Title 16 - Buildings and Construction

16.110 Residential Code for One- & Two-Family Dwellings

16.110.R310.1

Section R310.1 of the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings is hereby amended to read as follows:

R310.1 Emergency Escape and Rescue Required.

Basements, habitable attics and every sleeping room shall have not less than one operable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency egress and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room. Emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.

Exceptions:

  1. 1.
    Dwellings for which the building permit for the initial construction of that dwelling was issued prior to January 1, 2001, are exempt from the above requirement for subsequent basement remodels; provided, however, that exemption shall only apply if the basement has not been expanded subsequent to January 1, 2001, or that basement does not at any time contain any sleeping areas; conversion of any habitable area to a sleeping area at any time will trigger the emergency escape and rescue requirements set forth above. All currently existing openings that provide for emergency escape and rescue, regardless of whether or not they comply with the above escape and rescue requirements, cannot be removed or altered without bringing the basement into full compliance with the minimum requirements of this Section, regardless of when building permits for the dwelling were issued.
  2. 2.
    Storm shelters and basements used only to house mechanical equipment and not exceeding total floor area of 200 square feet.
  3. 3.
    Where the dwelling or townhouse is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section P2904, sleeping rooms in basements shall not be required to have emergency escape and rescue openings provided that the basement has the following:

3.1 One means of egress complying with Section R311 and one emergency escape and rescue opening.

                                    3.2 Two means of egress complying with Section R311.

R310.1.1  Operational constraints and opening control devices.  Emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys, tools or special knowledge.  Window opening control devices on windows serving as a required emergency escape and rescue opening shall comply with ASTM F2090.

 

(History: Ord. BC-3286 §56, 2020; Ord. BC-2936 §39, 2012; BC-2635 §59, 2007; BC-2459 §41, 2004; BC-2341 §1, 2002)

Effective on: 1/1/1901