Mineola, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 300 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 300-14
Nonhabitable space
Operative Text
A. Height. In multiple dwellings, nonhabitable space, except crawl spaces and attics, shall have a minimum height of seven feet, measured from floor to ceiling. B. Toilet rooms and bathrooms. (1) Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall be designed and arranged to provide privacy. (2) Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall not be used as a passageway to a hall, or other spaces, or to the exterior. (3) A toilet room or bathroom in a dwelling unit shall be accessible from any sleeping room without passing through another sleeping room. (4) Toilet rooms and bathrooms serving hotel units, lodging units, or dormitory units, unless located within such respective units, or directly connected thereto, shall be provided on the same story with such units and be accessible only from a common hall or passageway. (5) Toilet rooms for employees in multiple dwellings shall be separate for each sex where there are five or more employees, shall be readily accessible to such employees, and shall not open directly into any public kitchen or other public space used for the cooking or preparation of food. (6) The entrance to every toilet room with facilities to serve more than one person at a time, and opening into a public space or passageway, shall be provided with a vestibule or fixed partition to screen the interior from view. The door of every such toilet room, with multiple facilities, shall have an effective self-closing device. Doors of toilet rooms, with facilities to serve one person at a time, shall be provided with an interior door lock. (7) In one- and two-family dwellings, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be provided with floors of moisture-resistant material. (8) In multiple dwellings, floors of bathrooms, toilet rooms, and similar spaces shall be waterproof; such waterproofing shall extend six inches or more above floors, except at doors. Walls shall be constructed or covered with moisture-resistant material. C. Light and ventilation. (1) Kitchenettes, bathrooms, and toilet rooms shall be provided with electric light of sufficient intensity and so distributed as to permit the maintenance of sanitary conditions and the safe use of the space and the appliances, equipment, and fixtures. (2) In one- and two-family dwellings, kitchenettes, bathrooms, and toilet rooms shall be provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following: (a) Natural ventilation by openings which comply with the requirements of § 300-12C(3) , except that minimum openings shall be three square feet for kitchenettes and 1 1/2 square feet for bathrooms and toilet rooms; or (b) Mechanical ventilation exhausting not less than 150 cfm for kitchenettes and not less than 25 cfm for bathrooms and toilet rooms. (3) In multiple dwellings, kitchenettes, bathrooms, and toilet rooms shall be provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following: (a) Natural ventilation by openings which comply with the requirements of § 300-12C(3) , except that minimum openings shall be three square feet for kitchenettes and bathrooms and toilet rooms designed for private use and one square foot per water closet or urinal or three square feet, whichever is greater, for bathrooms and toilet rooms designed for public use; or (b) Mechanical ventilation exhausting not less than 150 cfm for kitchenettes, 25 cfm for bathrooms and toilet rooms designed for private use, and 40 cfm, per water closet or urinal, for bathrooms and toilet rooms designed for public use. (4) Stairs shall be provided with electric light to allow safe ascent and descent. (5) Laundry rooms, furnace rooms, and similar nonhabitable spaces shall be provided with electric light appropriate for the intended use of such rooms. (6) Spaces in multiple dwellings which contain central heat-producing equipment, incinerator or air-conditioning equipment shall be ventilated directly to the outer air. (7) Shower rooms, locker rooms, dressing rooms, and laundry rooms shall be provided with either natural ventilation conforming to the requirements for habitable space or with mechanical ventilation conforming to the requirements of Table II. (8) Garages within or accessory to multiple dwellings shall be provided with electric light appropriate for the intended use of such spaces. (9) Garage areas above grade, in excess of 1,000 square feet, and all garage areas below grade shall be provided with mechanical ventilation, in conformity with Table II.
Mineola, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 300 § 300-14 establishes minimum standards for nonhabitable spaces in dwellings, covering ceiling heights, bathroom and toilet room design, and lighting and ventilation requirements. The rule sets specific thresholds—such as a seven-foot minimum ceiling height for nonhabitable spaces (excluding crawl spaces and attics), privacy requirements for bathrooms, moisture-resistant flooring, and defined airflow rates for mechanical ventilation systems. These standards apply differently depending on whether the building is a one- or two-family dwelling or a multiple dwelling, and they address everything from employee restroom separation to garage ventilation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings and one- or two-family rental properties subject to § 300-14 generally ensure that nonhabitable spaces meet the seven-foot ceiling minimum, that bathrooms and toilet rooms are arranged for privacy and are not used as passageways, and that flooring in wet areas is waterproof with appropriate wall coverage. Compliant operators also verify that lighting and ventilation systems—whether natural or mechanical—meet the specific square-footage and CFM thresholds outlined in § 300-14C for each type of space, including kitchenettes, garages, and laundry rooms. Where five or more employees are present in a multiple dwelling, maintaining sex-separated, accessible employee toilet rooms that do not open into food-preparation areas is part of standard compliance practice.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in dwellings covered by § 300-14 have an interest in knowing that the code requires bathrooms and toilet rooms to be private, accessible from sleeping areas without passing through another sleeping room, and equipped with adequate lighting and ventilation. If a bathroom lacks moisture-resistant flooring, a toilet room opens improperly into a common space, or ventilation appears insufficient under the standards set in § 300-14, these conditions may constitute code violations that can be reported to the local municipal code enforcement authority. Tenants may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization to understand how documented code violations can be raised in housing proceedings.
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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation