ARTICLE III

ARTICLE III. INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE

Sec. 8-300. Adopted; where filed; amendments.

(a) That certain document known as the "International Residential Code, 2003 Edition," which has been published as a code in book form by the International Code Council, chapters two through ten, twelve through forty-three and appendix chapters A, B, C, G, H, J and K, three (3) copies with amendments of which are on file in the office of the city clerk, and this same code and appendices are hereby referred to, adopted and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in this article.

(b) The provisions of this article, other than subsections (a) and (b) of this section, are amendments to the International Residential Code as now or hereafter adopted in subsection (a). All sections in this article, other than subsections (a) and (b) of this section, shall be considered to be both a part of this code and a part of the International Residential Code.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Charter reference—Adoption by reference, § 2.14.

State law reference—Adoption by reference, A.R.S. § 9-801 et seq.

Sec. R201. General.

Section R201.4 is hereby amended as follows:

R201.4. Terms not defined. Where terms are not defined through the methods authorized by this section, such terms shall have ordinarily accepted meanings such as the context implies. Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged, shall be considered as providing ordinarily accepted meanings.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R202. Definitions.

Section R202 is hereby amended as follows:

EMERGENCY ESCAPE AND RESCUE OPENING. An operable window, door or similar device that provides for a means of escape that opens directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court and provides access for rescue in the event of an emergency.

EXTERIOR WALL. Any wall or element of a wall or any member or group of members, which defines the exterior boundaries or courts of a building and which has a slope of sixty (60) degrees or greater with the horizontal plane.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R301. Design criteria.

Section R301.1.1 is hereby amended as follows:

R301.1.1. Alternative provisions. As an alternative to the requirements in Section R301.1 with prior approval of the building official the following standards are permitted subject to the limitations of this code and the limitations therein. Where engineered design is used in conjunction with these standards the design shall comply with the International Building Code.

1. American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) Wood Frame Construction Manual (WFCM).

2. American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), Standard for Cold-Formed Steel Framing-Prescriptive Method for One- and Two-family Dwellings (COFS/PM).

Table R301.2(1) is hereby amended as follows:

TABLE R301.2(1)

CLIMATIC AND GEOGRAPHICAL DESIGN CRITERIA

Ground snow load

Wind speed^e(mph)

Seismic design category^g

Subject to damage from

Winter design temp^f

Ice shield Under-layment requiredⁱ

Flood Hazards^h

Air Freezing Index^j

Mean Annual Temp.^k

Weathering^a

Frost line depth^b

Termite^c

Decay^d

(3 sec. gust)

Negligible

12 inches

moderate to heavy

None to slight

34 degrees

N/A

See Maricopa County

71.2°F

Table 301.5 is hereby amended as follows:

TABLE R301.5

MINIMUM UNIFORMLY DISTRIBUTED LIVE LOADS

(In pounds per square foot)

USE	LIVE LOAD
Attics without storage ^{b, g}	10
Attics with storage ^b	40
Sleeping rooms	40

g. For truss systems, this load need not be considered as acting simultaneously with other live loads imposed upon the ceiling framing or its supporting structure.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R303. Light, ventilation and heating.

Section R303.2, Exception is hereby amended as follows:

EXCEPTIONS:

1. Openings required for light and/or ventilation shall be permitted to open into a thermally isolated sunroom addition or patio cover, provided that there is an openable area between the adjoining room and the sunroom addition or patio cover of not less than one-tenth (1/10) of the floor area of the interior room but not less than twenty (20) square feet (1.86 m2). The minimum openable area to the outdoors shall be based upon the total floor area being ventilated.

2. Bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms are not permitted to be ventilated through an adjoining room.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R305. Ceiling height.

Section R305.1 is hereby amended as follows:

R305.1. Minimum height. Habitable rooms shall have a ceiling height of seven (7) feet, six (6) inches (2286 mm). Hallways, corridors, bathrooms, toilet rooms, laundry rooms and basements shall have a ceiling height of not less than seven (7) feet (2134 mm).

EXCEPTIONS:

1. Beams and girders spaced not less than four (4) feet (1219 mm) on center may project not more than six (6) inches (152 mm) below the required ceiling height.

2. Ceilings in basements without habitable space may project to within six (6) feet, eight (8) inches (2032 mm) of the finished floor; and beams, girders, dusts or other obstructions may project to within six (6) feet, four (4) inches (1931 mm) of the finished floor.

3. Not more than fifty percent (50%) of the required floor area of a room or space is permitted to have a sloped ceiling less than seven (7) feet (2134 mm) in height with no portion of the required floor area less than five (5) feet (1524 mm) in height.

4. Bathrooms may have a minimum ceiling height of six (6) feet, eight (8) inches (2036 mm) over the fixture.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R309. Garages and carports.

Section R309.1 is hereby amended as follows:

R309.1. Opening protection. Openings from a private garage directly into a room used for sleeping purposes shall not be permitted. Other openings between the garage and residence shall be equipped with solid wood doors not less than one and three-eighths (1-3/8) inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb core steel doors not less than one and three-eighths (1-3/8) inches (35 mm) thick, or twenty (20) minute fire-rated doors. Doors providing opening protection shall be maintained self-closing and self-latching.

Section R309.2 is hereby amended as follows:

R309.2. Separation required. The garage shall be separated from the residence and its attic area by not less than one-half (1/2) inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board applied to the garage side. Garages beneath habitable rooms shall be separated from all habitable rooms above by not less than five-eighths (5/8) inch (15.9 mm) Type X gypsum board or equivalent. Where the separation is a floor-ceiling assembly, the structure supporting the separation shall also be protected by not less than one-half (1/2) inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board or equivalent.

EXCEPTION: Buildings protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system, including the private garage, the separation shall be permitted to be limited to a minimum one-half (1/2) inch (12.7 mm) gypsum board applied to the garage side.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R310. Emergency escape and rescue openings.

Section R310.1 is hereby amended as follows:

R310.1. Emergency escape and rescue required. Basements with habitable space and every sleeping room shall have at least one openable emergency escape and rescue opening. Where basements contain one or more sleeping rooms, emergency escape and rescue openings shall be required in each sleeping room, but shall not be required in adjoining areas of the basement. Where emergency escape and rescue openings are provided they shall have a sill height of not more than forty-four (44) inches (1118 mm) above the floor. Where a door opening having a threshold below the adjacent ground elevation serves as an emergency escape and rescue opening and is provided with a bulkhead enclosure, the bulkhead enclosure shall comply with Section R310.3. The net clear opening dimensions required by this section shall be obtained by the normal operation of the emergency escape and rescue openings from the inside. Emergency escape and rescue openings with a finished sill height below the adjacent ground elevation shall be provided with a window well in accordance with Section R310.2. All emergency escape and rescue openings shall open directly into a public street, public alley, yard or court.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R311. Means of egress.

Section R311.4.4 is hereby amended as follows:

R311.4.4. Type of lock or latch. All egress doors shall be readily openable from the side from which egress is to be made without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort.

EXCEPTION: Group R, Division 3 Occupancies and individual dwelling units and guest rooms within Group R, Division 1 Occupancies. Such occupancies may be provided with a night latch, double keyed dead bolt or security chain, provided such devices are openable from the inside without the use of a tool.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R313. Smoke alarms and fire sprinklers.

Section R313.3 is hereby added as follows:

R313.3. Fire Sprinklers. All areas of new buildings or structures, and other locations required by this chapter, shall be provided with an automatic fire sprinkler system complying with IBC Section 903.3.1.1, 903.3.1.2 or 903.3.1.3 as applicable.

EXCEPTION: Automatic fire sprinkler protection systems shall not be required for the following:

1. R-3 occupancies of five thousand (5,000) square feet or less and other buildings or structures accessory to R-3 occupancies.

Section R313.3.1 is hereby added as follows:

R313.3.1. Additions. Automatic fire sprinkler protection systems are not required in existing non-sprinklered R-3 Occupancies or additions thereto.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R324. Building security.

Section R324 is hereby added as follows:

R324.1. Scope. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to openings into dwelling units and to openings between attached garages and dwelling units. Door openings, including vehicular access doors in enclosed attached garages shall be in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

EXCEPTIONS:

1. An opening in an exterior wall when all portions of such openings are more than twelve (12) feet (3658 mm) vertically or six (6) feet (1829 mm) horizontally from an accessible surface of any adjoining yard, court, passageway, public way, walk, breezeway, patio, planter, porch or similar area.

2. An opening in an exterior wall when all portions of such openings are more than twelve (12) feet (3658 mm) vertically or six (6) feet (1829 mm) horizontally from the surface of any adjoining roof, balcony, landing, stair tread, platform or similar structure or when any portion of such surface is itself more than twelve (12) feet (3658 mm) above an accessible surface.

3. Any opening in a roof when all portions of such roof are more than twelve (12) feet (3658 mm) above an accessible surface.

4. Openings when the small dimension is six (6) inches (152 mm) or less, provided that the closest edge of the opening is at least thirty-six (36) inches (914 mm) from the locking device of the door or window assembly.

5. Openings protected by required fire door assemblies having a fire-endurance rating of not less than forty-five (45) minutes.

Sec. R324.2. Swinging doors.

R324.2.1. General. Swinging doors shall be one of the following:

1. Wood flush‑type door one and three-fourths (1‑3/4) inches thick minimum.

2. Wood panel‑type door one and three-fourths (1‑3/4) inches thick minimum with all panels fabricated from material not less than three-eighths (3/8) inch in thickness; provided all shaped portions of the panels are not less than one-fourth (1/4) inch thick.

3. Ferrous metal doors of solid or hollow core construction with surfaces not less than twenty-four (24) gauge in thickness.

4. Other metal doors with surfaces not less than the equivalent of sixteen (16) gauge sheet metal (0.06 inch) in thickness.

R324.2.2. Locking hardware. Single swinging doors and the active leaf of doors in pairs shall be equipped with an approved exterior key operating deadbolt or locking device as follows:

1. Strike deadbolts with a minimum throw of one inch and an embedment of not less than five-eighths (5/8) inch into the holding device receiving the projected bolt.

2. Hook shape or expanding lug deadbolts with a minimum throw of three-fourths (3/4) inch.

3. Deadbolts or locks which automatically activate two (2) or more deadbolts with an embedment of not less than one-half (l/2) inch into the holding device receiving the projected bolts.

The inactive leaf of doors in pairs shall be equipped with manually or automatically operated hardened bolts at the top and bottom, with an embedment not less than one-half (1/2) inch into the device receiving the projected bolt.

Cylinder guards shall be installed on all mortise or rim‑type cylinder locks whenever the cylinder projects beyond the face of the door or is otherwise accessible to gripping tools.

See Sec. R311.4.4 for requirements on door operation for exiting.

R324.3. Windows. Window assemblies regulated by this chapter which are designed to be openable shall be constructed and installed so as to prohibit raising, sliding, or removal of the moving section while in the closed and locked position, unless such windows are protected by approved metal bars, screens or grilles. Louvered windows regulated by this chapter shall be protected by approved metal bars, or grilles.

R324.4. Upward Acting Doors. Upward acting doors shall be secured with a cylinder lock, padlock with a hardened steel shackle and hardened steel hasp, metal slide bar, bolt or equivalent device, unless secured by electric power operation.

Cylinder guards shall be installed on all mortise or rim‑type cylinder locks whenever the cylinder projects beyond the face of the door or is otherwise accessible to gripping tools.

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R401. General.

Section R401.1 is hereby amended by adding an Exception 3 as follows:

3. Where a design is not provided, the minimum foundation requirements for stud and concrete masonry bearing walls shall be as set forth in Table R403.1(2).

(Ord. No. 2005.89, 12-1-05)

Sec. R403. Footings.

Table R403.1 is hereby amended as follows:

TABLE R403.1

FOUNDATIONS FOR STUD AND CONCRETE MASONRY

BEARING WALLS – MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Number of Floors Supported by the Foundation³	Thickness of Foundation Wall² (inches – Nominal Dimension)		Width of Footing^2,4(W)\ (inches)		Thickness of Footing (inches)		Depth Below Undisturbed Soil (inches)
	Stud Wall
	Concrete	Masonry⁵	Stud Wall¹	Masonry Wall	Stud Wall	Masonry Wall
1	6	6	12	16	6	8