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HomeMy WebLinkAboutShort-Term Rental Inspection List (Detailed) Exterior of house: • House number and unit number (911 address) should be posted on the structure, not just on the mail box. (Section 304 IPMC 2018) o Buildings shall be provided with approved address identification. • The address identification shall be legible and placed in a position that is visible from the street or road fronting the property. • Address identification characters shall contrast with their background. Address numbers shall be Arabic numbers or alphabetical letters. • Numbers shall not be spelled out. • Each character shall be not less than 4 inches (102 mm) in height with a stroke width of not less than 0.5 inch (12.7 mm). • Where required by the fire code official, address identification shall be provided in additional approved locations to facilitate emergency response. • Where access is by means of a private road and the building address cannot be viewed from the public way, a monument, pole or other sign or means shall be used to identify the structure. • Structure in good repair (windows, doors, roof, siding, etc.) (Section 304 IPMC 2018) The exterior of a structure shall be maintained in good repair, structurally sound and sanitary so as not to pose a threat to the public health, safety or welfare. The following conditions shall be determined as unsafe and shall be repaired or replaced as required for existing buildings: 1.The nominal strength of any structural member is exceeded by nominal loads, the load effects or the required strength; 2.The anchorage of the floor or roof to walls or columns, and of walls and columns to foundations is not capable of resisting all nominal loads or load effects; 3.Structures or components thereof that have reached their limit state; 11/13/17 TOWN OF ITHACA 215 N. Tioga Street, Ithaca, N.Y. 14850 www.town.ithaca.ny.us __________________________________________ Department of Code Enforcement Phone (607) 273-1783  Fax (607) 273-1704 codes@town.ithaca.ny.us Rental Detailed Inspection List 2 4.Siding and masonry joints including joints between the building envelopeand the perimeter of windows, doors and skylights are not maintained, weather resistant or water tight; 5.Structural members that have evidence of deterioration or that are not capable of safely supporting all nominal loads and load effects;6.Foundation systems that are not firmly supported by footings, are not plumb and free from open cracks and breaks, are not properly anchored or are not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; 7.Exterior walls that are not anchored to supporting and supported elements or are not plumb and free of holes, cracks or breaks and loose or rottingmaterials, are not properly anchored or are not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; 8.Roofing or roofing components that have defects that admit rain, roof surfaces with inadequate drainage, or any portion of the roof framing that is not in good repair with signs of deterioration, fatigue or without proper anchorage and incapable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; 9.Flooring and flooring components with defects that affect serviceability or flooring components that show signs of deterioration or fatigue, are not properly anchored or are incapable of supporting all nominal loads andresisting all load effects;10. Veneer, cornices, belt courses, corbels, trim, wall facings and similar decorative features not properly anchored or that are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects;11. Overhang extensions or projections including, but not limited to, trash chutes, canopies, marquees, signs, awnings, fire escapes, standpipes and exhaust ducts not properly anchored or that are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; 12. Exterior stairs, decks, porches, balconies and all similar appurtenances attached thereto, including guard s and handrails, are not structurally sound, not properly anchored or that are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; or 13. Chimneys, cooling towers, smokestacks and similar appurtenances not structurally sound or not properly anchored, or that are anchored withconnections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting allload effects. • Entrances in good repair (sidewalks, steps, landings, railings, lighting) (Section 302 IPMC 2018) Sidewalks, walkways, stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas shall be kept in a proper state of repair, and maintained free from hazardous conditions. o Every exterior flight of stairs having more than four risers shall have a handrail on one side of the stair and every open portion of a stair, landing, balcony, porch, deck, ramp or other walking surface that is more 3 than 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor or grade below shall have guards. o Handrails shall be not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in height or more than 42 inches (1067 mm) in height measured vertically above the nosing of the tread or above the finished floor of the landing or walking surfaces. o Guards shall be not less than 30 inches (762 mm) in height above the floor of the landing, balcony, porch, deck, or ramp or other walking surface. • Garbage stored in proper receptacles (Section 308 IPMC 2018) The owner of every occupied premise shall supply approved covered containers for rubbish, and the owner of the premises shall be responsible for the removal of rubbish. Every occupant of a structure shall dispose of garbage in a clean and sanitary manner by placing such garbage in an approved garbage disposal facility or approved garbage containers. • Adequate off street parking (Section 270-219.7 Code of the Town of Ithaca) Except in the Lakefront Residential Zone. The owner of any unit used for a short-term rental use shall provide enough driveway parking spaces on the parcel containing such unit so that all vehicles belonging to the short-term renters are parked on-site. Such vehicles may not park on the street. • Pools and decks compliant ( if present) (Section 303 IPMC 2018) Swimming pools shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and in good repair with fence and alarm. 4 Interior of house: □ Posting of Information (Section 270-219.7 Code of the Town of Ithaca) 1. All units used for short-term rental uses shall have prominently posted in all bedrooms in such unit a copy of the valid operating permit for such unit and a notice in a form approved by the Code Enforcement Department containing safety and legal compliance information including, but not limited to, the following: location of the nearest exit in case of a fire; limitations contained in the Town's laws regarding short-term rental uses and noise; and cell phone numbers of the owner and any manager, if there is one. □ Working Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors (proper location and number) (Section 704 IPMC 2018, 314 & 315 IRC 2018) Smoke alarms shall be installed in the following locations: 1.In each sleeping room.2.Outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms. 3.On each additional story of the dwelling, including basements and habitable attics and not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics.4.In dwellings or dwelling units with split levels and without an intervening door between the adjacent levels, a smoke alarm installed on the upper level shall suffice for the adjacent lower level provided that the lower level is less than one full story below the upper level.5.Carbon monoxide alarms in dwelling units shall be installed outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms. 6.Where a fuel-burning appliance is located within a bedroom or its attached bathroom, a carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed within the bedroom. 7.Combination carbon monoxide and smoke alarms shall be permitted to be used in lieu of carbon monoxide alarms. □ Interior structure in good repair (Ceiling, doors, floors, walls, and windows, stairs, landings, railings) (Section 305 IPMC 2018) The following conditions shall be determined as unsafe and shall be repaired or replaced as required for existing buildings: 1.The nominal strength of any structural member is exceeded by nominal loads, the load effects or the required strength; 2.The anchorage of the floor or roof to walls or columns, and of walls and columns to foundations is not capable of resisting all nominal loads or load effects; 5 3.Structures or components thereof that have reached their limit state; 4.Structural members are incapable of supporting nominal loads and load effects; 5.Stairs, landings, balconies and all similar walking surfaces,including guards and handrails, are not structurally sound, not properly anchored or are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects; 6.Foundation systems that are not firmly supported by footings are not plumb and free from open cracks and breaks, are not properly anchored or are not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects. □ Fire separation (where required) (per the code of the year the unit was built or Section 703 IPMC 2018) o Dwelling units shall be separated from each other by wall and floor assemblies having not less than a 1-hour fire-resistance rating where tested in accordance with ASTM E 119 or UL 263. o Fire-resistance-rated floor/ceiling and wall assemblies shall extend to and be tight against the exterior wall, and wall assemblies shall extend from the foundation to the underside of the roof sheathing. □ Electrical in good repair (outlets, switches, lights. proper lighting) (Section 605 IPMC 2018) o Panel boxes readily accessible and labeled o Electrical equipment, wiring and appliances shall be properly installed and maintained in a safe and approved manner. □ Appliances in good repair (if supplied) (Section 403, 602 & 603 IPMC 2018) Mechanical appliances, fireplaces, solid fuel-burning appliances, cooking appliances and water heating appliances shall be properly installed and maintained in a safe working condition, and shall be capable of performing the intended function. □ Plumbing in good repair (Section 504 IPMC 2018) Plumbing fixtures shall be properly installed and maintained in working order, and shall be kept free from obstructions, leaks and defects and be capable of performing the function for which such plumbing fixtures are designed. Plumbing fixtures shall be maintained in a safe, sanitary and functional condition. 6 □ Heating unit operable and in good repair (includes vents and duct work) (Section 602, 603 & 607 IPMC 2018) o Every owner and operator of any building who rents, leases or lets one or more dwelling unit, rooming unit, dormitory or guestroom on terms, either expressed or implied, to furnish heat to the occupants thereof shall supply heat during the period from September 15th to May 31st to maintain a temperature of not less than 68ºF (20ºC) in all habitable rooms, bathrooms and toilet rooms. □ Proper light and ventilation (Bath and other) (Section 402 & 403 IPMC 2018) o Habitable rooms shall have an aggregate glazing area of not less than 8 percent of the floor area of such rooms. o Natural ventilation shall be through windows, skylights, doors, louvers or other approved openings to the outdoor air. o Such openings shall be provided with ready access or shall otherwise be readily controllable by the building occupants. o The openable area to the outdoors shall be not less than 4 percent of the floor area being ventilated. o The glazed areas need not be openable where the opening is not required and a whole-house mechanical ventilation system is installed o The glazed areas need not be installed in rooms where artificial light is provided that is capable of producing an average illumination of 6 foot candles (65 lux) over the area of the room at a height of 30 inches (762 mm) above the floor level. o Bathrooms, water closet compartments and other similar rooms shall be provided with aggregate glazing area in windows of not less than 3 square feet (0.3 m2), one-half of which must be openable. o The glazed areas shall not be required where artificial light and a local exhaust system are provided. Exhaust air from the space shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. □ Proper room sizes (Section 404 IPMC 2018) o E A habitable room, other than a kitchen, shall be not less than 7 feet (2134 mm) in any plan dimension.o Kitchens shall have a minimum clear passageway of 3 feet (914 mm) between counter fronts and appliances or counter fronts and walls. 7 Minimum ceiling heights Habitable spaces, hallways,corridors, laundry areas, bathrooms, toilet rooms and habitable basement areas shall have a minimum clear ceiling height of 7 feet (2134 mm). o Spaces legally in existence before January 1, 2003, and spaces for which a variance has been legally granted shall be allowed to be occupied.o Ceiling heights reduced by necessary repairs shall be no lower than 6 feet, 8 inches. Room areao Every living room shall contain not less than 120 square feet (11.2 m2) and every bedroom shall contain not less than 70 square feet (6.5 m2) and every bedroom occupied by more than one person shall contain not less than 50 square feet (4.6 m2) of floor area for each occupant thereof.o Every dwelling unit shall contain its own bathtub or shower, lavatory, water closet and kitchen sink. The lavatory shall be placed in the same room as the water closet or located in close proximity to the door leading directly into the room in which such water closet is located. A kitchen sink shall not be used as a substitute for the required lavatory. □ Egress doors or windows (Section 702 IPMC 2018) o 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, an emergency escape and rescue opening 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. o Required emergency escape openings shall be maintained in accordance with the code in effect at the time of construction, and the following. o Required emergency escape and rescue openings shall be operational from the inside of the room without the use of keys or tools. o Bars, grilles, grates or similar devices are permitted to be placed over emergency escape and rescue openings provided the minimum net clear opening size complies with the code that was 8 in effect at the time of construction and such devices shall be releasable or removable from the inside without the use of a key, tool or force greater than that which is required for normal operation of the escape and rescue opening. Previous emergency openings code requirements Prior to 1954 –none 1954- 1964 - 5 square feet of opening, minimum width of 16 inches, bottom no higher than 3 feet above the floor, basement no higher than 54inches from the floor. 1964- 1977 - 4 square feet of opening, minim width of 18 inches, bottom no higher than 42 inches above the floor, basement no higher than 54inches from the floor. 1977-2002 - 4 square feet of opening, minim width of 24 inches, bottom no higher than 42 inches above the floor, basement no higher than 54inches from the floor. 2002 – present – 5.7 square feet of opening, 5 square feet at grade level, minim width of 22inches, minim height of 24 inches, bottom no higher than 44 inches above the floor, basement no higher than 44inches from the floor/ additional provisions for window wells. Example of the present emergency escape requirement 9 OTHER □ Confirmation that the accessory dwelling unit legally exists  Was the rental unit in existence before 1954?  If not, does the town have record of when it was built?  If the town does not have record of the rental unit being built, the owner will need to provide documentation that is satisfactory to the Town of Ithaca Code Officer that shows when it was built.