Section 11-536. COURTS (SP)

 

536.1Where a court is provided for a building or portion of a building devoted to nonresidential uses, at any elevation in the court, the width of court shall be a minimum of three inches per foot (3 in./ft.) of height measured from the lowest level of the court to that elevation; provided, that in no case shall the width of court be less than twelve feet (12 ft.).

 

536.2In the case of a closed court under § 536.1, the minimum area shall be at least twice the square of the width of court based upon the height of court, but shall not be less than two hundred fifty square feet (250 ft.2).

 

536.3Where a court is provided for a building or portion of a building devoted to residential uses, at any elevation in the court, the width of court shall be a minimum of four inches per foot (4 in./ft.) of height measured from the lowest level of the court to that elevation; provided, that in no case shall the width of court be less than fifteen feet (15 ft.).

 

536.4In the case of a closed court under § 536.3, the minimum area shall be at least twice the square of the width of court based upon the height of court, but not less than three hundred fifty square feet (350 ft.2).

 

536.5In the case of a building devoted to both residential and nonresidential uses, the minimum width and area of a court shall be computed as follows:

 

(a)When the residential and nonresidential uses are located on different floors of the building, the width and area requirements shall be computed for each use at the plane of each floor of the building; and

 

(b)When the residential and nonresidential uses are located on the same floor of the building, the width and area requirements for that plane shall be computed based on the requirements for a residential building in §§ 536.3 and 536.4.

 

536.6For the purposes of this section, "residential uses" shall include dwellings, flats, multiple dwellings, hospitals, and community-based residential facilities.

 

536.7No required opening for the admission of light and natural ventilation shall open onto a court niche where the ratio between the width of court niche and the depth of court niche is less than two to one (2:1).

 

536.8No portion of a court niche shall be farther than three feet (3 ft.) from a point where the court niche is less than three feet (3 ft.) wide.

 

536.9In the case of an alteration affecting the amount of light and ventilation required by other municipal law or regulation in an existing structure in the SP District, no legally required window shall be permitted to open onto a court that does not comply with the dimensions given in §§ 536.1 through 536.4.

 

source

§§ 4305.1 through 4305.7 of the Zoning Regulations, effective May 12, 1958; as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 47 DCR 9741-43 (December 8, 2000), incorporating by reference the text of Proposed Rulemaking published at 47 DCR 8335, 8377-78 (October 20, 2000).