The water supply system of every building used in whole or in
part for dwelling purposes shall be furnished from the Town of Westernport
public water system. The water supply system shall not be cross-connected
to any other water system or a sewerage system or any other method
of contamination. Separate water service is required for all units
in which the tenant is receiving a water bill. When service is not
separated, the owner is responsible for the water bill. It is the
owner's responsibility to assure that water is connected to utilities.
Every dwelling shall contain a sink in good working condition
which shall be properly connected to both hot and cold water lines
and to the public sanitary sewer.
Every dwelling unit shall contain, within a room which affords
privacy, a water closet and a lavatory basin in good working condition
which shall be properly connected to the public sanitary sewer. Such
water closet and lavatory basin shall be within and accessible from
within the dwelling unit. The floor of such room shall be made impervious
to water to prevent structural deterioration and any development of
unsanitary conditions.
Every dwelling unit shall contain, within a room which affords
privacy, a bathtub or shower in good working condition which shall
be properly connected to both hot and cold water lines and to the
public sanitary sewer. Such bathing facilities shall be within and
accessible from within the dwelling unit. The floor of such room shall
be made impervious to water to prevent structural deterioration and
any development of unsanitary conditions.
Every dwelling or dwelling unit shall have supplied water-heating
facilities which are properly installed, operated and maintained in
safe and good working condition and are properly connected to the
bathtub or shower, sink and lavatory basin, as required in this code.
Such water-heating facilities shall be capable of automatically heating
water to a temperature of 120° F. and capable of meeting normal
demands at every required outlet, even though the dwelling's
heating facilities are not in operation. All gas-fired water heaters
shall be vented to the outside and cannot be installed in bathrooms
or sleeping rooms.
All plumbing, water closets and other plumbing fixtures in every
dwelling or dwelling unit shall be installed and maintained in good
working condition and repair and in accordance with the requirements
of this code and of the applicable plumbing code.
A.
Every dwelling unit shall contain a room or space for the preparation
and cooking of food which shall include space for a stove or other
cooking facilities, kitchen sink, dry food storage, and counter top
surface having a durable, washable, and impervious surface with a
minimum surface area of four square feet.
B.
The use of gasoline stoves or other similar fuel-burning appliances
for cooking is prohibited.
The owner and/or tenant of every dwelling unit shall provide
for trash removal in accordance with current Town regulation. In addition,
for every building containing three or more dwelling units, the owner
shall provide, in a location accessible to all dwelling units, an
adequate number of receptacles into which garbage, rubbish and ashes
from the dwelling unit receptacles may be emptied for storage between
days of collection. Receptacles shall be made of metal or other sturdy
material, watertight and provided with handles and tight covers. All
such receptacles shall be maintained at all times in good order and
repair.
A.
Every dwelling unit and boarding unit (room) shall have safe, unobstructed
means of egress leading to safe and open space at ground level as
required by the laws and ordinances of the Town of Westernport.
B.
All doors in a required means of egress shall be arranged to be opened
readily from the egress side whenever the building is occupied. Locks,
if provided, shall not require the use of a key, a tool, or special
knowledge or effort for operation from the egress side.
[Amended 7-10-2017]
A.
Every building used in whole or in part for dwelling purposes shall
be provided with the fireproofing required by the laws and ordinances
of the Town of Westernport. Such fireproofing shall include, but not
be limited to, the separation between occupancies, the enclosure of
furnace rooms and the enclosure of stairwells, where applicable. All
required fireproofing shall be maintained in a good state of repair.
All fire doors shall be maintained in an operable condition and shall
be equipped with approved self-closing devices. All residential single-family
and multifamily dwellings must comply with NFPA 101, Life Safety Code,
and Title 9 of the Public Safety Article of the Annotated Code of
Maryland.
B.
All requirements for one- and two-family dwellings shall be in accordance
with the International Residential Code's current adopted edition.
All requirements for new and existing residential multiple-family
dwellings, lodging and boarding houses, hotels and residential board
and care shall be in accordance with the Maryland State Fire Prevention
Code, COMAR 29.06.01, and the Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Safety
Article, Title 9, Fire Protection and Prevention, Subtitles 1 and
2.
C.
Townhouses shall meet the requirements of the Maryland State Fire
Prevention Code and the Annotated Code of Maryland, Public Safety
Article, Title 9, where applicable.
All fire-extinguishing equipment required by the laws, ordinances
and regulations of the Town of Westernport and Maryland State Fire
Prevention Code shall be provided and maintained in an operable condition.
A.
All fire alarm systems required by the laws, ordinances and regulations
of the Town of Westernport and required in accordance with the State
of Maryland shall be provided and maintained in an operable condition.
B.
At least a minimum of one DC-powered smoke detector is required to
be properly installed and in operating condition in every sleeping
room in addition to the Maryland Fire Code.
Emergency lighting and exit signs equipped with battery backup
are required in all common hallways wherein a total of five units
are present. All units should have exit signs as required by state
laws and ordinances. All emergency equipment shall be provided and
maintained so as to be clearly visible at all times when the building
is occupied.
Every habitable room in a dwelling or dwelling unit shall contain
a window or windows opening to the outside air, and the total glass
area of such window or windows shall not be less than 8% of the floor
area of such room. All window sashes shall be glazed and provided
with suitable hardware and shall be made to open freely to the extent
of not less than 4% of the floor area of such room.
A blind (windowless) kitchen, bathroom or toilet room must be
provided with artificial light and mechanical ventilation if a window
cannot be provided to open directly to the outside air.
A window opening into a shaft or covered by a skylight shall
not be construed as opening directly to the outside air unless the
shaft complies with the requirements of the building code for inner
courts serving windows. Inner courts of minimum permissible dimensions
which serve required windows shall be painted with white or other
reflective paint.
Every hallway, stairway, and ingress and egress pathway shall
be adequately lighted. Adequate lighting can be provided by one of
the following:
Every dwelling unit and all public and common areas shall be
supplied with adequate electric service, outlets and fixtures which
shall be properly installed and shall be connected to the source of
electric power in accordance with the National Electrical Code (NEC)
and in a manner prescribed by the ordinances, rules and regulation
of the Town of Westernport and Allegheny Power.
One duplex receptacle is required for every 50 square feet of
floor space in a room and spaced at least six feet apart from one
another. Receptacles closer than six feet will be considered one receptacle.
No extension cords shall be used as permanent outlets.
At least one supplied ceiling or wall-type electric fixture
or switched receptacle shall be properly installed in every toilet
room, bathroom, laundry room, furnace room, public hall, basement
or any other area in which artificial light is required for the safety
and welfare of the occupants. All installed electrical outlets in
the bathroom, kitchen at counter top height unless the outlet is for
a dedicated appliance, unfinished basement areas, garages, and exterior
outlets must be of the ground-fault protected type (GFI) and all others
where found to be required according to applicable code(s). Floor
receptacles must be UL listed floor receptacles.
At least two separate duplex convenience outlets shall be properly
installed in each kitchen and shall be located as to appropriately
supply adequate power for refrigeration, cooking, and other electrical
appliances. This is in addition to a permanently installed light fixture.
All outlets, when added or replaced, must be of the ground-fault type
(GFI) where found to be required according to applicable code(s).
Every dwelling, every dwelling unit and every boarding unit
(room) shall be provided with heating facilities which are properly
designed, installed and balanced or adjusted, are maintained in good
and safe working condition, and which are capable of safely and adequately
heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and water closet compartments
located therein to a temperature of at least 68° F. at the center
of the room and at a distance of three feet above the floor level.
Either central or permanently installed space heating facilities may
be used. All heating facilities shall be turned on and fully operational
throughout the winter heating season, defined as beginning no later
than October 1 and ending no sooner than May 1.
A.
Every central
heating unit and central hot-water heating unit shall:
(1)
Have every duct, pipe or tube free of leaks and functioning properly
to provide an adequate amount of heat or hot water to the intended
place of delivery;
(2)
Be provided with proper seals between sections of heat ducts;
(4)
Be provided with all required automatic or safety devices and be
installed and operated in the manner required by the laws, ordinances
and regulations of the Town of Westernport and the State of Maryland.
B.
Outdoor
furnaces and outdoor hot-water heating systems designed to be utilized
under outdoor conditions are prohibited.
A.
Every space heating unit or hot-water heating facility shall:
(1)
Not use gasoline or other similar highly flammable liquid fuel.
(2)
Not be of portable type using solid, liquid or gaseous fuel.
(3)
Be properly connected to an approved flue or vent unless it is an
electrical appliance or it is approved for vent-free operation and
properly installed to the manufacturer's installation instructions.
If proper installation involves the opening of a window, vent-free
operation will not be approved and the unit must be vented.
(4)
Be so located or protected as to prevent any overheating of adjacent
combustible material.
(5)
If employing electrical, be connected to a circuit of adequate outlet.
(6)
Be provided with all required automatic or safety devices, to include
discharge line from relief valve to approximately six inches from
the floor, and be properly operated. Kerosene space heaters are unacceptable
in tenant-occupied units.
B.
Fuel gas appliance installation and operation must comply with the
National Fuel Gas Code unless otherwise noted.
C.
Electrical installations and systems must comply with the National
Electrical Code unless otherwise noted.
D.
Electric portable heaters are allowed, but not as a primary heat
source.
