Appeal 27988

1004.3 Multiple Function Occupant Load

Where an area under consideration contains multiple functions having different occupant load factors, the design occupant load for such area shall be based on the floor area of each function calculated independently.

Some of the spaces in the school will share the occupant load of another space in the building rather than have their own occupant load.

The Emerson School would like to lease a 9,916 GSF, ground level space in a 6+ story office building – converting three office suites with a ‘B’ occupancy into a 6-classroom elementary school with an ‘E’ occupancy.
We propose to reduce the Occupant Load of the school to the actual number of school occupants based on the simultaneous use of the support spaces – thereby excluding the ‘Breakout Area’ and ‘Breakout Classroom’ from the occupant load calculation for the school. This will reduce the school’s design occupant load from 277 to 208.
This reduction is proposed for the sole purpose of determining the Occupant Load Increase of the building since 2004 per City of Portland, Title 24.85-B. With the addition of these 208 occupants, the total change in occupant load for the building since 2004 will be 140 occupants, which is under the 150-occupant seismic trigger.
See the attached drawing with the proposed school layout (demolition is shown dashed). The Occupancy Table for the school’s Design Occupant Load and the Occupancy Table for the Simultaneous Use Occupant Load are included in the drawing. The overall building’s Existing Occupancy Table and 2004 Occupancy Table are also included for reference.
The proposed school occupant load could increase from 208 to 217 without triggering seismic improvements.

The proposed design provides equivalent life safety because the actual occupant load of the school, once accounting for simultaneous uses, is less than the proposed occupant load for the school. The occupants of the 6 Classrooms and the Administration areas, are the exclusive occupants of the remaining portions of the school except as described in the attached letter from the Emerson School. The letter describes the school’s enrollment and the impact that events (and outside visitors) have on the occupancy of the school – at full enrollment, with the maximum visitors possible, the school will have less occupants than the proposed Occupant Load of 208 people (the proposed occupant load could increase from 208 to 217 without triggering seismic improvements). The state charter limits the school’s enrollment to 175 students. The Open Houses are the only outside events with a max attendance of 125 (students are not invited).