[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
A.
Residential premises occupied in whole or in part
as defined in this code shall comply with the requirements hereinafter
set forth concerning occupancy, size, light and ventilation in order
to provide a safe and healthful environment.
B.
The term "accessory use" shall have a uniform meaning
and shall apply in the same manner and under the same conditions or
restrictions to all residential premises.
Buildings for the purpose of this code shall
be classified in respect to their occupancies as follows:
A.
One-family and two-family dwellings. Buildings containing
one or two dwelling units with not more than one family in either
one of such dwelling units.
B.
Multiple dwellings. Buildings containing three or
more dwelling units; apartment houses; and garden apartments.
C.
Accessory structures. Garages, carports and similar-type
structures on residential premises.
D.
Hotels.
[Added 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
E.
Specialized senior housing facilities.
[Added 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
A.
In dwelling units other than those in specialized
senior housing facilities and hotels, the maximum number of occupants
shall be limited to the number determined on the basis of the floor
areas of habitable rooms, other than kitchens, as follows:
(1)
One occupant per room having floor area of at least
80 square feet but less than 120 square feet, two occupants per room
having floor area of at least 120 square feet but less than 180 square
feet, and three occupants per room having floor area of 180 or more
square feet.
A.
Size.
(1)
Habitable space shall have a minimum ceiling height
of seven feet six inches over 50% of the floor area; and the floor
area where the ceiling height is less than five feet shall not be
considered in computing floor area.
(2)
A dwelling unit shall contain at least one habitable
room having a minimum of 150 square feet of floor area and a minimum
horizontal dimension of 10 feet.
(3)
Kitchens shall have a minimum of 60 square feet of
floor area, and other habitable spaces shall contain not less than
80 square feet of floor area and shall have a minimum horizontal dimension
of seven feet.
(4)
Every alcove less than 60 square feet in area, except
a cooking space or foyer, shall be deemed to be part of a habitable
room. The area of the opening in the dividing partition between the
alcove and the room shall be at least 80% of the wall area of such
partition, measured on the alcove side, but not less than 40 square
feet. The depth of such alcove shall not exceed half its width. The
floor area of the alcove shall be added to the floor area of the room
in determining light and ventilation requirements for the room. An
alcove with an area of 60 square feet or more, but less than the required
area of a habitable room, shall be separately lighted and ventilated
as required for habitable space.
B.
Basements. Basements shall not be deemed habitable
space where required windows are located only on one wall and the
depth of the basement space exceeds four times its clear height.
C.
Light and ventilation.
(1)
Habitable space shall be provided with natural light
through one or more windows, skylights, transparent or translucent
panels, or any combinations thereof, that face directly on legal open
spaces at least six inches above the adjoining finished grade or are
above a roof. The amount of light shall be equivalent to that transmitted
through clear glass equal in area to 10% of the floor area of the
habitable space.
(2)
Habitable space shall be provided with artificial
light.
(3)
Habitable space shall be provided with natural ventilation
through openable parts of windows or other openings in exterior walls
that face legal open spaces above the adjoining finished grade or
above a roof, or through openable parts of skylights, providing total
clear ventilation area equal to not less than 5% of the total floor
area of each habitable space.
(4)
Habitable space may also be provided with mechanical
ventilation, in addition to natural ventilation.
A.
Height. Public space shall have a minimum height of
seven feet six inches measured from finished floor to finished ceiling.
B.
Light and ventilation.
(1)
Public spaces shall be provided with artificial light.
(2)
In public stairs, stairways and passageways, 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 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. 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
with a total of not less than 60 watts. 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 40 watts. 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.
A.
Height. Nonhabitable space, except crawl spaces and
attics, in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing
facilities shall have a minimum height of seven feet measured from
floor to ceiling.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
B.
Toilet rooms and bathrooms.
(1)
Toilet rooms and bathrooms in one-family and two-family
dwellings shall have provisions for privacy.
(2)
Toilet rooms and bathrooms for dwelling units in multiple
dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities shall
be located within the dwelling units and shall be accessible from
any sleeping room without passing through any other sleeping room
and shall have provisions for adequate privacy.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
(3)
Toilet rooms for employees in multiple dwellings,
hotels and specialized senior housing facilities shall be in separate
rooms for each sex where there are five or more employees, shall be
readily accessible to such employees and shall not open directly into
any public kitchen or other public space used for the cooking or preparation
of food.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
(4)
In one-family and two-family dwellings, bathrooms
and toilet rooms shall be provided with floors of moisture-resistant
material.
(5)
In multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior
housing facilities, floors of bathrooms, toilet rooms and similar
spaces shall be surfaced with ceramic tile and such tile shall extend
at least four inches above the floor on all walls. Such tile shall
be maintained in a watertight condition so that floors can be flushed
or washed without leaking.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
C.
Light and ventilation.
(1)
Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be
provided with artificial light appropriate for the use of such rooms.
(2)
Laundry rooms, furnace rooms and similar nonhabitable
space shall be provided with artificial light appropriate for the
intended use of such rooms.
(3)
Stairs shall be provided with artificial light to
allow safe ascent or descent.
(4)
Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be
provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following:
(a)
Natural ventilation as required for habitable
space, except that such openable areas shall be not less than 1 1/2
square feet for bathrooms or toilet rooms and not less than three
square feet for kitchenettes; or
(b)
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.
(5)
Spaces in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized
senior housing facilities which contain central heat-producing, air-conditioning
and other equipment, or which are designed or used for the parking
or storage of motor vehicles, shall be ventilated directly to the
outer air, and air from these spaces shall not be recirculated to
other parts of the building.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]
(6)
Ventilation shall be provided in unheated attics,
spaces below flat roofs and crawl spaces. Location and net areas of
ventilation openings shall be such as to minimize deterioration of
structural members from condensation or other causes, in conformity
with generally accepted standards.
A.
Safe, continuous and unobstructed exits shall be provided
from the interior of the building to the exterior at street or grade
level.
B.
Exits shall be arranged, constructed and proportioned
so that occupants may escape safely from the building in case of emergency.
C.
In one-family 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.
D.
In multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior
housing facilities approved exits shall be provided.
[Amended 11-19-1997 by L.L. No. 8-1997]