Fire protection of covered porch

[ACDC]

I am working on a 2-story triplex project reviewed under IBC (R-2, type V-B). The north and south walls of the building are between 5-10' from the side yard lot line, and therefore are required to be 1-hr rated. The building is non-sprinklered so unprotected openings in those walls are limited to 10% of the wall area.

My issue is that the code official is also requiring our covered porch to be 1-hr protected as it is in line with the north and south walls. He is requiring us to add a 1-hr rated wall at each end of the porch to achieve this. His logic is that "The roof and floor of the front porch create the building area space, and no walls there create an Opening, and Openings are regulated in table 705.8." (the porch "openings" would put us over the 10% maximum if they are considered as part of the wall area)

We just finished building the exact same design in the same city, reviewed by a different inspector and they did not require the porch fire protection. I can see the reviewer's logic but don't understand why the "wall" would be considered to include the front porch area just because there is a roof above. In essence he is requiring us to fire protect a wall that doesn't exist.

Any thoughts on how to avoid this requirement or is he correct?

 

[RLGA]

Is the covered porch created by an attached cover or by an extension of the floor or roof construction of the building?

 

[cda]

Welcome

 

[ACDC]

RLGA, I'd consider it an extension of the roof. I'll post an image once my account gets upgraded.

 

[ACDC]

Is the covered porch created by an attached cover or by an extension of the floor or roof construction of the building?

I'd consider it an extension of the roof structure.

 

[sergoodo]

Interested in a RLGA response and whether or not ground level egress similar to balcony exit requirements.

 

[cda]

Interested in a RLGA response and whether or not ground level egress similar to balcony exit requirements.

Speaking for him,,, maybe

Follows Building area definition


[BG] AREA, BUILDING. The area included within surrounding exterior walls, or exterior walls and fire walls, exclusive of vent shafts and courts. Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the building area if such areas are included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.

 

[RLGA]

Openings apply to exterior walls only. The overhang of a porch is irrelevant, even if it was an extension of the roof--it just would have been easier to defend if it was an attached cover.

The OP does not indicate which code edition is applicable, but the 2018 IBC added ”based on the fire separation distance of each individual story.” The Commentary has illustrations showing opening protection for walls a varying distances on each story. The second illustration shows a building with upper stories of greater area that the story below, but the opening protection is based on the exterior wall location for each story, even if the story above hangs over the story below. The roof overhang is similar—just because the roof extends over the exterior wall to create a porch does not mean it creates a large opening.