BUILDING CODE RELATED ITEMS & GENERAL PROCEDURES ------------------------------------------------------- 1. A site location sheet, illustrating and detailing the project description must be reviewed and approved by the Building Inspector before beginning construction, listing impervious surface, building setbacks and property lines. 2. Project location of the lot shall meet with the requirement of the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Detroit Lakes. ------------- GARAGE WALLS: ------------- The wall separating the garage from the dwelling shall be constructed of no less than 1/2" sheetrock on the garage side. Doors in this wall shall be self-closing, tight-fitting solid wood or approved metal entrance doors, with a fire rating of not less than 20 minutes. ------------- WINDOWS: ------------- All escape windows from sleeping rooms shall have a minimum clear opening of 5.7 square feet, minimum height of 24", minimum clear width of 20" with a maximum sill height of not more than 44" above the floor. All bedrooms in basement dwellings shall have an emergency escape window or door. ------------- ATTIC ACCESS: ------------- Attic access shall be readily accessible, not less than 22" by 30" with at least 30" height above opening in attic. ------------- HANDRAILS: ------------- Stair handrails shall be placed not less than 34" nor more than 38" above nosing of treads. Handrails shall be continuous the full length of the stairs. The ends shall be returned to the wall or shall terminate at newel posts. RESIDENTIAL: Handrails shall project not less than 1-1/2" from the wall and shall be not less than 1-1/4" nor more than 2" in a cross-sectional dimensions or the shape shall provide a gripping surface. ------------- GUARDRAILS: ------------- Guardrails shall be provided on all open sides of landings, ramps, balconies or porches which are more than 30" above grade or floor below. Guardrails shall be not less than 42" high for "public property", 36" high for "individual dwellings units" and shall have intermediate rails or an ornamental pattern such that a sphere 4" in diameter can not pass through. ------------- FIRE WARNING SYSTEM: ------------- Every dwelling unit shall be provided with approved smoke detectors. In dwelling units, a detector shall be installed in each sleeping room and at a point centrally located in the corridor or area giving access to each separate sleeping area. When the dwelling unit has more than one story and in dwellings with basements, a detector shall be installed on each story and in the basement. In dwelling units where a story or basement is split into two or more levels, the smoke detector shall be installed on the upper level, except that when the lower level contains a sleeping area, a detector shell be installed on each level. When sleeping rooms are on an upper level, the detector shall be placed at the ceiling of the upper level in close proximity to the stairway. In dwelling units where the ceiling height of a room open to the hallway serving the bedrooms exceed that of the hallway and in the adjacent room. Detectors shall sound an alarm audible in all sleeping areas of the dwelling unit in which they are located. In new construction, smoke detectors shall receive there primary power from the building wiring when such wiring is served from a commercial source and shall be equipped with a battery back up. The detector shall emit a signal when the batteries are low. Wiring shall be permanent and without a disconnecting switch other than those required for over current protection. ------------- DOORS AND STAIRS: ------------- At least one doorway from dwellings shall be not less than three feet in width and not less than six feet, eight inches in height. The door shall be so mounted that the clear width of the exit-way is not less than 32 inches. There shall be a floor or landing on each side of all doors. The floor or landing shall be level with not more than one half inch lower than the threshold of the doorway. However, in private dwellings, exterior screen or storm doors may open over a landing that is not more than 8" below the floor level. An interior door may open at the top of a flight of stairs provided the door does not swing over that top step. ------------- STEPS: ------------- The rise of steps in a stairway shall not exceed seven inches and the run shall be not less than 11 inches. The large tread run within any flight of stairs shall not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 inch. The greatest riser height within any flight of stairs shall not exceed the smallest by more than 3/8 inch. Private stairways serving an occupant load of less than ten may be constructed with an eight inch maximum rise and nine inch minimum run. ------------- ROOF COVERINGS: ------------- Roof covering for roof greater than 4 units vertical in 12 units horizontal. OPTION #1: One layer #40 coated roofing or coated glass base applied from the eaves to a line 12 inches inside the exterior wall line with all laps cemented together; OPTION #2: One layer of self-adhering, polymer modified, bituminous sheet, which extends to a line 12 inches inside the exterior wall line; o No more than tow layers of roofing is allowed. Underlayment of not less than one Type 15 felt, lapped horizontally and vertically so as to shed water, shall be applied under all asphalt shingles. Shingles shall not be installed on a roof having a slope less than four inches in 12 inches except that asphalt shingles laid with double coverage may be installed on slopes as low as two inches in 12 inches, provided the shingles are approved self-sealing and are installed with an underlayment consisting of two layers of Type 15 felt applied shingle fashion. ------------- FACILITIES FOR THE HANDICAPPED: ------------- Building accessibility applies to buildings used by the general public (check with you Building Inspector as to if and how it applies to each individual project). Exterior access to building entrances shall be by walks with slip resistant surface, and shall be not less than 36 inches wide with a slope not to exceed one vertical to 20 horizontal. An interior ramp must have a lip resistant surface. It must have a slope not to exceed one foot vertical to twelve feet horizontal, and a landing at top and bottom. If the rise exceeds thirty inches vertically, it must have an intermediate landing. The bottom landing must have a minimum dimension of five feet measured in the direction of the ramp, and top and intermediate landing must have a minimum dimension of five feet measured in the direction of the ramp. When handicapped accessibility is required, the following shall apply: Doorways and doors in an open position shall have a clear opening width of not less than 32 inches. Doors shall be operable by a single effort with one hand. Where access is through two or more sets of doors, as in a vestibule, the space separating the doorways shall be not less than seven feet. The floor or landing at doorways shall be level with or not more than one-half inch lower than the threshold. Doors serving toilet rooms or stalls shall be capable of being unlocked from either side. ------------- GENERAL FENCING: ------------- Fences 6' in height or less, may be erected on any part of a lot which is behind the front line of the principal building: Fences 3' in height may be located on any part of the lot; Chain linked fences may be 48" in height, and may be placed anywhere on the lot; Fences shall be located totally on the fence owner's side of the property line. ------------- SHEDS: ------------- Sheds shall be places in the rear yard, and may be as close as 3' from the side and rear property line and not closer than 6' to the other buildings, or can not be placed on utility easements. If placement shall be on a corner lot, it's location must be approved by Cal Mayfield Jr. Building Official, or Larry Remment, Community Development Director.