OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENE :RAL OF TEXAS
AUSTIN
flcnorable Harvih Hall, Cormaisslonei"'. ~'
3%?trd of nA8urano4 comlrslonsr8
Allotin. Texar
Gear Sir; ..
Leglalature to-
houses.. :,
uoaps 18 m-
arlsen a8 to
in the cade.
ot the4 tern2 'lot area' in
this caee OF similar one3.
:
"8inoe arrangements are be made to
commence oonatructlon owthla pro ""5 sot about~,
Decsmber~l, the Architects have requested
that 574 84cux-4 thla ruling ,83 300~ a3 poasi-
ble. ”
Xonorable Marvin Hiall, Fag8 2
It is obssrved from pur stat8lssnttpatth8 gr8und
floor of the bull.ding has a lot are8 oi over 14.700 6 ua*
feet and that the seaond floor has an mea of over 7,boo:
square feet. Although you use the term "over" with reswot
to the dQs8nsions giv8n, v8 plrssusmthat such dirsnslons will
not exceed 15,000 and 10,000 squan f$8t respeatlvely.
Article 3959 of th8,Revimd airi1 Statutes as amend8d
by the 47tk L&slstum rsadst
%aaoh btilding VU@ is OF mix b8 eon- .
BtPUCb4d Vithitt this atate, Of thl'8e Of IDOF
stories In height, oc In~oase~of a school-
house two or mora storl8s In height, vhlch
is ovn+I w th$t Stete,,or by amPcIty, coun-,
tr, or s&ho01 diatrlot, and in uhloh building
.,
pub110 assembltes are ~permltted or Intended
to be permitted, or in which soh6ols of any
k%nd are conduoted, or in whioh,sleeping
apartments are psrmlttsd:or intended to be
permItted on any floor above ths first; ,&all
bo.provIded anb aqulpped vlth at leaat 0x18
adequate flr8:escape if the lot area of euoh
building shall not exoeed five thousand (5,-
003). square feet, and an8 a&lithnal adequate
fire esaape'for each five thourrand~~(5,OOO)
rquara feet, or rbotf0n thereof if~such
fraction exceeda tvo'thouaand(2,000) squam
feet ill exceaa of the first five~thoussnd
(-5,OOO)~square faet'of lot area."
! ';,~
-:)
ft will be observed that the Lsglslature did not de-
iat8 tha' tern "lot aria of the bulldlng." Certafxily; with ret
epect 'to the first or’growd floor it mean6 the nuab&,of squar8
feet covered by the bulldl.n& crsleulated bs its outsid ,denrin-
sions. If the-second floop-imocmqmased th& ease number of
feet, no statutory @onstruorlon would be, neaesskrf,,but in
lnstant.eaao the second floor 1s'conside~abl.s anrallar than
ground floor.
The purpose at the Firs Escape Law, as sxpr6sBed
the caption of,the Bill, was to afford adequate proteotion~
human life for those assembled In certain public bulldIngs.
The Legislature then determined that adequate protection could
be afforded by o&e fire escape ,for eeoh five thousand (5,003)
feet of lot area. Obviously, the iatentlon of the Legislature
.,.88
iOnOrabl8 Xbxvln Rail, P&p 3 I
uas to protect %h@ae ocdupfi.ug %a seoond'alad oth8r floors above
the first as no fire eicape $9 required tor~aas story bti~ldlngs.
We belisve that fh8 prcteation t@tlclpr~ed tiu Lagislatur(l~
can be afforded those ocaup~ing the second 2 oh of tbebuild-
m by calculating the numb8r o? firs ehcaper pequlred upon tb
basis of the square feet 8ncompassed.b~ the Osgood Sloor. We
believe ths bulldlng under~consideration to require tvo adequate
fire escapes.
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ATmill= /
'=ovm DAC 18, ~941
.n.
Lloyd AFmBtmng
hsI3istallt
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