15-8-086 Moisture control.

   Barrier-type EIFS without drainage systems shall not be permitted. The exterior wall finish assembly shall be designed and installed to prevent the accumulation of moisture through condensation or by leakage through the exterior wall construction. Details of the required moisture control mechanisms shall be provided on plans submitted for permit.

(Added Coun. J. 5-17-00, p. 32653, § 3)

15-8-090 Sloping walls.

   Any exterior enclosing surface of a building, the plane of which forms an angle of 75 degrees or more with the horizontal, shall be subject to the requirements of exterior walls.

(Prior code §  62-2.2)

15-8-100 Parapets.

   Exterior walls of buildings of Type III-A, III-B and III-C shall each be provided with a parapet having a fire resistance not less than that required for the walls.

   (a)   Parapets shall not be required on:

      (1)   Exterior walls connecting with roofs of fire-resistive construction;

      (2)   An exterior wall of a building the roof of which is at least three feet lower than the roof of, or any opening in, an adjacent building wall;

      (3)   Exterior walls facing on a street having a width of 30 feet or more;

      (4)   Exterior walls of a building which is 30 feet or more distant in all directions from the nearest line to which other buildings are or may be legally built and from other buildings on the same lot;

      (5)   In single-family and two-family dwellings not more than two stories and attic in height located not less than three feet from a lot line;

      (6)   Exterior walls of a building not exceeding 1,000 square feet in area;

      (7)   Exterior walls of a building which is 30 feet or more distant in all directions from the nearest line to which other buildings are or may be legally built but less than 30 feet distant to one or more buildings on the same lot, where the total area of the buildings within 30 feet of each other does not exceed one and one-half times the allowable area for any of the buildings considered;

      (8)   Exterior walls of a building where the roof has an angle of more than 20 degrees with the horizontal.

   (b)   Parapets on exterior walls required to have a fire resistance rating of two hours shall extend not less than two feet above the roof; parapets on exterior walls required to have a fire resistance rating of three or four hours shall extend not less than three feet above the roof; parapets on fire walls shall extend at least to the same height as any part of the roof through which the fire wall passes within 15 feet of the parapet and in no case shall it extend less than three feet above the point where the parapet and roof intersect.

   (c)   Masonry and reinforced parapets shall be at least as thick as the required thickness of the wall on which it is provided but need not be more than 12 inches thick on exterior walls.

   (d)   Parapets shall be properly coped and flashed with noncombustible, weatherproof material. All corners of masonry parapet walls shall be reinforced with at least one one-fourth-inch bar in every third joint, continuous around the corner and extending into the masonry at least three feet from the corner.

(Prior code §  62-2.3)

15-8-110 Protection of openings.

   Openings shall be deemed to face an interior lot line or the wall of another building when the plane of the opening forms an angle of less than 60 degrees with the plane of such lot line or wall.

   (a)   Protection of openings in exterior walls, except as required for protection of vertical exits in chapter 13-160, shall not be required in the following buildings:

      (1)   church auditoriums;

      (2)   residential units not more than four stories in height; and

      (3)   buildings of any occupancy of Types IV- A or IV-B construction.

   (b)   In all other buildings, the following openings in exterior walls shall be protected with Class D or Class E fire doors, fire windows or other approved opening protective assemblies complying with the requirements of Chapter 15-12.

      (1)   Openings facing an interior lot line or the opposite side of a public way at a distance of less than 12 feet;

      (2)   Openings facing an opening in the exterior wall of another building at a distance of less than 12 feet;

      (3)   Openings facing the wall of a building of Type IV-B construction at a distance of less than 12 feet;

      (4)   Openings less than 50 feet above and less than 12 feet horizontally from the roof of another building;

      (5)   Openings adjacent to smokeproof towers, horizontal exits, exterior stairways or fire escapes shall be protected as required in Sections 13-160-390, 13-160-510, 13-160-600 and 13-160-650;

      (6)   Openings in a garage, less than 30 feet vertically or horizontally from an institutional use in a mixed occupancy.

(Prior code §  62-2.4; Amend Coun. J. 10-28-97, p. 54730)

15-8-120 Protection of stairs, shafts and vertical openings.

   Stairs, shafts and openings in floors and roofs shall be enclosed as required in Sections 15-8-130 to 15-8-180, inclusive, to prevent spread of fire from floor to floor and to protect exit areas.

(Prior code §  62-3)

15-8-130 Enclosure partitions.

   (a)   Enclosure partitions supporting loads shall comply with the provisions of Chapter 13-60 for bearing partitions and with the provisions of this section.

   (b)   The bottoms of enclosures and the tops of enclosures not extending to the roof shall be of construction providing fire resistance not less than that required for the enclosure walls.

   (c)   Structural members supporting enclosure walls or partitions shall be of construction providing fire protection not less than required for the enclosure.

(Prior code §  62-3.1)

15-8-140 Stairway enclosures.

   (a)   Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, all interior stairways shall be enclosed with walls and partitions providing fire resistance as follows:

   In buildings exceeding three stories in height – Two hours (Except open plan schools equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system as defined in Article II of Chapter 15-16 of this Code);

   In buildings not exceeding three stories in height – One hour (Except open plan schools equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system as defined in Article II of Chapter 15-16 of this Code);

   In institutional buildings – Two hours;

   In open plan schools equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system as defined in Article II of Chapter 15-16 of this Code – Noncombustible.

   (The enclosure shall be constructed of noncombustible materials having fire-resistant properties not less than that of one-fourth-inch thick wired glass installed in steel sash and frames. Doors provided therein shall be not less fire-resistant than the enclosure, shall close the opening completely with only such clearance as is necessary for proper operation, and shall be equipped with approved self-closing devices. Whenever such doors must be maintained open, approved electromagnetic hold-open devices shall be provided, arranged to close the doors automatically when activated by the building's fire alarm system or by specially installed approved smoke detectors located above such door openings.)

   (b)   Stairway enclosures shall not be required in buildings of Types I-A, I-B and I-C construction for the following stairs:

      (1)   Stairs from the second floor to the main exit floor and serving the second floor only, except in hazardous use units, in multiple dwellings and in institutional units where habitable rooms are located on the second floor;

      (2)   Stairs in mercantile and business units from a basement sales space to the main exit floor level, constituting not more than 50 percent of the total required width of exit stairs.

   (c)   Stairway enclosures shall not be required in buildings of any type of construction for the following stairs:

      (1)   In residential units, stairs serving one dwelling unit only and entirely contained within such dwelling unit;

      (2)   In assembly units, stairs connecting any balcony level with the main floor level;

      (3)   In all occupancies, stairs connecting a mezzanine floor to the floor immediately below.

   (d)   Group homes located in one-family dwellings shall require vertical cutoffs for one of the required interior stairs either at the first floor or second floor levels and on any floor above the second floor.

   The stair enclosure shall be of one-hour fire- resistive construction and the door opening shall be protected with a self-closing one and three-fourths-inch solid-core wood door installed in a one and three- fourths-inch solid rabbeted frame or No. 16 gauge metal frame. The other required stair shall be enclosed as required by Sections 15-8-140 and 15-8-180, and provide protection to the exterior of the building.

   (e)   Interior stairways in intermediate care facilities for the developmentally disabled – 15 or less shall have a vertical cutoff with a one and three-fourths- inch solid-core door equipped with a self-closing device located at either the top or the bottom of the stairway. The frame of such door shall be one and three-fourths inch solid rabbeted frame or No. 16 gauge metal frame. Stair enclosures in such facilities shall be of one-hour fire-resistive construction. Other required stairways in such facilities shall be enclosed as required by Sections 15-8-140 and 15-8-180 of this Code and shall provide protection for the exterior of the building.

(Prior code §  62-3.2; Amend Coun. J. 12-21-84, p. 12140; Amend Coun. J. 6-27-90, p. 17607)