HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 07 0RDINA]~CE NO. ?
A~I 0RDIN~CE TO P~GULATE TP~E CONSTRUCTI01~, ALTERATION, I~!NEENA~TCE
REPAIR ~d~D PJEMOVAL OF BUILDINGS WITHiNG THE CITY OF COLUEU~IA
HEIGHTS.
The City of Col~umbia Heights does ordain as follows:
Section l: There is hereby established and created the
office of Inspector of Buildings, who shall be appointed by the
City ~l~nager for an indefinite period ~nd he shall 0e removable
by the City ~nager. The Inspector of Building shall, before Be
enters upon the duties of his office, ts~e ~nd subscribe an oath
before the City Clerk to faithfully and impartially execute the
duties of his off'ice s~d shall give a bond in the sum of $500
to be approved by the City Council, conditioned for the faithfu~
performance of his duties.
Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the Inspector of Buildings
to sign, or cause to be signed, all Certificates, Permits and
i~otices required to be issued under this Ordinance.
Sec. 3. It shall be the duty of the Ins~?ctor of Buildings
to examine, or cause to be examined, all buildings reported
dangerous or dan~ged by fire or accident, and whenever any wall
or other part of a burned building is found to be unss~fe, or
when any building or any part thereof sh~ll be ussai'e for the
purpose for which it is intended or used, or whenever any machinemy
materi~l or staging used in or about the construction of any
building is unss~fe for the purpose for which it is intended or
used, the Inspector of Buildings shall notify the ov~mer, agent
or occupany, or person in charge or control of said oui!ding, in
~riting, specifying ~vherein such d~nger consists, and ordering
such dange~ous building or ny part thereof, or e~y such machinery
material or staging, removed, taken do~n, repaired or s. ltered, ss
the inspector of Buildings shz~ll require. And thereupon the
owner, agent or occupant, or person in charge or control, so
as aforesaid notified by the Inspector, of Buildings, shall forth-
with put such wall, building, machinery, material or staging
in a safe condition, or t~ke down and remove the same.
Sec. 4. The inspector of Buildings and his regularly
authorized ass~istants are hereby given authority to enter any
building in the City of Columbis~ HeiSts in the performance of
their duties.
Sec. 5. SIDE YARDS A~TD D!ST~/~CE BET¥.~EN ADJO!I~!I~G BU!LD!~TGS
In order to ensure adequate lig3at and ventilation and reduce
the conflagration hazard and preserve the ~menities of residential
districts, no dwelling hereafter erected shall approach nearer
to a side lot line than as prescribed in this section. The space
between any such dwelling and the side lot line shall De deemed
a side yard 'and shall be as follows:
(a) In the case of a dwelling hereafter erected one story
in height such space shall not be less than f6u~ feet f~om~he
(b) In the case of a dwelling hereafter erected two
stories in height such space shall not 1;e less than five feet
to the side lot line; if said dwelling is three stories in
height, such space shall be not less than seven fe ~ to the
side lot line; and such space shall increase two feet in width
for each additional story.
(c) In the case of private-dwellings ~nd of two-f~nily
dwellings hereafter erected, such space shall be not less than
three feet from the side wall of the dwelling to the side lot
line. Provided, however, thatin no case shall the combined
width as prescribed in sub-division (a) and (b) of this sec-
tion for ~ building of like height.
(d) All of the above mentioned side yards shall be at
every point open ~nd unobstructed from the ground to the sky,
except as provided in sub-division fifteen of section two of
this oct. Provided, ho~vever, that in the cs~se of multiple-
dwellings where the entrance ztory is used exclusively for bu~
iness purposes the ~easure~ents may be t~ken at the top of such
entrance story.
The width of said side yard may be measured to the middle
line of the street or public alley where ~ street or public
alley i~ediztely abuts the lot and extends ~long its entire
length. The above requirements for said side yards sh~ll not
apply to hotels heres~fter erected outside of rezidential
districts. If, however, side yards are left for such hotels,
they shall conform to the requirements of this section.
(e) Except that in the case of a single or two-family
dwelli~g~a portion of the yard not exceeding five hundred
~uare~ini~' ~rea may be occupied by z one-story privs~te garage
provided that the part of the g~.rage nea~rest to the dwelling
shall be not less th~ twelve feet from any part of such dwell-
lng and except in c~ses ~h~ere no portion of such gar~e is
above the bottom of the windows of the lowest ~ory used for
living purposes.
(f) V,~herever a building is so constructed that one side
of it, at any story, is to be used for dwelling purposes, and t
the adjoinin, g side is to be used other than for dwelling, such
adjoining side need not at such story be provided with a'side
yard, nor the rear of such adjoining part with a re~.r yard.
(g) N0 dwelling sh~.ll be erected on a gore lot which
requires side yards~whose combined width exceeds the front
width of the lot.
(h) No private dwelling sh~ll be built nearer than 20
fe~t from the front lot line to main house line.
(i) Any building costing less than $1200 when completed ,
or emy temporary dwelling shall oe built on the rear of the lot
Sec. 8. Eo wall, structure, building, or part thereof,
platform or staging shall hereafter be erected, unless it be
sufficiently s~rong for the purpose intended, ~nd ~lso in
strict confom~mity to the provisions of this ordinance.
No building already erected, or which sh~.ll be here~£ter
erected shall be raised, altered, moved or built upon in ~my
manner that would be in violation of the provisions of this
Ordinance, or of the permit issued thereunder.
All buildings and structures, or parts of buildings or
structures, hereafter erected or altered in the City of
Colu~mbia Heights shall be of sound and proper materials, and
abundantly strong for the.?Durposes intended, s~nd all work
thereon shall be executed in a mechanical -~ud workmanlike
manner.
Sec. ?. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or
corporation to commence or to proceed with the erection, e~-
largement, alterati'~n, repair, removal, or wrecking of ~uy build-
ing or structure in the City of Columbia Heights, without first
obtaining and having a permit from the Inspector of Buildings
therefor, or to fail or neglect to comply with the provisigns
of ~his ordinance and of the permit issued thereunder.
Sec. 8. ¥,~enever any person or persons shall be desirous
of erecting, enlarging, altering, or repairing, any building or
structure withing the limits of the City, the owner of such
b~Jilding or structure, or his ~gent, sh~ll m~ke application at'
the office of the Inspector of Buildings for ~.~.?ermit for that
purpose and sh~ll furnish s~id Inspector of Buildings ~ ~
l~~ ~ with the location, dimensions ~n~ cost of such
building or structure and with such further information re-
lating thereto, or to the installation of any appurtenances
connected ~herewith, as said Inspector of Buildings m~y require,
before such permit shall be is.~ued and shall exhibit to s~id
Inspector plans and specifications of such ~uilding ~ structure.
Sec. ~. The brick used in ~ll buildings shall be good,
h~rd, well burned brick.
W~en old brick are used, they shall be thoroughly cleaned
before being used, ahd shall be whole, good, hard, ~/~ well-
burned brick, equal in quality to new brick.
The sand used for mortar in all buildings ~nd in concrete
work sh~ll be clean grit sznd, free from loam or dirt, ~nd,
shall not contain any perceptible ~mount of clay or other
soluble matter.
Lime mortar shall be made of one (1) part sl~cked lime ~,nd
not more than four(4) parts of sand.
All lime used for mortar shall be thoroughly burned, of
good quality, and properly slacked before it is mixed with the
sand.
Cement mortar shall be made of Portland cement and sand
in the proportions of one (1) part of cement and not more than
three (3) parts of sand, snd shall be used immediately after
being mixed. The cement and sand shall be m, easured and
thoroughly mixed before adding water.
All cement shall stand the l~sts which now or hereafter
may be prescribed by the American Society for Testing t[aterials
in their Standard Specifications for Cement.
s~d
Cement ~)d~(~ s~/,~.~l~/t~4~/t~/~{~9~ lime mortar shall be
made of at least one Il) part o~ slacked lime, one (1) part of
Portland cement, and not more than three ($) parts of sand.
Concrete for foundations shall be made of at least one
(1) part of Portland cement, three (3) parts of sand, and five
(5) parts of broken stone of such size as will pass through
a two and one-half (2~) inch ring; or good, clean gravel may
be used in the same proportion and size as the broken stone.
The cement, sand and ~one or gravel shall be measured. The
cement and sand shall be thoroughly mixed before the water or
stone is added. All conCrete shall be properly rsnnned or
puddled in place and allowed to set without being distur0ed.
All lurnber used in stay building shall be sound, free from
,0.7
rot, large or loose knots, shakes or imper£ections, whereby the
strength or fitness of such lumber may be impaired, ~nd of such
size and dimensions as the purposes for which such building is
intended require.
Sec. 10. The dead' loads in all buildings shall consist
of the e~ctual v~eight of walls, floors, roofs, par~,ions and
all permanent construction.
The live or variable loads shall consist of all load-s
other than dead loads.
Every floor shall be of sufi'icie~t strength to bear
safely the weights to be im~,posed thereon, in addition to the
~eight of the materis, ls of which the floor construction is
c~mposed.
Each and every f2oor and roof sh~ll be of sufficient
strength in all its parts to bear safely upon every square
foot of its surface live !oad,~ as follows;
Pounds
Dwelling houses .......
Apartment and fl~t bu~l~ing~,
Tenement houses, ...........
Lodging ~ouses, ............
Hospitals, ...............
Hotels. ...............
Stables ................
Garages ................
Office buildings, first floor, .... -
Office buildings, all floors above first100
,75
School houses and places of instruction, 100
(Except the class rooms having permsment
seats, which may be designed for a live
la~d of seventy-five (~5) pounds
Auditoriums or places for public assemblage, · -125
Ordinary stores, ............... 100
Buildings for light manufacturing, ..... 100
Buildings for light storage, ........ 100
Roofs, ............ . ........
Sec. ll. The w~lls of all buildings, other than frome or
veneered frame buildings, shall be constructed of stone, b~ick,
Portland~ cement concrete, hollow clay building tile, iron or steel
and, if a~proved by the Inspector of Buildings, any bther hard,
incombustible materials m~y be used.
f~ll buildings shall be enclosed on all sides by independent or
p r~y
The walls of buildings, where ~ desired, may be constructed of
a less thicknes~ than is prescribed in this ordinance, if properly
provided with piers or buttresses~ provided, however, that the
s~me ~ount of the same materials shall enter into the construction
of such ~oiers or buttresses, and the w~lls between the s~ne, ~
would be required~r w~lls not so provided and of the thickness
prescribed by this ordinance. Provided, however, that the w~lls
between s~id piers or buttresses shall not, except zs hereinafter
provided, be of a less thickness than ten (10) inches.
Sec. ll. The outside w~lls of buildings having trussed roofs
or ceilings, if such w~lls are more than fifteen (l~) fe t, ~nd
less than twenty-five (~) feet, in height, sh~ll ~¥erage at least
sixteen (18) inches in thickness; if over twenty-five (~) feet in
height ~nd less th~n forty-five (~), they shall average at least
twenty (£0) inches in thickness; if over forty-five (~) feet in
height, they shall average at least twenty(~) inches in thickness
exclusive of the g~bles. The above requirements shall apply
to ~ll ~lls one hundred (100) feet ~nd under in length. If over
one hundred (100) feet in length, such w~lls sh~ll Oe increased
four (~) inches in thickness, unless there shall be cross-walled
of equal height. If solid buttresses ~re employed, with a
sectional area of three hundred ($00) or more square inches,, placed
not to exceed eighteen (18) feet apart, extending to, or nearly to,
the top of the w~m!ls, four (4) inches may be deducted from the
thickness of any vv~ll, as above provided, having such buttresses.
Sec. 1£. For buildings except dwelling houses hereafter
erected and twenty-five (25) feet or les s in wYndth 0etween the
walls or bearings, the minimum ~t!~ickness of all independent surroun&
lng or division walls in the same, carrying the loads of the floors.
and roofs, shall be made in ~ccordance with the following table:
Outside, Party Brick
and or
Division Rubble Concrete 1st 2nd ~rd 4th 5th
Walls Basement Basement Story Story Story Story Story
Story 14 l0 l0
Story 16 12 l0 8
Story 20 16 16 l0
S~ory 25 20 16 16 12
Story 30 24 20 16
12
12
12
Interior walls ~nay be reduced in thickness from the thickness
above specified, whenever, in the judgment of the Inspector of Building¥
it is permissible to do so, but no such wall shall be less than 8
inches in thickness.
Every building, except warehouses, wholesale houses, factories,
mills snd grain elevators and church spires, hereafter erected in the
City of Coltumbia Heights and which exceeds 3 stories in height ~
be of fire proof construction.
Sec. 13. In buildings hereafter erected, altered or repaired,
all chimneys shall be built Of brick s~one or other incombustible
material. Brick chimneys shall have outside walls at ,least six
inches in thickness unless cast iron or tile flue linings are
used, in which case the outside walls may be four inch~s in
thickness. All chimneys shall be topped out at least three (3)
feet above the top of th~ roof, at point of contact if a ~lat roo~
and at leas't two (2) feet above the ridge of a pitc~hed roof.
No chimneys shall rest upon or be carried by woodwork. Every
chimney shall be erected upon sufficient masonry foundation. No
combustible furring or shes~thing shall be placed Against any
smoke flue or chinmey breast.
Sec. 14. Foundation walls for frame, veneered, hollow
brick, hollow tile or concrete block dwelling houses shall be
constructed of either stone, concrete, 0rick, or tosser hard,
durable material, approved by the Inspecto~ of Buildings. If
constructed of rubble-stone, such ¥~'alls shs, ll not be less than
~fZ~f fourteen (l~) inches in thickness, tf constructed of
brick or concrete, they shall not be less~than ten (10) inches
for dwellings of .two (2) stories or less in height and 8 inches
if 16 inch bUtZresses are added every ten feet of straight wall
and for dwellings more than two (2) stories in height', not less
than sixteen (16) inches in thickness. II' any foundation wall
of any such building exceeds forty-five (~5) feet in length
without angles, cross-walls, piers or buttresses, and said wall
is constructed of either brick or concrete, it shall h.e increased
four (4) inches in thickness.
On . 7
k!l 8 and l0 inch foundation walls ~hzll have footings at
least four (4) inches in thickness an~ not les~ than fourteen(14)
inches in width. Excepting that f. or dwellings having concrete
foundation walls, s~id footings may be omitted in case where the
walls of such dwellings do not exceed ~eightenn (18) feet in
height above the foundation w~lls.
It shall be unlawful to construct ~¥ellzngs~~~
walls of concrete blocks~ cement blocks~or ho~t~w~brick¢~h~l~-
not be less th~n six (8) inches in width, and each wall so
built shall be faced with four (4) additional inches of solid
brick-work, well bonded to the hollow brick or blocks with n~ber
t~,~enty-four (24) g~lvanized iron anchors one (1) inch-~,-.~ide, the
brick to be laid with full joints and the ~nchors to be put in
every sixth (6) course, one (1) anchor to each five brick.
All cement block houses not block faced must be furred
inside with £ inch air space between plaster and blocks.
Provided, further, that dwe±!ings may be erected with w~lls
constructed of eight (8) inches of solid brick-work, having
solid headers through the walls ever~y seventh (Tth) course.
The m~terials composing such blocks sh~ll be thoroughly
mixed, ~ sufficient amount of clean w~ter being used so that the
water will rise to the surface when the concrete is t,.~nped into
the moulds. Provided, further, th~~t the hollow space im said
blocks, when used in any wall, shall not exceed the percentage
given in the following table, the figure~ given in the table
representing the percentages of such ho~ow space:
Height of Base- 1st. 2nd
Building. ment Story St oz~y~ Story
i story
2 stories
3 stories 25~ 25~
_All such blocks, be.fore being, u~sed in t.he_co~nst_~r~c,t~gn__of a_ny.~
t~, he shall obtain a permlt therefore from the Buzlding
Inspector, which said permit shall designate the route over
which said building is to be moved and shall lire'it the time for
the remov~~l of said building.
In eve~, case, in which a per-mit shall be is:.ued, as herein
provided, for the remov~l of a building, when such removal require
the displacement of any ~erhead electrical or other wires, it shall
be the duty'of the person, association or corporation owning,
operating or controlling .such wires to remove or displace the same
so far as the s_s.me may be necesss, ry to effect the removal of said
building to t'~/;~/~J/~y/)6~/~i~;~/~, point to which the removal thems-
of shall be authorized by such permit.
The person to whom said permit shall have Oeen issued shall
notify the person, association or corporation owning, operating
or controlling said wires to remove or displace the same to faci2i
rate the removal ,~f said building, and shall,at the same time,
exhibit to said person, association or corporation ~he properly
issued permit authorizing the removal of said buildings., and it
shall thereupon be the duty of said person, association or corpora-
tion, within twenty-four (24) hours~thereafter, to remove or
displace said w2~es, at their owr~ expense, s,~ufficiently to allow t
the passage of said 'building along the street over which said wires
are suspended.
Sec. 16. All excavations for buildings sh~l! be properly
guarded and protected by the person, persons or corporations
causing the same to be made, so as to prevent the same from becoming
dangerous to life. or limb, and shall b~ sheath-piled where it may
be necessayt to prevent the adjoining soil from caving in by
reason of its ovm weight, or by reason of any load that my rest u
upon it.
Any persons excavating for or commencing any foundation for
any building shall fully protect s~adjoining land or buildings
or the ~.valls thereof, so that it shall remain as stable as before
the excavation was co.mmenced.
Sec. l?. "Fireproof Buildings" shall be taken to ~
buildings in w'nich all 'parts that car~'y wei~ts or resist strains
are constructed ~;~holly .of stone, burned clay, iron, steel or
concrete and in which all partitior[s, enclosures, stairs and elevator
hoistways are made wholly and entirely of incomoustible material
and in ~-hich all metallic structural members are protected against
the effect of fire by coverings of a material entirely incom0usti-
ble, not injuriously affected by water, and a slow conductor of
heat.
Frame or Wooden Buildings:
The term, "Frs.me or Wooden Buildings," shall apply to all
buildings the exterior walls of which are constructed of wood.
"Frame or Wooden Buildings," the exterior walls of which are
sheathed with boards and covered with a veneer of brick, stone,
concrete blocks or tile, shall be classed as frame or wooden
bui~Jdings.
"Frame or Wooden Buildings," ~(~[ the exterior wa±ls of
v,~hich are covered with sheathing upon v~hich metal or metal or
metal-lath and plaster are secured, sh~.ll, be classed ~s fr~ue or
wooden buildings.
Dwelling:
The term, "Dwelling," shall apply to every building which
shall be used exculsively as the home ~residence of not more
than two separate ~ud distinct families.
Be ~ring \¥alls:
The term, "Bearing Walls," shall be taken to ~e~.~ and include
division and other ~valls on which the beams, girders, joists or
trusses are suspended.
Sec. 18: The fees to be paid the Inspector of Buildings for
issuing pe~i'ts and making inspections shall be as follows: IN
case t!~estimated cost of ;~ny building, as fixed ama as obtained
by the BuildinE Inspector, shall equal the sum of one Hundred
Dollars (~100) and shall not exceed the sum of Five Hundred
Dollars ($500), a fee of ~.50 shall be charged for such permit
and said Building Inspector may charge for any building costing
more than Five Hundred Dollars (~500) the following sums additional
to said charge, to-~.vit:
$~50~for every Five Hundred 'Dollars ($500) additional or
fractio~nal part thereof in estimated cost and double said fees
if building is started before building permit is issued.
Yfnen the building is completed and the Building Inspector
is satisfied that the cons.truction of said building has been in
all respects to conformity with this Ordinance, he sl~all issue a
Certificate of Completion. No permit shall be issued applicant ~with
out surveyors certificate showing location of 0uilding.
Sec. 19: The continued violation of any provision of this
Ordinance shall be and constitute a separate ofi'ence tinder this
0r'dinanc~ for e~mch and every day such violation of any provision ~
~ is continued. No owner, builder, contractor,
architect,
or other oerson shall construct, maintain or repair or remove or
cause to be constructed, m~intained, altered, repaired or removed,
~uy building in the City of Columbia Heights contraz"y to the provi-
sions of this Ordinance.
Sec. 20: Any person who shall violate any provision of
this Ordinance shall be stopped at once 'by written order of the
Building Inspector until such time as these provisions shall ce
complied with.
Sec. El: All Ordinances or parts of Ordinances which
conflict with the terms of this Ordinance are hereby repealed.
Sec. 22: This Ordinance shall take effect and be in force
thirty (30) days after its passe, ge.
~_~.AY OR
AT TEST:
CLERK
An 0rdin~ce entitled, "A_~ 0RDINA!~CE TO REGULATE THE
CO~STRUCTI0it, ALT~,%TION, ~-/AINTEI~AI~CE, REPAIR, _&ND R~0VAL OF
BUILDI~GS ;JITHII~ THE CITY OF COLIF~EBIA HEIGHTS" was introduced
by IIARCH £1, 1922 and given its first reading.
An Ordinance entitled, "AN 0RDI~I/d~CE TO REGULATE THE
C0~STI{UCTION, ALTEP.~TIOI~, ~.?mAINTE~ANCE, RE. PAIR, A!~F RE~0VAL OF
BUILDI17GS 'JITHIN THE CITY OF COLUM3IA HEIGHTS" which said
Ordinance was introduced at the regul~m meeting held l~arch
21, 1922 and giw~n its first reading, was given its second
reading for pass, age ~y 5,1922.
The'~e being no amend~ue, nts and the question being, "Shall
the Ordinance p~ss?" There are --Ayes --; flays -- as follows:
Ayes ~..
I~ays ~
The Ordinance passed May 5, 1922.