USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > West Bridgewater > Town annual reports of the selectmen, overseers of the poor, town clerk, and school committee of West Bridgewater for the year ending 1955-1959 > Part 29
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63
Section 5. No oversight or neglect of duty on the part of the Building Inspector shall legalize the crection, construction, alteration or repair of any building in a manner not in conformity with the provisions of this By-Law, or any State law or regulation.
Section 6. Relief from Personal Responsibility. The building official, officer or employce charged with the enforcement of this By-Law shall not be personally liable while acting for the municipality, and he is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may accrue to persons or prop- crt: as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his official duties.
Section 7. Records and Reports. The Building Inspector shall kccp careful records of his department, making such reports to the Board of Select- men as they require, and shall make an annual report of his department, to be published in the Annual Town Report.
93
ARTICLE 5 REQUIREMENTS FOR PERMITS
Section 1. Before erecting, altering, moving, demolishing, adding to or making any changes in use or type of occupancy of any building or struc- turc, or any work incidental thereto, including excavation for a cellar, base- ment or foundation, or of the plumbing or drainage systems, the owner, lessee or representative of either, except for ordinary repairs as heretofore defined, shall file with the Building Inspector, on application blanks to be furnished by him, a detailed description of the location, purpose and construction of the proposed work and the costs thercof, with full and complete copies of plans of such work, together with such structural detail and plot plan as the Build- ing Inspector may require. Such plans and detailed drawings shall be furnished in duplicate, and if such plans are approved and endorsed by the Issuing Authority, one set shall be kept at the building during the progress of the work and open to the inspection of the Building Inspector. The other shall be kept on file in the office of the Issuing Authority.
Section 2. Permits for Portion. Nothing in this section shall be con- strucd to prevent the Issuing Authority from granting approval of the erection of any part of a building or structure, where the general plans and detailed descriptions have been filed for same, before the entire detailed plans have been submitted and/or approved. Such approval in part shall not be construed to guarantee final approval, and the holder of such permit in part shall proceed at his own risk.
Section 3. Permit to enclose. No building shall be lathed, plastered or sheathed, nor shall any wiring, plumbing, heating pipes or ducts, chimneys, fireplaces or fire stops be enclosed until the Building, Wiring or Plumbing Inspector, as the work may require, has been notified by the builder in charge of construction, or the owner of the premise, that the building is ready for inspection. The Inspector, upon receipt of such notice, shall, as soon as pos- sible, inspect the premise, but shall not give final approval of any building until all requirements of these By-Laws have been fully complied with. No building shall be occupied until accepted by the Building Inspector. The Building In- spector shall also require that all permanent piers or columns needed under girders, trimmers, etc., shall be in place before the building is lathed and plastered or otherwise enclosed.
Section 4. Time for Approval. It shall be the duty of the Issuing Authority to grant or refuse any requested permit within fifteen (15) days of presentation. If the Issuing Authority fails to grant or refuse said permit with- in fifteen days after presentation, the person making such application therefor may appeal to the Board of Appeals, as hercinafter provided, as if said permit had been expressly refused.
Section 5. Time Limit of Permits. Permits shall become void six months after date of issue unless construction thercunder shall have com- menced and continued with reasonable diligence.
Section 6. Perjury. This application shall be made under the penalty of perjury, and must conform with all Zoning, Building and Board of Health By-Laws.
Section 7. Fees. For each permit issued, there shall be collected by the Issuing Authority, to be paid into the Town Treasury, a fce (as established by the Board of Selectmen).
ARTICLE 6 GENERAL BUILDING REQUIREMENTS
Section 1. It is not the intent of these By-Laws to prohibit new or un- conventional methods of construction which are not detrimental to the pub- lic safety, and in keeping with the general appearance of other buildings in a locality. Such alternate construction shall comply with all provisions of Scction
94
105 of the "Basic Principles of Building Construction" promulgated by the Board of Standards, Department of Public Safety, Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts. All dwellings shall have at least two (2) outside doors or egresses located as far apart as practicable.
Section 2. Excavation. All excavations for buildings shall be properly guarded and protected so as to prevent same from becoming dangerous to life or limb and shall be shcath-piled, by the person or persons causing the cx- cavations to be made, when necessary to prevent the adjoining earth from caving in. In cases where an excavation is being made which affects adjoining structures, the owner shall, at his own expense, preserve such structures in as safc a condition as they were before the excavation was commenced and shall, when necessary, underpin and support the same by proper foundations.
Section 3. Foundations.
A. No dwelling and its customary accessory buildings shall hereafter be erected, moved or placed upon any lot within the Town without continuous foundation walls on all sides.
B. 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.
C. No foundation or footing shall be constructed on frozen ground, or shall be laid when the temperature is below twenty-nine degrecs (29 deg. f), except that precaution satisfactory to the Building Inspector to prevent settle- ment or failure are taken.
D. With the exception of footings, no concrete foundation shall be poured without the use of forms for all sides. Excavations for foundations shall be made at least six to eight inches (6" to 8") beyond the outside face of the walls and no backfilling shall be done until approved by the Building Inspector. All foundation walls other than poured concrete shall rest on foot- ings not less than eight inches (8") thick and be at least eight inches (8") wider than said foundation wall.
E. Supports for girders in basement of any building shall be lally col- umns, brick, masonry, or concrete piers approved by the Building Inspector, and shall rest on footings not less than twenty inches (20") square and twelve inches (12") thick. (Wood posts shall not be allowed.)
Section 4. A. Soil Tests. If the Building Inspector is in doubt as to the safe sustaining power of the soil upon which a building or structure is to be erected, or it is desired to exceed the presumptive capacity, the Building Inspector may direct that borings or tests be made, by and at the expense of the owner of the proposed building or structure, to determine the sustaining power of the soil. Whenever such a test is made the Building Inspector shall be notified so that he may be present in person or by representative. A complete record of the test shall be filed with the Building Inspector.
B. Filled Ground. No foundation of a building or structure shall be placed on filled ground until the Building Inspector has fixed, by test or in- spection, the safe sustaining power that may be assumed.
C. Bearing Value. When no tests are required the area of footings shall be proportioned so that the load per square foot on the respective soils shall not exceed those given in the following table:
Presumptive Surface Bearing Values in Tons per Sq. Ft.
Hard Sound Rock 60
Medium Hard Rock 40
Soft or Broken Bed Rock 8
Compacted Sand and Gravel 6
Compacted Course Sand & Hard Dry Clay 4
95
Loose Course Sand (Confined) 3 Loose Medium Sand (Confined) 2 Firm or Stiff Clay Soft Broken Shale or Soft Clay 1
1.5
D. Wherever the safe sustaining power of the soil upon which a build- ing is to be crected does not conform to the requirements of this By-Law, the Building Inspector shall require the proper foundation, of a type satisfactory to him and sufficient to support the proposed building.
Section 5. A. Foundation walls of detached garages, or similar acces- sory buildings or structures, of six hundred fifty (650) square feet or less in area and not over one story high need not be carried more than one (1) foot below an adjoining surface exposed to freezing if the underlying soil to a depth of at least four (4) feet beneath the surface is solid soil.
B. Foundation and underpinning walls for one and onc and one-half story dwellings shall be at least eight (8) inches thick if of poured concrete, and ten (10) inches thick if of brick, concrete or cinder blocks when not over six and one-half (61/2) feet below finished grade. When stone masonry is used the thickness shall be twenty (20) inches up to finished grades, and not less than twelve (12) inches from finished grade to the sill. The top of all founda- tion walls shall extend at least eight (8) inches above the finished grade.
C. Concrete Block Construction. Where concrete or cinder blocks are used, all joints must be thoroughly filled and joined outside as well as inside. Mortar for all masonry shall not be poorer than one part Portland cement, one part lime putty and three (3) parts sand; for footings and poured concrete no poorer than one part Portland cement, three (3) parts sand and five (5) parts coarse aggregate not exceeding one and one-half (11/2) inches. All material shall meet the Building Inspector's approval. It shall be thoroughly mixed and properly placed and tamped.
Section 6. Lally columns or piers supporting building shall not be more than cight (8) feet apart on centers, seven (7) feet where a 6" x 6" girder is used and six (6) feet apart where a 4" x 6" girder is used.
Section 7. A. Crawl Spaces. All loam under dwellings must be re- moved and at least twenty (20) inches of space left between the remaining earth and the under side of the first floor timbers. Under all buildings with continuous foundations there must be at least two (2) screened openings for ventilation of not less than two hundred and forty (240) square inches per opening.
B. Porch Foundations. All piazzas, porches and bay windows supported from the ground shall have suitable foundations of stone, brick or concrete, or be supported by iron columns or masonry piers built upon a solid bottom not less than three feet six inches (3'6") below the grade. If columns are used they shall rest on a footing of stone or concrete not less than twelve (12) inches square and eight (8) inches thick.
Section 8. A. Chimneys, Flues and Fireplaces.
No chimney shall be corbelled from a wall more than the thickness of the wall, nor hung from a wall less than twelve (12) inches thick. Every chim- ney shall rest on a proper footing of approved masonry. Concrete footings shall bc at least six (6) inches wider than the chimney on all sides, and shall be at least twelve (12) inches thick. All chimneys shall be built up of brick or other incombustible material, laid up with the best lime or cement mortar.
B. All brick chimneys, except chimneys eight (8) inches or more thick, shall have terra-cotta flue linings starting not less than eight (8) inches below the inlet of the smokepipe or the throat of a fireplace, except as provided in Section 113.34 of the Basic Principles of Building Construction as promulgated
96
by the Board of Standards, Dept. of Public Safety, Commonwealth of Massa- chusetts, and shall extend to the top of the chimney. The ends of such lining pipes shall be made to fit close together, the joints shall be filled with cement mortar and the lining shall be built in as the flue or flues are carried up.
Every chimney shall have a clean-out door at the base of the chimney.
C. The sectional area of cach chimney must be at least equal to the combined arca of all smoke flues entering it. Every chimney shall be topped out or capped with brick, terra-cotta, stone, iron or cement. Every chimney shall extend at least two (2) feet above the highest point at which it comes in contact with a roof of the building and at least two feet higher than any roof surface within ten (10) feet in a horizontal line.
No part of any floor timber, studding or furring shall be within one and one-half (11/2) inches of any chimney, and no floor timber shall be within one and one-half (11/2) inches of the back wall of any fireplace. If any chimney, flue or heating apparatus shall, in the opinion of the Building Inspector, be unsafe, he shall at once notify in writing the owner, who, upon receiving said notice, shall make same safe to the satisfaction of the Building Inspector.
D. The jambs and backs of all fireplaces shall be of masonry, not less than cight (8) inches thick (including both the rough and the finished work, the latter being of firebrick) if of brick, and not less than twelve (12) inches if wholly or partly of stone.
Brickwork or stonework over fireplace or similar openings shall be sup- ported by proper iron bars or by brick or stone arches. All portions of chimneys or fireplaces so constructed as to receive a lateral thrust, not taken care of by iron members thoroughly anchored to the masonry, shall be at least eight (8) inches thick.
E. No fireplace flue shall be less than eight inches by twelve inches (8" x 12"), and in all cases the area of the flue shall be at least 140 the arca of the fireplace opening. All fireplaces shall have proper dampers.
The interior of all fireplace throats shall be thoroughly covered with a coat of cement mortar, carried up to a solid connection with the flue lining, and every rake in the chimney shall be plastered with a good thick coat of cement mortar on both the outside and the inside.
All hearths shall be laid on masonry trimmer arches, or on bars of iron supporting a proper bed of masonry, and shall extend at least twelve (12) inches beyond each side of the finished fireplace opening. They shall have a uniform width of at least sixteen (16) inches in front of the finished jambs and fireplace. In the case of fireplaces with raised hearths, having one or more openings, the extension required for the hearth shall be regulated by the Building Inspector.
Section 9. Heating and Ventilating.
All heating, ventilating, air conditioning and blower and exhaust systems, hereinafter installed, or altered, shall conform to the rules and regulations of the Board of Standards, Dept. of Public Safety, governing same, and of the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
Section 10. Oil and Gas Burning Equipment.
No one shall install or materially alter oil or gas burning equipment with- out first making application for and obtaining a permit. No one shall store fuel oil or liquid petroleum gas without first obtaining a permit.
'The installation of all oil and gas burning equipment must conform with the requirements of the Board of Standards, Dept. of Public Safety, and be approved by the Chief of the Fire Dept. and/or the Building Inspector.
97
ARTICLE 7
Section 1. Wood Frame Construction
Exterior walls and interior partitions of wood frame structures which are constructed of either balloon, braced or platform types shall consist of sills, posts, girts and ribbon strips to develop the required strength and rigidity in compliance with the requirements of this section and as specified in Tables 12 and 13 of the regulations of the Board of Standards, Department of Public Safety, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The frame shall be braced at all angles or adequately sheathed, and the floor, attic and roof framing of wood joists, beams and rafters shall be secured by nailing as specified in Section 40 of this code, or by any other approved connecting devices of equal strength. The exterior walls shall be designed and constructed to resist a longitudinal, hori- zontal force of one hundred (100) pounds per lineal foot acting along the upper edge with a maximum horizontal displacement of onc-eighth (1/8th) inches.
Section 2. Grades and Sizes.
All lumber and timber used in load bearing members shall be sound, free from rot and large or loose knots, and damaging diagonal or spiral grain; and shall be at least equal in quality to the following commercial grades: studs, posts, planks, beams, joists . and rafters No. 2 Common; and girders and timbers No. 1 Common. All lumber sizes herein specificd are nominal sizes. Second hand structural materials shall not be used without the approval of the Building Inspector.
Section 3. Floor Joists and Rafters.
For ordinary conditions of use and live loads, the spans of joist and beams shall be limited by Tables 1 and 2, section 39 of this code.
Section 4. Bridging.
In all floor, attic, and flat roof joist framing, there shall be not less than one line of bridging for cach cight (8) fect span, and the bridging shall be of not less than one by three (1 x 3) inch lumber, double-nailed at each end, or of equivalent metal lateral bracing of equal rigidity secured at the intersection. A line of bridging shall also be required to support where adequate lateral stiffness is not otherwise provided.
Section 5. Cutting and Notching.
In girders, beams or joists, cuts and bore holes shall not be deeper than one-fifth (16th) the beam or girder depth or more than two (2) inches in di- ameter; and shall not be located nearer to the end of the span than three (3) times the beam depth nor within the center third of the span, unless rein- forced to meet stress calculations. In studs of bearing walls or partitions, notches made to receive piping or duct work or for other fabrication purposes shall be cut not more than onc-third (1/3rd) the depth of the stud or the re- quired studs shall be doubled or otherwise reinforced.
Section 6. Connections and Fastenings.
All structural members shall be connected and fastened at their junction with connectors, bolts, lag screws, spikes, straps or other approved devices, in accordance with the recommended nailing schedule in section 40 of this code.
Section 7. Plates and Ribbon or Ledger Boards.
Plates which are used in exterior walls to support joists or rafters shall be double, of the same width as the supporting studs and each not less than two (2) inches thick. In non-bearing partitions, at least one (1) top and bottom plate shall be provided of the same width as the studs, and the partition shall be firestopped as required in section 35 of this code. Ribbon or ledger-boards
98
which support floor or roof joists shall be not less than one by four (1 x 4) inches in size and shall be cut into the studs and nailed. Joists or rafters sup- ported on ribbon boards shall frame in adjacent to the studs and shall be nailed thercto as required by the nailing schedule.
Section 8. Roof Rafters.
Roof rafters shall be vertically supported at the ridge or shall be ade- quately trussed or tied together with not less than one by six (1 x 6) inch collar beams spaced not less than five (5) feet on centers, and each rafter shall be fastened to the wall plate or wall studs.
Section 9. Multiple Joists and Rafters.
Floor joists under bearing partitions shall be doubled or formed of built- up sections or may be replaced by a solid section of adequate strength to sup- port the load. Dormer windows and other openings in roofs shall be framed with double rafters and headers. Valley rafters on spans over twelve (12) feet measured horizontally shall be doubled, or increased to size required by the Building Inspector.
Section 10. Bearing and Anchorage on Girders.
Floor beams framing into girders shall be anchored, tied or nailed to secure continuity. The ends of all beams or joists resting on girders shall bear not less than four (4) inches or shall be supported in approved metal stirrups or on wood clips or wooden strips not less than two by three (2 x 3) inches in size. Beams or joists framing from opposite sides shall either lap not less than three (3) inches and shall be securely bolted or spiked together or, when framing end to end, all joists, beams and girders shall be secured together by approved metal ties, straps or dogs.
Section 11. Joints in Girders.
. The joints of solid or built-up beams or girders shall be made over col- umn or pier supports when constructed as simple spans. When constructed of multiple joists as continuous girders, the joints shall be broken in adjoin- ing joists over pier or column supports, and shall be securely nailed or other- wise bolted together in an approved manner.
Section 12. A. Spacing of Vertical Studs. Studding for exterior walls and bearing partitions shall not be less than two by four (2 x 4) inches spaced not over sixteen (16) inches on centers with double plates at the top, each at least two (2) inches thick and of the same width as the stud. The studs shall either rest on a sole plate or run down between the floor timbers and rest on the top plate or girder below. Studs for non-bearing partitions shall not be less than two by three (2 x 3) inches, spaced not over sixteen (16) inches on centers and shall have at least one two (2) inch plate on top and one two (2) inch sole plate on the bottom of the same width as the stud.
B. Floor joists shall not be less than two (2) inches in thickness nor spaced over sixteen (16) inches on centers.
C. Rafters shall not be less than two (2) inches in thickness nor spaced over twenty (20) inches on centers.
D. Deflection shall be limited to 1560 of the span.
E. Sills shall not be less than four by six (4 x 6) inches.
Section 14. Headers and Trimmers.
All headers more than four (4) fect in length and their trimmers shall be doubled. Headers with four (4) or more tail beams or six (6) feet or more in length shall be supported on approved metal joist hangers. When nailing is permitted, the tail and header beams shall be secured in accordance with the nailing schedule in section 40 of this code. All tail beams or joists which are
99
twelve (12) feet or more in length shall be hung in approved joist or beam hangers. All trimmer beams supported on walls or partitions of frame con- struction shall be spiked together.
Section 16. Walls, Partitions and Posts.
The load-bcaring value of isolated posts or struts shall be limited by Table 12 and framed walls and partitions by Table 13 of the regulations of the Board of Standards, Dept. of Public Safety, Commonwealth of Mass.
Section 17. Multiple Stories.
When the frame is more than one story in height and studs or posts are not continuous from sill to roof, the members shall be secured together with approved clips, splices or other connections to insure continuity and a well- integrated structure. Sheet metal clamps, ties, or clips shall be formed of galvanized steel or other corrosion-resistive materials equivalent to No. 20 U S gage for two (2) inch framing members and not less than No. IS U S gage in thickness for three (3) inch members. For four (4) inch and larger members, column splices and beam and girder supports shall be effected with approved post caps of metal for reinforced concrete or with through-bolted corbel blocks or side bolsters.
Section 18. Bracing.
All corner posts shall be the equivalent of not less than three (3) two by four (2 × 4) inch studs braced by not less than one (1) one by four (1 × 4) inch diagonal braces cut into the studs or by equivalent construction. The cliagonal bracing may be omitted when approved diagonal sheathing is provided in accordance with Section 20 of this code.
Section 19. Framing Over Opening.
Lintels over openings in bearing walls or partitions of one and two family dwellings shall consist of double joists not less than hercin specified or trussed construction bearing on jack studs, or other approved construction affording adequate strength:
Spans less than four (4) feet Two 2 x 4
Spans four (+) fect to six (6) fect Two 2 x 6
Spans six (6) fcet to eight (8) fect Two 2 x 8
Spans eight (8) feet to ten (10) feet Two 2 × 10
Section 20. Wall Sheathing and Roof Decking.
Exterior walls shall be shcathed with plywood or diagonal wood shcath- ing, or shall be otherwise braced with approved equivalent construction to furnish rigidity as required in Section 1 and Section 18 of this code.
Section 21. Types of Sheathing.
Except when approved stucco construction is used with a wrapping of No. 18 gage wire attached horizontally on the studs at six (6) inch intervals, the sheathing of all exterior frame walls shall consist of one of the following materials or any other approved material of cqual strength and durability ap- proved by the Building Inspector.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.