Appeal 23872

2019 OFC Table 3804.1.1

Original Appeal Text:
STORY ABOVE GRADE PLANE. Any story having its finished floor surface entirely above grade plane, or in which the finished surface of the floor next above is:

1. More than 6 feet (1829 mm) above grade plane; or
2. More than 12 feet (3658 mm) above the finished ground level at any point.

Reconsideration Text:
The number of laboratory suites and percentage of maximum allowable quantities of hazardous materials in laboratory shall be in accordance with Table 3804.1.1.

Original Appeal Text:
The proposed modification is to classify the building as a 10-story building with 2 levels of basement based on the calculated grade plane and the location of the lowest level of fire department access.

Reconsideration Text:
The appeal is to modify the classification of the “first story above grade plane” to the third level of the building in regards to calculating the percentage of MAQ per lab suite per 2019 OFC Table 3804.1.1; based on the calculated grade plane, location of lowest level of exit discharge, and the location of the lowest level of fire department access.

Original Appeal Text:
The existing Lamfrom Biomedical Research Building (LBRB) is located on a steep site and will follow the definition of the story above grade, except that first floor of the building will be more than 12 ft above the finished ground level at the lowest point of the building.
The determination of the first floor of the building will be based on the following:
• Calculation of the average grade plane
• Location of lowest level of fire department access
• Location of lowest level of exit discharge to the exterior
Based on these three conditions, the building will be classified as a 10-story building with two levels of basement. The building will not follow the provisions of 2019 OSSC Section 405 for underground buildings, as these are existing non-compliant conditions to remain.

Reconsideration Text:
The existing Lamfrom Biomedical Research Building (LBRB) is located on a steep site and includes eleven floor levels (currently labeled starting from the lowest level LBRB B4-B1; LBRB 1-7). Per the 2019 OSSC Chapter 2 definition of a story above grade, the building is classified as a 11-story building with no basement.

The proposed design will follow all the requirements of 2019 OFC Table 3804.1.1 for the design of laboratory suites and the percentage of maximum allowable quantities of hazardous materials in laboratory suites, except that the third level (LBRB B2) will be considered the first story above grade plane while determining the limits of MAQ per lab suite and the number of lab suites per floor.

The proposed alternate approach is based on the following protection/considerations:
• Per the calculation of the average grade plane, the first story above grade plane occurs at LBRB B2. Refer to the attachment for the calculation.
• The location of lowest level of fire department access occurs at LBRB B2. Refer to the attachment for the location – shown adjacent to the loading dock.
• The location of lowest level of exit discharge to the exterior occurs at LBRB B1. Refer to the attachment for the location – shown at the east and west side of the level.
• The building is an educational research lab building and does not include any Group I-2 or Group H occupancies.
• The building doesn’t have any lithium battery storage on the upper floors.
• The two levels below LBRB B2 (LBRB B3 and B4) have limited chemical use and primarily house the building mechanical and electrical equipment. Refer to the floor plans.
• The building is of Type I-A construction and follow the requirements of high-rise building.
• Refer to the attachment showing the changes in the chemical storage between the prescriptive requirements and the proposed alternate. Note that there is no change in the MAQ starting from LRBR 5 and up.

Original Appeal Text:
The existing LBRB is currently undergoing tenant improvements, which also includes chemical evaluation of the whole building. This is intended to provide limits on the use and storage of hazardous materials quantities per the allowance of laboratory suite for each floor level.
The code requires designation of a story above grade to be based on either the calculated grade plane (item #1 in the definition) or the lowest finished ground level at any point (item #2 in the definition). As the LBRB building is located on a steep site, with change in grade level of approximately 105 ft, the lowest level would prescriptively be classified as the first story above grade following the requirements of item #2, where the lowest floor level of the building is more than 20 ft above the adjacent finished ground level.
The intent of designating the stories above grade plane is to establish the number of stories occupants must traverse in order to egress the building and the number of stories emergency responders must consider and traverse in order to control a situation and assist occupants in egress. By designating the stories above grade plane from the lowest level of firefighter access, the intent is met. Stories below this level are proposed to be designated as basement levels and follow the code regulations for stories below grade plane.
We, therefore, propose a modification to the story designation for the building based on the combination of the calculated average grade plane and the location of the lowest level of fire department access.
The calculated average grade plane, which is shown as 529.77 ft in the attached drawing, occurs 8.81 ft above the proposed first floor and approximately 11.19 ft below the proposed second floor.
The proposed first floor is the lowest level where the fire department vehicle can be parked, and fire apparatus be staged (next to the loading dock). Fire department access is also programmed for the level above this based on the attached fire plan documents. The levels below this are primarily used for mechanical support.
Additionally, as the building is located on a sloping site, there are multiple levels with direct access and exit discharge to the exterior, occurring at the proposed second and third floors, all above the proposed level of grade plane for determining stories above grade plane. This meets the intent of classifying the stories above and below grade, which is to limit the travel time to an exit discharge and to allow firefighter access to the building.
The building was permitted under the 2000 OSSC and classified as an 11-story building per the Appeal #345 (heard on 11/26/2003). The building will not follow the provisions of 2019 OSSC Section 405 for underground buildings, as this is an existing non-compliant condition that was allowed to remain when the building was originally permitted. There are no new additions to any building levels that are below the lowest level of exit discharge.
Based on the calculated grade plane, location of the lowest level of fire department access, and levels of exit discharge, we proposed to classify the building as a 10-story building with 2 levels of basement.

Reconsideration Text:

We understand that the city raised concerns with the language of the initial appeal, where the request was to modify the story definition for the building. They felt that the appeal did not fully address why this was required and therefore were hesitant on granting this without fully understanding the potential implications this could have for the building. Per the follow up discussion with the Building Official and Fire Marshall, it was suggested to appeal instead for the MAQ allowance per 2019 OFC Table 3804.1.1.

The appeal reconsideration is requested as part of the effort of the design team to review the existing conditions, evaluate chemical use and make sure this is in compliance with the current codes. This effort includes providing limits on the use and storage of hazardous materials quantities per the allowance of laboratory suite for each floor level following the 2019 OFC Section 3804.

Table 3804.1.1 details the chemical storage per floor and provides limitations on the higher floors. This is based on the floor above or grade plane. As the LBRB building is located on a steep site, the building prescriptively is classifying based on the lowest floor in relation to the surrounding grade – thereby classify LBRB B4 as the first story above grade. However, the calculate grade plane occurs at LBRB B2 level. This level will be used as the 1st floor level above grade plane while applying the requirements of Table 3804.1.1 for chemical analysis.

LBRB B2 is also the lowest level of fire department access, where the fire department vehicle can be parked, and fire apparatus be staged (next to the loading dock). The intent of designating the stories above grade plane is to establish the number of stories occupants must traverse in order to egress the building and the number of stories emergency responders must consider and traverse in order to control a situation and assist occupants in egress. By designating the stories above grade plane from the lowest level of firefighter access, the intent is met.

The levels below B2 are primarily to provide support for the building and includes mechanical and electrical equipment. These levels will not have any lab function and will have limited chemical use/storage.

There are multiple levels with direct access and exit discharge to the exterior, occurring at the proposed second and third floors, all above the proposed level of grade plane for determining stories above grade plane. This limits the travel time for occupants to an exit discharge and allows firefighter access to the building.

Additionally, the 11-story Type I-A building will follow the requirements of high-rise. This doesn’t include any Group I-2 or Group H occupancies, and will not have any lithium battery storage on the upper floors. As the 2019 OSSC allows such 11-story buildings to be constructed as Type I-B with 2-hour rated structure, the proposed building with 3-hour rated structure provides additional protection.

Based on the calculated grade plane, location of the lowest level of fire department access, and levels of exit discharge, we proposed to modify the classification of the “first story above grade plane” to the third level of the building while calculating the percentage of MAQ per lab suite per 2019 OFC Table 3804.1.1.