Height Requirement on RSA5 Property

[Alex T.]

I'm adding a 3rd story to an RSA5 property...which has a 38' max height requirement to the roof line. I'm doing a fiberglass roof deck on top with a 36" high parapet around the whole thing. I can't get complete clarity on this, would the parapet count within the 38' height? I have read in the code that railings can protrude up to 48" above the 38' requirement. My architect says he's done projects where they've been slightly over 38' and had to rip everything down. Due to this he is taking a very conservative route by designing the parapet top to sit at 37' above the ground. I'd much rather add an extra foot to the 2nd and 3rd floors! Does anyone have experience with this? Thanks

[Account Closed]

I don't think the parapet counts in the 38'.

Check the zoning code 14-701-6. Looks like up to 42". 

Maybe the architect is thinking of something else? 

EDIT for link (http://library.amlegal.com/nxt/gateway.dll/Pennsylvania/philadelphia_pa/title14zoningandplanning/chapter14-700developmentstandards?f=templates$fn=altmain-nf.htm$q=[field%20folio-destination-name:%27Table%2014-701-6%27]$x=Advanced#JD_Table14-701-6) 

[Alex T.]

@Account Closed Thanks a bunch. I emailed L&I, and then they responded with the following:

"Parapet walls may extend above the height limits up to 42 inches in any district per Table 14-701-6 of the Philadelphia Zoning Code."

Glad that I now have that in writing. Thanks again.

[Tim Sharkey]

Funny how the architects don't know these things and yet they're the highest paid per hour on the whole job.

Beware anyone (architect or otherwise) that tells you "yeah we had to rip it all out and do it over again" after L&I or some other inspection....  I've found that's often times an urban legend.  L&I in philadelphia is NOT excessively prohibitive the way many contractors and architects lead you to believe.

And why would your architect be a part of a project that went slightly over 38?  Wasn't he the design professional and person in charge of building it to code?

Get the extra foot and get a new architect if you haven't paid them too much already!

Good luck!

[Alex T.]

@Tim Sharkey Agreed, my architect should know that instead of taking the easy way out. Admittedly, I don't pay my architect much. $2000-3000 for a SFR to get through zoning and L&I. He's ok...and I don't ask for much because I lay everything out in CAD and send it to him to model it per code.

I am definitely looking for someone new if you have a rec. Thanks.

[Tim Sharkey]

Hi Alex,

Oh ok 2-3k not bad. Does that include construction documents stage or just zoning/Rco/variance?

TS

[Alex T.]

@Tim Sharkey This project was ~3k for zoning and building permits for a 2200sqft SFR. That does not include any work needed for historic, zoning variance, engineering, amendments, etc.

[Troy Sheets]

L&I isn't measuring building heights. If they were, several projects around mine would have to have 1.5-2' lopped off the top of them. I don't build above the height limit but I've actually measured a few around me with a laser from the roof deck and they were well over. I only measured because they were so obviously over height compared to mine. I'm not condoning building over the height allowances, mainly because I'm too much of a rule follower! 

If they were going to measure anything they should start with the houses that are built so the first floor is 7' off the sidewalk and have 10 narrow winding brick steps up to the first floor. The steps don't meet code and I'm sure the approved plans don't call for the basement floor to be nearly at grade. If they're not catching these glaringly obvious mistakes, they're not catching a foot or two at the top. Also, that 38' is measured from "average grade", which would require surveyors to determine accurately enough for the city to take action. I suppose if you pissed off the inspector enough they could call you out on it and maybe you'd have to prove you're not over height but, in my experience, they're looking for life safety stuff, plumbing issues, insulation, framing connections, etc. 

[Alex T.]

@Troy Sheets Thanks for the input. Clearly, there's some scar tissue from my architect/contractor, and they're being too conservative. The roofline is still going to end up 1.5-2' below the 38', but our ceiling heights are going to be 9.5'-10'-10' on floors 1-2-3, so all is fine.

[Tim Sharkey]

@Troy Sheets you’re the man ... we have to get that coffee sometime!  

[Troy Sheets]

Originally posted by @Tim Sharkey:

@Troy Sheets you’re the man ... we have to get that coffee sometime!  

 Let me know, love to!