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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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DIVISION 5 – GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
CHAPTER 13-48
HEIGHT AND AREA LIMITATIONS
13-48-010   Height limitation requirements.
13-48-020   Application of height limitations.
13-48-030   Maximum allowable building heights.
13-48-040   Exceptions to height limitations.
13-48-050   Area limitations.
13-48-060   Application of area limitations.
13-48-070   Area limitations – One-story buildings.
13-48-080   Area limitations – Multi-story buildings.
13-48-090   Exceptions to area limitations.
13-48-100   Mixed occupancy.
13-48-110   Definitions.
13-48-010  Height limitation requirements.
   Every building or structure hereafter erected shall conform to the requirements of height limitation as provided in Sections 13-48-020 to 13-48-040, inclusive.
(Prior code § 51-1)
13-48-020  Application of height limitations.
   (a)   The maximum height of buildings shall be governed by the occupancy classification and type of construction as required in this chapter.
   (b)   Nothing in this chapter shall be interpreted to prevent the application of other limitations required by the Chicago Zoning Ordinance.
   (c)   The height in feet shall be taken as the vertical distance from the average grade to the highest point of the building. In determining height limits, parapet walls not exceeding three feet in height, penthouses, roof tanks, bulkheads, chimneys and similar roof structures shall not be included unless the aggregate of such structure exceeds one-third of the area of the roof of the building.
   (d)   The number of stories shall be taken as the actual number of stories above grade.
      The following shall not be regarded as stories:
      (1)   Any level located more than four feet below grade adjacent to the level in question. For single-family dwellings (Class A-1) and townhouse (Class A-2) buildings, the pertinent grade shall be the average of the front and rear grades, provided that for single-family dwellings (Class A-2) and townhouse (Class A-2) buildings having a split-elevation below- grade floor condition, the level that is more than four feet below grade shall not be counted as a story but rather as a basement when the below grade level exceeds 50 percent of the footprint area of the dwelling unit.
      (2)   Mezzanine floors or balconies having an area not exceeding 20 percent of the floor area of the story in which they occur. In one story building of Types II, III-A or III-B construction when unlimited areas are permitted, mezzanine floors shall not exceed 8,000 square feet in area.
      (3)   Enclosed monitor spaces in industrial or storage units used only for employees' toilets, lockers or similar uses.
   (e)   The roof of a special rooftop club licensed pursuant to Chapter 4-388 shall be counted as one story, and every deck level constructed on or above the roof shall be counted as an additional story; provided that if the space between the roof and the first deck constructed immediately on or above the roof is only interstitial space, then the roof and first deck shall be counted as one story. The floor area of the roof level, as that term is defined in Section 4-388-010, shall be included in calculating the floor area of the building.
(Prior code § 51-1.1; Amend Coun. J. 10-2-95, p. 8040; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-97, p. 54731; Amend Coun. J. 1-20-99, p. 88461; Amend Coun. J. 1-11-06, p. 68371, § 3)
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