§ 188-51. Use, occupancy and egress.

A. 

Privacy. Dwelling units, rooming units and dormitory units shall be arranged to provide privacy and be separate from other adjoining spaces.

B. 

Minimum room widths. A habitable room, other than a kitchen, shall not be less than seven feet (2,134 mm) in any plan dimension. Kitchens shall have a clear passageway of not less than three feet (914 mm) between counterfronts and appliances or counterfronts and walls.

C. 

Minimum ceiling heights.

(1) 

Habitable spaces, hallways, corridors, laundry areas, bathrooms, toilet rooms and habitable basement areas shall have a clear ceiling height of not less than seven feet (2,134 mm).

(2) 

Exceptions:

(a) 

In one- and two-family dwellings, beams or girders spaced not less than four feet (1,219 mm) on center and projecting not more than six inches (152 mm) below the required ceiling height.

(b) 

Basement rooms in one- and two-family dwellings occupied exclusively for laundry, study or recreation purposes, having a ceiling height of not less than six feet eight inches (2,033 mm) with not less than six feet four inches (1,932 mm) of clear height under beams, girders, ducts and similar obstructions.

(c) 

Rooms occupied exclusively for sleeping, study or similar purposes and having a sloped ceiling over all or part of the room, with a clear ceiling height of at least seven feet (2,134 mm) over not less than 1/3 of the required minimum floor area. In calculating the floor area of such rooms, only those portions of the floor area with a clear ceiling height of five feet (1,524 mm) or more shall be included.

D. 

Every dwelling unit shall contain at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant thereof and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for every additional occupant thereof, the floor space to be calculated on the basis of total habitable room area.

E. 

Every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor space, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for each occupant thereof.

F. 

At least 1/2 of the floor area of every habitable room shall have a ceiling height of at least seven feet. The floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling is less than five feet shall not be considered as part of the floor area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose of determining the maximum permissible occupancy thereof.

G. 

A room located in whole or in part below the level of the ground may be used for sleeping, provided that the walls and floor thereof in contact with the earth have been waterproofed in accordance with a method approved by the Construction Official; and provided that all requirements otherwise applicable to habitable rooms generally are satisfied.

H. 

Every dwelling, dwelling unit or lodging unit shall have safe and unobstructed means of egress. Such means of egress shall not be through any other dwelling unit or part thereof and shall lead to a safe and open space at ground level accessible to a street.

I. 

A room used for sleeping purposes under the provisions of Subsection G of this section shall be provided with two safe and unobstructed means of egress leading directly to an outside area accessible to a street.

J. 

There shall be not fewer than two independent exits remote from each other from every floor of a building greater than two stories in height having more than two dwelling and/or lodging units.

K. 

Access from bedrooms. Bedrooms shall not constitute the only means of access to other bedrooms or habitable spaces and shall not serve as the only means of egress from other habitable spaces. Exception: Units that contain fewer than two bedrooms.

L. 

Water closet accessibility. Every bedroom shall have access to at least one water closet and one lavatory without passing through another bedroom. Every bedroom in a dwelling unit shall have access to at least one water closet and lavatory located in the same story as the bedroom or an adjacent story.

M. 

Prohibited occupancy. Kitchens and nonhabitable spaces shall not be used for sleeping purposes.

N. 

Other requirements. Bedrooms shall comply with the applicable provisions of this code, including but not limited to the light, ventilation, room area, ceiling height and room width requirements of this chapter; the plumbing facilities described in § 188-34 and the water-heating facilities requirements of § 188-37F; the heating facilities and electrical receptacle requirements of §§ 188-44 and 188-50B, respectively; and the smoke detector requirements of § 188-57B and emergency escape requirements of § 188-29D.

O. 

Overcrowding. The number of persons occupying a dwelling unit shall not create conditions that, in the opinion of the Code Official, endanger the life, health, safety or welfare of the occupants.