City of Salina Booklet - Permits and Inspection

1. City of Salina
Building Services
Permits & Inspection Division
300 West Ash St. Rm. 201 • P.O. Box 736 • Salina, KS • Tel. 785-309-5715
Excerpts from the Minimum Housing Code
Sec. 18-6. Responsibilities of owners,
occupants generally.
Every dwelling, including all yards, lawns and
courts shall be kept clean and free from any
accumulation of filth, rubbish, garbage or any
similar matter. It shall be the duty of each
occupant of a dwelling unit to keep in clean
condition the portion of the property which he
occupies and of which he has exclusive
control, to comply with the rules and
regulations and to place all garbage and
refuse in proper containers. If receptacles are
not provided by the owner, then the occupant
shall provide such receptacles as may be
necessary to contain all garbage and trash.
Every occupant of a dwelling containing a
single dwelling unit shall be responsible for the
extermination of any insects, rodents or other
pests therein or on the premises; and every
occupant of a dwelling unit in a dwelling
containing more than one dwelling unit shall
be responsible for such extermination
whenever his swelling unit is the unit primarily
infested. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provision of this section, whenever infestation
is caused by failure of the owner to maintain a
dwelling in a rat-proof or reasonably insect-
proof condition, extermination shall be the
responsibility of the owner and operator.
Whenever infestation exists in two (2) or more
of the dwelling units in any dwelling, or in the
shared or public parts of any dwelling
containing two (2) or more dwelling units,
extermination thereof shall be the
responsibility of the owner. (Code 1966, § 16-
7)
Sec. 18-7. Maintenance and repair.
Every dwelling and every part thereof shall be
maintained in good repair by the owner or
agent and shall be fit for human habitation.
The roof shall be maintained so as not to leak
and all rainwater shall be drained therefrom so
as not to cause dampness in the walls or
ceilings. All floors, stairways, doors, porches,
windows, skylights, chimneys, toilets, sinks,
walls and ceilings shall be kept in good repair
and good useable condition. (Code 1966, §
16-8)
Sec. 18-22. Smoke detectors in case of
fire.
Should a fire occur in any dwelling or dwelling
unit, and that dwelling or dwelling unit is found
not to be equipped with approved and
operable smoke detectors as required in this
chapter, the owner, the operator, and/or the
occupant, if the occupant is or may be
responsible for the violation, shall be charged
with a violation of this chapter. In addition, the
owner, operator, and/or occupant shall be
issued a notice of violation as provided for in
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2. City of Salina
Minimum Housing Codes
section 18-24 initiating the procedure for
correction of the violation (Ord. No. 88-9262, §
4, 8-1-88)
Sec. 18-29. Conditions making structures
unfit for human use or habitation.
The building official may determine that a
structure is unfit for human use or habitation if
he finds that conditions exist in such structure
which are dangerous or injurious to the health,
safety or morals of the occupants of such
building or other residents of the city or which
have a blighting influence on properties in the
area. Such conditions may include the
following without limitations: Defects therein
increasing the hazards of fire, accident or
other calamities; lack of adequate ventilation,
air pollution; light or sanitary facilities;
dilapidation; disrepair, structural defects,
uncleanliness; overcrowding; inadequate
ingress and egress; dead or dying trees; limbs
or other unsightly natural growth, unsightly
appearances that constitute a blight to
adjoining property, the neighborhood or the
city; walls, siding or exteriors of a quality and
appearance not commensurate with the
character of the properties in the
neighborhood; unsightly stored or parked
material, equipment, supplies, machinery,
trucks or automobiles or parts thereof; vermin
infestation; inadequate drainage; or any
violation of health, fir, building or zoning
regulations, or any other laws or regulations
relating to the use of land and the use and
occupancy of buildings and improvements.
(Code 1966, § 16-27)
Article III
Use and Occupancy Regulations
Sec. 18-61. Scope, applicability.
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or
let to another for occupancy any dwelling or
dwelling unit, for the purpose of living,
sleeping, cooking or eating therein, which
does not comply with the following
requirements. The following requirements are
hereby declared essential to the health and
safety of the occupants of such a dwelling or
dwelling unit. (Code 1966, § 16-54)
Sec. 18-62. Basement or cellar.
The basement or cellar of any dwelling shall
be reasonably dry and ventilated and shall be
kept free from rubbish accumulation. (Code
1966, § 16-55)
Sec. 18-63. Heating.
Every dwelling and every dwelling unit shall be
so constructed, insulated and maintained and
be provided by the owner or occupant with
heating units so that it is capable of reaching
an air temperature of seventy (70) degrees
Fahrenheit under ordinary winter conditions.
The chimney of the dwelling or dwelling unit
shall be maintained in good order, and the
owner of the approved heating equipment
shall maintain it in good order and repair.
(Code 1966, § 16-56)
Sec. 18-64. Natural light and ventilation.
(a) Natural or artificial light and ventilation. All
guest rooms, dormitories and habitable rooms
within a dwelling unit shall be provided with
natural light by means of windows or skylights
with an area of not less than one-tenth of the
floor area of such rooms with a minimum of
twelve (12) square feet.
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3. City of Salina
Minimum Housing Codes
All bathrooms, water closet compartments,
laundry rooms, and similar rooms shall be
provided with natural ventilation by means of
windows or skylights with an area of not less
than one-tenth of the floor area of such rooms
with a minimum of three (3) square feet. Not
less than one-half of the required window or
skylight area shall be openable to provide
natural ventilation.
(b) Origin of light and ventilation. Required
windows shall open directly onto a street or
public alley or court located on the same lot as
the building. Exception: Required windows
may open into a roofed porch where the
porch:
(1) Abuts a street, yard, or court; and
(2) Has a ceiling height of not less
than seven (7) feet; and
(3) Has the longer side at least sixty-
five (65) percent open and
unobstructed.
A required window in a service room may
open into a vent shaft which is open and
unobstructed to the sky and not less than four
(4) feet in least dimension. No vent shall
extend through more than two (2) stories.
For the purpose of determining light and
ventilation requirements, any room may be
considered as a portion of an adjoining room
when one-half of the area of the common wall
is open and unobstructed and provides an
opening of not less than one-tenth of the floor
area of the interior room or twenty-five (25)
square feet, whichever is greater.
(c) Mechanical ventilation. In lieu of openable
windows for natural ventilation, a mechanical
ventilation system may be provided. Such
system shall be capable of providing two (2)
air changes per hour in all guest rooms,
dormitories, habitable rooms, and in public
corridors. One-fifth of the air supply shall be
taken from the outside. In bathrooms, water
closet compartments, laundry rooms, and
similar rooms a mechanical ventilation system
connected directly to the outside, capable of
providing five (5) air changes per hour, shall
be provided.
(d) Vent Shaft. A required window in a
service room may open into a vent shaft which
is open and unobstructed to the sky and not
less than four (4) feet in least dimension. No
vent shaft shall extend through more than two
(2) stories.
(e) Hallways. All public hallways, stairs and
other exitways shall be adequately lighted at
all times in accordance with the Uniform
Building Code.
(f) Sleeping areas. All rooms or areas used
for sleeping purposes shall be provided with a
secondary means of exit. This may be
provided by an additional door or window
leading to the exterior of the building. (Code
1966, § 16-57)
Sec. 18-65. Windows and doors.
Every window and exterior door shall be
reasonably weathertight, watertight and
rodent-proof and shall be kept in good working
condition and repair. (Code 1966, § 16-58)
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4. City of Salina
Minimum Housing Codes
Sec. 18-66. Lighting.
(a) Every habitable room shall have a ceiling
electric outlet and a duplex outlet in the wall or
floor, or at least two (2) wall or floor outlets.
(b) Every laundry room, furnace room, hall,
porch and corridor shall have one ceiling or
wall-type electric light fixture.
(c) All electrical wiring and fixtures shall be
properly installed, maintained in safe and
good working order, and shall be connected to
the source of electric power in a safe manner.
(Code 1966, § 16-59)
Sec. 18-67. Basement and cellar dwelling
units.
No dwelling unit partially below grade shall be
used for living purposes unless:
(1) Floors and walls are weathertight;
(2) Total window area, total operable
area and ceiling height are in
accordance with this chapter; and
(3) Required minimum window area of
every habitable room is entirely above
the grade of the ground adjoining such
window area. (Code 1966, § 16-60)
Sec. 18-68. Floor area and ceiling heights.
(a) Ceiling heights. Habitable rooms, storage
rooms and laundry rooms shall have a ceiling
height of not less than seven (7) feet, six (6)
inches. Hallways, corridors, bathrooms, toilet
rooms and basement and cellar dwelling units
shall have a ceiling height of not less than
seven (7) feet measured to the lowest
projection from the ceiling.
(b) Superficial floor area. Every dwelling unit
shall have at least one room which shall have
not less than one hundred twenty (120)
square feet of superficial floor area. Every
room which is used for both cooking and living
or both living and sleeping purposes shall
have not less than one hundred fifty (150)
square feet of superficial floor area. Every
room used for sleeping purposes shall have
not less than seventy (70) square feet for one
person and ninety (90) square feet for two (2)
persons. Where more than two (2) persons
occupy a room used for sleeping purposes the
required superficial floor area shall be
increased at the rate of fifty (50) square feet
for each occupant in excess of two (2).
Exception: Nothing in this section shall
prohibit the use of an efficiency living unit
meeting the following requirements:
(1) The unit shall have a living room of
not less than two hundred twenty (220)
square feet of superficial floor area. An
additional one hundred (100) square
feet of superficial floor area shall be
provided for each occupant of such unit
in excess of two (2).
(2) The unit shall be provided with a
separate closet.
(3) The unit shall be provided with a
kitchen sink, cooking appliance and
refrigeration facilities each having a
clear working space of not less than
thirty (30) inches in front. Light and
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5. City of Salina
Minimum Housing Codes
ventilation conforming to this chapter
shall be provided.
(4) The unit shall be provided with a
separate bathroom containing a water
closet, lavatory, and bathtub or shower.
(5) Whenever one of the occupants of
a sleeping room is less than seven (7)
years old, the allowed occupancy may
be increased by one, by special
permission of the board.
(c) Width. No habitable room shall be less
than seven (7) feet in any dimension and no
water closet space less than thirty (30) inches
in width and shall provide a clear space in
front of the water closet not less than twenty-
four (24) inches. (Code 1966, § 16-61)
Sec. 18-69. Bathing facilities.
(a) Bathing facilities shall be provided in
rooming and boardinghouses in the form of a
tub or shower for each eight (8) occupants.
Separate facilities, plainly marked, shall be
provided for each sex.
(b) Every dwelling unit shall contain within a
room which affords privacy to a person in the
room, a bathtub or shower in good working
condition and properly connected to an
approved water and sewer system. (Code
1966, § 16-62, 16-66)
Sec. 18-70. Toilet facilities.
(a) A water closet shall be provided for each
six (6) occupants of a rooming or
boardinghouse, and shall be separated with
separate access from bathing facilities if more
than four (4) occupants are served by each.
Separate facilities shall be provided for each
sex and shall be plainly marked.
(b) There shall be at least one flush water
closet in good working condition for each
dwelling unit, which flush water closet shall be
located within the dwelling unit and in a room
which affords privacy. (Code 1966, § 16-63,
16-67)
Sec. 18-71. Kitchen sink.
In every dwelling unit there will be at least one
kitchen sink with public water under pressure
and connected to the public sewer, or if that
sewer system is not available, to a sewage
disposal system approved by the joint city-
county health department (Code 1966, § 16-
64)
Sec. 18-72. Water heating facilities.
Every dwelling shall have water heating
facilities which are properly installed and
maintained in a safe and good working
condition and are capable of heating water to
such a temperature as to permit an adequate
amount of water to be drawn at every required
kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub or shower
at a temperature of not less than one hundred
twenty (120) degrees Fahrenheit. (Code
1966, § 16-65)
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6. City of Salina
Minimum Housing Codes
ventilation conforming to this chapter
shall be provided.
(4) The unit shall be provided with a
separate bathroom containing a water
closet, lavatory, and bathtub or shower.
(5) Whenever one of the occupants of
a sleeping room is less than seven (7)
years old, the allowed occupancy may
be increased by one, by special
permission of the board.
(c) Width. No habitable room shall be less
than seven (7) feet in any dimension and no
water closet space less than thirty (30) inches
in width and shall provide a clear space in
front of the water closet not less than twenty-
four (24) inches. (Code 1966, § 16-61)
Sec. 18-69. Bathing facilities.
(a) Bathing facilities shall be provided in
rooming and boardinghouses in the form of a
tub or shower for each eight (8) occupants.
Separate facilities, plainly marked, shall be
provided for each sex.
(b) Every dwelling unit shall contain within a
room which affords privacy to a person in the
room, a bathtub or shower in good working
condition and properly connected to an
approved water and sewer system. (Code
1966, § 16-62, 16-66)
Sec. 18-70. Toilet facilities.
(a) A water closet shall be provided for each
six (6) occupants of a rooming or
boardinghouse, and shall be separated with
separate access from bathing facilities if more
than four (4) occupants are served by each.
Separate facilities shall be provided for each
sex and shall be plainly marked.
(b) There shall be at least one flush water
closet in good working condition for each
dwelling unit, which flush water closet shall be
located within the dwelling unit and in a room
which affords privacy. (Code 1966, § 16-63,
16-67)
Sec. 18-71. Kitchen sink.
In every dwelling unit there will be at least one
kitchen sink with public water under pressure
and connected to the public sewer, or if that
sewer system is not available, to a sewage
disposal system approved by the joint city-
county health department (Code 1966, § 16-
64)
Sec. 18-72. Water heating facilities.
Every dwelling shall have water heating
facilities which are properly installed and
maintained in a safe and good working
condition and are capable of heating water to
such a temperature as to permit an adequate
amount of water to be drawn at every required
kitchen sink, lavatory basin, bathtub or shower
at a temperature of not less than one hundred
twenty (120) degrees Fahrenheit. (Code
1966, § 16-65)
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