Elmira, N.Y., Code ch. 8, art. V § 8-359
Exits
Operative Text
13-45.1. General. (a) Safe, continuous and unobstructed exit shall be provided from the interior of a building or structure to the exterior, at a street or to a yard, court or passageway leading to a public open area. (b) Exits shall be arranged, constructed, proportioned and maintained so that occupants may escape safely from the building or structure in case of emergency. Widths of exits shall conform to generally accepted standards. (c) Exits from dwelling units, hotels units, lodging units and dormitory units shall not lead through other such units, or through toilet rooms or bathrooms. 13-45.2. One- and two-family dwellings. (a) A fixed stairway shall be provided between stories, and accessibility shall be provided to a basement or cellar. (b) In two-family dwellings three stories or less in height, and in one-family dwellings, in addition to the primary exit there shall be provided an emergency exit from each story. Such emergency exit, may be similar to the primary exit, or a fire escape, or an opening, such as a window or door, having at least four square feet of openable area with a minimum dimension of 18 inches, and with the bottom of the opening not more than three feet six inches above the floor. (c) In two-family dwellings more than three stories in height, exits shall comply with any of the following: (1) One interior stairway enclosed in construction having at least three-fourths of an hours fire-resistance rating with openings in such enclosure protected by self-closing doors; (2) Two interior stairways with all doors opening upon such stairways equipped with a self-closing device; (3) One interior stairway with all doors opening upon such stairway equipped with a self-closing device, and one exterior stairway or fire escape providing exit from each dwelling unit on any story; or (4) One interior stairway equipped with an automatic sprinkler system, with all doors opening upon such stairway equipped with a self-closing device. 13-45.3. Multiple dwellings. (a) In multiple dwellings two stories or less in height, in addition to the primary exit from each dwelling unit, hotel unit, lodging unit or dormitory unit, there shall be provided an emergency exit from each such unit, conforming with the requirements of subsection 13-45.2(b) of this section. (b) In multiple dwellings three stories or more in height, there shall be provided from each story at least two exits accessible to each dwelling unit, hotel unit, lodging unit or dormitory unit. The primary exit shall be an interior public hall, stairway, lobby, vestibule or any combination thereof, or a fire escape. Where the secondary exit is through the same public hall which provides access to the primary exit, the primary exit shall be separated from such public hall by construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least three-fourths of an hour. (c) Public halls, stairways, lobbies and vestibules serving as exits shall be enclosed with construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least three-fourths of an hour. Wood wainscoting in exits is prohibited. Combustible interior trim in exits is permitted only in buildings three stories or less in height. Openings, other than doors, in interior walls or partitions of exits shall be sealed, so as to maintain the required fire-resistance rating of the wall or partition. (d) Doors from dwelling units, hotel units, lodging units or dormitory units opening upon a public hall, and doors in stairway enclosures shall be self-closing. Doors from units opening upon public halls and doors in stairway enclosures shall have a fire-resistance rating of at least three-fourths of an hour. (e) Basement and cellar stairways shall be separated from stairways leading to or from upper stories, at the grade level story, by construction having a fire-resistance rating of at least three-fourths of an hour, with doors that are self-closing and have a fire-resistance rating of at least three-fourths of an hour. 13-45.4. Height. In multiple dwellings passageways, corridors, hallways and vestibules shall have a minimum height of seven feet, six inches, measured from floor to ceiling. In stairways, headroom over landing floors and tread nosings shall have a minimum height of seven feet. 13-45.5. Light and ventilation. (a) In multiple dwellings exits, including vestibules, stairways, passageways, corridors and hallways, but excluding fire escapes, shall be lighted with natural or electric light at all times, so as to afford safe passage. Electric light shall conform to the following: (1) A sufficient member of fixtures shall be provided so that the distance between fixtures is not more than 30 feet and so that no wall is more than 15 feet from a fixture. (2) Incandescent lighting [shall be] not less than one-fourth watt per square foot of floor area, except that each fixture shall have a lamp or lamps with a total of not less than 25 watts. (3) Fluorescent lighting [shall be] not less than one-tenth watt per square foot of floor area, except that each fixture shall have a lamp or lamps of a total of not less than 15 watts. (4) Where under these formulas the calculated wattage does not correspond to that of a standard lamp, the next larger size shall be used. (b) In multiple dwellings stairways, passageways, corridors and hallways shall be provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following: (1) Natural ventilation obtained by means of openings to the outer air, or by means of ducts connected to wind or gravity operated ventilators; or (2) Mechanical ventilation conforming to the requirements of table 13-100.7(e) in section 8-428 . 13-45.6. Stairways. (a) Stairway treads, risers and landings shall be arranged, constructed, proportioned and maintained to provide safe ascent and descent. (b) Guard rails or balustrades, at least 33 inches in height above nosings and 36 inches in height above landings, shall be provided at open portions of stairways. (c) Handrails shall be provided on at least one side of stairways. (d) Where stairways provide access to roofs by means of scuttles or bulkhead doors, such scuttles or doors shall be readily openable from the interior without the use of tools or keys. 13-45.7. Fire escapes. (a) Fire escapes which serve as a secondary means of egress shall be of material having the properties of ferrous metal, other than cast iron, and conform to generally accepted standards. Fire escapes shall be maintained free of encumbrances. (b) Access to fire escapes shall be through openable unobstructed doors, or windows conforming to the requirements of windows for emergency exit in subsection 13-45.2(b) of this section. (c) In buildings more than three stories in height, fire escapes shall continue to the roof, except when the slope of the roof exceeds 15 degrees. (d) The lowest balcony shall be provided with a drop ladder or counterbalanced stair, if it is more than five feet above the ground.
Elmira Code ch. 8, art. V § 8-359 (sections 13-45.1 through 13-45.7) establishes comprehensive requirements for exits in residential buildings, covering everything from basic path-of-egress design to stairway construction, fire escape materials, lighting, and ventilation. The rules vary by building type and height: one- and two-family homes must have both a primary exit and an emergency exit from each story, while taller multi-unit buildings must meet more stringent standards including fire-rated enclosures, self-closing doors, and multiple exit paths. Common areas used as exits must be continuously lit, adequately ventilated, and kept free of obstructions, and fire escapes must be maintained in usable condition at all times.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to Elmira Code ch. 8, art. V § 8-359 generally ensure that all exit pathways — stairways, hallways, vestibules, and fire escapes — are kept clear, properly lit, and structurally maintained at all times. Compliant operators verify that self-closing, fire-rated doors are installed wherever required, that emergency exit openings meet the minimum dimension and height-above-floor specifications set out in section 13-45.2(b), and that fire escapes are free of encumbrances and constructed of approved ferrous metal. For taller buildings, operators routinely confirm that the correct number of exits, fire-resistance ratings, and stairway enclosure standards are in place for the building's height and occupancy classification.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Elmira Code ch. 8, art. V § 8-359, tenants in residential buildings are entitled to safe, unobstructed exit paths from their units to the exterior, including properly maintained stairways, hallways, and fire escapes appropriate to the building's height and type. If exits appear blocked, fire escape balconies are encumbered, stairway lighting is out, or self-closing doors are broken, these conditions may constitute code violations that can be reported to the local code enforcement or housing inspection authority. Tenants who believe their building does not meet the exit and egress standards in § 8-359 may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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