OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENE **AUSTIN** :RAL OF **TEXAS**

flcnorableHarvih Hall, Cormaisslonei"'. ~' 3%?trdof nA8urano4 comlrslonsr8 **Allotin.** Texar Gear Sir; ..

Leglalature tohouses.. :,

uoaps 18 marlsen a8 to in the cade.

ot the4tern2 'lot area' in this caee OF similar one3. : "8inoe arrangements are be""5 made to commence oonatructlon owthla pro sot about~, Decsmber~l, the Architects have requested that 57484cux-4thla ruling ,83300~ a3 poasible.”Xonorable Marvin Hiall,Fag8 2



### It is obssrved frompur stat8lssnttpatth8 gr8und floor of the bull.dinghas a lot are8 oi over 

### 14.700 6ua* feetand thatthe seaond 

### floorhasanmea 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.

%aaoh btilding VU@ is OF mix b8 eon- . BtPUCb4d Vithitt this atate,Of thl'8eOf IDOF stories In height, oc In~oase~of a schoolhouse 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 ~permlttedor Intended ., to be permitted, **or** inwhich 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

### vlthat 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 illexceaa of the first five~thoussnd 

### (-5,OOO)~squarefaet'of lot area." ! '; ,~ -: ) Article 3959 of th8,Revimd 

### airi1 Statutes as amend8d 

### by the47tk L&slstum 

### rsadst

ft will be observed that the Lsglslature 

### did not de**iat8** tha'tern "lot aria of the bulldlng." Certafxily;with ret epect 'tothe first or’growd floor it mean6 

### the nuab&,of squar8 feet covered by the bulldl.n& crsleulatedbs its outsid ,denrinsions. If the-second floop-imocmqmased 

### th&easenumberof feet, no statutory @onstruorlon would 

### be,neaesskrf,,but in lnstant.eaao the second floor 1s'conside~abl.sanrallarthan ground floor.

The purpose at the Firs Escape Law, as sxpr6sBed the caption 

### of,the Bill, 

### was to afford 

### adequateproteotion~ 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 LegislatureiOnOrabl8 Xbxvln Rail, P&p 

### 3 

# .,.

88 I

uas to protect %h@ae ocdupfi.ug%a seoond'aladoth8r floors above the first 

### as no fire eicape $9 required tor~aas story bti~ldlngs. We belisve that fh8 prcteation 

### t@tlclpr~ed 2 tiu Lagislatur(l~ can be afforded those ocaup~ing the second oh of tbebuildm 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.

/7 '=ovm DAC 18,~941 ATmill= .n.
Lloyd AFmBtmng

hsI3istallt 

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