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23-87 Permitted Obstructions in Courts

NYC Zoning Resolution > II Residence District Regulations > 3 - Residential Bulk Regulations in Residence Districts > 23-80 Court Regulations, Minimum Distance Between Windows and Walls or Lot Lines and Open Area Requirements > 23-87 Permitted Obstructions in Courts

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In all districts, as indicated, the following obstructions shall be permitted within the minimum area and dimensions needed to satisfy the requirements for a court :

(a) Arbors or trellises;

(b) Awnings and other sun control devices. However, when located at a level higher than the first story, excluding a basement, all such devices:

(1) shall be limited to a maximum projection from a building wall of 2 feet, 6 inches; and

(2) shall have solid surfaces that, in aggregate, cover an area no more than 30 percent of the area of the building wall (as viewed in elevation) from which they project;

(c) Eaves, gutters, downspouts, window sills, or similar projections extending into such court not more than four inches;

(d) Exterior wall thickness, where such wall thickness is added to the exterior face of a building wall existing on April 30, 2012, provided the added wall thickness has a thermal resistance (R-value) of at least 1.5 per inch, and is limited to one inch of thickness for every foot of existing court width, up to a maximum thickness of eight inches;

Where buildings that have added exterior wall thickness pursuant to this Section are enlarged, such enlarged portion may similarly encroach upon required courts in order to align with the exterior walls of the existing building, provided such enlargement contains less floor area than the existing building, and there is no encroachment of floor area into a required court ;

(e) Fences;

(f) Fire escapes in outer courts ;

Fire escapes in outer court recesses not more than five feet in depth;

Fire escapes in inner courts where such fire escapes are required as a result of alterations in buildings existing before December 15, 1961;

Fire escapes in outer court recesses more than five feet in depth where such fire escapes are required as a result of alterations in buildings existing before December 15, 1961;

(g) Flagpoles;

(h) Open terraces, porches, steps, ramps or lifts for persons with physical disabilities;

(i) Recreational or drying yard equipment;

(j) Solar energy systems on walls existing on April 30, 2012, projecting no more than 10 inches and occupying no more than 20 percent of the surface area of the building wall (as viewed in elevation) from which it projects.

In addition, for courts at a level higher than the first story, decks, skylights, parapet walls, roof thickness, solar energy systems up to four feet high, vegetated roofs, and weirs, as set forth in Section 23-62 (Permitted Obstructions), shall be permitted.