USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Andover > Town annual report of Andover 1945-1949 > Part 42
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As authorized by the annual town meeting an aero-mist spray- ing machine was purchased in early April. This new type machine blows a fine mist spray into and over the trees and has proven to be the most efficient means of applying spray materials by a machine operated from the ground.
D.D.T. spray was applied to elm trees as a first attack on the elm bark beetle carrier of the Dutch elm disease. Later foliage sprays against leaf chewing insects were used also as a second attack against the elm bark beetles.
The Moth Superintendent recommends the purchase of a sec- ond aero-mist sprayer so that all trees may be sprayed in time and to increase the efficiency of our attack against leaf eating insects on all other varieties of trees.
Spraying our trees from the ground should be supplemented by spraying our best elms from the air, since complete coverage insures the destruction of the bark beetle before it can infect another tree.
For the regular moth department appropriation I recommend $8,150.00.
Respectfully submitted,
GEORGE R. ABBOTT, Moth Superintendent
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Report of Committee to Revise the Town Building Laws
The committee appointed by the Moderator at the Annual 1949 Town Meeting to revise the Town Building Laws has had numer- ous meetings and has studied the present building laws, the build- ing laws of comparable towns, and various proposed National Building Codes. The committee does not feel that it is yet time to adopt in full any of the several proposed National Codes, but feels that it would be better to wait until such time as one has been more widely adopted. It has therefore attempted to modern- ize the existing by-laws and to adopt some of the better and more uniform parts of other codes.
Although the proposed revision includes some sections of the existing by-laws with little or no change, other sections have been eliminated or completely replaced. This has made the problems of amending section-by-section so complex that the committee recommends that the Town vote to amend the existing by-laws by striking out sections 1 through 60 thereof and substituting in the place and stead thereof sections 1 through 49 of the proposed revision.
·
ROLAND H. SHERMAN ROY E. HARDY J. RADFORD ABBOT FRED W. DOYLE EDWARD P. HALL
ARTICLE IX BUILDING LAWS
TITLE
Section 1. This By-Law shall be known and cited as the Build- ing Law.
INSPECTOR OF BUILDINGS
Section 2. The Board of Selectmen shall, within thirty days after the adoption of this By-Law and thereafter annually in
138
April, appoint an Inspector of Buildings, who shall hold office for the term of one year or until such time as his successor is ap- pointed.
His compensation shall be regulated by the Selectmen unless determined by a vote of the town at the annual March meeting preceding his appointment.
He shall not be financially interested in any contract or in the furnishing of materials for any building.
The Board of Selectmen shall have power to discharge the Inspector for failure to perform his duties, and to fill any vacancy in the office.
Section 3. The Inspector of Buildings may, so far as is neces- sary for the performance of his duties, enter any building or premises within the town at any reasonable hour.
Section 4. He shall keep a record of all business of the depart- ment, which record and all other books and papers relating to the transactions of the department shall be open at all times to the inspection of the Selectmen, and he shall submit to them a yearly report on such business and such other reports as they may re- quire.
BUILDINGS AFFECTED
Section 5. No building shall be constructed, demolished, re- located, or altered except in conformity with the provisions of this By-Law, but nothing in this By-Law shall be construed to apply to: -
(a) Bridges, quays, wharves or buildings or land owned or occupied by the United States or the Commonwealth.
(b) Small wooden buildings not to be used for habitable pur- poses, and not more than eight feet in length or breadth and seven feet in height.
APPLICATION
Section 6. A person intending to erect, demolish, relocate, or make alterations in such building, or his duly authorized agent, shall file with the Inspector of Buildings on blank forms furnished by the said official, a notice in writing of his intentions, with plans and specifications, or a full written description of the structure to be erected, in such form as may be approved by the Inspector. The Inspector may also require, in his discretion, a survey of the lot on which any proposed building is to be erected to be filed with the application. Every application shall state the
139
name and address of the owner. Duplicates of all plans and specifications or written descriptions, when approved by the In- spector, shall be kept at the building during the progress of the work, and shall be open to his inspection.
GRANTING OF PERMITS
Section 7. The Inspector shall not give a permit for the erec- tion or alteration of any building until he shall have carefully inspected the plans, specifications and premises, and ascertained that the building as proposed will conform to this By-Law. He shall grant permits for such erection, or alteration, when the plans and detailed description are in conformity with this By-Law and the laws of the Commonwealth. It shall be his duty to approve or reject any plans or descriptions filed with him, within ten days. No work shall be commenced until a permit is issued. He shall, as often as practicable, inspect all buildings in the course of con- struction or alteration, and shall make a record of all violations of these By-Laws, with the name of the owner, occupant, architect and master-mechanic, and of any other matters pertinent thereto. If the Inspector finds that the terms of a permit are being vio- lated, he may, after written notice to the person to whom the permit was issued, order the whole or any part of the work, which is being done under the permit, to be stopped, and such work shall not be resumed until the terms of the permit have been complied with.
Any permit or approval which may be issued by the Inspector of Buildings, but under which no work has been done above the foundation walls within one year from the time of the issuance of the permit or approval, shall expire by limitation. Said In- spector shall have power to revoke or cancel any permit or ap- proval in case of any failure or neglect to comply with any pro- vision of this By-Law, or in case any false statement or repre- sentation is made in any specifications, plans or statements sub- mitted or filed for such permit or approval. No building hereafter constructed or altered shall be occupied unless it conforms in its construction to the regulations of this By-Law.
All new materials, methods of construction, devices and equip- ment for use in buildings, prefabricated houses and trailers may be approved by the Building Inspector, when they are proved to be equal to the specific requirements of this law; or he may adopt
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the recommendations and approvals of the "Abridged Building Code" approved and adopted by Building Officials Conference of America, Inc., September 16, 1948, and as said Code may be revised and modified in the future.
UNSAFE BUILDINGS
Section 8. The Inspector of Buildings shall examine every building or other structure which he has reason to believe unsafe or dangerous, and if he finds it unsafe or dangerous he shall, in writing, notify the owner, agent or any person having an interest therein, to remove it or make it safe and secure, and such person shall thereupon immediately remove it or make it safe.
APPEAL
Section 9. In case the owner of any building or other structure, or an applicant for a permit to erect or alter a building or other structure, is aggrieved by any order or decision of the Inspector of Buildings, he may file with the Inspector an objection in writing, and thereupon the matter shall be referred to the Selectmen who, within one week from said reference, shall hear the parties, and after taking such expert opinion as may seem to the Selectmen to be necessary, give their decision. In case the decision of the In- spector of Buildings be affirmed, the expense of such expert opinion taken by the Selectmen shall be paid to the town by the owner or applicant on demand, otherwise such expense shall be borne by the town.
DEFINITIONS
Section 10. Adjoining Owners. The owner or one of the owners of the premises adjoining those under construction.
Alteration. Any changes in or addition to a building.
Apartment House. A house or building or part thereof which is rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied or is occupied or is intended, arranged, or designed to be occupied as the home or residence of two or more families, which families may consist of one or more persons living independently of each other and hav- ing a common right in the halls, stairways, yards, courts, cellar, sinks, toilets or any of them. Where the occupants of dwelling- houses contiguous, and vertically, divided, cach occupied and intended, arranged or designed to be occupied as the home or residence of one family or more have a common right in or use in
141
common the halls, stairways, yards, cellars, sinks, toilets or any of them, such dwellings are apartment houses.
Areas. Open spaces adjacent to buildings or the building line for lighting or ventilation.
Attic. (See Story Half.)
Basement. A lower story partly underground but which, in the average, is at least one half above the average level of the ad- joining ground.
Bearing Wall. Any wall which carries any load other than its own weight.
Builder. A person employed to build or to execute work on a building or where no person is so employed, the owner of the building.
Building, Wooden. A building of which the external wall is constructed wholly or partly of wood. Wood frames covered with metal shall be deemed to be wood construction.
Cellar. A story having more than one half of its height below the curb level, or below the average level of the adjoining ground.
Chimney. Any permanent or fixed flues or passages built into any building for conveying away products of combustion from furnaces, stoves, boilers, ranges, or fireplaces.
Corner Lot. A lot situated at the intersection of two or more streets or at the junction of two streets or where a street changes its direction provided the interior angle does not exceed 120 degrees.
Any portion of a corner lot distant more than seventy feet from either street line shall be treated as an interior lot.
Court. An open, unoccupied space other than a yard on the same lot with a dwelling. If it does not extend to the street or front or rear yard it is an inner court. If it does so extend it is an outer court.
Curb Level. The level of an established curb in the front of the building at the center of the front. Where no curb has been es- tablished, the town shall establish such curb level or its equiva- lent for the purposes of this By-Law.
Curtain Wall. A wall built between piers or iron or steel col- umns and which is not a bearing wall.
Dwelling-house. A house in which not more than two families dwell independently and in which no part is used for business purposes.
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External Wall. Every outer wall or vertical enclosure of a building other than a party wall.
Flat Roof. A roof that pitches not more than four inches to the foot.
Footing. That part of any masonry foundations resting direct- ly on the ground.
Foundation. That portion of wall below the level of the street curb, or where the wall is not on a street below the level of the highest ground next to the wall, and shall include all piers below the curb level or below the floor of the first story.
Front and Rear of Lots. That boundary line which borders on the street is the front of the lot. In case of a corner lot the owner may elect by statement on his plans either street boundary line as the front.
The rear of the lot is the side opposite the front. In case of a triangular corner lot the rear shall be the side not bordering on a street.
The depth of a lot is the dimension measured from the front to the extreme rear line of the lot. In case of irregular shaped lots the mean depth shall be taken.
Height of a Building. The vertical distance of the highest point of the roof above the mean grade of the curbs of all the streets or the mean grade of the natural ground adjoining the building if the said grade of the ground is not below the grade of the curb.
Height of a Wall. The vertical distance from the mean grade of the ground adjoining the wall to the highest point of the wall.
Interior Lot. Any other lot than a corner lot.
Lodging-house. A house or building or part thereof in which six or more persons are harbored, received, or lodged for hire, or any building or part thereof which is used as a sleeping-place or lodging for six or more persons not members of the family residing therein.
Length and Width of Building. The greatest linear dimension of any building is its length and the next greatest linear dimension its width.
Owner. Includes any part owner, joint owner, tenant in com- mon or joint tenant of the whole or part of any building or land.
Partition Wall. Any interior wall of a building.
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Party Wall. A wall that separates two or more buildings and is used or adapted for use of more than one building.
Public Hall. A hall, corridor or passageway not within an apartment.
Repairs. The reconstruction or renewal of any existing part of a building or of its fixtures or appurtenances by which the strength or fire risk is not affected or modified and not made for the purpose of converting the building in whole or in part to a new use.
Shaft. Includes exterior and interior shafts whether for air, light, elevator, dumbwaiter, or any other purpose.
Skylight. Any structure on or opening on a roof for the ad- mission of light.
Span of Beam. The distance from center to center of its sup- ports.
Stair Hall. Includes the stair, stair landings and those portions of the public halls through which it is necessary to pass in going between the entrance floor and the roof.
Story of a Building. That part of a building between the top of any floor beams and the top or roof beams next above.
Story, First. The story, the floor of which is first above the basement or cellar.
Story, Second. The story next above the first story.
Story, Half. Is a story in a sloping roof.
Street. Any public way not less than sixteen feet in width.
Thickness of a Wall. The minimum thickness of such wall.
Yard. An open unoccupied space on the same lot with a build- ing between the extreme rear line of the house and the extreme rear line of the lot.
A front yard is an open unoccupied space between the front line of the building and the front line of the lot.
A side yard is an open unoccupied space between the side line of the building and the side line of the lot and shall be deemed an outer court on the lot line.
Outside stairways, fire escapes, porches, platforms, and other projections shall be considered as part of the building and not part of the yards or courts or unoccupied spaces.
Words used in the present tense shall include the future; in the masculine, the feminine and neuter; in the singular, the plural, and in the plural, the singular; "shall" is always mandatory and
144
not directory ; occupied or used shall be construed as if followed by the words "or intended, arranged, designed, built, altered, con- verted to, rented, leased, let, hired out, to be used or occupied." When any word designating any building premises or lot is used, it shall be construed as if followed by the words "or any part thereof."
The provisions of these By-Laws shall be held to be the mini- mum requirements for the protection of the health, welfare, and safety of the community.
REAR LOTS
Section 11. No portion of a building hereafter erected or al- tered for use as a dwelling-house shall be placed nearer the rear lot line than a distance equal to one-half its height; but in no event shall such distance be less than ten feet.
PROXIMITY TO OTHER BUILDINGS
Section 12. No portion of any wooden dwelling-house here- after erected shall be placed at less distance than ten feet from the side line of the lot upon which it is to be located or within ten feet of another wooden building except where a brick external wall of a thickness and built in the manner prescribed for external walls of brick buildings is substituted for a wooden wall.
BASEMENT AND CELLAR ROOMS
Section 13. In apartment houses hereafter erected no room in the basement or cellar shall be constructed, altered, converted, or occupied for living purposes.
CELLARS, DAMP-PROOFING AND LIGHTING OF
Section 14. Every apartment house hereafter erected shall have the walls below the ground level, and the cellar floor damp- proof. All cellars and basements in such apartment houses shall be properly lighted and ventilated and kept free from dampness in all their parts to the satisfaction of the Board of Health.
Section 15. In no wooden apartment house hereafter erected shall any story or any part thereof above the second story be occupied or arranged for housekeeping independently of the lower stories nor shall any provision be made for cooking nor shall any cooking be done above the second story.
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FOUNDATIONS
Section 16. The foundations of all buildings for dwellings shall be walls and piers of masonry. All wooden buildings not more than two stories in height, may be built wholly or in part upon piers or posts of masonry or iron. The foundations of all buildings must rest on solid ground or leveled surfaces of solid rock, or on piles, concrete, or other solid substance. Such foundations, other than solid rock, must not be exposed less than three feet below the adjacent surface of the ground.
Piazzas and porches shall have suitable foundations of stone, brick, iron, or concrete, built on solid bottoms, not less than three feet below, and extending not less than three inches above the finished grade.
Excavations for stone foundations shall be made at least six inches beyond the outside of foundation walls and shall not be back-filled until inspected.
Foundation walls of stone shall be at least sixteen inches thick.
Foundation walls of concrete shall be poured with forms upon both sides and shall be well rammed into place. For houses two stories or more in height the thickness of the foundation walls shall be at least ten inches and for one-story houses the thickness shall be at least eight inches. The concrete shall be mixed in the proportion of one part Portland cement, two parts of clean sharp sand, and five parts of broken stone or well-screened gravel by volume.
Foundation walls of concrete block or brick shall be at least twelve inches thick for two-story houses and at least eight inches thick for one-story houses.
No concrete or other mason work shall be erected during freezing temperatures unless adequate precautions are taken.
FOOTINGS
Section 17. All foundation walls and piers of concrete, concrete block or brick shall have footings at least eight inches in depth and projecting at least four inches beyond the wall or pier on each side.
APARTMENT HOUSE FIRE WALLS
Section 18. All houses arranged for the occupancy side by side of more than two families shall have a fireproof partition wall between each apartment, consisting either of a brick wall, not less
146
than eight inches thick, extending from the cellar bottom to the under side of the roof-boarding, or of a brick, concrete, or concrete block wall not less than eight inches thick, extending from the cellar bottom to the top side of the first floor timbers, and above that to the under side of the roof-boarding two by four-inch stud- ding, with the spaces between filled solid with bricks and mortar, or other fireproof material, not less than four inches thick, to make a smoke-tight barrier between the apartments.
WOODEN FRAME BUILDINGS
Section 19. All wooden frame buildings shall be built with sills, posts, girts, and plates. All buildings shall be braced in each story and in cross-partitions. No wall or ceiling of any building shall be lathed or otherwise covered until the Inspector has been notified in writing that the building is ready for such work, and until he has given written consent therefor. The Inspector shall act on such notice within forty-eight hours of its receipt.
In all wooden buildings not exceeding three stories in height the posts of which exceed twenty-two feet in length, the sills shall be not less than six by six inches, and the posts and girts not less than four by six inches; in all such buildings the posts of which are twenty-two feet or less in length, the sills shall be not less than four by six inches, laid flatwise, and the posts and girts not less than four by six inches; in all wooden buildings the studding of the outside walls shall not be less than two by four inches, set not more than sixteen inches on centres; in all wooden buildings the studding in all partitions carrying floor timbers shall not be less than two by four inches, set not more than sixteen inches on centres, and resting on girders not less than six by eight inches. All window studding to be not less than three by four inches. Ledger boards may be used in place of girts in one and one-half story houses or in dwellings where the attic floor is below the plates, if the spaces back of the ledger boards between studding shall be filled with joists of same size as wall-studs, cut in tight so as to prevent a draft in case of fire.
MAXIMUM SPANS FOR FLOOR JOISTS
Section 20. Assumed live load, 40 pounds per square foot; dead load, 10 pounds per square foot.
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LUMBER SIZE
MAXIMUM CLEAR SPAN
Nominal
Actual
Spacing Center to Center (Inches)
Douglas Fir Southern Yellow Pine, Western Larch
West Coast Hemlock, Cypress, Red- wood, Tamarack
All Other Softwoods
2 by 6
15% by 55%
16
9'1''
8'6''
7'9"
12
10'0"
9'4''
8'7''
2 by 8
158 by 71/2
16
12'1"
11'4"
10'4"
12
13'3"
12'5"
11'4"
3 by 8
258 by 71/2
16
14'0"
13'2"'
12'1"
12
15'4"
14'4"
13'2"
2 by 10
158 by 91/2
16
12
16'8''
15'8''
14'4''
3 by 10
258 by 91/2
16
17'8"
16'9''
15'2''
12
19'3"
18'1"
16'6"
2 by 12
158 by 111/2
16
18'5''
17'3"
15'10"
12
20'1"
18'10''
17'3"
15'3"
14'4''
13'1''
Girders when of good, sound spruce, fir, or equal, shall be not less than six by eight inches under main partitions. Summers or floor timbers doubled, or their equivalent shall be used under all cross partitions in the first floors of all dwellings. Headers and trimmers of all openings more than four feet square in the floors of dwellings shall be floor joists doubled or their equivalent. Beams under carrying partitions in the first floors shall be sup- ported on piers or cement filled iron posts, the latter not less than three inches in diameter, or their equivalent, the same to be spaced not more than eight feet apart on centres. In case struc- tural steel or hard pine beams are used the spacing of the posts shall be such as to give a supporting strength equivalent to the above specifications for spruce. Floor timbers for any attic whether finished or unfinished, to which there is access by stairs, shall not be less than two by eight inches.
All cutting of floor timbers for the passage of pipes shall be on their upper edges, and no cut shall exceed two inches in depth, or be made more than three feet from the bearing point of the timber unless the consent of the Inspector has first been obtained.
MAXIMUM CLEAR SPANS OF RAFTERS
Section 21. For Wood and Asphalt Shingle Roofs. (Rafters for slate, tile, or asbestos-cement (rigid) shingle roofs shall be of sufficient size to carry the load).
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Assumed Total Live and Dead Load - 40 lbs. per sq. ft.
(Clear span shall mean the distance measured horizontally from plate to a point directly beneath the ridge. The actual rafter length will depend on the roof slope and must be deter- mined accordingly).
FOR ROOF WITH A MINIMUM SLOPE OF 5 TO 12
LUMBER SIZE
MAXIMUM CLEAR SPAN
Nominal Actual
Spacing Center to Center (Inches)
Douglas Fir Southern Yellow Pine, Western Larch
West Coast Hemlock Cypress, Red- wood, Tamarack
All Other Softwoods
(20
7'3"
6'7''
5'6"
2 by 4
15%x358
16
8'1"
7'4"
6'2"
12
9'4"
8'6"
7'2"
20
11'4"
10'5"
8'8"
2 by 6 158x558
16
12'6"
11'5"
9'6"
12
14'2"
13'1"
11'0"
20
15'2"
13'8"
11'0"
2 by 8
158×712
16
16'7"
15'3"
12'1"
12
18'4"
16'7"
14'3"
Collar ties for rafters not over sixteen feet long must be one inch by six inch and for rafters over sixteen feet long must be two inches by six inches; in both cases collar ties must be provided for at least alternate rafters.
BRICK BUILDINGS, BOND
Section 22. All brick walls shall be built with proper bond and all intersections of walls shall be thoroughly bonded together with brick or tied together with wrought iron straps as often as every eight feet in height. Floor beams shall be anchored to brick walls on which they rest and to each other so as to form continu- ous ties across the building at least every ten feet. All brick for exterior work and structural piers shall be hard burned, water struck, or sand struck clay brick.
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