Scissor Stairs

Q: What is a Scissor Stair? When are Scissor Stairs permitted? Will Scissor Stairs still be permitted under the New NYC Construction Code?


A: A Scissor Stair is a set of 2 interlocking stairways providing two separate paths of egress located within one stairwell enclosure. The Stairs wind around each other, and are separated from each other within the enclosure, by fire rated construction having the same rating as the Stair Enclosure (usually 2-hour construction). Scissor Stairs are permitted under certain conditions by the New NYC Construction Code, as listed below.

Scissor stairs are particularly effective in small footprint Residential Apartment buildings requiring 2 vertical means of egress. In large footprint buildings, Scissor Stairs may create Dead End Corridors, and should be avoided.

Scissor Stairs are permitted in:

'J-2' Residential Apartment Buildings ('R-2' New Const Code).
Per New Construction Code Section 1014.2.1:

• Stair doors must be at least 15 feet apart from each other



• Stair Enclosing Walls shall be Constructed of 2-Hr rated Masonry or approved Masonry Equivalent material.



• Stair may share common walls, floors, ceilings or scissor stairs assemblies or other enclosures provided that the construction separating the stairs is also of at least a 2-hour fire resistance rating and constructed of masonry or masonry equivalent.



• Author’s Note: Comply with Dead End Corridor limitations.



• Author’s Note: Both Stairs within the Scissor Stair enclosure must extend to the Roof to provide Roof Access.



• Author’s Note: When both of the Stairs within a Scissor Stair terminate at a Street Floor Lobby, egress must be provided in 2 separate directions from the Lobby to the Street.

'E' Office Buildings ('B' New Const Code)
Per New Const Code Requirements Section 1014.2.1:

• With a Building Height not exceeding 60 feet



• With a Footprint not exceeding 2,000 sq ft per floor



• Stair doors shall be at least 15 feet apart from each other



• Maximum travel distance of 50 feet from most remote point to a Stair Door



• Stair Enclosing Walls shall be Constructed of 2-Hr rated Masonry or approved Masonry Equivalent material



• Stair may share common walls, floors, ceilings or scissor stairs assemblies or other enclosures provided that the construction separating the stairs is also of at least a 2-hour fire resistance rating and constructed of masonry or masonry equivalent.
  

Have a question? E-mail Permitadvisor

Minimum Trap/Waste Outlet Sizes for Plumbing Fixtures

Q: What are the Minimum Trap/Waste Outlet Sizes for Plumbing Fixtures, the the NYC Building Code?

A: Refer to Table 16-6 for the Minimum Trap Sizes, as restated below:

Fixtures & Trap Sizes:
Bathtub (with or without overhead Shower 1 1/2"
Bidets 1 1/2"
Combination Sink and Wash (Laundry Tray) 2"
Dental Unit or Cuspidor 1 1/2"
Drinking Fountain 1 1/2"
Dishwasher, Commercial 2"
Dishwasher, Domestic 1 1/2"
Floor Drain 3"
Funnel Drain 1 1/2"
Kitchen Sink, Domestic 2"
Laboratory Cup Sink 1 1/2"
Laboratory Sink 2"
Lavatory, Common 1 1/2"
Lavatory, Barber, Beauty Parlor, or Surgeon's 1 1/2"
Lavatory, multiple type (was fountain or sink) 1 1/2"
Laundry Tray (1 or 2 compartments) 1 1/2"
Laundry Standpipe 2"
Shower, Stall 2"
Shower, Gang 3"
Sink (Surgeon's) 1 1/2"
Sink (flushing rim type, flush valve supplies) 3"
Sink (service type with Trap Standard) 3"
Sink, Commercial (Pot, Scullery or sim) 2"
Sterilizers 3"
Urinal (Pedestal) 3"
Urinal (Stall Type) 2"
Urinal (Wall Lip Type) 2"
Urinal (Women's) 3"
Water Closet (Waste Outlet) 3"

Have a question? E-mail Permitadvisor

When is a Work Permit Required?

Q: When exactly is a Work Permit required from the NYC Department of Buildings for construction work?

A: The Code allows 'Minor Alterations' and 'Ordinary Repairs' to buildings without the need to obtain a Work Permit provided that it meets their definition of same.

Minor Alterations and Ordinary Repairs do not include the following and therefore require the issuance of a Work Permit:

• Cutting away of any portion of a wall, floor, or roof construction.
• Removal, cutting, or modification of any beams or structural supports.
• Removal, change, or closing of any required means of egress
• Rearrangement or relocation of any parts of the building affecting loading or exit requirements
• Alterations, modifications, replacements, repair or removal of Sprinkler or Standpipe systems.
• Alterations, modifications, replacements, repair or removal of Plumbing or Sewer systems. However, replacement of Plumbing Fixtures on existing Roughing from the inlet side of a trap to any exposed stop valve does not require a Permit.
  
• Any other work affecting health or the fire or structural safety of the building.

Below are the Code Sections specifying the requirements. In certain instances, this information may not be sufficient to characterize the work, and additional research for Permit requirements may be necessary, especially with exterior work.

ARTICLE 5 MINOR ALTERATIONS: ORDINARY REPAIRS

27-124 Minor alterations
For the purposes of this code, the term "minor alterations" shall mean minor changes or modifications in a building or any part thereof, excluding additions thereto, that do not in any way affect health or the fire or structural safety of the building. Minor alterations shall not include any of the work described or referred to in section 27-126 of this article, or any other work for which a permit is required under the provisions of articles ten through seventeen of this subchapter.

27-125 Ordinary repairs
For the purposes of this code, the term "ordinary repairs" shall mean replacements or renewals of existing work in a building, or of parts of the service equipment therein, with the same or equivalent materials or equipment parts, that are made in the ordinary course of maintenance and that do not in any way affect health or the fire or structural safety of the building or the safe use and operation of the service equipment therein. Ordinary repairs shall not include any of the work described or referred to in section 27-126 of this article or any other work for which a permit is required under the provisions of articles ten through seventeen of this subchapter.

27-126 Work not constituting minor alterations or ordinary repairs.
(a) For the purposes of this code, minor alterations or ordinary repairs shall not include the cutting away of any wall, floor, or roof construction, or any portion thereof; or the removal, cutting, or modification of any beams or structural supports; or the removal, change, or closing of any required means of egress; or the rearrangement or relocation of any parts of the building affecting loading or exit requirements, or light, heat, ventilation, or elevator requirements; nor shall minor alterations or ordinary repairs include additions to, alterations of, or rearrangement, relocation, replacement, repair or removal of any portion of a standpipe or sprinkler system, water distribution system, house sewer, private sewer, or drainage system, including leaders, or any soil, waste or vent pipe, or any gas distribution system, or any other work affecting health or the fire or structural safety of the building.

(b) Minor alterations or ordinary repairs shall include the repair or replacement of any fixture, piping or faucets from the inlet side of a trap to any exposed stop valve.

Have a question? E-mail Permitadvisor

Landmarks Expedited Review

Q: What is the criteria necessary to file for a Landmarks Expedited Review Permit?

A: Landmarks Approval for construction projects can add significant lead time to issuance of a Work Permit. Landmarks offers an Expedited Review process for Alterations meeting the below criteria. We encourage all applicants that can comply with the criteria to submit their application using this method:

1. Must be INTERIOR WORK ONLY;
2. Must be performed ONLY ABOVE THE SECOND STORY;
3. Must NOT be performed on any portion of a space designated as an interior landmark;
4. Must NOT involve any change to, replacement of, or penetration of any window, skylight,
exterior wall or roof of any portion thereof; and
5. For floors 3 through 6 must NOT involve a dropped ceiling or a partition which is less than a
minimum of 1'-0" back from any interior windows sill or frame, whichever is further from the
glass.

Have a question about Landmarks Permits? E-mail Permitadvisor

Asbestos ACP-5 Exemptions

Replacement of a Rooftop Air Conditioner with no change to Ductwork is exempt from the filing of an Asbestos Report ACP-5.

Q: I am filing my alteration with the NYC Department of Buildings for Permit Issuance. Are there any types of alterations that are exempt from the filing of an ACP-5 Asbestos Report? If so, what is the list of exempted items?

A: As per a previous post, Buildings filed with the DOB after April 1, 1987 do not require an Asbestos Investigation (ACP-5). In addition, the following items are exempt:

Accessory Parking
Awnings
Building-Sealing
Candy or News Stands
Change of Use, Legalization, or Certificate of Occupancy requiring No Work
Concrete Work (Exterior)
Cranes
Curb Cuts
Debris Chutes, where chute will not be used for Asbestos-Containing Materials
Demolition of 1 story Garages, maximum capacity 2 cars, NOT supplied with Water Lines
Dumbwaiter-Sealing
Elevator Equipment (not including construction and enclosure of Elevator Shaft)
Emergency Power NOT involving hard wiring (i.e. Battery Packs)
Finish Material Installation
Fire Escape Installation
Flagpoles
Greenhouses-Detached
Hoist
Interior Non-Bearing Partition Installation involving NO penetration of Hung Ceiling
Kiosks
Legalization of Demolition Work which occurred prior to 4/1/1987
Parapet Walls
Radio Antennas (Towers)
Relocating Parking Lot Sheds
Retaining Walls
Roof Decks not anchored to Building Structure
Rooftop Air Conditioning Replacement, not involving modification or Removal of Duct Work
Scaffolding (Exterior)
Sidewalk Cafes
Sidewalk Elevators
Sidewalk Sheds, Bridges, and Fences
Signs
Storefront Installation in Existing Masonry Openings
Subdivision of an existing Tax Lot
Temporary Structure Erection (trailers, shanties, etc), supplied with Electric and Water Lines only
Tents
Underpinning of Buildings
Vaults
Water Tank Replacement (Exterior)
Zoning Lot Reapportionment

This information was compiled from DOB OPPN's 1/87, 10/87, and 1/88.

Have a question? E-mail Permitadvisor

Tags: ACP-5, Asbestos, Permit, Alterations

Photo credit Hi-Tech Heating and Air Conditioning

Deck in a Rear Yard?

Above is a view into typical Brooklyn Brownstone rear yards, showing many decks and roof coverings constructed of combustible materials. Often, these structures have not been constructed legally.

Q: What are the legal requirements for the construction of a Deck in the Rear Yard of a Brownstone-type building?

A: When considering construction of a Deck, it is necessary to comply with the Department of Buildings requirements for Decks. Legalization of existing Decks can be problematic, because many have not been designed by an Architect or Engineer and no Permit was ever obtained. The NYC Department of Buildings is cracking-down on Deck requirements, as they can be hazardous from a structural or fire safety standpoint when constructed improperly. An Illegal Deck can also be a problem when selling a property or applying for a Certificate of Occupancy.

Below is a listing of the basic Deck requirements, distilled from NYC Department of Buildings Memorandums. New Decks would need to comply with the below in order to obtain Plan Approval. Existing Decks needing to be Legalized would have to be modified (as required) to comply with the below:

Definition of a Deck:
A Deck is a raised floor, supported by structural framing above the surrounding ground at the level of the first story of a house. A Deck must be constructed without a roof. An outdoor structure with a roof is not a Deck. It may be considered an additional room, in which case different zoning rules and NYC Building Code provisions will apply.

Deck Requirements:
1 Only a NYS Registered Architect or Professional Engineer may design a Deck or porch. The Department of Buildings must approve the plans and issue a permit before any work begins.

2 Decks must be located at or below the floor level of the first story of a house.

3 A Deck may project up to eight feet (8’) beyond the face of the building into the required thirty foot (30’) rear yard.

4 There shall be no useable building or storage space underneath the Deck.

4 There must be at least three feet (3’) between the Deck and the SIDE or REAR LOT LINE, unless the Deck is constructed of non-combustible materials, such as steel, in which case it may be closer to the Property Lines.

5 All Decks must have a railing at least 42 inches high.

6 Spaces between railings and/or posts can be no greater than five inches.

7 Elevated Decks must be braced at the columns and where the beams and columns connect.

8 Decks must be able to withstand a minimum of 40 pounds per square foot plus the weight of the Deck. This is the same live load required as for the building itself. Thus, a Deck will usually require a structure as robust as that of the main house’s floor construction, rather than the flimsy, under-structured wood Decks that are commonly seen.

9 Decks must be properly anchored to a house or building. Nailing Decks instead of using proper anchors is a common mistake that often leads to accidents and can cause serious injuries.

10 A homeowner may construct a Deck, but is not allowed to perform plumbing or electrical work. If you use a contractor, the contractor must have a Home Improvement Contractor’s License.

Have a Deck question? E-mail Permitadvisor

Tags: Deck, Porch, Legalization, Addition, Brownstone, Rear Yard

What is a Revocable Consent?

Above is an example sketch of Planters on the Sidewalk requiring Revocable Consent

Q: What is a Revocable Consent? What is required to obtain one?

A: When a Building Owner wishes to construct a portion of their building beyond the Front Lot Line or Street Line, they may be required to obtain a Revocable Consent approval to do so.

The Building Code allows certain, limited projections beyond the Street Line, for both above-ground and below-ground projections. These are covered in 1968 Building Code Subchapter4, Articles 8 & 9. See my entry on Projecting Balconies as an example of a permissible projection not requiring a Revocable Consent.

If, however, the Building Owner wishes to construct beyond the limitations specified in the Building Code, they will need to apply for a Revocable Consent through the NYC-Department of Transportation.

A Revocable Consent is a grant by the City to construct and maintain certain structures on, over, or under City Property (usually the Sidewalk or Street). As the name implies, the City may revoke the grant at any time, and thus oblige the Owner to remove the projection.

The Revocable Consent process takes approximately 4-6 months, longer if a Uniform Land Use Review Procedure is required (ULURP). The ULURP Process adds at least 6 months to the process.

Generally, consents are granted for a term of ten years, at the end of which time they may be renewed. Revocable Consents are distributed to several reviewing agencies, all of which must approve the petition:

-Borough President's Office
-DOT Borough Commissioner
-Department of Environmental Protection
-Department of Buildings
-Art Commission
-Local Community Board
-City Council
-Department of City Planning (for ULURP)

A few examples of structures that commonly require Revocable Cosents:

-A Building Cornice projecting more than 10" beyond the Property Line.
-An Outdoor Bench on the Sidewalk
-An Information Kiosk
-Building Steps or Entrance Details which project more than 18" beyond the Property Line
-Exterior Wheelchair Ramps installed on an existing building which project more than 44" beyond the Property Line.
-Canopies, exceeding the size limitations of a standard Canopy.

-Planters or Bollards on the Sidewalk

Have a question about Revocable Consents? E-mail Permitadvisor

Tags: Revocable Consent, Department of Transportation, Ramp, Projection, Bollard, Canopy

Where are Portable Fire Extinguishers required?

Q: In what Occupancies are Portable Fire Extinguishers required?

A: The following information is to the best of my knowledge, and may have been updated or revised. In addition, there may be some special Occupancies where portable fire extinguishers are required that are not listed below (for instance, at Outdoor Sidewalk Cafes with Gas Heaters) However, the below list is a good starting point:

As per SECTION 15-02 OF TITLE 3 OF THE RULES OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK,

"The owner or occupant of any occupancy or space shall ensure that such occupancy or space is equipped with the portable fire extinguishers as set forth in NFPA Standard 10-1998, except as otherwise required by this subdivision. The NYC FIRE DEPARTMENT may prescribe such other or additional portable fire extinguisher requirements as it determines to be necessary for fire protection purposes, based on the use or configuration of the occupancy or space.

Portable fire extinguishers shall be provided in the following occupancies or spaces:

1. Occupancies or spaces used or classified as OFFICES or PLACES OF WORSHIP, HOTELS and MOTELS shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every six thousand (6,000) square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor, except that such a fire extinguisher shall be provided for every twelve thousand (12,000) square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor for occupancies or spaces used as or classified as offices or places of worship in fully sprinklered buildings.

2. ROOMING HOUSES and SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCIES, as defined in the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law, with over 15 sleeping rooms shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating in the apartment of the manager or the building superintendent.

3. HOSPITALS, NURSING HOMES, HOMES FOR THE AGED, DAY NURSERIES accommodating more than 15 children and asylums shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every 2,500 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor.

4. Places of PUBLIC ASSEMBLY or other occupancies or spaces where 75 or more people congregate, including places for entertainment or amusement, shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every 2,500 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor.

5. Occupancies used or classified as RETAIL STORES or shops shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every 2,500 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor.

6. PIERS, STABLES, WAREHOUSES, MANUFACTURING occupancies and all COMMERCIAL occupancies except stores and office buildings shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every 2,500 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof on each floor.

7. Occupancies or spaces used or classified as LUMBER YARDS shall be provided with one fire extinguisher of minimum 2-A rating for every 2,000 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof

8. Occupancies or spaces used or classified as TELEPHONE EXCHANGES shall be provided with portable fire extinguishers suitable for Class A and Class C fires. A fire extinguisher of a minimum 2-A rating shall be provided for every 3,000 square feet of floor area or fraction thereof.

9. STORAGE GARAGES, ELECTRIC POWER PLANTS and occupancies or spaces that manufacture, use or store flammable liquids or mixtures, combustible liquids or mixtures, fats, paints, waxes or similar substances shall be provided with an extinguisher suitable for a Class B fire that shall meet the rating and travel distance requirements for Extra (High) Hazard occupancies as specified in Table 3-3.1 of NFPA Standard 10-1998.

KITCHENS (except those used domestically in residential occupancies, but including those kitchens used communally by the occupants of more than one dwelling unit), shall be provided with an extinguisher suitable for a Class K fire, and shall meet the travel distance requirement of §3-7.2 of NFPA Standard 10-1998. The requirements of sub-paragraph 9 shall be in addition to sub-paragraphs 1-8 of this paragraph."

Contact FDNY with any specific questions, or visit the FDNY Web Site for further information.

Have a question about Fire Extinguishers? E-mail Permitadvisor

Tags: portable fire extinguisher, FDNY