Morgan Hill Municipal Code Art. III Nonresidential Buildings

Minimum standards for doors, windows, transoms and awning windows, roof openings, address numbers, and open parking lots in nonresidential buildings are set out in Sections 15.40.230 through 15.40.320.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979; Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

A. The address number of every commercial building shall be illuminated during the hours of darkness so that it will be easily visible from the street. The numerals in these numbers shall be no less than six inches in height and be of a color contrasting to the background. In addition, any business which affords vehicular access to the rear through any driveway, alleyway or parking lot shall also display the same numbers on the rear of the building.

B. All exterior commercial doors, during the hours of darkness, shall be illuminated with a minimum of one foot-candle of light. All exterior bulbs shall be protected by vandalism-resistant covers.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979; Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

All exterior doors shall be secured as follows:

A. A single door shall be equipped with a single-cylinder or double-cylinder dead bolt. The bolt shall have a minimum projection of one inch and be constructed so as to repel cutting tool attack. A hook or expanding bolt can be used providing it has a throw of three-fourths inch, depending on type of occupancy.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not apply where (1) panic hardware is required, or (2) an equivalent device is approved by the enforcing authority.

B. On double doors, the active leaf shall be secured with the type of lock required for single doors in subsection A of this section. The inactive leaf of a double door shall be equipped with metal flush bolts having a minimum throw of five-eighths inch into the head and threshold of the door frame.

C. Any single or pair of doors requiring locking at the bottom or top rail shall have locks with a minimum five-eighths-inch throw at top and bottom rails.

D. Exterior sliding commercial entrances shall be secured as set out in subsections A and B of this section with special attention given to safety regulations. Sliding doors shall meet with the fire code if for exit purposes.

E. Rolling overhead doors, solid overhead swinging, sliding or accordion-type garage doors shall be secured with a cylinder lock on the inside and/or padlocks on both sides of the door, when not otherwise controlled or locked by electric power operation.

F. Metal accordion grate or grill-type doors shall be equipped with metal guide tracks on top and bottom, and a cylinder lock and/or padlock. The bottom track shall be so designed that the door cannot be lifted from the track when the door is in a locked position.

G. Outside hinges on all exterior doors shall be provided with nonremovable pins when using pin-type hinges.

H. Except when double-cylinder dead bolts are utilized, the glass panels adjacent to door frames or within forty inches of any door locking mechanism shall be constructed or protected as follows:

1. Fully tempered glass or rated burglary-resistant glazing; or

2. Iron or steel grills of at least one-eighth-inch material with a minimum two-inch mesh secured on the inside of the glazing may be utilized; or

3. The glazing shall be covered with iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-inch-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart, secured on the inside of the glazing;

4. Subdivisions 2 and 3 of this subsection shall not interfere with the operation of opening windows if such windows are required to be openable by the California Building Code.

I. Doors swinging in shall have rabbeted jambs.

J. Jambs for all doors shall be constructed as follows:

1. Wooden frames shall be a minimum of two inches thick.

2. Hollow steel frames can be used if the residual air space behind the frame is filled with a crush-resistant material such as cement grout, especially in the area of the strike.

K. All exterior commercial doors, during the hours of darkness, shall be illuminated with a minimum of one foot-candle of light. All exterior bulbs shall be protected by vandalism-resistant covers.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

A. Windows shall be deemed accessible if less than twelve feet above the ground. Accessible rear and side windows not viewable from the street shall consist of fully tempered glass or burglary-resistant glazing.

B. If the accessible side or rear window is of the operable type it shall be secured on the inside with a locking device capable of withstanding a force of three hundred pounds applied in any direction.

C. Louvered windows shall not be used within eight feet of any accessible area.

D. Outside hinges on all accessible side and rear glass windows shall be provided with nonremovable pins. If the hinge screws are accessible, the screws shall be of the nonremovable type.

E. The following window barriers may be used but shall be secured with nonremovable bolts:

1. Inside or outside iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-fourth-inch flat steel material, spaced not more than five inches apart and securely fastened; or

2. Inside or outside iron or steel grills of at least one-eighth-inch material with not more than a two-inch mesh and securely fastened;

3. The protective bars or grills shall not interfere with the operation of opening windows if such windows are required to be openable by the California Building Code. Window openings required by the building code for access by the fire department shall be protected by a material approved by the fire department.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

All exterior transoms and awning windows exceeding sixty square inches on the side and rear of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be protected by one of the following:

A. Fully tempered glass or rated burglary-resistant glazing; or

B. Iron or steel grills of at least one-eighth-inch material with a minimum two-inch mesh securely fastened; or

C. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material spaced not more than five inches apart and securely fastened;

D. The protective bars or grills shall not interfere with the operation of opening the transoms if such transoms are required to be openable by the California Building Code.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2000 N.S., § 10, 1-26-2011; Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

All skylights on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be provided with:

A. Rated burglary-resistant glazing; or

B. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material under the skylight and securely fastened; or

C. A steel grill of at least one-eighth-inch material with a maximum two-inch mesh under the skylight and securely fastened.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

All hatchway openings on the roof of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be secured as follows:

A. If the hatchway is of wooden material, it shall be covered on the inside with at least sixteen U.S. gauge sheet metal, or its equivalent, attached with screws.

B. The hatchway shall be secured from the inside with a slide bar or slide bolts. (Approval from the fire department is needed.)

C. Outside hinges on all hatchway openings shall be provided with nonremovable pins when using pin-type hinges.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

A. All air duct or air vent openings exceeding ninety-six square inches on the roof or exterior walls of any building or premises used for business purposes shall be secured by covering them with either of the following:

1. Iron bars of at least one-half-inch round or one-by-one-fourth-inch flat steel material spaced no more than five inches apart and securely fastened; or

2. Iron or steel grills of at least one-eighth-inch material with a maximum two-inch mesh and securely fastened;

B. If the barrier is on the outside, it shall be secured with bolts which are nonremovable from the exterior;

C. Subsections A.1. and A.2. must not interfere with venting requirements creating a potentially hazardous condition to health and safety or conflict with the provisions of the California Building Code.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2000 N.S., § 10, 1-26-2011; Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

Any ladder, excluding fire escapes, located on the exterior of any building which could provide access to the roof shall be not less than ten feet from any accessible area.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)

Open parking lots and access thereto, for the use of the general public, shall be provided with a maintained average of two foot-candles and a minimum of five-tenths foot-candles maintained lighting on the parking surface from dusk until the beginning of business every operating day.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013; Ord. No. 2307 N.S. § 7, 11-6-2019)

Nothing contained in this article shall be deemed to prohibit the use of alternate materials, secondary lock devices or measures when such alternate provisions are deemed by the building official as providing equivalent security based on the recommendations of the crime prevention unit of the police department.

(Ord. 1861 N.S. § 11 (part), 2007: Ord. 491 N.S. (part), 1979)

(Ord. No. 2095 N.S., § 2, 11-20-2013)