City of Troy, NY Minimum Property Standards for Grant Programs

The purpose of this article is to provide basic requirements to ensure the safety, health and welfare of the occupants and users of buildings and the proper maintenance of buildings and their exterior environs to enhance their appearance and value, such buildings being those for which monetary grants and/or loans will be provided by the City of Troy.

No provision of this article shall be construed to repeal, modify or constitute an alternative to any applicable legislation that contains more stringent requirements including, but not limited to, the provisions of Chapter 176, Housing and Property Maintenance, of this Code. Said applicable legislation together with the requirements set forth herein shall constitute the minimum property standards.

§ 141-54 General.

The provisions of this article applicable to the interior of a building shall not, unless noted otherwise, apply to floors or portions thereof that are vacant of any use; provided that they remain vacant for a period of at least 10 years following the grant agreement or the period specified in the grant agreement, whichever period is greater. If, during that time period, such vacant floor area is to be used, the area to be used must first comply with these standards.

Prior to final approval of a grant, facade improvement and/or loan application, the recipient shall agree in writing to make, or cause to be made, all repairs, improvements, alterations and installations necessary to comply with the minimum property standards. Such work shall be completed within the time allowed for such work as agreed to by the recipient and the City of Troy.

The Bureau of Code Enforcement of the City of Troy will make all inspections, determinations and interpretations relating to the minimum property standards. Terminology not defined or detailed herein shall generally have the same meaning as contained in the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.

§ 141-55 Exits.

Existing exits shall be modified and/or maintained to comply with the following requirements:

(1)

Exit signs and exit directional signs shall be provided where an exit directly to the exterior is not obvious from any location within the main occupied space of a floor of a building. Such signs shall be adequately illuminated for easy visibility.

(2)

All exits, exitways, aisles and corridors shall be maintained to provide clear and unobstructed egress to the exterior of the building and shall be provided with artificial illumination adequate for safety.

(3)

During normal hours of occupancy, all doors in exit paths shall be operable for exiting without the use of a key or manipulation of a locking device other than a push-bar (exit bolt). Dead bolts shall not be permitted on any exit door. Where doors are arranged in tandem (side-by-side), all doors shall be operable for exiting.

(4)

Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of stairways 44 inches wide or less and on both sides if wider than 44 inches. Doors in enclosed stairways shall be provided with self-closers and shall be kept closed at all times.

(5)

Doors in exits that serve more than 75 persons (determined by dividing the total capacity by the number of exits) shall swing in the direction of exit travel.

Additional exits. Additional exits shall be constructed if the following requirements are not met with existing exits:

(1)

Places of public assembly:

	Occupancy Capacity	Number of Exits Above Main Floor	Required Below Main Floor
	Less than 76	1	2
	76 or more	2	2

(2)

All other uses:

(a)

There shall be at least one exit from all occupied floors below the second-floor level. For all occupied floors above the first floor, the following minimum exit requirements shall be complied with:

[1]

Two exit stairways remote from each other, one of which may be a fire escape or exterior stairway;

[2]

One interior exit stairway protected by a sprinkler system activated by smoke detectors which shall also activate a local alarm bell. The system shall protect the interior stairway and all corridors, hallways and other spaces adjoining and open to the stairway; or

[3]

One interior exit stairway constructed of noncombustible materials and enclosed by construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least one hour, having access to it at each floor only through fire-rated self-closing doors and exiting at grade level directly to the outside without having to go through other parts of the building.

(b)

Exceptions: If a floor is used for storage only, and no person is regularly employed on that floor, the exiting may be the same as for floors below the second-floor level.

§ 141-56 Fire protection equipment.

Fire extinguishers shall be provided in accordance with the recommendations (as to number, type and location) of the City's Bureau of Fire Prevention and/or the Bureau of Code Enforcement and shall have passed inspection by a qualified firm or person within the previous 12 months.

Sprinkler systems shall have passed inspection and testing by a qualified firm or person within the previous 12 months.

Fire alarm systems shall be operational as evidenced by certification of satisfactory testing within the previous 12 months or by testing during an inspection by City personnel.

Standpipe systems shall be maintained in good operational condition.

§ 141-57 Electrical system.

All wiring and equipment shall be in a good state of repair so as to be free of shock and fire hazards. All switch, outlet and junction boxes shall be properly covered. Wiring shall be properly secured to the structure, be protected from physical damage and be free of deteriorated insulation.

Electrical extension cords shall not be used to compensate for an inadequate number of convenient outlets; outlets will be added to correct such situations.

Overcurrent protection devices (fuses) shall be properly sized.

Artificial illumination shall be provided to adequately light all spaces for safe occupancy.

The electrical service entering the building and the circuits within the building shall be such capacity as to safely serve the electrical loads of the building use.

§ 141-58 Plumbing system.

All water supply, drainage and vent piping, and all plumbing fixtures shall be in a good state of repair so as to be free of leaks and functioning properly for their intended use.

§ 141-59 Heating and ventilating systems.

There shall be provided an adequate and safe means of heating and ventilating all occupied spaces, including toilet rooms.

Central heating equipment (boilers/furnaces) shall have passed a state inspection, if applicable, or a safety inspection by a qualified person or firm within the previous 12 months.

Oil-burning heating equipment shall be provided with a remote shut-off device for use in emergencies.

Combustible materials shall not be stored within five feet of boilers/furnaces or other heat-producing equipment.

Flue pipes for boilers/furnaces and other heating equipment, and for hot water heaters, shall be properly installed and maintained.

Gas-fired equipment shall be provided with shut-off valves at the equipment location.

§ 141-60 General maintenance and sanitation.

Generally, interior spaces shall be maintained in a good state of repair and free from unsanitary and unsafe conditions.

The structural system of the building shall be maintained free of any defects or conditions that weaken its integrity.

Wall, ceiling and floor materials and finishes shall be in a good state of repair and a sanitary condition, free of holes, open cracks, and loose, peeling or deteriorating materials.

Toilet facilities shall be maintained in a sanitary condition.

Interior spaces shall be free of any accumulation of trash, junk, debris and unsanitary materials. Combustible materials being stored shall be stacked in a tight, neat fashion to minimize the fire hazard.

Flammable materials shall be stored in compliance with the requirements of the Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code.

§ 141-61 Building exterior and surrounding environs.

Roofs shall be maintained free of leaks.

Roof drainage systems are to be in a good state of repair, and roof drainage shall not create a hazard or nuisance.

Chimneys, parapet walls and other building projections shall be in a good state of repair.

All exterior wall surfaces which face directly on the main street (streets, in the case of a corner lot) and which are within 30 feet of the street right-of-way and all other wall planes which start and terminate within that 30 feet, including cornices, eaves, soffits, etc., are to be properly maintained free of open cracks and joints, missing or deteriorated materials, peeling, chipping and faded paint or other finishes, and free of excessive soil markings.

All windows and doors are to be in a good state of repair. Any closed-up openings in the walls shall be in conformance with applicable codes, and their appearance shall blend harmoniously with the wall.

Business and advertising signs shall be in a good state of repair or shall be removed, including any supporting structures.

Awnings and canopies shall be in a good state of repair and free from excessive soil, rust, holes and cracks or the awnings and canopies and their supporting framework shall be removed.

Fences, retaining walls and other similar structures shall be in a good state of repair.

Sidewalks and other paved areas shall be in a good state of repair, as well as steps, fire escapes, guardrails and handrails. Exterior stairs having four or more risers shall be provided with handrails on any open side but on no less than one side.

The exterior, including the City's right-of-way adjacent to the property, shall be free of all weeds, litter, debris, junk, and improperly stored trash or other materials.

All areas of the lot used or accessible to be used for motor vehicle parking shall be paved with a durable layer of asphalt, concrete or other suitable paving material and maintained in good condition.

All plantings and lawn areas shall be properly maintained.

§ 141-62 Accessory structures.

All accessory structures (garages, carriage houses, storage buildings, etc.) shall be maintained in compliance with the applicable provisions of § 141-61, above.

§ 141-63 Vacant buildings and floors.

The interior of any building or any floor of a building that is vacant of any use whatsoever shall be maintained free of litter, debris and junk, and of any unsanitary or hazardous condition. Vacant buildings shall comply with the building exterior and surrounding environs requirements.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See § 141-61.

§ 141-64 Access by the handicapped.

Where feasible, property owners are encouraged to provide facilities to enhance the accessibility and use of premises by handicapped persons. Such facilities include but are not limited to ramps, adequate door widths, railings, etc.

§ 141-65 Effective date and applicability.

This article shall become effective on May 1, 1979, and shall apply to all buildings and owners of buildings receiving monetary grants, loans, and/or facade improvements after such date.