Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms shall, for the purposes of this code, have the meanings shown in this chapter.
Words stated in the present tense include the future; words stated in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter; the singular number includes the plural and the plural, the singular.
Where terms are not defined in this code and are defined in the International Building Code, International Existing Building Code, International Fire Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Mechanical Code, International Plumbing Code, International Residential Code, or NFPA 70, such terms shall have the meanings ascribed to them as stated in those codes.
Where terms are not defined through the methods authorized by this section, such terms shall have ordinarily accepted meanings such as the context implies.
Whenever the words "dwelling unit," "dwelling," "premises," "building," "rooming house," "rooming unit," "housekeeping unit" or "story" are stated in this code, they shall be construed as though they were followed by the words "or any part thereof."
Secured in a manner that provides positive connection.
Acceptable to the code official.
That portion of a building which is partly or completely below grade.
A room containing plumbing fixtures including a bathtub or shower.
Any room or space used or intended to be used for sleeping purposes in either a dwelling or sleeping unit.
A building arranged or used for lodging, with or without meals for compensation, and not more than 10 individuals that do not constitute a family.
An outdoor fire used for ceremonial purposes and is greater than 3 feet in diameter and more than 2 feet in height.
Residential Group R-1 occupancies containing sleeping units where the occupants are primarily transient in nature, including:
Boarding houses (transient) with more than 10 occupants Congregate living facilities (transient) with more than 10 occupants |
Hotels (transient) |
Motels (transient) |
Residential Group R-2 occupancies containing sleeping units or more than two dwelling units where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature, including:
Apartment houses |
Boarding houses (nontransient) with more than 16 occupants |
Congregate living facilities (nontransient) with more than 16 occupants |
Convents |
Dormitories |
Fraternities and sororities |
Hotels (nontransient) |
Live/work units |
Monasteries |
Motels (nontransient) |
Residential Group R-3 occupancies where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature and not classified as Group R-1, R-2, R-4 or I, including:
Buildings that do not contain more than two dwelling units |
Boarding houses (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants |
Boarding houses (transient) with 10 or fewer occupants |
Care facilities that provide accommodations for five or fewer persons receiving care |
Congregate living facilities (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants |
Congregate living facilities (transient) with 10 or fewer occupants |
Lodging houses with five or fewer guest rooms |
Residential Group R-4 occupancy shall include buildings, structures or portions thereof for more than five but not more than 16 persons, excluding staff, who reside on a 24-hour basis in a supervised residential environment and receive custodial care. This group shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
Alcohol and drug centers |
Assisted living facilities |
Congregate care facilities |
Group homes |
Halfway houses |
Residential board and care facilities |
Social rehabilitation facilities |
A surface that is free of visible soil and free from elements such as filth or bacteria that endanger health. Also, the reduction of pathogenic organisms on a clean surface to a safe level.
The official who is charged with the administration and enforcement of this code, or any duly authorized representative.
To adjudge unfit for occupancy.
A building or part thereof that contains sleeping units where residents share bathroom or kitchen facilities, or both.
The costs shall include the actual costs of the demolition or repair of the structure less revenues obtained if salvage was conducted prior to demolition or repair. Costs shall include, but not be limited to, expenses incurred or necessitated related to demolition or emergency repairs, such as asbestos survey and abatement if necessary; costs of inspectors, testing agencies or experts retained relative to the demolition or emergency repairs; costs of testing; surveys for other materials that are controlled or regulated from being dumped in a landfill; title searches; mailing(s); postings; recording; and attorney fees expended for recovering of the cost of emergency repairs or to obtain or enforce an order of demolition made by a code official, the governing body or board of appeals.
When a structural element is physically disconnected from another and that connection is necessary to provide a positive connection.
To weaken, disintegrate, corrode, rust or decay and lose effectiveness.
A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation.
That portion of land or property reserved for present or future use by a person or agency other than the legal fee owner(s) of the property. The easement shall be permitted to be for use under, on or above a said lot or lots.
Those structural members or assemblies of members or manufactured elements, including braces, frames, lugs, snuggers, hangers or saddles, that transmit gravity load, lateral load and operating load between the equipment and the structure.
The open space on the premises and on adjoining property under the control of owners or operators of such premises.
The animal or vegetable waste resulting from the handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food.
A facility for social rehabilitation, substance abuse or mental health problems that contains a group housing arrangement that provides custodial care but does not provide medical care.
A building component or a system of building components located at or near the open sides of elevated walking surfaces that minimizes the possibility of a fall from the walking surface to a lower level.
Space in a structure for living, sleeping, eating or cooking. Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, storage or utility spaces, and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.
A fixed, non-portable heating equipment or unit.
Any building or structure that is one or more of the following:
Listed or certified as eligible for listing, by the State Historic Preservation Officer or the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places, in the National Register of Historic Places.
Designated as historic under an applicable state or local law.
Certified as a contributing resource within a National Register or state or locally designated historic district.
A room or group of rooms forming a single habitable space equipped and intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking, and eating which does not contain, within such a unit, a toilet, lavatory and bathtub or shower.
A condition which could cause serious or life-threatening injury or death at any time.
The presence, within or contiguous to, a structure or premises of insects, rodents, vermin, or other pests.
A vehicle which cannot be driven upon the public streets for reason including but not limited to being unlicensed, wrecked, abandoned, in a state of disrepair, or incapable of being moved under its own power.
Equipment, materials, or products to which have been affixed a label, seal, symbol or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of the production of the above-labeled items and whose labeling indicates either that the equipment, material or product meets identified standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.
A fixed washbowl with running water and drainpipe (sink).
To permit, provide or offer possession or occupancy of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, building, premise, or structure pursuant to a written or unwritten lease, agreement or license, or pursuant to a recorded or unrecorded agreement of contract for the sale of land.
A condition that could cause serious or life-threatening injury or death at any time due to structures or existing equipment that are or hereafter become unsafe or deficient because of inadequate means of egress, which cause a fire hazard, are otherwise dangerous to human life or the public welfare, or which involve illegal or over occupancy or failure to maintain fire protection systems.
A one-family dwelling where one or more occupants are primarily permanent in nature and rent is paid for guest rooms. For the purposes of this code, a bed-and-breakfast establishment, as defined in the Zoning Ordinance of Manheim Township, would qualify as a lodging house.
A continuous and unobstructed path of vertical and horizontal egress travel from any occupied portion of a building or structure to a public way. A means of egress consists of three separate and distinct parts; the exit access, the exit and the exit discharge.
That which does not meet the requirements of this code, nor the intent of this code.
A fee charged for the failure of the property owner to be present for an inspection within fifteen minutes after the start time of the scheduled inspection.
The lack of proper maintenance for a building or structure.
The purpose for which a building or portion thereof is utilized or occupied.
Any individual living or sleeping in a building or having possession of a space within a building.
For the purposes of this code, a detached dwelling for one or two families not more than 3 stories in height with a separate means of egress.
That part of a window, skylight or door which is available for unobstructed ventilation, and which opens directly to the outdoors.
The burning of materials wherein products of combustion are emitted directly into the ambient air without passing through a stack or chimney from an enclosed chamber.
Any person who has charge, care or control of a structure or premises which is let or offered for occupancy.
Any person, agent, operator, firm, or corporation having legal or equitable interest in the property; or recorded in the official records of the state, county or municipality as holding title to the property; or otherwise having control of the property, including the guardian of the estate of any such person, and the executor or administrator of the estate of such person if ordered to take possession of real property by a court.
An individual, corporation, partnership, or any other group acting as a unit.
The control and elimination of insects, rodents, or other pests by eliminating their harborage places; by removing or making inaccessible materials that serve as their food or water; by other approved pest elimination methods.
Refers to water pipes, waste pipes, water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories, bathtubs, shower baths, installed clothes-washing machines, catch basins, drains, garbage disposal units, as well as gas pipes, and gas-burning equipment, water heating facilities and vents and other similar supply fixtures, together with all connections to water, sewer, and gas lines.
A portable, outdoor, solid-fuel-burning fireplace that may be constructed of steel, concrete, clay, or other noncombustible material. A portable outdoor fireplace may be open in design or may be equipped with a small hearth opening and a short chimney or chimney opening in the top.
A lot, plot or parcel of land, easement, or public way, including any structures thereon.
Any conflict or violation of this code, other than a Life Safety Violation as determined by the Code Official.
Any street, alley, or similar parcel of land essentially unobstructed from the ground to the sky, which is deeded, dedicated, or otherwise permanently appropriated to the public for public use.
An outdoor fire burning materials other than rubbish where the fuel being burned is not contained in an incinerator, outdoor fireplace, portable outdoor fireplace, barbeque grill or barbeque pit and has a total fuel area of 3 feet or less in diameter and 2 feet or less in height for pleasure, religious, ceremonial, cooking, warmth, or similar purposes.
The operation or rental to another, or to provide residential occupancy with compensation as follows:
One- and two-family dwellings and townhouses, which are offered for rent or lease as a living facility for a minimum of 6 months.
Apartments and other applicable residential occupancies which are offered for rent or lease as a living facility for 1 or more consecutive days with or without compensation. Hotels, motels, convents, monasteries, dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and occupancy types at assisted living facilities are excluded from the provisions of rental housing and rental housing licensing.
A document issued annually by the Department of Code Compliance to the property owner of a residential rental property certifying the property is licensed for being rented. Such license is required for lawful rental of residential rental units.
Any person who has charge, care, control or management of a residential rental property and lives within 25 air miles from the property. Except where the person-in-charge is also the property owner, the responsible local agent shall be an adult 21 years of age or older.
A building arranged or occupied for lodging, with or without meals, for compensation and not occupied as a one- or two-family dwelling.
Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit occupied or intended to be occupied for sleeping or living, but not for cooking purposes.
Combustible and noncombustible waste materials, except garbage; the term shall include the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke and other combustible materials, paper, rags, cartons, boxes, wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, tin cans, metals, mineral matter, glass, crockery and dust and other similar materials.
A room or space in which people sleep, which can also include permanent provisions for living, eating and either sanitation or kitchen facilities, but not both. Such rooms and spaces that are also part of a dwelling unit are not sleeping units.
An offense in which the prosecution in a legal proceeding is not required to prove criminal intent as a part of its case. It is enough to prove that the defendant either did an act which was prohibited or failed to do an act which the defendant was legally required to do.
That which is built or constructed or a portion thereof.
A person, corporation, partnership, or group occupying a building or portion thereof as a unit that has been Let for Occupancy.
A room containing a water closet or urinal but not a bathtub or shower.
A single-family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three or more attached units in which each unit extends from the foundation to roof and with open space on at least two sides.
The deformation at which failure occurs and which shall be deemed to occur if the sustainable load reduces to 80 percent or less of the maximum strength.
The natural or mechanical process of supplying conditioned or unconditioned air to, or removing such air from, any space.
A failure to follow or abide by the requirements as set forth by this code.
A compartment or room with plumbing fixtures used for the elimination of bodily wastes (toilet bowls and urinals).
Executed in a skilled manner; e.g., generally plumb, level, square, in line, undamaged and without marring adjacent work.
An open space on the same lot with a structure.