29.30.290 Special Standards for Single-Room Occupancy Housing Units.

City Code Section

(Amended by Ordinance Nos. 176955 and 180330, effective August 18, 2006.)  In addition to meeting requirements for residential structures defined elsewhere in this Title, hotels containing single-room occupancy housing units shall comply with the following:

A.    The unit shall have at least 100 square feet of floor area, except that any single-room occupancy housing unit constructed pursuant to permit or lawfully constructed prior to permit requirements shall be deemed in compliance with respect to floor area provided it has at least 85 square feet of floor area.  This exception shall not apply where any occupancy has been changed or increased contrary to the provisions of this Title.

B.   Either a community kitchen with facilities for cooking, refrigeration, and washing utensils shall be provided on each floor, or each individual single-room occupancy housing unit shall have facilities for cooking, refrigeration and washing utensils.  In addition, facilities for community garbage storage or disposal shall be provided on each floor.

C.   Where cooking units are provided in individual single-room occupancy housing units, they shall conform to the requirements set forth below.

1.  All appliances shall be hard-wired and on separate circuits or have single dedicated connections;

2.   All cooking appliances shall be fixed and permanent;

3.   The Mechanical Specialty Code, as adopted by Section 27.01.030, shall be used for setting standards for cooking appliances.  Cabinets over cooking surfaces shall be 30 inches above the cooking surface, except that this distance may be reduced to 24 inches when a heat shield with 1-inch airspace and extending at least 6 inches horizontally on either side of the cooking appliance is provided.  Cooking appliances are limited to two cooking elements or burners and located with at least a 6-inch clear space in all directions from the perimeter of the cooking element or burner.  In lieu of two-burner cooking appliances, standard third-party tested and approved ranges with ovens are acceptable, provided that the units are fixed and hard-wired or have single dedicated connections;

4.    All cooking appliances shall be installed under permit from the Bureau of Development Services; and

5.    All cooking appliances shall be installed so as to provide a minimum clear workspace in front of the appliance of 24 inches.