Appeal 8520

Section 1015.2.1

Two exits are required for occupant load over 50. The existing building has 70 occupants and the new addition has 49 occupants. The separation between exits shall be not less than 1/2 the diagonal of the space served.

The new construction will be a separate structure from the existing building. The buildings will be separated with a two hour CMU wall with 90 minute doors on magnetic hold-open. Most exterior walls are built to the property lines. Three exits are proposed; however the separation requirement (by 1/2 the length of the spaces served) is difficult to achieve because of the small building sizes and narrow configuration of the lot. The main exit from the existing building would remain direct to the street. We propose a second path to exit through a 90 minute protected opening to the entry area for the new addition, and then right directly to an exterior door in the south wall. A third (not required) exit would serve the brew-house work floor and garage level, reducing the occupant load to the south door

The existing building location, the lot size and accessibility ramp requirement place constraints on access and egress with these buildings. Our proposal provides a horizontal exit through and intervening space that is protected by a two hour wall. It is highly unlikely that two fires would simultaneously occur in both buildings; therefore the intervening space in the new construction would act as an area of refuge for the existing building. The two exits from the existing building would then comply with the diagonal distance requirement. Two direct exits will also be provided for two levels in new construction, although only one is required for this building.