Appeal 33750

1006.3.2

The path of egress travel to an exit shall not pass through more than one adjacent story.

Applicant requests existing exit access stair from the 3rd floor, with proposed improvements, to pass through two adjacent stories and serve as a required 2nd exit from the upper floors.

The stair design was originally approved under permit 15-186206-CO per 2014 OSSC 1009.3, Exception 4. Despite not technically meeting the exception because of the B occupancy, it was reaffirmed under subsequent permit 16-140602-CO.

The existing exit access stair traveling from the third floor has non-rated glass lites on the 2nd and 3rd floors and is open to the ground floor exit lobby. Note that the stair only connects 3 stories, because the basement stair is in a separate enclosure, so the prescriptive enclosure is only 1 hour.

The proposed design changes the occupancy from B to R-2. The 2nd and 3rd floors house non-transient residents in a sober living environment.

There are beams around the 1st floor opening that create a 9” and 16” deep draft curtain. Applicant proposes to extend this to 18”, per the attached drawing.

There is currently one existing sprinkler on each floor within the stair. Applicant proposes to add new sprinklers above both sides of the glass, spaced at 6’. There is an existing horizontal mullion in the lites that create a 20” tall transom. Applicant feels that it is short enough to not prohibit coverage of panel below. See attached photos.

Existing doors into the stair are equipped with closers and smoke gasketing.

Per 1017.3.1, the maximum exit access travel distance on the 3rd floor is 250’.

Building a fully enclosed stair will be difficult at the ground floor lobby due to the existing configuration. Because of its residential nature, the Owner also hopes to keep as much natural light with the stairway.