09-21-1998 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Plumbing in Accessory Structures June 6,1997 Page 3 relatively mobile items of personal property rather than real property, i.e. a bed, perhaps a space heater, table/chairs, a microwave oven or even an electric or gas stove and a refrigerator. These 'portable' items can be brought into and removed from a building 'at will’ and, significantly, without the requirement of a building permit, hence using them to defme whether a building is or isn't potentially functional as a dwelling, is not practical. However, the function of sanitation generally requires permanent fixtures which are readily distinguishable from personal property, and which technically require that a building permit be issued. Toilets, showers, tubs and lavatories fall into this category. And, most heating equipment falls into this category. Presence or Absence of a 'Kitchen* For some time staff has considered that the presence or absence of a 'kitchen' is a key determinant of dwelling status. Also, staff has generally considered that a secondary kitchen within a dwelling is one of the key factors that can create an apartment unit, and has usually noted to the builder/owner via the plan review that use of the second kitchen for a separate dwelling unit requires City approval (guest apartment CUP). The problem here is that the only permanent fixture in a kitchen may be a kitchen sink, and a lavatory in a bathroom might serve the same function. Typical Accesssory Building Utility Amenities It is not uncommon for accessory buildings to be provided with electricity, not only for lighting but for many other purposes (lawn maintenance, workshop, etc.). A telephone jack might also be placed in an accessory building for convenience. Less common would be natural gas, except for heating purposes. Wate- piping might be common in an accessory building for someone who is a gardener, with a washtub or sink. A home workshop in an accessory buiiu. *^’''ht include a toilet and lavatory for convenience. Less common in an accessory building are a shower or bathtub, both of which also would piesumably be served by a water heater. Such a fixtures techmcally would require a permit from the City, and are perhaps the primary 'built-in' features most likely to make a building suitably functional as a stand-alone dwelling. In our society, where the majority of individuals tend to bathe on a regular basis, the absence of a shower or tub suggests a space that, even if Provided vvith other amenities, is not intended for anything more than short term use . Without a tub or shower, it is not livable. By the same token, without a toilet, it is not livable. Yet the presence of a shower stall in an unheated garage for seasonal or occasional use by the homeowner to remove the grime from a hard day 'in the coal mines ’, hardly would constitute a separate dwelling unit in itself. This suggests