New issues with church storage loft

[BridgeSmith]

Well, I got our the first response from our city building safety office on my proposed storage loft. (Ref: Floor live load for church storage loft Some items appear to be easily handled; others I could use some advice/guidance on to address them. I'll include the whole list of the "Response Required" for completeness:

1. No code study provided
2. Codes used (Not Given)
3. Occupancy use (Not Given) A-3 assumed
4. Construction type (Not Given)
5. Is this building Fire suppressed?
6. What is the design load for your loft.
7. Show continuous load bearing beam to the ground.
8. Dimension all spaces on the floor plan.
9. Show the length of floor joists.
10. Show the landings dimensions.
11. The minimum ceiling height of not less than 7 feet 6 inches above a finished floor required. You show 6ft 8 inches.
12. Show stair landing dimensions with handrailing dimensions.
13. Missing an electrical Plan.

#1 - Not familiar with what a code study is. Any guidance or examples would be appreciated.
#2 - I'm assuming since this is for a church, it would be IBC?
#3 - Use is light storage. Is their assumption correct? Where would I find occupancy use definitions?
#4 - Not sure what they're asking for here. It's basically a platform with wood joists with a steel beam supporting one side, supported from the main floor (tile on concrete SOG) by wood posts.
#5 - building does not have fire suppression.
#6 - Design load is is 100 psf. Max loading will be posted.
#7 - So I need to detail the posts?
#8, #9, #10, and #12 - These I understand, I think. Shouldn't be a problem.
#11 - This could be a problem. For several reasons I can't increase the clear height underneath. This will be a storage area also - max width 19'-3"; max depth 13'-2". If I can't keep the 6'-11" I showed (yes, apparently they can't read), this project may be DOA.
#13 - There is no plan for adding or revising the electrical in the building as part of this project. We intend to have an electrical contractor draw up a plan and submit a permit application for it at a later date.

 

[alt0]

#1-5: They are asking for basic architectural code analysis. Several of these items are defined in the IBC (occupancy, building type).
#7: Sounds like they are asking to define/explain the load path to the ground
#11: I believe those minimum ceiling heights only apply to 'habitable space'. Should look into this further in the IRC.

 

[Heaviside1925]

Free online, just need to know the year your AHJ is using.

https://codes.iccsafe.org/

1. No code study provided
This refers to subsequent questions 2-4. Go through the IBC to determine these answers and provide the references
2. Codes used (Not Given) See IBC
3. Occupancy use (Not Given) A-3 assumed See IBC
4. Construction type (Not Given) See IBC
5. Is this building Fire suppressed? Yes or NO, upon review this will entail questions 2-4 and what your AHJ requires.
6. What is the design load for your loft. Sound like you have that.
7. Show continuous load bearing beam to the ground. Either written or diagrammatic with the existing structure.
8, 9 ,10, 12, as you stated.
11. The minimum ceiling height of not less than 7 feet 6 inches above a finished floor required. You show 6ft 8 inches.
This goes back to 1-4. Check out the IBC, see what's required and if 7' 6" is required based on occupancy, you may have to justify an alternate or request a variance.
13. Missing an electrical Plan. This may be a box to check by the AHJ. You may have to explicitly state this. That said, depending on occupancy and usage, there may be requirements for lights and receptacles and in that case, you'd either need to add, chance occupancy or request a variance.
14. There may also be requirements for smoke detectors, exit signage, fire suppression that may become known in the future if a fire inspector is required to sign off.

 

[BridgeSmith]

Thanks for your responses alt0.

I figured the code study, etc. would pretty basic: i just don't know where to start. My familiarity with the IBC is very limited.

I detailed the posts and the size of the base for the posts, but it sounds like I may have to define the allowable load on the floor slab?

I may have to be more descriptive that the use of the space underneath is also strictly storage, and show the multi-fold wall that will separate it from the adjacent room.

 

[fel3]

Your local code may or may not be the basic version of the IBC. Check with your AHJ. Here in California, we use the California Building Code (CBC). The CBC is based on the IBC, but there are so many California-specific amendments to the IBC that we don't refer to the IBC at all, only the CBC. In addition, some local agencies in California have their own amendments to the CBC.

============
"Is it the only lesson of history that mankind is unteachable?"
--Winston S. Churchill

 

[BridgeSmith]

It looks to me like locally they have half a dozen minor changes/amendments to the IBC, but nothing that affects what I'm proposing.