06-03-2021, 10:32 AM
(06-03-2021, 08:14 AM)ijmorlan Wrote: Maybe that’s why we see so many stacked townhouses. That design uses 4 floors in a way that I’m guessing doesn’t trigger the elevator requirement.
Anyway, this is all insane (except for the 15% accessible; that can easily be accommodated by making some of the ground-floor units accessible). Thanks for the education in excessive and inappropriate regulation (although at least in this case clearly well-meaning).
In particular, if it’s OK to have ground floor plus 2 floors above with no elevator, it’s simply irrational to demand an elevator if I now add a basement level below. If level 3 is OK with no basement, it’s OK with a basement. Perhaps a rule like “every floor must be within 2 flights of stairs of a level entrance” would be more appropriate. But zoning rules are normally written based on a lot of arbitrary and stereotypical assumptions about how buildings interact with their environment so this isn’t exactly off-brand.
I guess with a stacked Townhome, depending how it is designed, you're normally not going up more than 1.5 flights. Secondly, since they are separated units, each staircase only has to involved 2 or 4 families.
As for the 3 story plus basement: basement is usually were laundry facilities are located, plus storage. Either way, from floor 3 to basement, it's 3 flights.