‘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. Lk ;
BE IT ORDAINED by the Council of the Borough of Bellefonte, ins
the 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,
thence ‘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
east 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-
lowbank 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
the 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
the 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 ini
accordance 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
permit 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,
brick, 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-
cept the following; and all roofs placed upon such buildings or
structures shall have an incombustible covering: —
(a) Temporary one story frame buildings for use of builders.
(b) 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.
Wooden fences not over 10 feet high.
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.
(c)
(d)
{e)
)
£8)
Section 5:
REPAIRING FRAME BUILDINGS WITHIN FIRE LIMITS.
Any existing frame building within the fire limits, which may
hereafter be damaged by fire, decay or otherwise to an amount greater
than 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
accordance with rules and regulations of the State Fire Marshall's De-
partment 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:
(a) The floor and ceiling construction above the garage when it is
} located beneath the building, or the roof when the garage is attach-
ed to the building, shall be unpierced and have a fire resistance of
one 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
a 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
natural drainage of gases, oil and water to the outside.
Separate means of exit from all dwelling quarters in such buildings
shall be provided; such exits shall be separated from the garage
section by a partition having a fire resistance of one hour based
- upon 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
but 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-
4n the corporate limits, having walls of hollow building tile or concrete
blocks, shall exceed three stories, or 40 feet in height; and mo building
‘hereafter erected or altered shall exceed four stories or 55 feet in
(b)
(c
(d)
(e)
)
(8)
(hb)
1)
I)
height, unless it be of fireproof construction, when it shall not exceed
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, 5097.
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.
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. y
Walls in skeleton construction shall be supported by girders at each
story, and shall be not less than 12 inches thick, except that splid con-
crete may be 8 inches thick.
In all buildings, except dwellings, frame :
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
horizontally and vertically and weighing mot 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
1s. ;
aston 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-
three feet above the roof. :
on walls shall be continuous from foundation to 3 feet above roof
shall be coped.
Te . concrete of buildings 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 in,
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. J
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
r square inch.
endl al ie shall be not less than 36 days old when tested.
The average strength of the Blocks as here given shall be obtained
testing five blocks of average qualily.
J oh 2 Aowable working stress on all on construction shall not
one-tenth of the required average stre ;
jig walls and antiias 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
ombustible construction.
SHIRL om 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
buildings, and skeleton
than required for
—— ——
feet in area, and a self-closing swinging fire door shall be substitut
for one of the automatic fire doors. The total width of openings in
fire wall shall not exceed 259; of the length of the wall.
Every building within the fire limits, except churches, dwellin;
tenant. houses, dormitories, and lodging houses, shall have standard f
doors, shutters or wired glass in incombustible frames and sash on eve
exterior opening above the first story, except when fronting on a stre
‘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
which the opening is situated shall not be considered as coming with
the intent of this rule. All openings in the side and rear walls of t
first story, except show windows, shall be protected as prescribed in ti
section when within 50 feet of another building.
All exterior windows more than 75 feet above the curb shall ha
incombustible frame and sash glazed with wired glass.
Occupants of buildings shall close all exterior and interior fire doc
and windows at the close of business each day.
Section 12:
STAIRWAY AND ELEVATOR SHAFTS.
In all buildings hereafter erected, except private dwellings, which a
used above the first floor for business purposes or for public assemblag
or for any purpose whatever, if over three stories high, the stair shat
shall be separately and continuously enclosed by incombustible par
tions. Elevator shafts in all buildings hereafter erected shall be enclos
in the same manner. The partitions shall be constructed of brick
other fire-resistive material approved by the Fire and Police Committ
or other designated official. No such partition shall be less than
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 enclos
by incombustible partitions as above specified; or the shafts may
enclosed by approved hollow or solid partition blocks not le
than three inches thick, or by 4 inch wood stud partitions, covered
each side with not less than 3, inch of Portland cement or gypsu
plaster on metal lath; or by 2 inch solid metal lath and Portland c
ment plaster partitions. The metal frame-work of such partitions sh:
be securely fastened to both floor and ceiling, Metal lath used f
such partitions shall be of galvanized steel weighing not less than
ounces per square yard. Wire lath shall not be less than No. 20 gaug
and sheet metal lath not less than No. 24 gauge. All such partitio
erected in existing buildings shall be fire-stopped-with incombustit
material the full depth of the floor beams at each floor level.
All door openings in stair and elevator enclosures shall be protect.
by fire doors mounted with wrought iron or steel hardware, and sh:
be securely attached to the wall or partition, or to substantial i
combustible frames anchored thereto. If glass panels be used in su
doors, they shall be of wired glass not exceeding 144 square inch
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 least
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 designat:
official, it is necessary to preserve an open elevator or hoistway
existing buildings, the floor openings through which they pass shall |
equipped with automatically closing trap doors not less than 11; inch
thick, made of two thicknesses of matched boards, covered on the und
side with tin; the trap doors, when closed, shall extend beyond tI
openings on all sides. Such trap doors shall be protected by a su
stantial guard or gate, which shall be kept closed at all times exce;
when in actual use.
Section 13:
SKYLIGHTS OVER STAIRWAY AND ELEVATOR SHAFTS.
Where a stairway, elevator, or dumb-waiter shaft extends throug
the roof and is covered by a skylight, the skylight shall be constructe
with incombustible frame and sash, glazed with ordinary thin glass, ar
shall be protected by a galvanized steel wire screen with a mesh ne
exceeding one inch, and the wire not smaller than No. 12 gauge. Tt
screen shall have metal supports and be placed not less than 6 inch
above the skylight, Instead of a skylight a window may be placed in tk
side of the shaft above the roof whichis farthest removed from a proj
erty line. The window shall have incombustible frame and sash, ar
‘be glazed with thin glass. ;
Section 14:
FLOOR LIGHTS.
Except in dwellings, all openings hereafter made in floors for tt
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 i
thickness, and if any glass measures more than 16 square inches the:
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 builc
ings, all walls or partitions forming interior light or vent shafts sha
be built in accordance with the requirements for stair and elevator shaft
in new buildings as specified in Section 12. The walls of dumb-waite
shafts, except those in dwellings which extend only one story above th
basement or cellar, shall be of fire-resistive construction, and shall
not less than three inches thick if constructed of brick, hollow or soli
partition blocks, or of steel or wood studding and metal lath with 3
inch of Portland cement or gypsum plaster on each side; or a 2 inc
solid metal lath and Portland cement or gypsum plaster wall may h
permitted, if securely anchored at each floor and ceiling. The materis
and method of construction shall be as specified in Section 12 for stai
and elevator shafts in existing buildings.
Where a dumb-waiter shaft does not extend through the roof, th
top of the shaft shall be of fire-resistive construction of the sam
thickness as the walls of the shaft.
All opening in dumb-waiter shafts shall be protected by fire door
mounted in incombustible frames securely anchored to the walls.
The walls of all light and vent shafts hereafter erected shall ez
tend not less than 3 feet above the roof level, except that when a shaf
is covered by an incombustible ventilating skylight, the walls need no
extend more than 2 feet above the roof. Masonry walls shall be properl
coped. ‘
When metal louvres are used for ventilating purposes, the louvre
or slats shall be riveted to the metal frame.
e Section 16:
: ROOFING.
Every building hereafter erected within the corporate limits shal
have a fire resistive roof covering, and no existing wooden shingle roof
if damaged more than 50¢;, shall be renewed or repaired with othe
than a fire-resistive roof covering. ;
Section 17:
ROOF OPENINGS,
All openings in roofs for the admission of light or air, other tha
those provided for in Sections 13 and 15, shall have incombustible frame
and sash glazed with wired glass or ordinary glass may be used, i
protected above and below by galvanized wire not smaller than No. 1
gauge. The top screen shall be installed as specified in Section 13.
Section 18:
EXITS REQUIRED.
The term floor area as used in this section shall mean the entir
floor space between exterior walls and fire walls. :
In every building hereafter erected, except in private dwellings
each floor area above the first shall be provided with at least two mean
of egress remote from each other, one of which shall be an encloses
stairway as provided in Section 12, or a doorway in a fire wall leading
to another floor area separately provided with adequate stairs or othe
independent means of exit. Such doorway serving as an emergency exi
in a fire wall shall be protected by an automatic and a self-closing fir
door. as specified in Section 11. No portion of any floor area shall bi
more than 100 feet from a space egress. Elevators shall not be con
sidered as a required means of egress as specified in this Section.
Except in dwellings, no required stairway shall be less than 4
inches wide, and in all public buildings the total width of exit doorway:
leading therefrom shall at least be equal to the total width of the stair
way which they serve.
The total width of stairway, interior and exterior, provided for the
occupancy of each floor and those above, shall be not less than 44 inche:
for the first 50 persons and 6 inches for each additional 50 persons
be accommodated thereby. The stair treads shall be not less than 9Y
inches wide, and the risers mot more than 7% inches high. Winder
in such required stairways are prohibited.
Every school, hospital and theatre, over one story high, shall haw
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