(a) Fire safety - means of escape.
(1) Each dwelling unit, individual living unit, and rooming unit must have a safe, unobstructed means of escape leading to safe and open space at ground level, as required by Chapters 8 and 22.
(2) Each mobile home must have at least 2 exit doors which provide a means of unobstructed escape and are located at a sufficient distance from each other to assure safe escape from any part of the mobile home in a fire or emergency. Each exterior mobile home door must:
(A) be constructed for exterior use;
(B) open outward;
(C) be capable of being opened from the inside by the use of a lever, knob, button, handle, or other device which does not require a key for operation from the inside; and
(D) provide a 26-inch wide clear opening, unless otherwise permitted as an emergency exit only.
(3) Each room in a mobile home designed expressly for sleeping purposes, unless it has an exit door, must have at least one outside window which:
(A) can be opened from the inside without using tools;
(B) has a clear opening of not less than 22 inches in the least dimension and 5 square feet in area, with the bottom of the opening not more than 4 feet above the floor; and
(C) if supplied with a screen or storm window, must have the screen or storm window readily removable without using a tool.
(b) Fire safety - smoke detectors.
(1) The owner of each occupied dwelling unit must provide smoke detectors in that dwelling unit as required by Section 22-96 and Section 17-37.
(2) Where an enforcing agency finds that smoke detectors have not been properly installed or maintained in working order, the agency must promptly report this fact to the Fire and Rescue Service or notify the nearest fire station.
(c) Doors off common areas, multi-family dwellings. Any door in a multi-family dwelling which opens onto an exit access corridor must be self-closing and self-latching, and must have a minium 20-minute fire protection rating under the applicable fire safety provision.
(d) Security in multiple dwelling units and personal living quarters buildings.
(1) Each owner of a rental dwelling unit in any multiple dwelling or of a personal living quarters building must supply, install and maintain locks and other security measures for doors and windows.
(2) A person must not replace or alter any keyed lock, or place a new lock on the entrance of a dwelling unit, without first providing both the tenant and owner of that dwelling unit with a suitable functional key to operate the lock. A tenant must obtain permission from the owner, in writing, before installing a lock.
(3) (A) Every owner of a personal living quarters building or 2 or more contiguous rental dwelling units must alter the required deadbolt locks on all affected dwelling unit, personal living quarters, and individual living unit entrance doors between tenancies to protect against misuse of a master key or if the enforcing agency notifies the owner that the agency has reason to believe that a master key has been lost or stolen or is being used in the commission of a crime.
(B) The owner must restrict access to any master key, or any other key which operates more than one key cylinder. Every master key must be accounted for at all times. Master key records must be available for inspection by the enforcing agency or the police department during normal business hours.
(4) Door locks.
(A) Each swinging entrance and exit door to a personal living quarters building, individual living unit, or rental dwelling unit must have a deadbolt lock with a minimum one-inch throw, or another acceptable
security device. Security measures other than the manufacturer’s latch are not required for a door which only allows access to a balcony located at least 3 stories above the ground.
(B) Each sliding, double, french or paired exterior door less than 3 stories above the ground must be installed and maintained to protect the door from sliding or being pried out of its track, or forced open when locked. One door of each sliding door structure must be stationary and secured in place by screws or pins.
(5) Viewers. A viewer must be installed in each entrance or exit door to an individual living unit or rental dwelling unit, but a viewer need not be installed if a window, vision panel, or similar transparent device is located within 2 feet of the door and faces the external area in front of the door.
(6) Windows. Each openable window in an exterior wall of a rental dwelling unit, personal living quarters building, or individual living unit that is located within reach of the ground or any adjacent surface must be constructed and maintained to protect it from being opened from the outside and from being pried out of its frame or track.
(7) Other locks required. The owner of each multiple dwelling with rental dwelling units or personal living quarters building must lock any access panel to a roof, attic, crawl space, storage area, and any other area which is not used daily.
(e) Security in other rental dwelling units. Each owner of any rental dwelling unit must supply, install, and maintain a lock for every door to the outside, and each door must close securely. The owner must supply the tenant with a key which will operate the lock from the outside, and the lock must operate by a thumb turn from the inside. A comparable lock may be substituted on any door with a thin frame.
(f) Address number. Each dwelling must be numbered as required in Section 22-97. Each individual unit in a dwelling must be numbered. (2002 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.)
Editor’s note—Former § 26-10A, “Security requirements for rental dwelling units and personal living quarters,” which was derived from 1982 L.M.C., ch. 19, § 3; 1998 L.M.C., ch. 23, § 1 and 1997 L.MC., ch. 1; and former § 26-21, “Smoke detectors” which was derived from 1977 L.M.C., ch. 9, § 2; 1978 L.M.C., ch. 40, § 2; 1980 L.M.C., ch. 29, § 1; 1984 L.M.C., ch. 24, § 29; 1988 L.M.C., ch. 23, § 1; 1996 L.M.C., ch. 20, § 1; 1998 L.M.C., ch. 12, § 1; 2001 L.M.C., ch. 14, § 1; 2002 L.M.C., ch. 16, § 2, were repealed, reenacted with amendments, renumbered § 26-8, and retitled pursuant to 2002 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1. Also, certain portions of Former § 26-5, “Minimum standards for basic equipment and facilities,” which was derived from Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 91-5; 1972 L.M.C., ch. 12, § 1; 1979 L.M.C., ch. 11, § 2; 1988 L.M.C., ch. 23, § 1; 1997 L.M.C., ch. 1, § 1, were incorporated into § 26-8 pursuant to 2002 L.M.C., ch.15, § 1.
Editor’s note—Former § 26-8, “General requirements relating to safe and sanitary maintenance,” which was derived from Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 91-7; 1980 L.M.C., ch. 29, § 1; 1988 L.M.C., ch. 23, § 1; and 1997 L.M.C., ch. 1, § 1, was repealed by 2002 L.M.C., ch. 15, § 1.