Common access. A habitable room, bathroom or water-closet
compartment which is accessory to a dwelling unit shall not open directly
into or be used in conjunction with a food store, barber- or beauty
shop, doctor's or dentist's examination or treatment room or similar
room used for public purposes.
D.
Basement rooms. Basement rooms partially below grade
shall not be used for living purposes unless:
(1)
Floors and walls are watertight and so insulated as
to prevent entry of moisture.
(2)
Total window area, total openable area and ceiling
height are in accordance with this chapter.
(3)
Required minimum window area of every habitable room
is entirely above the grade of the ground adjoining such window area.
A.
Dwelling units. Every dwelling unit shall contain
a minimum gross floor area of not less than 150 square feet (13.95
square meters) for the first occupant and 100 square feet (9.30 square
meters) for each additional occupant. The floor area shall be calculated
on the basis of the total area of all habitable rooms.
B.
Area for sleeping purposes. Every room occupied for
sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square
feet (6.51 square meters) of floor area, and every room occupied for
sleeping purposes by more than one person shall contain at least 50
square feet (4.65 square meters) of floor area for each occupant thereof.
C.
Overcrowding. If any room used for residential purposes
is overcrowded, the code official may order the number of persons
sleeping or living in said room to be reduced so that there shall
be not less than the total area required in Table I.
|
Table I
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Minimum Occupancy Area Requirements
| ||||
|
Minimum Occupancy Area in Square Feet
(square meters)
| ||||
|
Space
|
1 to 2 Occupants
|
3 to 5 Occupants
|
6 or More Occupants
| |
|
Living room1
|
No requirements
|
120 (11.16)
|
150 (13.95)
| |
|
Dining room1
|
No requirements
|
80 (7.44)
|
100 (9.30)
| |
|
Kitchen
|
50 (4.65)
|
50 (4.65)
|
60 (5.58)
| |
|
Bedrooms2
|
Must comply with § 206-58B.
| |||
|
NOTES:
| |
|---|---|
|
1Combined living
room/dining room spaces will be construed as meeting the requirements
of this table if the total area is equal to that required for separate
rooms and if the space is so located that it may function as a combination
living room/dining room.
| |
|
2Every room used
as a bedroom shall have access to at least one water closet without
passing through another room used as a bedroom. Every room used as
a bedroom shall have access to at least one water closet located on
the same floor as the bedroom, except that this requirement shall
not apply to the only bedroom on a floor.
|
D.
Prohibited use. It shall be prohibited to use for
sleeping purposes any kitchen, nonhabitable space or public space.
E.
Minimum ceiling heights. Habitable rooms shall have
a clear ceiling height over the minimum area required by this chapter
at not less than 7 1/3 feet (2.23 meters), except that in attics
or top half stories, the ceiling height shall be not less than seven
feet (2.13 meters) over not less than 1/3 of the minimum area required
by this chapter when used for sleeping, study or similar activity.
In calculating the floor area of such rooms, only those portions of
the floor area of the room having a clear ceiling height of five feet
(1.52 meters) or more may be included.
F.
Correctional institutional occupancies. It is not
intended that this chapter regulate the space requirements of correctional
institutions.
