City OKs new building rules to protect against next Sandy

From left: Faucets, natural gas generator and flood barriers are addressed in the city's new building requirements
From left: Faucets, natural gas generator and flood barriers are addressed in the city's new building requirements

City Council approved a handful of new building requirements that aim to prevent some of the problems that arose during Hurricane Sandy.

Under the new rules, residential buildings must have faucets in common areas so that residents on all floors have some access to water during blackouts. Existing hospitals and nursing homes in flood zones must install hookups enabling quick generator and boiler connections. And the passed a new law that eases the process of installing backup generators and ones that run on natural gas — thought to be a cleaner, more reliable power source than diesel fuel. Also, temporary flood barriers on sidewalks are now allowed.

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While the hookup rule is effective immediately, it was not clear when the other regulations will go into effect.

Implementing the new requirements could be costly, forcing a 20-story co-op to spend $16,000 for the required once common faucet per 100 residents. But even so, property owners have reportedly been supportive after the struggles they faced during last year’s storm. [NYT]Julie Strickland