Residential and Accessory Occupancy Requirements (Groups H, I, J)
This concept synthesizes the requirements for Group H (hotels and apartments), Group I (small dwellings and small hospitals), and Group J (accessory buildings and amusement structures) as defined in the 1935-miami-dade-building-code. These groups cover a range of occupancies from large-scale residential complexes to private garages and stadiums, each with specific construction, egress, and safety mandates.
Group H: Hotels and Apartments
Group H occupancies include hotels, apartment houses, dormitories, restaurants, rooming houses, convents, and old people’s homes 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 73).
- Regulatory Oversight: Buildings under this group must conform to the current rules of the florida-hotel-state-commission if those rules are more restrictive than the building code 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 73).
- Construction and Area: Maximum height and floor areas are determined by construction type (I-V) and street frontage. For instance, Type II construction allows up to 55 feet (3 stories) with area limits ranging from 15,000 to 20,000 sq. ft. depending on street frontage 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 74). Type V construction is restricted to 38 feet (2 stories and attic) or 20 feet (1 story) 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 74). Specifically for Type V buildings, exterior walls require 2x4 studs at 16-inch centers, or 4x4 posts at 5-foot centers 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 130). Wall coverings such as weatherboarding must average 5/8-inch thickness, and stucco requires metal lath reinforcement 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 132-133).
- Light and Ventilation: Rooms used for eating, living, or sleeping must have windows with an area of at least 15% of the total floor area 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 75).
- Egress: Stairs and exits must open directly onto a street, alley, or a yard connected to a street by a passageway 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 75). See egress-and-exit-standards for general exit requirements.
- Sanitation: Toilet facilities must meet the standards set by the florida-hotel-state-commission for Division 1 occupancies 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 75).
Group I: Small Dwellings and Hospitals
Group I includes dwellings accommodating not more than two families and hospitals or sanitariums with not more than six patients 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 76).
- Construction: Type I and II constructions have unlimited floor areas, while Type V is limited to 7,500 sq. ft. 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 76). Type V buildings are height-limited to 38 feet (two stories) or 45 feet on sloping ground 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 127-128). Foundations must be masonry or reinforced concrete piers; for Group I occupancies, piers must be at least 12x12 inches and reinforced 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 128). Exterior walls must be fire-stopped at floors and ceilings to limit concealed air spaces to seven feet 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 131).
- Attached Garages: When a private garage is attached to or under a Group I building, the ceiling above the garage must have at least one-hour fire resistance 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 77). The door opening into the garage must be a solid slab wood door (1⅜” thick) or metal-covered, with no glass, and equipped with gravity closing or spring hinges 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 77). This aligns with fire-separation-standards. Additionally, private garages connected to Group I buildings require fixed levered or screened exhaust ventilation with openings within 6 feet of the floor, providing at least 60 square inches of clear area per car stored 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 140). No openings are permitted into living or sleeping rooms 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 140).
- Ventilation: Bath and toilet rooms must have a window of at least 3.5 sq. ft. or a vent of 2 sq. ft. net area 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 77).
- Structural Loads: Corridors and stairs in dwellings must be designed for a live load of not less than 40 pounds per square foot 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 141). Floor joists for Southern Yellow Pine or Douglas Fir have maximum allowable spans based on size and spacing, with 18-inch clearance from the ground required 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 136).
Group J: Accessory and Amusement Structures
Group J covers private garages, accessory buildings (sheds, fences over 5 ft, water tanks), and stadiums or amusement park structures 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 78).
- Private Garages: Must have ventilation openings (louvered or screened) of at least 60 sq. inches per car stored. No openings are allowed into living or sleeping rooms 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 80). If more than three automobiles are stored, one chemical extinguisher is required per five cars 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 80).
- Stadiums and Amusement Structures:
- Exits: One exit not less than 7 feet wide is required for every 2,000 persons or major fraction thereof. Exits must be spaced no more than 75 feet apart 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 79).
- Aisles: Aisles must be at least 3 feet 6 inches wide, with no more than 20 seats between any seat and an aisle 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 79).
- Construction: Enclosed amusement structures over one story or 200 sq. ft. must have exterior walls, bearing partitions, and floors of at least one-hour fire-resistive construction 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 81).
Common Requirements Across Groups H, I, and J
- Meter Rooms: All multiple occupancy buildings connected to public electrical service must have an independent central meter room (minimum 3’x5’, 7’ ceiling height) for housing main switches and meters 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 73, 77, 80).
- Inflammable Liquids: Storage and use of gasoline and fuel oils are strictly regulated, requiring compliance with the national-board-of-fire-underwriters 1930 ordinance or the national-fire-protection-association 1926 ordinance, depending on the group 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 76, 80).
- Fire Zones: Construction types and restrictions are further influenced by the location within fire-zones, particularly in Fire Zones 1 and 2 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p65_84(p. 74, 76, 78).
- Live Load Posting: Owners of commercial or industrial buildings (which may include large Group H or J structures) must conspicuously post designed live loads and maximum seating capacities using durable metal signs 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 144). Occupancy permits for changed floor loading require certification by the building-inspector 1935-Miami-Dade-Building-Code_p125_144(p. 144).