USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Town annual report of Plymouth, MA 1953 > Part 6
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ARTICLE 17
Water Heaters:
(a) No water heater or heating coil shall be connected to any storage tank until said tank is equipped with temper- ature and pressure relief valve installed in accordance with this code.
(b) Gas, oil or coal hot water heaters when installed shall conform with the following flue requirements:
1. The vent pipe, or connection, should not be smaller than the size indicated by the vent collar of the gas-designed appliance. Where the appliance has more than one vent, the vent pipe should equal the combined area of the vents for which it acts as a common connection to the flue.
2. The horizontal vent connection should be as short as possible, and therefore the appliance should be located as near the chimney or flue as is practicable.
3. The vent pipe should maintain a pitch or rise from the appliance to the flue or chimney.
4. The installation of all gas piping and gas appliances shall conform to the American Gas Association Code of 1950.
CESSPOOLS
No cesspool or septic tank shall hereafter be constructed or installed in this Town until a permit has first been obtained from the Health Division.
All cesspools hereafter constructed shall be of approved material, and, unless otherwise specified by the Health Divi- sion, shall be located not less than twenty (20) feet from any dwelling, not less than five (5) feet from line of any street, court or passageway, not less than five (5) feet from line of adjoining lot, all measurements being taken from the nearest
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outer circumference, and shall be not less than six (6) feet in depth, measuring from the lower rim of the inlet pipe, not less than six (6) feet in diameter (inside measurements to point of drawing in) and shall be provided with an iron cover and rim laid in cement. When of flat top construction, a mini- mum of four (4) inch reinforced concrete shall be used. All cesspools shall be provided with an approved removable cover.
No abandoned well may be used as a cesspool.
The minimum distance between a water supply well and a septic tank or cesspool shall be fifty feet unless written per- mission is given by the Public Safety Commission to change said minimum.
ARTICLE 18
Cutting of Timbers:
No floor timber, header, or trimmer of a building shall be cut into more than two inches in depth for piping without a permit from the Inspector of Buildings.
ARTICLE 19
Any person violating any provision of the ordinance shall be subject to a fine not exceeding fifty dollars as pro- vided in Chap. 142, Sect. 16, of the G. L.
ADMINISTRATION
(a) These Plumbing By-Laws shall become effective thirty days after approval by the Attorney-General.
(b) Fees for Plumbing Permits shall be fixed by the Commission of Public Safety on or before May 1st in each year, and the fee schedule so fixed shall be published in the first issue of a newspaper published in the town following said date.
(c) The invalidity of any section or provision of this By-Law shall not invalidate any other section or provision thereof.
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BUILDING CODE OF THE TOWN OF PLYMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS March, 1953
March 9, 1953
Preface:
The following by-laws, relating to the building code of the Town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, are proposed in accordance with vote of the Town at Annual Meeting of March, 1951, under Article 46 of the Warrant, viz: "That the Town direct the Public Safety Commission to revise the building by-laws and to present its recommendations to the Town for accept- ance at a later date."
Respectfully submitted, CHARLES I. BAGNALL, Chairman LESLIE MacLEAN FRANK A. MITCHELL
Commissioners of Public Safety.
BUILDING REGULATIONS of the TOWN OF PLYMOUTH
Section 1. Appointment of Inspector of Buildings:
a. The Commission of Public Safety shall appoint an- nually, in April, an Inspector of Buildings who shall hold office one year from the first day of May in the year of his appointment and until another is appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed. He shall be removable at the pleasure of the Commission and a vacancy may be filled at any time for the unexpired term. He shall receive such compensations as the Town may from time to time determine. The said Inspector shall not inspect his own work or any building in which he is interested.
b. The terms Inspector of Buildings or Inspector, where used in this code, shall have the same meaning and refer to the one person as defined in Chapter 143, Section 1, of the General Laws.
Section 2. Duties of Inspector:
a. The Inspector shall, in his discretion, examine all buildings in course of erection, alteration or repair in the Town, and make a record of all violations of the by-laws relating thereto. Applications for building permits shall be in writing upon blanks furnished by the Town, and no person shall enter into any work covered by these by-laws without first obtaining a permit in writing.
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Section 3. Recording of Permits:
a. The Inspector shall keep a record of all business of the Division. All permits issued shall be recorded in detail, and said records shall be preserved and shall remain the property of the Town of Plymouth.
Section 4. Authority to Enter Building:
a. The Inspector is hereby authorized to enter any buildings or structures at any reasonable hours for the pur- pose of ascertaining whether any of the provisions of the by-laws are being violated.
Section 5. Authority of Inspector:
a. The Inspector shall have the power to pass upon the manner of construction or materials to be used in the erection or alteration of any building or other structure in the Town of Plymouth and to make the same conform to the true intent and meaning of the several provisions of this by-law. He shall have the power to vary or modify the provisions of this code, upon application, in writing, by an owner of such building, or structure, or his representative, where there are practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the strict letter of the law, so that the spirit of the law shall be observed, the public safety secured and substantial justice done. No such deviation shall be permitted unless a record be kept of the same.
Section 6. Permits:
a. Except as hereinafter provided, no person shall erect, raze, move, structurally alter, repair or make any changes in use or type of occupancy of any building, except in con- formity with the provisions of these by-laws, or without having first obtained a building permit from the Inspector. Plans and specifications shall be submitted to the Inspector together with such structural details as he may require. No work shall begin until a permit is granted.
b. All permits shall be void if operations thereunder are not commenced within 6 months after date of the permit, or if the operations thereunder are discontinued for a period of more than 6 months.
c. All permits are issued subject to the provisions and limitations included in the Zoning By-Laws of the Town of Plymouth, and subject to the regulations of the Planning Board.
d. A separate application and separate permit is re- quired for each building.
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Section 7. Scope of the By-Laws:
a. These by-laws shall be deemed to present minimum requirements for residential construction. In the case of apartment buildings, stores, places of assembly and industrial buildings, the Inspector may make such requirements in addi- tion to these regulations as may be necessary to the public safety.
b. These by-laws, except as herein provided, shall apply throughout the entire Town of Plymouth.
Section 8. Inspection:
a. The Inspector, on receipt of a notice from the owner or builder, that any building, or alterations, additions or repairs to any buildings are ready for inspection shall, as soon as possible, inspect the premises, but shall not accept the building until all the requirements of the by-laws as to frames, chimneys, fire-stops, furnace or steam pipes and all other parts of the construction have been complied with.
b. No repairs after fires shall be made except in a man- ner satisfactory to the Inspector. All structural parts dam- aged by fire shall be removed and replaced with new materials. Slightly damaged parts, not impaired in strength, shall be treated as directed.
c. No building hereafter erected, altered, added to or repaired, that is to be finished in whole or in part, shall have the frame concealed until the owner or the builder shall have notified the Inspector to inspect same, and shall have received a notice in writing that the building is accepted, excepting apartment houses, in which, if requested by the owner or builder, each floor shall be inspected separately.
d. Any load bearing construction either of structural steel or reinforced beam or beam and slab must meet with the approval of the Inspector. If, in his opinion, the occasion warrants such procedure, the Inspector may require the owner (at the latter's expense) to furnish satisfactory evi- dence that such construction has been designed by a compe- tent licensed structural engineer.
Section 9. Dangerous or Unsafe Buildings:
a. If any building already erected or in process of erec- tion shall, after examination by the Inspector, be deemed by him weak, unsafe or dangerous from poor construction, faulty, weak or unfit materials, he shall cause to be made such changes in, alterations of, or additions to the work and materials as he shall consider necessary. If the building is in
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process of construction, he shall hereby have authority to cause all work upon the same to be suspended until any alterations or additions which he may have ordered are completed.
Section 10. Change in Use of a Building:
a. No change shall be made in character of occupancy or use of any building or portion of building, which would change the required floor strength unless such building is made to comply with requirements of this code.
Section 11. Excavations and Foundations:
a. No dwelling house shall hereafter be built within the Town without continuous masonry foundation walls on all sides, except the use of masonry piers may be allowed at the discretion of the Inspector in the case of one story semi- finished buildings. Also all foundations shall extend at least three feet and six inches (3'6") below any adjoining surfaces exposed to frost unless they rest on solid ledge. They shall extend in all cases, to solid soil. No foundation or footing shall be constructed on frozen ground or shall be laid when the temperature is below twenty-nine degrees (29°), except that precautions satisfactory to the Inspector are taken to prevent settlement or failure.
b. All loam within any building area must be removed. At least twenty inches (20") of space must be left between the remaining earth and the under side of the first-floor, floor timbers. Under all buildings with continuous foundations there must be at least two (2) openings for ventilation.
c. Every excavation shall be properly guarded and pro- tected by the person responsible therefor, in such manner as may be approved by the Inspector and so as to prevent it from becoming dangerous to life and limb and to the neighboring property. It shall be sheet piled whenever the Inspector shall so direct.
d. If the Inspector is in doubt as to the safe sustaining power of the soil upon which a building is to be erected, he may order borings made or he may order tests of the sustain- ing power of the soil upon which a building is to be erected, at the expense of the owner of the proposed building. Tests and borings shall be made under the supervision of the Inspector and reports filed with him.
e. Wherever the safe sustaining power of the soil upon which a building is to be erected does not conform to the requirements of this code, the Inspector shall require the
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proper foundations of a type satisfactory and sufficient to support the proposed building.
f. Except where concrete blocks are used, no concrete foundations shall be constructed without the use of forms for both sides of the walls. Excavations for foundations shall be made larger than the outside wall and shall not be back-filled until approved by the Inspector.
g. All foundation walls, piers, posts or lally columns shall rest upon footings not less than eight inches (8") thick. For foundation wall, footings must be at least eight inches (8") wider than said foundation wall and in case of piers, posts, or lally columns, all footings must be not less than twenty inches (20") square. The Inspector must be notified when footings are complete and must be approved by him before the work is continued.
h. Beams carrying main or cross partitions in first floor shall be supported on piers or iron posts not more than nine feet apart; trimmers in first floor over twelve feet in length, shall be supported by a pier or post.
Section 12. Concrete, Mortar and Masonry:
a. Concrete mixes shall be so proportioned that they will develop the following minimum compressive strengths per square inch within 28 days:
Footings Walls
1500 lbs.
2000 lbs.
Structural slabs
2500 1bs.
Higher compression strengths may be re-
quired for unusual conditions.
b. Concrete, except as otherwise specifically provided, shall consist of a mixture of one part Portland cement and not more than three parts of clean, sharp sand and five parts of clean, screened, coarse aggregate. Concrete, when rein- forced, shall consist of one part Portland cement and not more than six parts aggregate, by volume measured dry, and not more than 71/2 gallons of water per sack, 94 lbs. of cement. The aggregate shall be mixed in an approximate ratio of one part fine aggregate and two parts coarse aggregate by volume. Coarse aggregate shall consist of clean, screened, crushed stone or gravel, not exceeding 11/2 inches in size. One barrel, or 4 bags of cement, shall weigh 380 lbs. and have a volume of 3.6 cubic feet when compacted. All material shall meet the approval of the Inspector. The concrete shall be thoroughly mixed and properly placed and tamped in not
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over 8-inch layers. No concrete shall be used after it has been mixed over one hour.
c. Mortar for all masonry shall be no leaner than one part Portland cement, one part lime putty and three parts sand by volume. When cement blocks or brick are used, all joints must be filled and jointed both outside and inside.
d. Foundation and underpinning walls for one and two story dwellings shall be at least eight inches (8") thick, if of concrete, concrete blocks or brick when not over seven feet (7') below finished grade. When stone masonry is used the thickness shall be twenty inches (20") up to finished grade and not less than twelve inches (12") from finished grade to the sill.
e. All brick buildings shall have external and party walls built of hard brick properly bonded at least every eighth course, and tied to the satisfaction of the Inspector, and shall not be of less thickness than as follows: - in any build- ing of brick, concrete or concrete blocks, hereafter to be erected or enlarged for habitation, the external walls shall be not less than the following thickness above the founda- tion: In buildings of two stories, with walls not over twenty- five feet high, eight inches. In buildings of three stories, with walls not over thirty-seven feet high, twelve inches for the first story, eight inches for two upper stories.
f. Recesses for water or other pipes made in the walls shall not be more than one-third of the thickness of the walls without permission from the Inspector. Recesses around such pipes must be filled with solid masonry at each story.
g. No wood lintel shall be used to support masonry over a door, window, or other opening.
Section 13. Brick Walls:
a. All party walls of brick shall be carried up not less than twenty-four inches above roof, and shall be capped with stone or metal securely fastened, provided that on the fronts or steep portions of roofs, the party wall may be built up to the roof boards. On exterior walls at least eight inches of brick wall must be carried behind cornices. All roof or floor timbers entering the same party wall from opposite sides, shall have at least four inches of solid brickwork between the ends of said timber.
b. All masonry walls shall be secured to each floor in a manner satisfactory to the Inspector with suitable anchors well turned down into center of walls and up into floor tim-
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bers. Where floor and roof timbers are in two lengths, and rest on partition walls or girders they shall be suitably strapped together so as to form a continuous tie across the building. Plates for all roofs shall be bolted to walls at least once in every eight feet, bolts to be well built into walls.
Section 14. Chimneys and Fireplaces:
a. All masonry chimneys shall rest on a concrete footing not less than eight inches (8") thick and at least eight inches (8") wider both ways of the chimney.
b. All chimneys hereafter constructed shall be built of brick, stone, or other fire-proof non-conducting material to have flue linings of proper size. All brick chimneys shall be built of hard burned brick except that cement brick may be used in portions not exposed to weather, outside walls to be at least four inches in thickness. On outside of flue lining all joints to be well filled with cement mortar.
c. No woodwork of any kind except roof covering shall be placed nearer than one inch from the outside of brick-work of any flue, and where it shall be held central in openings by one header projected out at each corner against openings. There shall be fire-stops of tin sheet iron or non-combustible rigid insulating material properly secured to stop drafts through openings around chimneys on each floor.
d. In no case shall any corbel be built out of any chimney for woodwork or timber to rest upon. Piers to sup- port girders or other trimmers shall not be attached to any chimney. In no case shall any nail be driven into any flue. No soft brick shall be used in the construction of any wall, or flue, or chimney.
e. In no case shall chimneys rest upon any wooden flooring, but they may be supported upon iron beams having a secure bearing of masonry or iron, or iron at either end, or upon an iron column resting upon a secure foundation. In no case shall a chimney be built out of plumb except as approved.
f. All fireplaces shall have dampers. Hearths shall ex- tend at least twenty inches (20") in front of fireplace open- ings, and at least eight inches (8") wider than the fireplace opening. Wood centers under fireplace and hearth arches shall be removed before finishing thereunder. Masonry walls at the back sides and throat of every fireplace shall be at least eight inches (8") thick if of brick and twelve inches (12") thick if of stone.
g. Brickwork over fireplaces or grate openings shall be
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supported by suitable iron lintels, or brick or stone arches. In all cases the protection from damage by fire shall be satis- factory to the Inspector.
Section 15. Smoke Pipe and Heaters:
a. No smoke pipe shall enter any flue at a less distance than twelve inches from either the floor or ceiling. In all cases where smoke pipes pass through frame partitions of any kind, whether the same are plastered or not, they shall be guarded by double pipe separated by at least two inches of air space with holes on either end for ventilation and same encased by at least 4" of suitable masonry. Patterned chimneys or hori- zontal flue construction which meets the requirements of Underwriter Laboratories may be approved.
b. Space between top of heating unit and underside of floor joists shall be protected by a non-combustible material of sufficient size.
Section 16. Fire Escapes, Fire Doors, Fire Walls:
a. Any tenement or apartment house hereafter erected, two or more stories in height or any building remodelled to be used as a tenement house or apartment two or more stories high, shall have an additional stairway at the opposite end from the entrance, or a fire escape, and all such stairways and landings shall be enclosed by partitions of non-com- bustible materials and fire-stopped to the satisfaction of the Inspector.
b. The main stairways shall be at least three feet wide in the clear. All other stairways shall be not less than two feet six inches in the clear. All such stairways shall lead to a street or right-of-way.
c. Doors shall not open immediately on a flight of stairs but on a landing at least equal to the width of the door.
d. Fire doors, fire walls, or other means of fire control or prevention may be required by the Inspector in those cases where unusual hazards might result from processes carried on by industrial plants.
Section 17. Framing of Buildings:
a. All buildings of concealed frame construction shall be built with sills, posts, girts, and plates all to be well braced and thoroughly put together to the satisfaction of the Inspector.
b. All materials shall be of such quality for the purpose for which they are to be used as to insure, in the judgment of
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the Inspector, ample safety and security to life and limb and the neighboring property. The Inspector shall have the power to reject all materials which in his opinion are unsuitable and he may require tests to be made by the architect, builder or owner to determine the strength of the structural materials before or after they are incorporated in a building. Certified copies of results of tests made elsewhere may be required from the architect, builder or owner or other interested per- sons. Owners shall furnish expert advice and tests at their own expense.
c. Second-hand structural materials shall not be used without the approval of the Inspector. All timbers shall be of good sound material of sufficient strength for purpose intended and free from imperfections whereby the strength may be impaired.
d. All sizes of lumber given herein are nominal dimension.
Section 18. Sills, Girders, Floor Joists, Beams:
a. SILLS shall not be less than 4" x 6" and must be on edge unless resting upon a continuous foundation. Box sills may be used when approved by the Inspector.
b. GIRDERS: There shall be girders not less than 6" x 8" unless supported at intervals not over 9' apart.
c. FLOOR JOISTS shall not be less than 2" x 6" up to an 8' span, 2" x 8" up to a 12' span,
2" x 10" up to a 14' span, 2" x 12" up to an 18' span,
or of material of equal strength. Where these maximum spans are used, joists shall be set not more than 16" on centers.
d. Stair stringers must be at least 2" thick, shall be placed not over 18" on centers.
e. No studding for any part of the outside walls of any building shall be less than 2" x 4", except for small storage buildings with walls not over 7' in height. Studding for such walls may be 2" x 3" and shall be spaced not over 16" on centers.
f. Each wall shall be braced with one pair of diagonal braces extending out at least two bays of studding.
g. RAFTERS: (Except Platforms and Porches.) Rafters shall be as follows: Where the pitch is less than 4" to the foot, 2" x 4" up to 4' horizontal span
2" x 5" up to 6' span
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2" x 6" up to 8' span 2" x 8" up to 12' span
Where the pitch is more than 4" to the foot,
2" x 4" up to 6' horizontal span
2" x 5" up to 9' span
2" x 6" up to 14' span
2" x 8" up to 18' span
placed no more than 20" on centers. Each pair of rafters shall be tied at foot by means of floor joist or collar to the satis- faction of the Inspector.
h. Platforms and Piazzas: Floor joists on porches or platforms shall be not less than 2" x 6" on spans up to 8'. Girders of 4" x 6", laid on edge, shall be used where the span is more than 8'. Floor timbers may be framed flush. Ends of joists shall not be notched more than 1/4 of their depth; the same being well spiked to said girders, and a 1" x 2" must be well nailed to girder flush with the under side, for floor timber to rest upon.
i. The ends of all floor beams or rafters entering a brick wall shall be cut on a splay of three inches, and have bearings on the wall of four inches.
Section 19. Headers and Trimmers:
a. Headers and trimmers of all openings more than four feet square in first floor of dwellings shall be floor joists doubled, or their equivalent, and in any floor that may be deemed necessary by the Inspector. All the supporting walls or partitions, above the first floor in any buildings shall be trussed in a manner approved by the Inspector. Floor joists shall be doubled under all partitions.
b. No floor timber, header or trimmer of a building shall be cut into more than two inches in depth for piping without a permit from the Inspector, and no cutting shall be made in any timber at a greater distance than three feet from its support.
Section 20. Bridging:
a. All floor timbers with a span from ten to sixteen feet shall have one row of bridging; all floor timbers with a span of sixteen feet or more shall have a bridging every eight feet. All bridging stock shall be not less than one by three inches securely nailed, two 8d nails in each end.
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Section 21. Fire Stops:
a. In all buildings the spaces between stringers of stairs and joists of landings, unless unsealed shall be fire-stopped sufficiently to prevent the passage of air. All vertical spaces between studding or wall furring and all horizontal spaces between concealed joists where they rest on bearing partition or any such space which would allow the passage of fire from one story to another or from one sector of the building to another shall be fire-stopped in a manner approved by the Inspector.
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