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Prior Chicago Building Code
BUILDING CODE AND RELATED EXCERPTS OF THE MUNICIPAL CODE OF CHICAGO
DIVISION 1 - ADMINISTRATION
DIVISION 2 - DEFINITIONS
DIVISION 3 - USE AND OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATIONS
DIVISION 4 - SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED ON USE AND OCCUPANCY
DIVISION 5 - GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
DIVISION 6 - TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 7 - FIRE-RESISTANCE-RATED CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 8 - INTERIOR FINISHES (NA)
DIVISION 9 - FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS
DIVISION 10 - MEANS OF EGRESS
DIVISION 11 - ACCESSIBILITY
DIVISION 12 - INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
DIVISION 13 - ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
DIVISION 14 - EXTERIOR WALLS (NA)
DIVISION 15 - ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES (NA)
DIVISION 16 - STRUCTURAL DESIGN
DIVISION 17 - STRUCTURAL TESTS AND SPECIAL INSPECTIONS
DIVISION 18 - SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
DIVISION 19 - CONCRETE
DIVISION 20 - ALUMINUM (NA)
DIVISION 21 - MASONRY
DIVISION 22 - STEEL
DIVISION 23 - WOOD
DIVISION 24 - GLASS AND GLAZING (NA)
DIVISION 25 - GYPSUM BOARD AND PLASTER (NA)
DIVISION 26 - PLASTIC (NA)
DIVISION 27 - ELECTRICAL
DIVISION 28 - MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
DIVISION 29 - PLUMBING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 30 - ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
DIVISION 31 - SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION (NA)
DIVISION 32 - ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
DIVISION 33 - SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
DIVISION 34 - EXISTING STRUCTURES
DIVISION 35 - REFERENCED STANDARDS

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1-4-080  Numbering of Code sections – References to former Code provisions.
   Each section number of this Code shall consist of three component parts separated by dashes. The figure before the first dash shall refer to the title number; the figure following the first dash shall refer to the position of the chapter within a title; and the figure following the second dash shall refer to the position of the section within its chapter.
   No officer or employee except aldermen of the city shall issue any written material containing any section of the municipal code numbered differently than as numbered herein; and no section number shall be changed by any such officer or employee in drafting any amendment to this Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing provision, the various departments and agencies of the city government may continue to use notices, citations and other documents containing references to chapter and section numbers of the municipal code as in effect prior to passage of this Code until December 31, 1990.
(Added Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17764)
1-4-090  Definitions for Code provisions.
   Unless the context requires other interpretations, the following words and terms are defined for purposes of this code as follows:
   (a)   “City” means City of Chicago;
   (b)   “State” means State of Illinois;
   (c)   “County” means County of Cook;
   (d)   “City council” means the city council of the City of Chicago;
   (e)   “Person” means any natural individual, firm, trust, partnership, association, joint venture, corporation or other legal entity, in his or its own capacity or as administrator, conservator, guardian, executor, trustee, receiver or other representative appointed by the court. Whenever the word “person” is used in any section of this code prescribing a penalty, fine, or cost recovery action as applied to partnerships, associations or joint ventures, the word shall include the members thereof, and as applied to corporations shall include the officers, agents or employees thereof who intentionally, recklessly or negligently cause or allow any violation of the section;
   (f)   “Public way” means any sidewalk, street, alley, highway or other public thoroughfare;
   (g)   “Code” means the Municipal Code of Chicago as amended from time to time, except as otherwise explicitly provided in Title 14C and Title 14E in connection with the adoption by reference of a model building code;
   (h)   “Building code” or “building provisions of this Code” means: Titles 13 (excepting Chapter 13-72), 14C , 14E , and 18; Chapters 2-22, 7-4, 7-28; Article III of Chapter 11-4; Chapters 15-8, 15-12 and Article I of Chapter 15-16, Section 8-4-090 ; and all other provisions of this Code establishing or relating to construction, plumbing, heating, electrical, fire prevention, sanitation, zoning or other health and safety standards relating to structures (except to the extent authority for enforcement and administration is conferred exclusively on a department or agency other than the department of buildings or on an officer other than the building commissioner);
   *(h-1)   “Conveyance Device Code” or “conveyance device regulations of this Code” means Title 14C;
* Editor's note – Coun. J. 3-28-18, p. 74459, Art. V, § 1, numbered this entry as (h)(1); revised to (h-1) at the discretion of the editor.
   (i)   “Electrical Code” or “electrical regulations of this Code” means Article II of Chapter 13-12 and Title 14E;
   (j)   “Fire Code” or “fire regulations of this Code” means Chapter 15-4, Chapter 15-8, Article II of Chapter 15-16, Chapter 15-20, Chapter 15-24, and Chapter 15-26 of this Code;
   (k)   “Chief financial officer” means the chief financial officer of the City appointed by the mayor or, if there is no such officer then holding that office, the city comptroller.
   (l)   "Rule" means the whole or part of any statement, communication, standard, procedure or requirement of general applicability, having the force of law, issued by a department or department head pursuant to authority delegated by law to such department or department head that (1) implements or applies law or policy, or (2) prescribes the procedural requirements of a department including an amendment, modification, suspension or repeal of any such statement, communication, standard, procedure or requirement. The term "rule" encompasses any and all references to "rules and regulations" set forth in this Code.
(Added Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17764; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8019; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-01, p. 55444, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 2.1; Amend Coun. J. 7-21-04, p. 28443, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-13-07, p. 14999, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 1-13-10, p. 83085, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 6-30-10, p. 95086, § 3; Amend Coun. J. 11-8-12, p. 38872, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 12-12-12, p. 44485, § 9; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 11951, Art. X, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 3-28-18, p. 74459, Art. II, § 1 & Art. V, § 1)

 

Notes

Titles 13
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
14C
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
14E
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
8-4-090
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
1-4-100  Interpretation of language.
   Whenever any words in any section of this Code import the plural number, the singular shall be deemed to be included, and whenever the singular shall be used, it shall be deemed to include the plural.
   Whenever the masculine gender is used in this Code, females as well as males shall be deemed to be included.
   Words in the present tense shall be deemed to include the future tense.
   The words “written” and “in writing” may include printing.
   Except as otherwise explicitly provided in this Code, the word “shall” as used in this Code is mandatory.
   Headings provided in the various sections of this Code are for convenience and reference only and should not be considered part of the text of any section.
   References in this Code to wards by number, without an accompanying boundary or other geographic description, shall be deemed to refer to the geographic configuration of the referenced ward at the time the ordinance containing that ward reference was enacted into law.
   References in this Code to the power to close a business, establishment or premises, in whole or in part, for engaging in unlicensed business activity in violation of this Code, including but not limited to violation of Title 4 or Title 9 of this Code, shall include, without limitation, the power to issue a cease and desist order or any other lawful order necessary or appropriate to accomplish the closure.
(Added Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17764; Amend Coun. J. 5-9-12, p. 27485, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-16, p. 37901, Art. VIII, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-21-17, p. 61755, Art. XIII, § 1)

 

Notes

Title 4
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
Title 9
The hyper-linked material is not part of the Chicago Building Code infobase and therefore is not included herein.  The material is included in other provisions of the Chicago Municipal Code.  The complete Chicago Municipal Code is available for purchase from American Legal Publishing in both print and Folio® versions.  Please click here for the appropriate American Legal order form in printable Adobe® PDF format.  For additional information, you may visit American Legal's website by clicking here.
1-4-110  References to sections include penalty references – Exceptions.
   Reference to any section of this Code shall be understood to refer to and include the penalty provision relating thereto, unless otherwise expressly provided. In case of the amendment of any section of this Code containing provisions for which a penalty is provided in another section, the penalty so provided in such other section shall be held to relate to the section so amended, whether reenacted in the amendatory ordinance or not, unless such penalty is specifically repealed therein.
(Added Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17764)
1-4-120  Penalty for violation of Code.
   Whenever in any section of this Code the doing of any act or the omission to do any act or duty is declared to be a violation thereof, and there shall be no fine or penalty declared for such violation, any person who shall be convicted or found liable of any such violation shall be fined not less than $25.00 nor more than $500.00 for each such violation.
   A penalty imposed for the violation of any provision of this Code may include or consist of a requirement that the defendant perform reasonable community service. Such community service may include, but shall not be limited to, the removal of litter on public property or the maintenance of public facilities. In every case brought under this Code, where community service is part of a disposition, the corporation counsel shall request that the service be performed in the same community where illegal conduct giving rise to the case occurred.
   A penalty imposed for the violation of any provision of this Code may include an assessment of costs reasonably related to instituting the judicial or administrative proceeding resulting in the imposition of the penalty.
   In any case that this Code specifies a mandatory fine, mandatory period of incarceration or other mandatory penalty for a code violation, any requirement of community service or assessment of costs imposed for the Code violation pursuant to this section shall be in addition to the mandatory penalty.
   Whenever this Code refers to an offense, violation or conviction for purposes of establishing a penalty for a violation of this Code, the offense, violation or conviction may either be the result of an administrative hearing or a court proceeding.
(Added Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17764; Amend Coun. J. 6-10-96, p. 23797; Amend Coun. J. 7-10-96, p. 24987; Amend Coun. J. 4-29-98, p. 66566; Amend Coun. J. 6-9-99, p. 5102)
1-4-125  Restitution – License or permit violations.
   (a)   Any person who violates any provision of this Code by failing to obtain a license or permit when required by the Code, or by failing to obtain any insurance required under any permit or license issued to such person, shall in addition to any fine or penalty specified by this Code, be required to make restitution to the city in the full amount of all liabilities, judgments, settlements, costs, damages and expenses which may in any way come against the city, in whole or in part as a result of any act, omission or thing done by said person, for which the license or permit was required.
   (b)   The restitution requirement of this section shall apply whether or not any negligence on the part of the city or its officers or employees also contributed in part to any such liabilities, judgments, settlements, costs, damages and expenses.
(Added Coun. J. 1-14-04, p. 17349, § 1)
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