California room classify as patio cover or sunroom?

[strathmore1]

Hello Everyone,

I live in the city of Garden Grove, CA. I wanted to add a California Room, attach to the back of my house, and a porch behind the master bedroom. My architect submitted a rough layout of what I wanted and the city planning said no. Patio cover must have all side of the walls open. I reiterated that I want to California Room, show her picture of it and she doesn't know. She was nice and got the building code official to help me.

The building official advised me that labeling it as a patio cover is fine, but I need to apply the building code from the AAMA/NPEA/NSA 2100-12 Specifications for Sunrooms. I need to get an engineer to calculate the lateral and vertical load and then resubmit the plan.

I read the Specifications for Sunrooms, it seem I would fall under Sunroom Category 1.

1) A California Room is classify as a patio cover or sunroom?

2) Can the California Room have 3 walls and 1 open to the backyard? Assume that it's attached to the house and not condition.

3) Is it require that the long and short wall opening must be 65% of the wall area below 6'8"?

 

[classicT]

Planning and building may classify the proposed differently. Don't get too held up on what each calls it.

That said... Planning/Zoning is often unique to the city/county/etc. that you are within, so we likely cannot be of much assistance on that front. As for Building, it seems that you have a competent plan reviewer that has given you direction for structural design, and they have directed you towards AAMA/NPEA/NSA 2100-12.

2022 CA Residential Code​

Section AH102 Definition​

AH102.1 General​

The following word and term shall, for the purposes of this appendix, have the meaning shown herein.​

PATIO COVER. A structure with open or glazed walls that is used for recreational, outdoor living purposes associated with a dwelling unit.​

Section AH103 Exterior Walls and Openings​

AH103.1 Enclosure Walls​

Enclosure walls shall be permitted to be of any configuration, provided that the open or glazed area of the longer wall and one additional wall is not less than 65 percent of the area below 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) of each wall, measured from the floor. Openings shall be enclosed with any of the following:​

1. Insect screening.
2. Approved translucent or transparent plastic not more than 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) in thickness.
3. Glass conforming to the provisions of Section R308.
4. Any combination of the foregoing.

 

[viv2024]

Planning and building may classify the proposed differently. Don't get too held up on what each calls it.

That said... Planning/Zoning is often unique to the city/county/etc. that you are within, so we likely cannot be of much assistance on that front. As for Building, it seems that you have a competent plan reviewer that has given you direction for structural design, and they have directed you towards AAMA/NPEA/NSA 2100-12.

2022 CA Residential Code​

Section AH102 Definition​

AH102.1 General​

The following word and term shall, for the purposes of this appendix, have the meaning shown herein.​

PATIO COVER. A structure with open or glazed walls that is used for recreational, outdoor living purposes associated with a dwelling unit.​

Section AH103 Exterior Walls and Openings​

AH103.1 Enclosure Walls​

Enclosure walls shall be permitted to be of any configuration, provided that the open or glazed area of the longer wall and one additional wall is not less than 65 percent of the area below 6 feet 8 inches (2032 mm) of each wall, measured from the floor. Openings shall be enclosed with any of the following:​

1. Insect screening.
2. Approved translucent or transparent plastic not more than 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) in thickness.
3. Glass conforming to the provisions of Section R308.
4. Any combination of the foregoing.

I am trying to have a sunroom plans permitted in the city of Fontana, I presented the floor plan, elevation, a render with 75 percent glazing (glass windows low e with screens) and scope of work but they said I need structural calculations (engineering calculations), it is a category IV sunroom