<5' ceiling height - count it in maximum allowable mezzanine area?

[Yikes]

IBC/CBC 505.2.1 exc. #3 limits the area of a dwelling unit mezzanine to 50% of the room below.

• For sake of discussion, I have a loft studio apartment where the room on the main floor level is 300 SF. The mezzanine that opens into this main room has a sloping ceiling, and it is 150 SF in floor area. So far, so good - that's 50%.
• But I also have a clothes closet at the mezzanine level, measuring another 25 SF in area at the closet finished floor. That would total 175 SF and not comply.
• But wait: But this closet's ceiling is less than 5' high, and IBC/CBC 1207.2 exception #2 says "any portion of the room measuring less than 5 feet from the finished floor to the ceiling shall not be included in any area of the minimum area thereof".

Does this mean that my 175 SF mezzanine DOES comply with 505.2.1?

 

[ICE]

505.2 Mezzanines. A mezzanine or mezzanines in compliance with Section 505.2 shall be considered a portion of the story below. Such mezzanines shall not contribute to either the building area or number of stories as regulated by Section 503.1. The area of the mezzanine shall be included in determining the fire area. The clear height above and below the mezzanine floor construction shall be not less than 7 feet.

1207.2 Exception
3. The height of mezzanines and spaces below mezzanines shall be in accordance with Section 505.2.

 

[steveray]

Yep....just like you don't get to count the low ceiling for habitable space, you should not have to count it as mezzanine.....This may get more complicated with the tiny house stuff...

 

[Yikes]

If a picture's worth 1000 words, here's the graphic example. "A" is the main floor; "B" qualifies as mezzanine; closet "C" does not qualify as either a mezzanine area, nor a "story".
Should the 25 SF of closet "C" get counted as part of the main floor area, or is it not counted at all in any building area tabulations?