Appeal 11111

OSSC 2010 Section 1104.4

At Least one accessible route shall connect each accessible level, including mezzanines, in multilevel buildings and facilities.
Exceptions:

1. An accessible route is not required to stories and mezzanines that have an aggregate area of not more than 3,000 square feet and are located above and below accessible levels.

The phase I building is a 25,882 square foot educational facility with a 2,013 square foot storage mezzanine and a 2,991 square foot accessory administrative story. The two areas are not connected above the first floor. Please see attached Exhibit A.

The storage mezzanine is supplemental to the auditorium and performing arts department; it also will house some mechanical equipment including the water heater for the toilet rooms below.

The second story of the administrative area is equipped with two egress routes and houses a conference room, IT equipment room and an Alumni Center which stores display and presentation equipment, archival records and newsletter supplies. An accessible conference room is available on the main level of the facility.

The proposed design has an aggregate area for the mezzanine and administrative story of over 3,000 square feet. Neither area has an accessible route (elevator) at this phase. We are seeking temporary relief from the aggregate area square footage requirement of the OSSC 2010.

Each story/mezzanine above grade level performs a separate function and is less than 3,000 square feet separately. Each would be code compliant under the OSSC 2010, if considered individually.

In Phase II, the second level administration area will be connected to the two story classroom wing that will be equipped with an elevator (please see the attached Exhibit B). At that time, this second floor administration area will be on the accessible route and will be in compliance with the current code as well as the 2014 OSSC, which we anticipate the future phase will be constructed under. The location of the elevator in the Phase II portion of the building will provide a centralized accessible route that will provide the most direct accessible connection between the classroom levels. We feel that this is the best location in the long run.

The approved master plan (LU-11-139546-CUMS-AD) lays out the phases with the following timeline. Phase I will be completed by fall of 2015. Phase II design and construction will take place between 2016 and 2018. Phase III is slotted for design and construction from 2019-2022. Please see the attached Exhibit C.

It should also be noted that OSSC 2014 exception 8 does make allowances for Mixed occupancy buildings with B occupancy mezzanines or levels less than 3,000 square feet. Although an education facility is not included in this exception, we feel that the intent of this code exception is relevant when considering the actual use of this second level. There will be no students on the administrative upper level until the completion of Phase II.

The OSSC 2014 code does make allowances for the storage mezzanine under 1104.4, exception 9. In a building of fewer than two stories an elevator need not be provided to a mezzanine that is less than 3,000 square feet. The proposed storage mezzanine would be in compliance with the OSSC 2014 code as proposed.

OSSC 2010 section 2902

The number of plumbing fixtures within a building shall not be less than set forth for each type of building occupancy in Table 29-A.

The current submitted design for the plumbing fixtures is 4 WC short of the required number of WCs under a strict interpretation of the OSSC 2010 code. This design provides 10 WCs and 6 lavatories for Men; 10 WCs and 6 lavatories for Women; 1 unisex WC, and two unisex lavatories (a total of 21 water closets and 14 lavatories). Based on anticipated fixture load, a reduction in fixtures from this design is being requested.

The OSSC 2010 chapter 29 diverges from the IBC in not calculating plumbing fixtures based on ratios. This method for fixture calculation becomes particularly onerous in a mixed use building. Where the IBC allows the fractional numbers resulting from applying the fixture rations of Table 2902.1 to a mixed use facility to be summed up first before rounding up to the next whole number; the OSSC method does not address calculating fixtures for a mixed use facility at all. This results in a notable ‘gray area’ in the code. By summing the fixture counts as whole numbers for each occupancy type, the total fixture count calculation includes additional fixtures that are in excess of what would otherwise be required. The additional number of fixtures adds direct cost as well as added square footage and load to the water service sizing.

The plumbing calculations for the proposed building were originally calculated with the ratio methodology as outlined in the IBC code commentary. Following is a breakdown of how we calculated the ratios using the fixed seating in the auditorium as the example.

There are 496 seats (490 fixed/ 6 Wheel chair spaces) in the auditorium. OCC load is 247 Males and 248 Females

Table 29-A states that 4 WC are required for 151-300 males.
To figure out the ratio we took the number of male occupants (247) divided it by the maximum number of male occupants in the range (300).
247/300= .823 then multiplied the ratio by the number of WCs required for that range in this case 4.
.823*4= 3.29 WC for males in the fixed seated auditorium.
We have 82.3% of the males in the range so we are putting in 82.3% of the required WCs or 82.3% of 4, which is 3.29 WCs.

For the Females 8 WC are required for 201-400 females.
248 female occupants divided by 400 for the maximum number of occupants in that range equals .62
246/400=.62 multiplied the number of WCs for females in this range, 8.
.62* 8= 4.96 WC for the females in the fixed seat auditorium.
We have 62% of the females in the range so we are putting in 62% of the WCs or 62% of 8, which is 4.96 WCs

The lavatories were calculated the same way. Please see attached Exhibit D for calculation of all the spaces. This methodology requires 7 WCs /5 lavatories for Men and 9 WCs/5 lavatories for Women (a total of 16 WCs and 10 lavatories).

Calculating the plumbing fixtures under the methodology based on strict interpretation of the 2010 OSSC Table 29-A results in 10 WC’s/7 lavatories for Men and 15 WC’s/7 lavatories for Women (a total of 25 water closets and 14 lavatories). Taking the unisex water closet and lavatories into consideration, we are 4 water closets short for the women under this calculation methodology. Please see attached Exhibit E for calculation per the OSSC 2010 without ratios.

The OSSC 2014 code includes section 2902.1.1 ‘Fixture calculations’ that prescribes the ratio methodologies for calculating mixed occupancy buildings. Based on calculations under that code, this facility would require 6 WC’s/5 lavatories for Men and 8 WC’s/5 lavatories for Women (a total of 14 water closets and 10 lavatories). It should be noted that this is actually less than the number we calculated applying the ratio method to the numbers in the OSSC 2010 code. Under the 2014 OSSC, the current submitted design would have 7 more WC than the minimum requirement. Please see the attached Exhibit F for the calculations based on the OSSC 2014 code.

We believe that applying the ratio calculation methodology provides a fixture calculation that is more in line with the number of fixtures needed for the mix of occupants that will be using the facility. We are requesting the minimum number of fixtures be based on the ratio calculation of the OSSC 2010 in Exhibit D.