swinging fire door shall be substitu
height, unless it be of fireproof construction, when it shall not exceed ' feet in area, and a self-closing
An Ordinance
of the Borough of Bellefonte, in the County
of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, pro-
viding for Fire Limits and the construction
and equipment of buildings, and providing
for the imposition of a penalty for a viola-
tion thereof.
»
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Borough of Bellefonte, inj
%he County of Centre and State of Pennsylvania, as follows:
Section 1:
FIRE LIMITS:
The following shall be and are hereby declared to be the fire limits:
Beginning at the Nortwest corner of Penn and Howard Streets,
#hence in a westerly direction along the north side of Howard Street
and a prolongation thereof to Spring Creek; thence northerly along
the said creek to the Southwest corner of Lamb and Water Streets;
thence westerly along the south side of Lamb Street to the South
-@ast corner of Lamb and Thomas Streets; thence southerly along the
east side of Thomas Street to the intersection of North Thomas Street
and the south side of of West High Street; thence westerly along the
:south side of High Street to the Southeast corner of High and South
“Thomas Streets; thence southerly along South Thomas Street to Spring
“Creek; thence Easterly along Spring Creek to the North End of the
Pennsylvania Railroad trestle; thence southerly along the Pennsylvania
Railroad right of way to the south side intersection of Water and Wil-
Jowbank Streets; thence in a northeasterly direction along the North
side of Stony Batter to the Northeast corner of Spring and Logan
Streets; thence easterly along the north side. of Logan Street to the
“Northwest corner of Logan and Penn Streets; thence northerly along
#%he west side of Penn Street to the Northwest corner of Penn and
“Howard Streets, the place of beginning.
Section 2:
PERMIT REQUIRED:
No wall, structure or part thereof shall hereafter be built, enlarged
or altered until a plan of the proposed work, together with a statement
of the materials to be used shall have been submitted in duplicate to
“4he Fire and Police Committee, of which, the Fire Marshall, for the
purposes of this Ordinance, is hereby made a member thereof, the
chairman of which, under a majority vote of said committee, and if in’
-sccordance with the provisions herein contained, shall issue a permi
for the proposed construction. :
Structures hereafter erected without a permit, or not in conformity
“with this ordinance, shall be removed. °* :
No building shall be moved until a permit has been obtained from
“the Fire and Police Committee; and such official shall not issue such
zpermit if in his judgment the proposed new location of the building
“would seriously increase the fire hazard of the surrounding buildings.
Section 3:
INCOMBUSTIBLE WALLS, CORNICES AND ROOFS
Every building hereafter erected or enlarged within the fire limits
~shall be enclosed on all sides with walls constructed wholly of stone,
rick, hollow building tile, concrete, or other equivalent incombustible
materials, and shall have the roof, top and sides of all roof structures,
including dormer windows and cornices covered with incombustible
“material.
Section 4:
PERMISSIBLE WOODEN STRUCTURES WITHIN FIRE LIMITS.
No frame or wooden structures shall hereafter be built within the
fire limits as given herein, or as they may be hereafter established ex-
oept the following; and all roofs placed upon such buildings or
z3tructures shall have an incombustible covering:—
4a) Temporary one story frame buildings for use of builders.
fb) One story sheds not over 15 feet high, open on the long side with
sides covered with incombustible material, and with an area not
exceeding 500 square feet. A wooden fence shall not be used to
form the back or side of such sheds.
fc) Wooden fences not over 10 feet high.
«{d) Piazzas, balconies, or sleeping porches shall be constructed in ac-
' cordance with the requirements of the Fire and Police Committee,
but in no event shall such structure extend beyond the lot line, or
be joined to any similar structure or another building.
Bay windows when covered with incombustible material.
Small outhouses shall not be located within 5 feet of any lot line,
nor less than 30 feet from any other building over one story high.
Grain elevators, coal pockets, or ice houses, as usually constructed.
No frame building shall be moved from without to within the fire
limits. : :
vie)
Af)
1g)
Section 5:
REPAIRING FRAME BUILDINGS WETHIN FIRE LIMITS.
Any existing frame building within the fire limits, which may
#ereafter be damaged by fire, decay or otherwise to an amount greater
#han one-half of its present value, exclusive of the foundation, shall not
“Be repaired or rebuilt but shall be removed.
Section 6:
GARAGE AND DRY CLEANING ESTABLISHMENTS.
All garages and dry cleaning establishments shall be constructed in
satcordance with rules and regulations of the State Fire Marshall's De-
Jpartment of Pennsylvania, ’
A private garage may be located beneath or attached to a dwelling,
“provided the following regulations as to its construction are rigidly com-
plied with:
43) The floor and ceiling construction above the garage when it is
located beneath the building, or the roof when the garage is attach-
sd to the building, shall be unpierced and have a fire resistance of
sone hour based upon the Standard Specifications for Fire Tests of
Materials and Construction. :
Walls and partitions shall be of such construction as will. meet re-
quirements of the one hour test as above specified.
All doors and windows with their sash and frames shall be of
standard fire proof construction and glazed with wired glass.
Openings from dwellings into garages shall be restricted to a
single doorway; such openings shall be protected by a standard
swinging self closing door with approved fire resistive frame and
hardware. No glass shall be permitted in such door.
When doorway connects directly with a cellar or basement on the
same or lower level in which there is any heating device or gas
“fixture, it shall have a sill raised at least one foot above the garage
floor level, or the doorway shall lead into a vestibule from which
+3 second door connects with the cellar or basement.
Garage floor shall be of concrete or equal fire-resistive and im.
pervious material and shall have a slope sufficient to permit
matural drainage of gases, oil and water to the outside.
.{g) Separate means of exit from all dwelling quarters in such buildings
sshall be provided; such exits shall be separated from the garage
~section by a partition having a fire resistance of one hour based
upen the Standard Specifications of Fire Tests of Materials and
“Construction. The Building Official shall also have the power to re-
\ «quire the construction and maintenance of outside stairways or fire
«escapes wherever he shall deem the same essential for safe exit in
case of fire.
There shall be no stove or forge in any private garage except ina
heating room thereof, which heating room shall be separated from
every other part of the garage by partitions having one hour
fire resistance fitted tightly to the floor and ceiling. There shall be
put one door to such heating room, which door, unless opening from
‘the exterior, shall be a self-closing standard fire door against a sill
not less than 12 inches above the floor at the foot of the door.
There shall be no pit in any floor. There shall be no smoking in
any private garage, nor shall there be any artificial light other
than incandescent electric light.
No permit shall be required for the maintenance of a private
garage, but each of the same shall be under the direct Supervision
of the Chief of the Fire Department and of the Building Official
and shall be frequently inspected.
Section 7:
LIMITS OF HEIGHT AND AREA.
Except as specified in Section 21, no building hereafter erected with-
%m the corporate limits, having walls of hollow building tile or concrete
‘Witocks, shall exceed three stories, or 40 feet in height; and no building
Fmereafter erected or altered shall exceed four stories or 55 feet in
ib)
AC
id)
+e)
«f)
én)
ten stories or 125 feet. !
The floor area between the fire walls of non-fire proof buildings
shall not exceed the following: When fronting on one street, 5,000
square feet; when fronting on two streets, 6,000 square feet; and when
fronting on three streets, 7,500 square feet. These area limits may be
increased under the following conditions as indicated: |
For non-fire proof buildings, fully equipped with approved automatic
sprinklers, 66.2-3%. |
For fire proof buildings, not exceeding 125 feet in height, 500.
For fire proof buildings, not exceeding 125 feet in height, fully '
equipped with automatic sprinklers, 100%.
Section 8:
WALLS. : |
All exterior, or division walls of buildings hereafter erected of |
masonry or concrete shall be of sufficient thickness to support safely |
the load to be carried. Walls, excepting party and fire walls, for all |
buildings of other than the dwelling house class, not exceeding five |
stories or 65 feet in height, shall have the upper two stories not less
than 12 inches thick, increasing 4 inches in thickness for each two stories |
or fraction thereof below. For such buildings in excess of five stories
but not exceeding ten stories or 125 feet in height, the top story shall |
be not less than 12 inches thick, increasing 4 inches in thickness for |
each two stories or fraction thereof below. No two-story increment shall |
exceed 30 feet in height." i
Solid masonry exterior walls of dwellings not exceeding 30 feet in |
height, exclusive of gable, and occupied by not more than two families, |
may be not less than 8 inches thick, and shall include cellar and base- |
ment walls if built the same thickness. The unsupported length of such |
walls shall not exceed 25 feet.
Solid concrete shall be not less than 6 inches thick, and hollow :
monolithic concrete walls shall have an aggregate thickness not less
than 6 inches. If masonry walls are built hollow, or are constructed of
hollow clay or concrete units, the allowable height of the 8 inch portion
shall be limited to 20 feet and the remaining lower portion shall be at
least 10 inches thick.
For dwellings over 30 feet high, but not exceeding 40 feet in
height, the exterior walls may be 8 inches thick for the uppermost 20}
feet and shall be at least 12 inches thick for the remaining lower por-
tion.
Solid party and division walls of dwellings shall be at least 12
inches for the remaining lower portion. Such party and division walls, if
hollow, or if built of hollow clay or concrete units, shall be not less
than 12 inches thick. :
All walls of buildings of the dwelling house class of ordinary
construction exceeding 40 feet in height shall be solid. The upper three
stories shall be not less than 12 inches thick, increasing 4 inches in
thickness for each three stories or fraction thereof below. No three.
story increment shall exceed 45 feet in height. ;
Walls in skeleton construction shall be supported by girders at each
story, and shall be not less than 12 inches thick, except that solid con-
crete may be 8 inches thick. :
In all buildings, except dwellings, frame buildings, and skeleton
construction, party walls and fire walls which serve as bearing walls
on both sides, shall be not less than 16 inches thick in the upper two
stories or upper 30 feet, increasing 4 inches in thickness for each
two stories or fraction thereof below. All other fire walls shall be not
less than 16 inches thick in the upper four stories or upper 50 feet,
increasing 4 inches in thickness for each two stories or fraction there-
of. No two-story increment shall exceed 30 feet in height, :
Reinforced concrete walls, with the steel reinforcement running both
norizontaily and vertically and weighing not less than one-half pound :
per square foot of wall, may have a thickness 4 inches less than pre-
scribed for brick walls. .
Rubble stone walls shall be four inches thicker
brick walls. Ca ;
The foundation walls of all buildings over two stories in height, ex-
cept as above provided, shall be 4 inches thicker from footing to grade
than required for the remainder of the wall.
All exterior, and division or party walls over one story high, shall
extend the full thickness of top story at least 2 feet above the roof
surfacing of a building as a parapet and be properly coped, excepting
walls which face on a street and are finished with incombustible cor-
nices, gutters or crown mouldings; excepting, also, the walls of de-
tached dwellings with peaked or hipped roofs. The parapet walls ot
warehouses and all manufacturing or commercial buildings shall ex-
tend three feet above the roof.
Fire walls shall be continuous
level and shall be coped.
Brick or concrete walls of building
than required for
from foundation to 3 feet above roof
s outside the fire limits, which un.
der this ordinance could be of wood, may have a minimum thickness
of 8 inches. Such walls shall not exceed two stories or 30 feet im,
height, exclusive of gable, nor shall they exceed 35 feet in length unless
properly braced by Cross walls, piers or buttresses.
Clay brick used for exterior walls, chimneys or piers, shall have an
average compressive strength of 2,000 pounds per square inch, and an
absorption not exceeding 20 per cent. Concrete, sand, lime, and other
varieties of brick, used for the same purposes shall have an average
crushing strength of 1500 pounds per square inch, and an absorption
not exceeding 15%.
Portland cement only shall be used in the manufacture of concrete
blocks. The coarse aggregate shall be of suitable material graded in
size, but in no case shall the minimum dimension exceed one-fourth the
minimum width of any section of the finished block. Concrete blocks
shall not be used in construction until they have attained the age of 28
days, or developed the strength required in this section.
The compressive strength of building shall in all cases be calculated
upon the gross area of the bedding faces, no account being taken of the
cellular spaces. :
Hollow building tile used for exterior or party walls or piers, and
designed to be laid normally with the cells vertical, shall have an aver-
age compressive strength of not less than 1,200 pounds per square
inch when tested with the cells vertical, and not less than 300 pounds
per square inch when tested with the cells horizontal. ;
The average compressive strength of hollow building tile designed
to be laid normally with the cells horizontal, and tested with the cells
in that position, shall be not less than 700 pounds per square inch,
Hollow concrete block or tile used for exterior or party walls or
piers shall have an average compressive strength of not less than 700
are inch.
Pons I ap than 36 days old when tested.
Concrete blocks shall be not less
The average strength of the blocks as here given shall be obtained
by testing five blocks of average quality.
The allowable working stress on all i
xceed one-tenth of the required average stre 3
All walls and is in schools, hospitals and places of public
assemblage, over one story high, and all walls and partitions in theatres,
shall hereafter be built of brick, stone, concrete, hollow or solid blocks,
or metal lath and Portland cement plaster on metal studding, or other
equivalent incombustible construction. ;
The mortar used for all 8 inch walls, foundation walls, walls for
skeleton construction, and all walls built of hollow building tile or con.
crete blocks, shall be either Portland cement mortar, or cement lime
mortar, the latter in proportions not leaner than 1 part Portland ce-
ment, 1 part lime and 6 parts sand by volume.
Section 9:
CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION.
Concrete for reinforced concrete construction shall consist of a
medium wet mixture of one part Portland cement to not more than six
parts aggregate, fine and coarse, in such proportions as to produce the
greatest density.
The quality of the materials, the design, and the construction, shall
conform to the “Standard Specifications for Concrete and Reinforced
Concrete” promulgated by the Joint Committee.
Section 10:
PROTECTION OF ENDS OF WOODEN BEAMS.
The ends of all floor, ceiling, or roof beams, entering a party or fire
wall from opposite sides, shall be separated by at least 6 inches of
solid masonry. Such separation may be obtained by corbeling the wall,
or staggering the beams, or the beams may be supported by steel
hangers, but no wall shall be corbeled more than 2 inches for this
purpose. The ends of all wooden beams which enter walls shall be
cut to a bevel to make them self-releasing.
Section 11:
PROTECTION OF WALL OPENINGS.
No openings in an interior division wall shall exceed 8 feet by 10
feet, If the opening be ina party or fire wall it shall have a standard
automatic fire door on each side of the wall. If an opening in a fire
wall is made to serve as an emergency exit, it shall not exceed 48 square
masonry construction shall not
i plaster on metal lath; or by 2 inch solid metal
| ment plaster partitions.
| combustible frames
| official, it is necessary to preserve
| existing buildings, the floor openings through which they pass shall
for one of the automatic fire doors. The total width of openings ii
fire wall shall not exceed 25¢, of the length of the wall.
Every building within ‘the fire limits, except churches, dwellin
tenant. houses, dormitories, and lodging houses, shall have standard :
doors, shutters or wired glass in incombustible frames and sash on ev
exterior opening above the first story, except when fronting on a str
not less than 50 feet wide, or where no other building is within 50 feet
such opening. The wall of a building in the same plane as that
hich the opening is situated shall not be considered as coming wit
the intent of this rule. All openings in the side and rear walls of
first story, except show windows, shall be protected as prescribed int
| section when within 50 feet of another building.
All exterior windows more than 75 feet above the curb shall h:
incombustjble frame and sash glazed with wired glass.
Occupants of buildings shall close all exterior and interior fire do
and windows at the close of business each day.
Section 12:
STAIRWAY AND ELEVATOR SHAFTS.
In all buildings hereafter erected, except private dwellings, which
used above the first floor for business purposes or for public assembla
or for any purpose whatever, if over three stories high, the stair sha
shall be separately and continuously enclosed by incombustible pa:
tions. Elevator shafts in all buildings hereafter erected shall be enclo:
in the same manner. The partitions shall be constructed of brick
other fire-resistive material approved by the Fire and Police Commit
or other designated official. No such partition shall be less tha:
! inches thick.
Except as herein stated, the stair, elevator and hoistway shafts
all existing buildings over two stories high, in which considerable nu
bers of people work are liable to assemble, shall be separately encloi
by incombustible partitions as above specified; or the shafts may
enclosed by approved hollow or solid partition blocks not 1
than three inches thick, or by 4 inch wood stud partitions, covered
each side with not less than 3; inch of Portland cement or gyps
lath and Portland
The metal frame-work of such partitions st
be securely fastened to both floor and ceiling, Metal lath used
such partitions shall be of galvanized steel weighing not less than
ounces per square yard. Wire lath shall not be less than No. 20 gau
and sheet metal lath not less than No. 24 gauge. .All such partiti
erected in existing buildings shall be fire-stopped with incombusti
material the full depth of the floor beams at each floor level.
All door openings in stair and elevator enclosures shall be protec
by fire doors mounted with wrought iron or steel hardware, and st
be securely attached to the wall or partition, or to substantial
anchored thereto. If glass panels be used in st
doors, they shall be of wired glass not exceeding 144 square incl
in area. Interior shaft windows shall not be permitted.
Doors opening into stairway shafts shall swing in the direction
exit travel, shall be self-closing, and .shall be at least 30 inches wide.
The enclosure walls for all elevator shafts shall extend at leas
feet above the roof, and at least three-fourths of the area shall
covered with a skylight constructed as specified in Section 13. If
the opinion of the Fire and Police Committee, or other designa
an open elevator or hoistway
equipped with automatically closing trap doors not less than 11% incl
thick, made of two thicknesses of matched boards, covered on the um
side with tin; the trap doors, when closed, shall extend beyond
openings on all sides. Such trap doors shall be protected by a si
stantial guard or gate, which shall be kept closed at all times exc
when in actual use.
: Section 13:
SKYLIGHTS OVER STAIRWAY AND ELEVATOR SHAFTS.
Where a stairway, elevator, or dumb-waiter shaft extends throu
the roof and is covered by a skylight, the skylight shall be construc
with incombustible frame and sash, glazed with ordinary thin glass, 8
shall be protected by a galvanized steel wire screen with a mesh 1!
exceeding one inch, and the wire not smaller than No. 12 gauge. 1
screen shall have metal supports and be placed not less than 6 incl
above the skylight. Instead of a skylight a window may be placed in
side of the shaft above the roof whichis farthest removed from a pr:
erty line. The window shall have incombustible frame and sash, 8
be glazed with thin glass.
Section 14:
FLOOR LIGHTS.
Except in dwellings, all openings hereafter made in floors for
transmission of light to floors below shall be covered with glass set
mental frames and bars. The glass shall be not less than 3% inch
thickness, and if any glass measures more than 16 square inches th
shall be a rigid wire mesh either in the glass or under it.
Section 15: ]
LIGHT, VENT AND DUMB-WAITER SHAFTS.
In every building hereafter erected or altered except frame bui
ings, all walls or partitions forming interior light or vent shafts sh
be built in accordance, with the requirements for stair and elevator sha
"in new buildings as specified in Section 12. The walls of dumb-wai
shafts, except those in dwellings which extend only one story above 1
basement or cellar, shall be of fire-resistive construction, and shall
not less than three inches thick if constructed of brick, hollow or sc
partition blocks, or of steel or wood studding and metal lath with
inch of Portland cement or gypsum plaster on each side; or a 2 ir
solid metal lath and Portland cement or gypsum plaster wall may
permitted, if securely anchored at each floor and ceiling. The mater
and method of construction shall be as specified in Section 12 for st
and elevator shafts in existing buildings. an
Where a dumb-waiter shaft does not extend through the roof, f
top of the shaft shall be of fire-resistive construction of the sa
thickness as the walls of the shaft.
All opening in dumb-waiter shafts shall be protected by fire do
mounted in incombustible frames securely anchored to the walls.
The walls of all light and vent shafts hereafter erected shall |
tend not less than 3 feet above the roof level, except that when a sh
is covered by an incombustible ventilating skylight, the walls need 1
extend more than 2 feet above the roof. Masonry walls shall be prope
coped.
When metal louvres are used for ventilating purposes, the louv.
or slats shall be riveted to the metal frame.
Section 16:
ROOFING.
Every building hereafter erected within the corporate limits sh
have a fire resistive roof covering, and no existing wooden shingle ro
if damaged more than 500, shall be renewed or repaired with ofl
than a fire-resistive roof covering.
Section 17:
: ROOF OPENINGS.
All openings in roofs for the admission of light or air, other tb
those provided for in Sections 13 and 15, shall have incombustible fran
and sash glazed with wired glass or ordinary glass may be used,
protected above and below by galvanized wire not smaller than No.
gauge. The top screen shall be installed as specified in Section 13.
The term floor area as used in this section shall mean the ent
floor space between exterior walls and fire walls.
In every building hereafter erected, except in private dwellin
each floor area above the first shall be provided with at least two me:
of egress remote from each other, one of which shall be an enclo:
stairway as provided in Section 12, or a doorway in a fire wall leadi
to another floor area separately provided with adequate stairs or otl
independent means of exit. Such doorway serving as an emergency e
in a fire wall shall be protected by an automatic and a self-closing {
door. as specified in Section 11. No portion of any floor area shall
more than 100 feet from a space egress. Elevators shall not be c
sidered as a required means of egress as specified in this Section.
Except in dwellings, no required stairway shall be less than
inches wide, and in all public buildings the total width of exit doorws
leading therefrom shall at least be equal to the total width of the ste
way which they serve.
The total width of stairway, interior and exterior, provided for |
occupancy of each floor and those above, shall be not less than 44 inc!
for the first 50 persons and 6 inches for each additional 50 persons
be accommodated thereby. The stair treads shall be not less than |
inches wide, and the risers mot more than 7% inches high. Wind
in such required stairways are prohibited.
Every school, hospital and theatre, over one story high, shall ht
(Continued on next page.)