// CODE SNIPPET

62-65 Public Access Design Reference Standards

NYC Zoning Resolution > VI - Special Regulations Applicable to Certain Areas > 2 Special Regulations Applying in the Waterfront Area > 62-60 Design Requirements for Waterfront Public Access Areas > 62-65 Public Access Design Reference Standards

JUMP TO FULL CODE CHAPTER

The standards of this Section, inclusive, shall be applicable to all waterfront public access areas and visual corridors.

No hollow plastic material, such as PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or similar material shall be permitted in guardrails, fences, seating, trash receptacles or other similar furniture within a waterfront public access area. However, high-density polyethylene shall be permitted.

62-651 Guardrails, Gates and Other Protective Barriers

Guardrails

For the purposes of this paragraph, (a), the term "guardrail" shall refer only to fencing or similar structures provided along a bulkhead, stabilized shore or the water edges of a pier or platform.

When a guardrail is provided, it shall have a maximum height of 42 inches measured from the adjoining grade level, and shall be at least 70 percent open. Guardrails may be mounted on a solid curb not higher than six inches.

A guardrail may be substituted for a wall, pursuant to paragraph (c)(3) of this Section.
Bollards
1. Bollards shall be limited to the following locations:
  1. along the bulkhead, stabilized shore or the water edges of a pier or platform;
  2. along a zoning lot line adjacent to, and limiting access from an upland street; and
  3. along the boundaries of a roadway within an upland connection.
2. Bollards shall not exceed 30 inches in height and shall be between six and 15 inches in width. The top of bollards shall not consist of any sharp edges. The minimum clearance between two bollards shall be five feet.
Fences and walls
1. Fences and walls, when provided, shall be limited to the following locations:
  1. along the boundary of a waterfront public access area and an adjoining private area on the zoning lot;
  2. around the perimeter of a playground, tot-lot or dog-run;
  3. adjoining WD uses;
  4. within a visual corridor; and
  5. along any grade level change of 30 inches or greater.
2. Fences shall have a maximum height of 36 inches measured from the adjoining grade level, and be at least 70 percent open. Fences may be mounted on a solid curb not higher than six inches.
3. Walls shall not exceed a height of 21 inches, and may be fully opaque.
4. Chain link fencing or barbed or razor wire shall not be permitted.
Gates

Gates attached to fences and walls that limit physical access to waterfront public access areas from streets, public parks or other public ways, or from adjacent waterfront public access areas on adjoining zoning lots, shall comply with the provisions of this paragraph (d). Such gates shall be permitted only at the boundaries of waterfront public access areas and such adjacent publicly accessible areas, except that in Type 1 upland connections gates may be located at the seaward boundary of the entry area. Gates shall not intrude into any planting area. Gates may be closed only pursuant to Section 62-71 (Operational Requirements).

The maximum height of a gate shall be four feet above the adjoining grade level. Gates shall be no more than 30 percent opaque.

When opened for access, 70 percent of the total width, in aggregate, of the waterfront public access area shall be free of obstructions associated with the gate, and there shall be a minimum clear distance of at least 16 feet between any two obstructions of the gate.

In addition, in its open position, the gate and its support structures shall not obstruct:
1. any circulation path;
2. 25 percent of the width of the entry area of an upland connection along each side of the centerline of such entry area; and
3. at least 50 percent of the width of the shore public walkway closest to the shoreline.

62-652 Seating

All required seating shall comply with the following standards:

Seating with backs

At least 50 percent of the required seating shall have backs, and at least 50 percent of such seating shall face in the general direction of the water. Seat backs shall be at least 14 inches high. Walls located adjacent to a seating surface shall not count as seat backs. All seat backs must either be contoured in form for comfort or shall be reclined from the vertical between 10 to 15 degrees.
Depth

Seating with or without backs shall have a depth of not less than 18 inches, and for seating with backs, such depth shall not be greater than 20 inches. Seating with a depth of at least 36 inches, and accessible from both sides, may be credited as double seating. When seating is provided on a planter ledge, such ledge must have a minimum depth of 22 inches.
Height

At least 75 percent of the required seating shall have a height not less than 16 inches nor greater than 20 inches above the level of the adjacent grade. Seating higher than 36 inches or lower than 12 inches shall not qualify toward the seating requirements. Seating may be mounted on a solid curb not higher than six inches.
Clearance

Seating shall be located a minimum of 22 inches from any circulation path or permitted obstruction along the accessible side of such seating, except that seating without backs may be as close to a guardrail as 12 inches.
Types of seating

In shore public walkways and supplemental public access areas, at least two of the following types of seating are required: moveable seating, fixed individual seats, fixed benches with backs, fixed benches without backs, lounging chairs and design feature seating.
1. Design feature seating
  
  Planter ledges, seating walls, and seating steps may be provided, and shall be limited to 25 percent of the required seating. Walls and planter ledges shall be flat and smooth with at least one inch radius rounded edges.
2. Moveable seating
  
  Moveable chairs, excluding those in open air cafes, may be credited as 18 inches of linear seating per chair; however, not more than 50 percent of required linear seating may be in moveable chairs. Moveable chairs may be placed in storage outside of the required hours of operation, pursuant to Section 62-71, paragraph (a). All moveable chairs must have backs. Moveable chairs shall not be chained, fixed, or otherwise secured while the waterfront public access area is open to the public.
3. Seating steps
  
  Seating steps shall not include any steps intended for circulation and must have a height not less than 12 inches nor greater than 30 inches and a depth not less than 18 inches.
4. Lounge chairs
  
  Lounge chairs shall allow for a reclined position supporting the back as well as the legs. Lounge chairs may be credited as 36 inches of linear seating per chair.
Social seating and tables

At least 25 percent of required seating shall be social seating, consisting of seats that are placed in close proximity and at angles to one another or in facing configurations that facilitate social interaction. A minimum of two square feet of tables shall be required for every three linear feet of social seating. However, any requirement for tables that, in total, is less than 10 square feet shall be waived, and no more than 150 square feet of tables shall be required in any site.
Shaded seating

At least 20 percent of required seating shall be shaded. Seating shall be considered shaded if it is located under a canopy tree or shade structure, or on the eastern side and within 45 feet of the trunk of a canopy tree or of a shade structure.
Seaward seating

Up to 25 percent of required seating may be located seaward of the shore public walkway provided it is designed as:

a generally smooth and flat surface within a stabilized natural shoreline, in the form of rock, stone, wood or other solid material that measures at least 15 inches in width and depth and is between 12 and 30 inches high measured from the adjoining accessible surface; or
steps, with a depth and height between 12 and 30 inches, that facilitate access to the water.

Seaward seating shall not be subject to the provisions of paragraphs (a) through (g) of this Section.

Seating in open air cafes or stairs shall not qualify towards seating requirements. All seating located within a planting area shall be on permeable pavement and secured for stability.

62-653 Lighting

All waterfront public access areas shall provide lighting in accordance with the following requirements:

An average maintained level of illumination of not less than one horizontal foot candle (lumens per foot) throughout all walkable areas, and a minimum level of illumination of not less than 0.2 horizontal foot candles (lumens per foot) throughout all other areas, shall be required. Such level of illumination shall be maintained from one-half hour before sunset to one-half hour after sunrise.

The average illumination to minimum foot candle uniformity ratio shall be no greater than 10:1 within a waterfront public access area.

Glare shall be controlled to a semi-cutoff standard (not more than five percent of peak foot candle intensity radiating above 90 degrees and 20 percent of peak intensity above 80 degrees). The luminaire shall be equipped with lamps with a color temperature range of 3000 K to 4100 K with a minimum color rendering index of 65.

All lenses and globes shall be polycarbonate or equivalent.

All lighting sources that illuminate a waterfront public access area and are mounted on or located within buildings adjacent to the waterfront public access area shall be shielded from direct view. In addition, all lighting within the waterfront public access area shall be shielded to minimize any adverse effect on surrounding buildings containing residences.

Related Code Sections

§27-292.18 Building Limitations, Signage

(a) Symbols of accessibility shall be provided at the following locations: Parking spaces designated as reserved for people having physical ...

NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 4 Building Limitations > 2 Building Access > §27-292 Building Access > §27-292.18 Signage

2.4 Referenced Publications, References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections

NFPA 45, Standard on Fire Protection for Laboratories Using Chemicals, 2015 edition. NFPA 51, Standard for the Design and Installation of Oxygen-Fuel ...

Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems 2016 of New York City > 2 Referenced Publications > 2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections

B.1.2.2 Annex B Informational References, ASCE/SEI Publications

American Society of Civil Engineers, 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, VA 20191-4400. ASCE/SEI 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other ...

Standard for Challenge Fire Walls, Fire Walls, and Fire Barrier Walls 2015 of New York City > Annex B Informational References > B.1.2.2 ASCE/SEI Publications

B.1.2.3 Annex B Informational References, ASTM Publications

ASTM International, P.O. Box C700, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. ASTM E 119, Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests ...

Standard for Challenge Fire Walls, Fire Walls, and Fire Barrier Walls 2015 of New York City > Annex B Informational References > B.1.2.3 ASTM Publications

§27-292.2 Building Limitations, Standards

The pertinent provisions of reference standard RS 4-6 shall be part of this subarticle ...

NYC 1968 Code (Vol I) > 4 Building Limitations > 2 Building Access > §27-292 Building Access > §27-292.2 Standards