Article 11 — ACCESSIBILITY TO BUILDING SITE AND LIVING QUARTERS — Torrance Zoning Code

92.11.1 BUILDING SITE TO FRONT ON PUBLIC STREET. ¶

Each building site used for residential purposes shall front on a public street.

92.11.2 PRIVATE ROAD, WIDTH OF. ¶

In case of a private road, the width of such road shall not be less than twenty-seven (27) feet and shall be exclusive of the required yard area.

92.11.3 ACCESS TO REAR LIVING QUARTERS. ¶

Dwellings or living quarters located at the rear of buildings located on the front of an interior lot, shall have access to a street or private road by means of a passageway, not less than five (5) feet in width, nor less than the width required in the City Building Code and the State Housing Act, extending to the front property line and located on the same parcel of land upon which said buildings are located. In no case shall an alley be used as the only access to living quarters located at the rear of any building. No person shall divide any lot or parcel of land into separate parcels without complying with the foregoing provision.

92.11.4 ACCESS FOR FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENT, MULTIPLE FAMILY DWELLINGS. ¶

(Added by O-1937; O-1938)

Interior fire hydrants shall be installed for every apartment building or group of apartment buildings of three (3) stories or less, when adequate Fire Department access is not provided by driveways of not less than twelve (12) feet in width with an overhead clearance of not less than twelve (12) feet.

Fire hydrants may be of two (2) types, wet or dry.

a) Wet fire hydrants:

1. Wet fire hydrants shall have at least two (2), two and one half (2-1/2) inch Fire Department outlets. Each outlet shall have a shutoff valve.
1. Wet fire hydrants may be connected to the domestic water supply.
1. Wet hydrants shall have a discharge capacity of not less than five hundred (500) gallons per minute in addition to the domestic water requirements.
1. Wet hydrants shall be so located that the area protected by the hydrants shall be not greater than a travel distance of two hundred (200) feet.

EXCEPTION: Fire Department authorities may modify the requirements of Section a-4) depending upon the accessibility for emergency purposes.

b) Dry fire hydrants or dry standpipe systems:

1. Dry fire hydrants shall have at least two (2), two and one-half (2-1/2) inch Fire Department outlets. Each outlet shall have a shutoff valve.
1. Dry hydrants shall be supplied by a pipe of sufficient size to discharge a minimum of five hundred (500) gallons per minute.
1. A Fire Department connection shall be located on the street in front of the building to supply the dry hydrants.
1. Dry hydrants shall be so located that the area protected by the hydrants shall be not greater than a travel distance of two hundred (200) feet.

EXCEPTION: Fire Department authorities may modify the requirements of Section b-4) depending upon the accessibility for emergency purposes.

1. Dry hydrant system components shall be installed to the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association, Pamphlet 23.