HomeMy WebLinkAbout~Master - Amending Building Code for Rental Properties ORDINANCE NO. 3063
AN ORDINANCE TO AMEND TO THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF
THE CITY OF AMES, IOWA, BY REPEALING SECTION 13.30
AND 13.35 AS THEY NOW EXIST AND ENACTING NEW SEC-
TIONS 13.30 AND 13.35; AND FURTHER ENACTING NEW
SUBSECTIONS 13.39(2)(g) AND 13.3(24) FOR THE PURPOSE
OF AMENDING WINDOW SPACE AND FIRE EXIT REQUIRE-
MENTS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION; ESTABLISHING A PENAL-
TY; REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OR
ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH AND SETTING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ENACTED, by the City Council for the City of Ames, Iowa:
Section One. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames, Iowa is
hereby amended by repealing Section 13.30 as it now exists and enact-
ing a new Section 13.30 to read as follows:
"Sec. 13.30. WINDOW SPACE.
(1) Each habitable room shall be provided with natural light
by means of one or more exterior glazed openings.
Such window openings shall have a total minimum area
of at least ten (10) square feet per apartment.
(2) All habitable rooms and bathrooms shall have natural
ventilation provided by easily operable exterior open-
ings. Such openings shall be equal to at least fifty
(50) percent of the minimum window area as required in
(1) above.
(3) In lieu of openable windows for natural ventilation in
bathrooms and kitchens, adequate ventilation may be a
system of mechanical ventilation. The system shall
exhaust and discharge directly to the outside air.
(4) For the purpose of determining light and ventilation
requirements:
(a) Any room may be considered as a portion of an
adjoining room when the common wall has an
unobstructed opening of at least 25 square feet.
(b) Openings of less than 12 square feet shall not be
included in computation."
Section Two. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames is further
amended by enacting a new subsection 13.39(2)(g) as follows:
"(g) Window Space.
(i) All habitable rooms shall be provided with natu-
ral light by means of exterior glazed openings.
Such openings shall be at least ten (10) percent
of the floor area of such room or a minimum of 10
square feet, whichever is greater.
All habitable rooms and bathrooms shall have
natural ventilation provided by easily operable
exterior openings. Such openings shall be equal
to at least fifty (50) percent of the minimum
window area as required in (1) above.
(iii) In lieu of openable windows for natural ventila-
tion in bathrooms, adequate ventilation may be a
system of mechanical ventilation. The system
shall exhaust and discharge directly to the
outside air. However, if a mechanical ventila-
tion system is used in a bathroom of a single-
family dwelling or duplex, such system may ex-
haust and discharge into an attic or crawl space
if such attic or crawl space is adequately vented
to the outside.
(iv) For the purpose of determining light and ventila-
tion requirements:
1. Any room may be considered as a portion of
an adjoining room when the common wall has
an unobstructed opening of at least 25
square feet.
2. Openings of less than 12 square feet shall
not be included in computations."
Section Three. The Municipal Code of the City of Ames is further
amended by repealing Section 13.35 as it now exists and enacting a new
Section 13.35 as follows:
Sec. 13.35. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, FIRE SAFETY.
The following are the requirements of the Ames Rental
Housing Regulations for fire safety in rental dwelling units:
(1) Every dwelling unit shall have at least one exit di-
rectly to the outside, or two direct routes of exit to
the outside reached by travel in different directions.
Routes of exit shall be corridors in common areas kept
continually open and accessible, leading directly to
exits, one of which may be a window, located remote
to one another, that open directly to the outside.
(a) Dead end corridors shall not exceed the first
twenty (20) feet of route to an exit traveled
from any dwelling unit door.
(b) A window may be deemed a second means of exit
if:
2
(i) It is easily opened and opens directly to
the outside of the dwelling; and
The window space serving as such exit
shall have an unobstructed height of at
least 24 inches, width of at least 20
inches, and finished sill height of 44
inches or less; and
(iii) If the second exit window is above the
second floor, it shall also have an
approved exit ladder which allows access
to within 8' of grade.
(2) Areas used for sleeping purposes in basements or
above the second floor shall have constant and unob-
structed access to two (2) exits from that floor, one of
which may be a window meeting the requirements of
(1)(b), above.
(3) Interior walls and ceiling finishes or decoration shall
not consist of hazardous material, including but not
limited to styrofoam, burlap, nylon or parachutes.
(4) Buildings shall display a clearly visible, marked
street address and dwelling units shall be individually
identified by a clearly visible number or letter.
(5) Combustible liquid fuels or equipment powered by
combustible liquid fuels shall not be stored in dwell-
ings.
(6) Exits, routes of exit and corridors shall be kept clear
of trash, debris and personal property. A 3' area
clear of all trash, debris and personal property shall
be maintained around meters, hot water heaters and all
heating appliances."
Section Four. The Municipal Code is further amended by enacting
a new Subsection 13.3(24) as follows:
"(24)>�dt Ladder. A ladder may be defined as an exit ladder
when it does not pass in front of any building opening
below the floor being served; it is so installed that it
will not cause a person using it to be within 6' of ex-
posed electrical wiring; the availability of activating the
device for the ladder is accessible only from the opening
served; all loading bearing surfaces and supporting
hardware shall be of non-combustible materials. Exit
ladder devices shall have a minimum width of twelve
inches when in the position intended for use. The
design load shall be not less than 400 lbs. for 16' length
and 600 lbs. for 25' length.; and exit ladder devices shall
be capable of withstanding an applied load of four times
the design load when installed in the manner intended
for use. Test loads shall be applied for a period of one
hour.r►
3
Section Five. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict
herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict, if any.
Section Six. Violation of the provisions of this ordinance shall
constitute a municipal infraction punishable as set out in Sec. 1.9,
Ames Municipal Code.
Section Seven. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect
from and after its passage and publication as required by law.
Passed this 1 —" day of r. �;�1L, I;<,%, 1989.
Nancy Dioni i, City Clerg F. Paul Goodland, Mayor
017
4