Bath/Kitchen Adjacency?
I received a notice today that our new half bath which opens onto our pantry is a violation of the Municipal Dwelling Code 27-2063. We thought pantry / bath adjacencies were ok. The code seems to refer to bath / kitchen adjacencies? Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this?
I received a notice today that our new half bath which opens onto our pantry is a violation of the Municipal Dwelling Code 27-2063. We thought pantry / bath adjacencies were ok. The code seems to refer to bath / kitchen adjacencies? Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this?
Usually codes like this are created because it affects paths of egress during a fire. For example, if you are in the bathroom and there is a fire in the kitchen, there is no way for you to exit the apartment without going directly into the fire. It is not an unreasonable code requirement. I hope an architect didn’t propose this adjacency for you.
I am assuming you file plans for this new half bath? How was that approved only to be an issue now?
This is a very common problem with existing buildings built prior to the housing maintenance code. Now back to the DOB side of things the DOB is known for its transparency and professional and knowledgable code plan examiners so for me this is not something out of the ordinary. In Brooklyn only 3 tops 4 plan examiners will gove you HMC objections
Umm… I don’t get this. My bathroom is ‘adjacent’ to my kitchen. The door opens to the side, not into the kitchen… but it’s the same wall. Honestly, I don’t understand why this is a code violation (or even part of the code). Can someone explain?
Is my bathroom/kitchen and ALL the other bathrooms/kitchens in the building illegal?
The Poo Mist Act of 2006! Love it.
ah yes, the Poo Mist Act of 2006.
*rob*
That’s ridiculous, most half baths in brownstones are either directly off the kitchen or adjacent to it. The DOB is wigging out with the new codes and the crane accidents and staff resignations left and right. Have your architect or engineer re-apply and contact your local council person and the Public Advocate. Have them make a call. It sounds like your DOB examiner woke up on the wrong side of the bed and is being arbitrary.
On a serious note, hopefully Albemarle reno blogger notices this one. Her half-bath off the kitchen is accessed via the adjacent mud room; maybe she is up to speed on the code since they considered several iterations.
The problem is the refrigerator in the pantry. W/out it, you could call the pantry a vestibule or hallway, but w/ a fridge in there it’s part of the kitchen.
If you can (even temporarily) move the fridge into the actual kitchen, show this on the filing drawings, and label the pantry as a hallway, you’d probably be fine.
As nonsense says, it sounds like a very odd layout…but possibly great for snacking while on the throne?