The remaining sections in this chapter are and represent amendments and additions to the requirements contained in the International Property Maintenance Code, and where their requirements conflict with those of the International Property Maintenance Code, the requirements of this chapter shall prevail. The sections listed below shall be construed in the context of the enumerated chapter or chapters of the International Property Maintenance Code.
1. Section 101.1 Title
2. Section 101.2 Scope
3. Section 103 Department Established; Director Appointed
4. Section 202 Definitions
5. Section 302.4 Weeds
6. Section 302.8 Motor Vehicles
7. Section 303.2 Enclosures
8. Section 304.3 Premises Identification
09. Section 304.14 Insect Screens
10. Section 307 Handrails and Guardrails
11. Section 308.4 Rubbish and Garbage
12. Section 601.3 CSST Bonding
13. Section 602.3 Heat supply
14. Section 602.4 Occupiable Work Spaces
15. Section 604.4 Cable Protection
16. Section 605.2 Receptacles
17. Section 605.3 Luminaries
18. Section 702.4 Emergency Escape Openings
20. Section 705.1 - Carbon Monoxide Alarms and Detection
1. TITLE. Section 101 shall be amended by inserting: “The City of Altoona” in place of “(Name of Jurisdiction)”
2. SCOPE. Section 101.2 shall be amended by deleting the section and replacing with the following:
101.2 Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all residential rental properties, short term residential properties, and their related accessory structures, now in existence or hereafter constructed, rehabilitated, renovated, or converted to residential use within the corporate limits. These provisions shall constitute minimum requirements and standards for premises, structures, equipment, and facilities for light, ventilation, space, heating, sanitation, protection from the elements, life safety, safety from fire and other hazards, and for safe and sanitary maintenance; the responsibility of owners, operators, and occupants; the occupancy of existing structures and premises, and for administration, enforcement and penalties.
3. DEPARTMENT ESTABLISHED; DIRECTOR APPOINTED. Section 103 shall be amended by deleting the section and replacing with the following:
1. There is hereby established in the City the Department of Housing, which shall be under the direction and supervision of the Building and Zoning Official. The Building Official shall be responsible to the Community Development Director for the enforcement of the Housing Code, and such other ordinances as shall assign the Building Official that function, and shall perform such other duties as may be required by the Community Development Director or by any classification plan adopted by the City.
2. The Building Official shall have the authority to appoint staff members and delegate duties to those staff members. The Building Official shall submit a report to the Community Development Director not less than once a year, covering the work of the department during the preceding period and shall incorporate in that report a summary of recommendations as to desirable amendments to this code.
3. The Building Official shall keep a permanent, accurate account of all fees and other moneys collected and received under this code, the names of the persons upon whose account the same were paid, the date and amount thereof, together with the location of the building or premises to which they relate.
4. The titles Housing Official, Code Official, Director of Building, Building and Zoning Official and Building Official, as used herein, are synonymous and may be used interchangeably.
5. The Code Official, officer, or employee charged with the enforcement of this code, while acting for the jurisdiction, shall not thereby be rendered liable personally, and is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage accruing to persons or property as a result of an act required or permitted in the discharge of official duties. Any suit instituted against any officer or employee in the lawful discharge of duties and under the provisions of this code shall be defended by the legal representative of the jurisdiction until the final termination of the proceedings. The Code Official, or any subordinate shall not be liable for costs in an action, suit or proceeding that is instituted in pursuance of the provisions of this code; and any officer of the Department of Housing, acting in good faith and without malice, shall be free from liability for acts performed under any of its provisions or by reason of any act or omission in the performance of official duties in connection therewith.
4. DEFINITIONS. Section 202 shall be amended by adding the following definitions:
“Accessory structure” means a structure detached from the principal building and/or buildings on the same lot and customarily incidental and subordinate to the principal building or use that is permitted in each particular zoning district. The structure is either occupied or devoted to a use incidental to the principal use.
“Construction Codes” means the International Building Code, International Residential Code, International Existing Building Code, International Mechanical Code, International Fuel Gas Code, International Plumbing Code, and National Electrical Code as adopted by the City of Altoona Municipal Code.
“Residential rental properties” means dwelling unit(s), which are occupied by one or more persons, none of whom are record titleholder. The temporary absence of the record titleholder for a period of not more than six (6) months, and occupied by a family member during that period, shall not require a rental certificate. Exceptions to the six (6) months absence shall be made for military service personnel on deployment.
“Short Term Residential Rental Property” means dwelling or sleeping units which are rented for a period of 31 days or less, and are not recognized as a hotel or motel. The unit shall be owner occupied, and the owner shall be onsite and present at the time of and for the duration of the rental period.
“Structure” means a combination of materials to form a construction for use, occupancy, or ornamentation whether installed on, above, or below the surface of land and water. That which is built or constructed. By this definition, all buildings are structures, however, not all structures are buildings.
5. WEEDS. Section 302.4 shall be deleted and replaced with the following:
302.4 Weeds. Weeds and grass shall be regulated as defined in the City of Altoona Municipal Code.
6. MOTOR VEHICLES. Section 302.8 shall be deleted and replaced with the following:
302.8 Motor vehicles. Motor vehicles shall be regulated as defined in the City of Altoona Municipal Code.
7. ENCLOSURES. Section 303.2 shall be deleted and replace with the following:
303.2 Enclosures. Swimming pool, spas, and hot tubs shall be regulated as defined in the City of Altoona Municipal Code.
8. PREMISES IDENTIFICATION. Section 304.3 shall be deleted and replaced with the following:
304.3 Premises Identification. Every new and existing principal structure on a premise shall have the address number affixed thereto. The numbers shall be 6 inches in height for structures built per the provisions of the IBC with the exception that individual dwelling units in multi-family structures are allowed numbers to be a height of 3 inches. The numbers for buildings constructed per the provisions of the IRC shall be 3 inches in height. The numbers shall be visible from the public right of way and of contrasting color from the principal structure. Where required by the fire code official, address identification shall be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response. Where access is by means of a private road and the building address cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other approved sign or means shall be used to identify the structure. Address numbers may be required to be increased in height and stroke width at the direction of the Fire Code Official. Address identification shall be maintained.
9. INSECT SCREENS. Section 304.14 shall be amended by inserting the following dates: [from date] April 1 [to date] October 31, and the end of the paragraph stating; …“and every screen door used for insect control shall have a self-closing device in good working condition.” shall be deleted.
10. HANDRAILS AND GUARDRAILS. Section 307 shall be deleted and replaced with the following:
307.1 General. Every exterior and interior flight of stairs having four or more risers shall have a handrail on one side of the stair, said handrail shall not be less than 30 inches high or more than 42 inches high measured vertically above the nosing of the tread or above the finished floor of the landing or walking surfaces. Handrails within a dwelling unit or serving an individual dwelling unit of groups R-2 and R-3 or one and two family dwellings shall be permitted to be interrupted at one location in a straight stair when the rail terminates into a wall or ledge and is offset and immediately continues. Every open portion of a stair, landing, balcony, porch, deck, ramp or other walking surface, which is more than 30 inches above the floor or grade below, shall have guards.
307.2 Guards. Guards within a dwelling unit or serving an individual dwelling unit of groups R-2 and R-3 or one and two family dwellings shall be permitted to be not less than 36” high. All other guards shall not be less than 42” in height. If guards are unenclosed they shall have intermediate rails or an ornamental pattern such that no object in excess of four inches in diameter can pass through.
307.3 Existing Structures: For buildings constructed prior to 1983, handrails and guardrails, which are structurally sound, may provide the same height and opening protection/restriction as was required when the structure was originally constructed. If handrails or guardrails are replaced, they shall be constructed in compliance with the currently adopted code. Guards shall not be required where exempted by the adopted building code.
11. RUBBISH AND GARBAGE. Section 308 shall be amended by adding the following section:
308.4 Compliance. All rubbish, garbage, and junk shall be regulated as defined in the City of Altoona Municipal Code.
12. CSST BONDING. Section 601 shall be amended by adding the following section:
601.3 CSST Bonding. Corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) that is not listed with an arc-resistant jacket or coating system in accordance with ANSI LC1/CSA 6.26. CSST gas piping systems and piping systems containing one or more segments of CSST shall be electrically continuous and bonded to the electrical service grounding electrode system or, where provided, the lightning protection grounding electrode system.
13. HEAT SUPPLY. Section 602.3 shall be amended by inserting the following dates: [from date] September 15 [to date] May 15.
14. OCCUPIABLE WORK SPACES. Section 602.4 shall hereby be amended by inserting the following dates: [from date] September 15 [to date] May 15.
15. CABLE PROTECTION. Section 604 shall be amended by adding the following section:
604.4 Cable protection. Type NM or SE cable installed on the wall of an unfinished basement shall be permitted to be installed in a listed conduit or tubing or shall be protected by hardboard, plywood, sheetrock, or similar to extend no less than 1’ on either side of the exposed cable to a height of not less than 7’ high.
16. RECEPTACLES. Section 605.2 shall hereby be amended by adding the following to the end of the section: All receptacle outlets located above the kitchen counter top surface, in bathrooms, in garages and exterior shall be GFCI protected.
17. LUMINAIRIES. Section 605.3 shall be amended by adding the following sections:
605.3.1 Lampholders in wet or damp locations. Luminaires installed in wet or damp locations shall be installed so that water cannot enter or accumulate in wiring compartments, lampholders or other electrical parts. All luminaires installed in wet locations shall be marked "SUITABLE FOR WET LOCATIONS." All luminaires installed in damp locations shall be marked "SUITABLE FOR WET LOCATIONS" or "SUITABLE FOR DAMP LOCATIONS."
605.3.2 Bathtub and shower areas. Cord-connected luminaires, chain-, cable- , or cord-suspended-luminaires, lighting track, pendants, and ceiling- suspended (paddle) fans shall not have any parts located within a zone measured 3 feet (914 mm) horizontally and 8 feet (2438 mm) vertically from the top of a bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. This zone is all encompassing and includes the space directly over the tub or shower. Luminaires within the actual outside dimension of the bathtub or shower to a height of 8 feet (2438 mm) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower threshold shall be marked for damp locations and where subject to shower spray, shall be marked for wet locations.
18. EMERGENCY ESCAPE OPENINGS. Section 702.4 shall be amended by adding the following exceptions:
Exceptions:
1. When the maximum height requirement cannot be met, a landing may be provided for egress windows. Landings shall have a minimum width of 36 inches, a minimum depth of 12 inches and a maximum height of 24 inches. The landing shall be permanently affixed to the floor below or the wall under the window it serves.
2. Construction existing prior to 1983 need not meet the standard minimum clear opening sizes and sill height requirement but shall have minimum clear opening width and height dimensions of 18 inches. These windows shall also have a minimum finished sill height of not more than 48 inches above the floor.
19. CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS AND DETECTION. Section 705.1 shall be amended by adding the following language to the end of the section:
“Carbon monoxide alarms located in single or multi-family rental units shall be in conformance with Iowa Code Chapter 1092.”