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26' gazebo occupancy classification?

M

MikeC

Silver Member
Joined
May 17, 2012
Messages
230
Location
NW Pennsylvania
The city is removing and replacing a gazebo in a small downtown park. Nobody, including the PE, seems to have a clue what occupancy group to place this gazebo in. It is 26' in diameter (about 530 sq ft floor area) with an accessible ramp to access it. I immediately want to place it into the A classification, but I'm not 100% sure and that would cause other issues like needing to provide minimum plumbing fixtures. This pushes me into a U classification, but that just doesn't seem to be the right way to go. I seriously want to deny the application based on the ommission of an occupancy classification on the plans making it impossible to verify code compliance, but with this being a city project, that wouldn't be received well at all.
 
I would be fine with a U occupancy.

302.1 - .... Where a structure is proposed for a purpose that is not specifically listed in this section, such structure shall be classified in the occupancy it most nearly resembles based on fire safety and relative hazard...

You could go with an A-5, but I think the hazards involved in the gazebo are much closer to that of a carport, barn, or shed. I am assuming that if this gazebo caught on fire, it would not be close to another structure, and everyone inside the gazebo could get out in a hurry. A-5 seems like overkill in my opinion.
 
Beniah Naylor said:
I would be fine with a U occupancy.

302.1 - .... Where a structure is proposed for a purpose that is not specifically listed in this section, such structure shall be classified in the occupancy it most nearly resembles based on fire safety and relative hazard...
Click to expand...
Thanks. That makes sense. I was looking for the occupancy it most closely resembled based on how it is used. I have a habit of making things more complicated than they need to be.
 
I worked in a city that had such a structure. It was rented out for weddings and parties. I'm not sp sure that there was a fee....could be just a reservation.
 
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