§ 1117-39. Light.

1117-39.1 General: All spaces or rooms shall be provided sufficient lights so as not to endanger health and safety.

1117-39.2 Habitable rooms: Every habitable room shall have at least one window of approved size facing directly to the outdoors or to a court. A minimum total window area, measured between stops, for every habitable room shall be 8% of the floor area of such room, except in kitchens and dining areas when artificial light may be provided in accordance with the provisions of this Code. Whenever walls or other portions of a structure face a window of any room and such obstructions are located less than three feet from the window and extend to a level above that of the ceiling of the room, such window shall not be deemed to face directly to the outdoors nor to a court and shall not be included as contributing to the required minimum total window area for the room.

1117-39.3 Common halls and stairways: Every common hall in every building, other than one-family dwellings, shall be adequately lighted at all times with an illumination of at least a 60 watt light bulb or a 15 watt fluorescent fixture.

1117-39.4 Other spaces: All other spaces shall be provided with natural or artificial light of sufficient intensity and so distributed as to permit the maintenance of sanitary conditions, and the safe use of the space and the appliances, equipment and fixtures. The director of buildings and inspections may require the walls and ceiling of any room to be painted a light color when necessary to improve its lighting.

1117-39.5 Minimum light: Whenever any room receives insufficient required natural light at noon on a bright day to provide a level of five footcandles of illumination on the majority of the area of such room, the director of buildings and inspections may declare such room unfit for human habitation and prohibit its use for living purposes.

(Ordained by Ord. No. 67-1996, eff. Apr. 5, 1996; a. Ord. No. 59-2002, eff. March 28, 2002; a. Ord. No. 6-2003, eff. Feb. 7, 2003)