Appeal 23819

1029.2

A building, room, or space used for assembly purposes that has an occupant load of greater than 300 and is provided with a main exit, that main exit shall be of sufficient capacity to accommodate not less than one-half of the occupant load, but such capacity shall not be less than the total required capacity of all means of egress leading to the exit. Where the building is classified as a Group A occupancy, the main exit shall front on not less than one street or an unoccupied space of not less than 10 feet in width that adjoins a street or public way. In a building, room, or space used for assembly purposes where there is not a we-defined main exit or where multiple main exits are provided, exits shall be permitted to be distributed around the perimeter of the building provided that the total capacity of egress is not less than 100 percent of the required capacity.

To allow an exit access stairway and an enclosed stairway to provide the 50% main entrance egress capacity for the main ballroom to the ground floor and the exit.

The proposed design for the Ballroom meets the requirements of OSSC 1029.1 for a A occupancy with a distinct main entrance on the 2nd floor of the building, except the required egress capacity will be provided by 2 stairs from the 2nd floor to the ground floor. Total occupant load of the ballroom and prefunction room is 1,385 occupants. Equivalent protection is provided by protection measures as follows:
• Stair 1 and Stair 5 have a total capacity of 720 occupants, more than 50% of the total occupants of the assembly spaces. Floor is provided with 5 stairs, other stairs provide egress capacity of 769 occupants, exceeds 50% total egress capacity of assembly space.
• Stair 1 and Stair 5 egress into lobby on ground floor with direct and discernable path of travel to exit discharge.
• The exit discharge is provided by one exit door from the lobby with a total egress capacity of 480 occupants and 2 additional exit discharge doors with a total capacity of 480 occupants.

The ballroom and prefunction room on the 2nd floor has a total occupant load of 1,385. To meet the requirements of OSSC 1029.2 for egress by a main exit corresponding with the main entrance, 2 stairs located adjacent to each other will be provided that has a total egress capacity of 720 occupants, more than 50% of the ballroom and prefunction room total occupant load. 6 stairs on the remainder of the floor has capacity also in excess of 50% in compliance with OSSC 1029.3.

The intent of OSSC 1029.2 is for occupants who have arrived at a non-familiar assembly space to be able to egress by the same doors to the exit. The open stairs and adjacent stair are both directly facing the open prefunction room, which is the main entrance to the ballroom. Since both stairs are directly signed to be exits from the prefunction room and provide more than 50% of the total occupant load, with the remaining stair exits on the floor providing more than 50% of the total occupant load of those areas, compliance with OSSC 1029.2 and 1029.3 is provided. Once the egressing occupants reach the ground floor, the exit discharge door is immediately seen from the bottom of the stairs with a clear path of travel.

The main access from the building lobby to the 2nd floor ballroom will be provided by the 2 story open stair, Stair 5. The stair opens to the prefunction area, which serves as the waiting area and main entrance into the ballroom. Stair 1 is adjacent to Stair 5, is fully enclosed, and combines with Stair 5, to exceed the 50% of assembly occupant load for egress.

Both stairs egress into the main hotel lobby on the ground floor and have a direct and discernable path of travel to the main entrance/exit discharge door.

The open stairs and adjacent stair are both directly facing the open prefunction room, which is the main entrance to the ballroom. Since both stairs are directly signed to be exits from the prefunction room and provide more than 50% of the total occupant load, the intent of OSSC 1029.2 is met, and we therefore request approval of this proposed design.

1029.2

A building, room, or space used for assembly purposes that has an occupant load of greater than 300 and is provided with a main exit, that main exit shall be of sufficient capacity to accommodate not less than one-half of the occupant load, but such capacity shall not be less than the total required capacity of all means of egress leading to the exit. Where the building is classified as a Group A occupancy, the main exit shall front on not less than one street or an unoccupied space of not less than 10 feet in width that adjoins a street or public way. In a building, room, or space used for assembly purposes where there is not a we-defined main exit or where multiple main exits are provided, exits shall be permitted to be distributed around the perimeter of the building provided that the total capacity of egress is not less than 100 percent of the required capacity.

To allow an exit access stairway provide the 50% main entrance egress capacity for the junior ballroom to the ground floor and the exit.

The proposed design for the Jr. Ballroom meets the requirements of OSSC 1029.1 for a A occupancy with a distinct main entrance on the 2nd floor of the building provided by exit access stairs from the 2nd floor to the ground floor. Total occupant load of the ballroom and prefunction room is 353 occupants. Equivalent protection is provided by protection measures as follows:
• Stair 6 has a total capacity of 480 occupants, more than 50% of the total occupants of the assembly spaces. Floor is provided with 5 stairs, other stairs provide egress capacity of 769 occupants, exceeds 50% total egress capacity of assembly space.
• Stair 6 egress into vestibule on ground floor with direct and discernable path of travel to exit discharge.
• The exist access stairway is separated from all other parts of the building below the 2nd floor with 1 hour rated walls, compliant for the rating requirement for a 2 story stair.
• The exit discharge is provided by one pair of exit doors from the lobby with a total egress capacity of 480 occupants.

The ballroom and prefunction room on the 2nd floor has a total occupant load of 353. To meet the requirements of OSSC 1029.2 for egress by a main exit corresponding with the main entrance, an exit access stairway located adjacent to the prefunction area will be provided that has a total egress capacity of 480 occupants, more than 50% of the ballroom and prefunction room total occupant load. 6 stairs on the remainder of the floor has capacity also in excess of 50% in compliance with OSSC 1029.3.

The intent of OSSC 1029.2 is for occupants who have arrived at a non-familiar assembly space to be able to egress by the same doors to the exit. The open stairs are directly facing the open prefunction room, which is the main entrance to the ballroom. Since the stairs are directly signed to be exits from the prefunction room and provide more than 50% of the total occupant load, with the remaining stair exits on the floor providing more than 50% of the total occupant load of the area, compliance with OSSC 1029.2 and 1029.3 is provided. The stairs are separated from all other areas below the second story by 1 hour rated construction. Once the egressing occupants reach the ground floor, the exit discharge door is immediately seen from the bottom of the stairs with a clear path of travel.

The main access from the building lobby to the 2nd floor ballroom will be provided by the 2 story open stair, Stair 5. The stair opens to a corridor which has signs leading one to the Jr. Ballroom prefunction area and main entrance into the ballroom. Stair 6 for egress is immediately adjacent to the prefunction area. The stair provides more than 50% of assembly occupant load for egress. The stair egresses into a vestibule on the ground floor and will have a direct and discernable path of travel to the main entrance/exit discharge door.

The open stairs are directly facing the open prefunction room, which is the main entrance to the ballroom. Since the stairs are directly signed to be exits from the prefunction room and provide more than 50% of the total occupant load, the intent of OSSC 1029.2 is met, and we therefore request approval of this proposed design.