Accessory Use or Not?

[Phil B]

I have a 3,000 sf space classified as Factory F-2, maybe F-1 Contiguous to the Machine shop are 3 offices that are 30% of the Machine Shop floor area, a Mechanical Room at 9%, and a toilet at 3%. Should the offices be classified as Business, or as accessory (or incidental) to the Factory classification? I would assume the Mechanical Room would be accessory to the Factory classification, but usually get a different reading when I submit it for plan review.

 

[Tim Mailloux]

I have a 3,000 sf space classified as Factory F-2, maybe F-1 Contiguous to the Machine shop are 3 offices that are 30% of the Machine Shop floor area, a Mechanical Room at 9%, and a toilet at 3%. Should the offices be classified as Business, or as accessory (or incidental) to the Factory classification? I would assume the Mechanical Room would be accessory to the Factory classification, but usually get a different reading when I submit it for plan review.

accessory occupancies have a 10% threshold, if your (B) office area is 30% of the floor area you are mixed use.

 

[ccollings]

so you have 2000 sf of factory and 1000 sf of office. i would do non-separated mixed use per 508.3.

 

[RLGA]

Definitely not an incidental use, and if the office area is 10% or less of the entire floor area (i.e., 300 sq. ft. or less), then it can be an accessory occupancy. However, if an accessory occupancy, Section 508.2.1 still requires the area to be classified per Section 302.1, which means it is still a Group B occupancy--you just do not have to separate it from the other occupancies. If this space is a portion of a larger building, then you have to consider the occupancy groups of the other building areas.

However, if this 3,000 sq. ft. space is a separate structure, I would evaluate the building using the nonseparated occupancies method, with Group B being the most restrictive occupancy.

 

[Phil B]

Thank you all for your help! All good responses.