§ 22.206.140. Requirements

A.

The following requirements shall apply to housing units and buildings which contain housing units, except detached single-family dwellings, to provide a reasonable security from criminal actions to the permanent and transient occupants thereof and to their possessions.

1.

All building entrance doors, except building entrance doors which open directly into a single housing unit, shall be self-closing, self-locking, and equipped with a deadlatch with at least a 1-inch throw which penetrates the striker at least 1/2 inch; provided, that the main entrance door need not be self-locking if an attendant is present and on duty 24 hours per day.

2.

All building entrance doors, other than a main entrance door which opens into a common area, shall be solid or, if provided with glazed openings, shall have wire or grilles to prevent operation of the door latch from outside by hand or instrument. Main entrance doors which open into a common area may be framed or unframed nonshattering glass or framed 1/4-inch plate glass.

3.

When garage-to-exterior doors are equipped with an electrically operated remote control device for opening and closing, garage-to-building doors need not be self-locking. When either the garage-to-exterior doors or garage-to-building doors are equipped for self-closing and self-locking, the other need not be so equipped.

4.

Entrance doors from interior corridors to individual housing units shall not have glass openings and shall be capable of resisting forcible entry equal to a single-panel or solid-core door 1 3/8 inches thick.

5.

Every entrance door to an individual housing unit shall have a dead bolt or deadlatch with at least a 1/2-inch throw which penetrates the striker not less than 1/4 inch. The lock shall be so constructed that the dead bolt or deadlatch may be opened from inside without use of a key. In hotels and other multi-unit buildings that provide housing for rent on a daily or weekly basis, every entrance door to individual units shall have a chain door guard or barrel bolt on the inside.

6.

Every entrance door to an individual housing unit, other than transparent doors, shall have a visitor-observation port, which port shall not impair the fire-resistance of the door. Observation ports shall be installed at a height of not less than 54 inches and not more than 66 inches above the floor.

7.

In all leased or rented housing units in buildings other than hotels and other multi-unit buildings having transient occupancies, lock mechanisms and keys shall be changed at owner's expense upon a change of tenancy, except that such change of locks and keys will not be required where an approved proprietary key system is used.

8.

All building entrance doors shall be openable from the interior without use of keys.

9.

Doors to storage, maintenance, and building service rooms shall be self-closing and self-locking.

10.

Dead bolts or other approved locking devices shall be provided on all sliding patio doors and installed so that the mounting screws for the lock cases are inaccessible from the outside.

11.

Openable windows shall be equipped with operable inside latching devices, except that this requirement shall not apply to any window whose sill is located 10 or more feet above grade or above any deck, balcony, or porch that is not readily accessible from grade except through a single housing unit.

12.

Where private baths and toilets are not provided in each housing unit, doors to community toilets and bathrooms shall be self-closing, and in lieu of a self-locking device, may be equipped with a dead bolt having a minimum one-inch throw. Tenants shall be furnished with a key for this lock.

13.

Windows may be located adjacent to and within the wall plane of a building entrance door, but if located within 12 inches of the entrance door, as measured from a closed position, then such windows shall be made of either framed or unframed nonshattering glass, or glass with sufficient wire or grilles so as to make the glass visible and to prevent operation of the door latch from outside by either hand or instrument.

B.

The following requirements shall apply to detached single-family dwellings to provide reasonable security from criminal actions to the permanent and transient occupants thereof and to their possessions.

1.

Building entrance doors shall be capable of locking and shall be equipped with a dead bolt or deadlatch with at least a 1/2-inch throw which penetrates the striker not less than 1/4 inch. The lock shall be so constructed that the dead bolt or deadlatch may be opened from the inside without use of a key.

2.

Windows may be located adjacent to and within the wall plane of an entrance door, but if located within 12 inches of such door, as measured from a closed position, then such windows shall be made of either framed or unframed nonshattering glass, framed 1/4 inch plate glass, or glass with sufficient wire or grilles so as to both make the glass visible and prevent it from being used to operate the door latch from outside by either hand or instrument.

3.

Garage-to-exterior doors may be equipped with a remote-control electrically operated opening and closing device in lieu of a deadlatch. When garage-to-exterior doors are equipped with such remote-control devices, garage-to-building doors need not be locking.

4.

Every entrance door shall have a visitor-observation port of glass side light. Observation ports shall be installed at a height of not less than 54 inches and not more than 66 inches from the floor.

5.

Dead-bolts or other approved locking devices shall be provided on all sliding patio doors and openable windows and shall be installed so that the mounting screws for the lock cases are inaccessible from the outside, except that locks shall not be required on any window whose sill is located ten or more feet above grade or above any deck, balcony, or porch that is not readily accessible from grade except through the building.

C.

Subject to approval by the Director, alternate security devices may be substituted for those required herein if the devices are equally capable of resisting illegal entry, and installation of the devices does not conflict with the requirements of this Code or the requirements of other ordinances regulating safe exits.

(Ord. 125343 , § 10, 2017; Ord. 115671 , § 16, 1991; Ord. 113545, § 5(part), 1987.)