Appeal 34827

2902.1

Table 2902.1 of the OPSC specifies the minimum number of plumbing fixtures required based on occupant load and building use. For a warehouse with an occupant load of 100, the code requires one water closet per 100 occupants per gender (i.e., one water closet per gender) and one lavatory per 100 occupants per gender (i.e., one lavatory per gender). Section 403.2 requires toilet facilities to be provided within the building or within a specified travel distance (typically 500 feet) on the same lot, unless an exception applies.

This appeal requests approval to use Exception #3 to designate existing toilet facilities in an adjacent building on the adjacent parcel as the primary bathrooms for the modular distribution center (MDC), and to allow an event style restroom trailer, located closer to the MDC, as a bathroom option for employee convenience.

An event-style restroom trailer, located 414 feet from the MDC’s furthest point, will serve as a bathroom option for employee convenience. The trailer will include a minimum of one water closet and one lavatory per gender, providing supplemental capacity, and one accessible water closet. The site plan (Sheet C1.0) will be updated to show the location of the MDC, office building, and restroom trailer on the same lot; the travel distance from the MDC entrance to the office building restrooms; and plumbing fixture calculations confirming compliance for the combined occupant load.

UPS would face a hardship if required to install plumbing infrastructure and a permanent building for a temporary project, as the parcel will revert to trailer staging in 18–24 months. Using the existing facilities in the adjacent office building, located 594 feet from the MDC’s furthest point on an adjacent lot, provides equivalent health, accessibility, and life safety by ensuring adequate fixture counts (three water closets and three lavatories per gender) and a travel distance just above the 500-foot limit specified in Exception #1. The event-style restroom trailer, located 414 feet from the MDC’s furthest point, enhances accessibility and convenience for employees by offering a closer option while maintaining compliance with health, sanitation, and accessibility standards. The trailer’s fixtures are regularly maintained and serviced to ensure hygiene and functionality equivalent to permanent facilities. This dual approach exceeds code requirements for fixture counts, provides superior accessibility, and supports employee well-being without compromising safety or code intent.