Laserfiche WebLink
Sec.78-1. - Definitions. (Excerpts) <br /> The following words, terms and phrases,when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed <br /> to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning. Unless specifically <br /> defined in this section, the words and phrases used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them <br /> in chapter 82. <br /> Basement means that portion of a building that is partly or comp/ete/y be/ow the existing ground level. <br /> A basement shaU be considered as a story for purposes of determining the number of stories in a building, <br /> when the finished surtace of the floor above the basement is more than six feet above the existing ground <br /> leve/for more than 50 percent of the basemenYs perimeter. The perimeter of the basement does not include <br /> portions of the house or garage that do not have a /ower leve/but are merely "unexcavated" Art�cially <br /> raising the grade adjacent to the foundation of a structure (by filling or by a combination of filling and <br /> retaining walls) above the surrounding natura/ terrain shall not be allowed as a method for converting a <br /> defined story to a defined basement, regard/ess of any other benefits to the property of such action.Finished <br /> grade that increases more than one foot from existing ground/eve/shall be considered as artificially raising <br /> the grade. However, artificia/ly raising the grade when such action mere/y restores a previously excavated <br /> site to its origina/natura/grade may used as a method for converting a defined story to a defined basement <br /> Building height means the vertica/distance between the highest adjoining ground/eve/at the building <br /> or ten feet above the lowest ground level, whichever is/ower, and the top of the comice of a flat roof, or the <br /> deck line of a mansard roof, or the uppermost point on a round or other arch-type roof, or the median height <br /> of the highest gab/e of a pitched or hipped roof. Topographic changes which e/evate the adjoining ground <br /> leve/ above the existing terrain shall not be considered in determining building height. For a pitched or <br /> hipped roof situation, regardless whether the highest living space in a building is a ha/f-story or full story, if <br /> the highest living space contains windows (exc/uding skylights) the upper measuring point for defining <br /> building height shall be the median height of the top of the highest window and the highest peak of the roof. <br /> Half story means the uppermosf floor of a building in which (i) the intersection of the exterior wall and <br /> the roof is not more than three feet above the floor e/evation, and(ii) not mo►�e than 60 percent of the floor <br /> area within the exterior walls of the uppermost floor exceeds five feet in height as measured from the floor <br /> to the rafters. F/oors exceeding these parameters shall be deemed a full story. <br /> Story means that portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper <br /> surface of the floor or roof next above. !t is measured as the vertica/ distance from top to top of two <br /> successive tiers of beams or finished floor surtaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor <br /> finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, fo the top of the roof rafters.A story fhat <br /> meets the definition of a "basement"shall be considered as a basement and not as a story for purposes of <br /> determining the number of stories in a building. <br /> Page 1 <br />