§ 42-23. Garages., Chapter 42. Oil Burners and Flammable Liquids, Code of Ordinances, Rye, Town

Definitions. As used in this section, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

GARAGES: A building or that part thereof in which there shall be housed or kept one or more self-propelled vehicles, or automobiles, containing flammable liquid for fuel or power. For the purpose of this chapter, garages are classed as follows:

PRIVATE GARAGE: Is any garage attached to or upon the premises of a one-family house.

PUBLIC GARAGE: Is any garage not included in any of the preceding classifications.

TENANT GARAGE: Is one operated for the use of the tenants of a house containing two or more families.

Gasoline in excess of five gallons, exclusive of that in the tanks of the vehicles in storage, shall not be kept in a private garage unless confined in a tank or tanks placed not less than two feet beneath the surface of the ground. There shall be no heating apparatus (other than steam, hot-water or vapor radiators connected with the heating plant of the house) except such as shall be approved by the Plumbing Inspector. There shall be no artificial light other than incandescent electric light in any private garage.

No gasoline in excess of that in the supply tanks of vehicles in storage shall be kept or stored in any tenant garage unless confined in a tank or tanks placed not less than two feet beneath the surface of the ground and there shall be no artificial light other than incandescent electric light. Any tenant garage exceeding 50 cars' storage capacity shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system. Smoking shall not be permitted in any tenant garage and signs to that effect shall be prominently displayed to the satisfaction of the Plumbing Inspector. Each tenant garage shall be equipped with self-closing metal cans and all inflammable waste and materials shall be kept therein until removed from the building. In each tenant garage there shall be kept two or more chemical fire extinguishers in readily accessible places and no stove, torch, boiler, furnace or open fire shall be permitted or used in any tenant garage.

No public garage hereafter erected shall be located or maintained within 50 feet of any school, place of assemblage or place of detention. No public garage hereafter erected shall be permitted in any building occupied for dwelling purposes. Any garage exceeding 50 cars' storage capacity, or 10,000 square feet area shall be protected by an automatic sprinkler system adequately supplied, or in lieu thereof upon the express approval of the Plumbing Inspector, by a wet standpipe system with sufficient outlets equipped with 1 1/2 inch hose in adequate lengths to cover the entire area of the garage. There shall be no pit in any floor and no artificial light other than incandescent electric light.

All storage of gasoline shall be in underground tanks, provided, however, that there may be in such garage one or more approved portable wheeled tanks, each of a capacity not exceeding 60 gallons, to be used for transferring such liquids from the storage tank. The number of these wheeled tanks shall be fixed for each garage by the Plumbing Inspector. The reservoirs of motor vehicles shall be filled directly through hose from pumps attached to such portable tanks, or by hose coupled to permanent filling stations connected with the main storage tanks. No transfer of gasoline in any garage shall be made in any container. Hose for use in connection with the filling station or with the portable tank shall be of such design and material as to prevent leakage. The top of each storage tank shall be at least two feet below the surface of the ground and may be permitted underneath the building if buried at least two feet below the lowest floor. Buried tanks shall be set on a firm foundation and shall be surrounded by soft earth or sand, well tamped into place. A tank may have a test well, provided it extends to near the bottom of the tank and its top shall be hermetically sealed and locked except when necessarily opened. When a tank is located underneath a building, its test shall extend above the source of supply. All drawing-off pipes terminating inside of any building shall have valves at the discharge ends. The end of the filling pipe for every underground storage tank shall be carried to an approved location outside of any building, but not within five feet of any entrance door or cellar opening and shall be set in an approved metal box with cover which shall be kept locked except during filling operations. This filling pipe shall be closed by a screw cap. A 30 by 30 mesh or equivalent brass screen strainer shall be placed in the supply end of the filling pipe. Each tank used for the storage of volatile oil shall have a vent pipe at least two inches in diameter which shall run from the tank to the outer air at least five feet above the roof and five feet from the nearest window and shall be well braced in position. It shall be capped with a double gooseneck with a screen of twenty-mesh brass wire gauge placed immediately below the gooseneck. No tank hereafter installed for the storage of volatile oil shall exceed 2,000 gallons (U.S.) capacity. Liquids shall be drawn from tanks by pumps constructed to prevent leakage or waste splashing or by some other system approved by the Plumbing Inspector, with controlling apparatus and piping so arranged as to allow control of the amount of discharge and prevent leakage or discharge inside the building by any derangement of the system. When inside of a building, the pump or other drawing-off device shall be located on the ground floor, preferably near an entrance or other well ventilated place. Smoking shall not be permitted in any public garage and in every such garage signs to that effect shall be prominently displayed in three or more places. Such signs shall have the words "No Smoking" in red letters at least four inches high on white background, also by words "By order of the Chief of the Fire Department" in black letters at least one-inch high. No gasoline or other volatile or inflammable liquid shall be allowed to run upon the floor or to fall or to pass into the drainage system of the premises. Each floor of a garage shall be equipped with self-closing metal cans and all inflammable waste and materials shall be kept therein until removed from the building. On each floor of every such garage, there shall be two or more approved chemical fire extinguishers. Four or more pails of sand shall be kept conveniently located for use in extinguishing fire. Such garages shall be kept clean. No stove, forge, torch, boiler or other furnace, flame or open fire shall be permitted or used in any such garage unless separated from the garage by fireproof material with an entrance leading to the outer air. Calcium carbide shall be kept in airtight boxes or packages in a watertight container, placed at least two feet above the floor level and no greater quantity than 100 pounds of such carbide shall be kept in any one garage except by special permission in writing signed by the Plumbing Inspector. No public garage shall be maintained or used as such until a permit therefor has been granted by the Plumbing Inspector, and the requirements herein contained and hereinbefore specified complied with.