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#:

1. Arbors or trellises;


2. 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;
   
   
3. Eaves, gutters, downspouts, window sills, or similar projections extending into such #court# not more than four inches;


4. 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#;


5. Fences;


6. 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;


7. Flagpoles;


8. Open terraces, porches, steps, ramps or lifts for persons with physical disabilities;


9. Recreational or drying yard equipment;


10. 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.