Public space shall meet the following requirements:
A. Height. The minimum height of any public space shall
be seven feet six inches, measured from finished floor to finished
ceiling.
B. Light and ventilation. Public spaces shall be provided
with artificial light and ventilation as follows:
(1) All public spaces shall be provided with artificial
light.
(2) In public stairs, stairways and passageways, such
artificial light shall be electric lighting available at all times
so as to afford safe passage for occupants and users. Such lighting
shall conform to the following:
(a)
A sufficient number of fixtures shall be provided
so that the distance between fixtures is not more than 30 feet, and
so that no wall is more than 15 feet distant from a fixture.
(b)
Incandescent lighting shall be based on not
less than 1/4 watt per square foot of floor area, except that each
fixture shall have a lamp or lamps of a total of not less than 15
watts.
(c)
Fluorescent lighting shall be based on not less
than 1/10 watt per square foot of floor area, except that each fixture
shall have a lamp or lamps of a total of not less than 15 watts.
(d)
Where under these formulas the calculated wattage
does not correspond to that of a standard lamp, the next larger size
shall be used.
(3) Public spaces shall be provided with either natural
ventilation conforming to the requirements for habitable space, or
with mechanical ventilation.
Nonhabitable space shall conform to the following
requirements:
A. Height. Nonhabitable space, except crawl spaces and
attics, in multiple dwellings shall have a minimum height of seven
feet, measured from floor to ceiling.
B. Toilet rooms and bathrooms. Toilet rooms and bathrooms
shall meet the following requirements:
(1) Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall have provisions for
privacy.
(2) Bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be provided with
floors of moisture-resistant material and natural ventilation to the
exterior, or mechanical ventilation.
C. Light and ventilation. Nonhabitable space shall have
the following light and ventilation requirements:
(1) Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be
provided with ventilation by natural means as required for habitable
space, except that openable areas shall not be less than 1 1/2
square feet for bathrooms or toilet rooms and not less than three
square feet for kitchenettes. In the alternative, such rooms may be
provided with mechanical ventilation exhausting not less than 25 cubic
feet per minute for bathrooms and toilet rooms and not less than 100
cubic feet per minute for kitchenettes.
(2) Ventilation shall be provided in unheated attics,
spaces below flat roofs and crawl spaces. The location and net areas
of ventilation openings shall be such as to minimize the deterioration
of structural members from condensation or other causes, in conformity
with generally accepted standards.
(3) Spaces in multiple dwellings which contain central
heat-producing, air-conditioning and other equipment shall be ventilated
to the outer air, and air from these spaces shall not be recirculated
to other parts of the building, and such spaces shall be fire resistant
as follows:
[Amended 10-11-1976 by L.L. No. 32-1976]
(a)
High-capacity heater rooms shall be located
in a separate building or be enclosed by noncombustible construction
having a fire-resistance rating of not less than two hours.
(b)
Moderate-capacity heater rooms shall be located
in a separate room enclosed by construction having a fire-resistance
rating of at least one hour.
(c)
Low-capacity heater rooms shall not be required
to be enclosed. Where an enclosure is provided for such equipment,
the enclosure shall have a fire-resistance rating of at least 3/4
of an hour.
[Amended 6-26-1995 by L.L. No. 11-1995]
Stairs, both interior and exterior, shall be
of sufficient width in conformity with generally accepted standards
so as to serve the occupants, and shall be at a height of six feet
six inches, measured vertically from the surface of the tread and
maintained in good repair. Railings shall be provided on open portions
of stairs, balconies, landings and stairwells and on one side of all
stairwells. All hand rails and landing railings must be secured to
the wall or floor on which it is mounted.
[Amended 10-11-1976 by L.L. No. 32-1976; 6-26-1995 by L.L. No. 11-1995]
Safe, continuous and unobstructed exits shall
be provided from the interior of the building to the exterior at street
or grade level. Exits shall be arranged, constructed and proportioned
in conformity with a generally accepted standard and in such manner
that occupants may escape from said building in case of emergency.
In one- and two-family dwellings, in addition to a primary exit from
the building, there shall be provided a secondary exit or, in lieu
thereof, one or more exit openings for emergency use no higher than
three feet six inches. Where any windowsill is at a height of more
than 14 feet above grade, exterior stairs must be provided to the
dwelling unit or rooming unit in which such window is located. All
exits in rooming houses and boarding houses must be marked and must
be equipped with operating panic bars. The area leading to and from
all exits must have a pathway of at least three feet maintained for
safe and unobstructed access to said exit.