Change of Occupancy Classification

[Mech]

2009 IBC

10,000+ sf existing building - looks like a split level house arrangement. The main floor (automobile showroom) has stairs leading up half a floor to offices and a conference room and also has stairs leading down half a floor to a break room, a parts department with sales to the public, and a repair garage.

(Frontage increase allows the 10,000+ sf building.)

The new occupant is a rental store for tools and construction equipment. (I am calling this a Mercantile use.) They will make the showroom and lower level parts department the same floor height and turn this into their display area and customer service counters. The upper level will become a conference room and a multi-purpose room (the floor plan shows tables and chairs and looks like a training room for educational purposes.) The repair garage will remain.

Type 5B construction only allows a single story for Mercantile use. Can I consider the upper floor Business use and allow the two story building to remain? Type 5B construction allows 2 stories for business occupancies.

Table 503

[TABLE=width: 684]

[TR]

[TD]GROUP[/TD]

[TD]

[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 9]TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=colspan: 2]TYPE I[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]TYPE II[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]TYPE III[/TD]

[TD]TYPE IV[/TD]

[TD=colspan: 2]TYPE V[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A[/TD]

[TD]B[/TD]

[TD]A[/TD]

[TD]B[/TD]

[TD]A[/TD]

[TD]B[/TD]

[TD]HT[/TD]

[TD]A[/TD]

[TD]B[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]HEIGHT (feet)[/TD]

[TD]UL[/TD]

[TD]160[/TD]

[TD]65[/TD]

[TD]55[/TD]

[TD]65[/TD]

[TD]55[/TD]

[TD]65[/TD]

[TD]50[/TD]

[TD]40[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=colspan: 10]STORIES(S)AREA (A)[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]5UL[/TD]

[TD]315,500[/TD]

[TD]28,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]28,500[/TD]

[TD]315,000[/TD]

[TD]211,500[/TD]

[TD]15,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A-2[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]315,500[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]315,000[/TD]

[TD]211,500[/TD]

[TD]16,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A-3[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]315,500[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]315,000[/TD]

[TD]211,500[/TD]

[TD]16,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A-4[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]315,500[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]315,000[/TD]

[TD]211,500[/TD]

[TD]16,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]A-5[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]B[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]537,500[/TD]

[TD]323,000[/TD]

[TD]528,500[/TD]

[TD]319,000[/TD]

[TD]536,000[/TD]

[TD]318,000[/TD]

[TD]29,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]E[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]5UL[/TD]

[TD]326,500[/TD]

[TD]214,500[/TD]

[TD]323,500[/TD]

[TD]214,500[/TD]

[TD]325,500[/TD]

[TD]118,500[/TD]

[TD]19,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]F-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]425,000[/TD]

[TD]215,500[/TD]

[TD]319,000[/TD]

[TD]212,000[/TD]

[TD]433,500[/TD]

[TD]214,000[/TD]

[TD]18,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]F-2[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]537,500[/TD]

[TD]323,000[/TD]

[TD]428,500[/TD]

[TD]318,000[/TD]

[TD]550,500[/TD]

[TD]321,000[/TD]

[TD]213,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]H-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]121,000[/TD]

[TD]116,500[/TD]

[TD]111,000[/TD]

[TD]17,000[/TD]

[TD]19,500[/TD]

[TD]17,000[/TD]

[TD]110,500[/TD]

[TD]17,500[/TD]

[TD]NPNP[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]H-2d[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]UL21,000[/TD]

[TD]316,500[/TD]

[TD]211,000[/TD]

[TD]17,000[/TD]

[TD]29,500[/TD]

[TD]17,000[/TD]

[TD]210,500[/TD]

[TD]17,500[/TD]

[TD]13,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]H-3d[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]660,000[/TD]

[TD]426,500[/TD]

[TD]214,000[/TD]

[TD]417,500[/TD]

[TD]213,000[/TD]

[TD]425,500[/TD]

[TD]210,000[/TD]

[TD]15,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]H-4[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]7UL[/TD]

[TD]537,500[/TD]

[TD]317,500[/TD]

[TD]528,500[/TD]

[TD]317,500[/TD]

[TD]536,000[/TD]

[TD]318,000[/TD]

[TD]26,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]H-5[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]337,500[/TD]

[TD]323,000[/TD]

[TD]328,500[/TD]

[TD]319,000[/TD]

[TD]336,000[/TD]

[TD]318,000[/TD]

[TD]29,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]I-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]955,000[/TD]

[TD]419,000[/TD]

[TD]310,000[/TD]

[TD]416,500[/TD]

[TD]310,000[/TD]

[TD]418,000[/TD]

[TD]310,500[/TD]

[TD]24,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]I-2[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]215,000[/TD]

[TD]111,000[/TD]

[TD]112,000[/TD]

[TD]NPNP[/TD]

[TD]112,000[/TD]

[TD]19,500[/TD]

[TD]NPNP[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]I-3[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]215,000[/TD]

[TD]110,000[/TD]

[TD]210,500[/TD]

[TD]17,500[/TD]

[TD]212,000[/TD]

[TD]27,500[/TD]

[TD]15,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]I-4[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]560,500[/TD]

[TD]326,500[/TD]

[TD]213,000[/TD]

[TD]323,500[/TD]

[TD]213,000[/TD]

[TD]325,500[/TD]

[TD]118,500[/TD]

[TD]19,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]M[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]421,500[/TD]

[TD]212,500[/TD]

[TD]418,500[/TD]

[TD]212,500[/TD]

[TD]420,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]19,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]R-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]420,500[/TD]

[TD]312,000[/TD]

[TD]27,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]R-2[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]420,500[/TD]

[TD]312,000[/TD]

[TD]27,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]R-3[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]4UL[/TD]

[TD]3UL[/TD]

[TD]3UL[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]R-4[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]11UL[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]424,000[/TD]

[TD]416,000[/TD]

[TD]420,500[/TD]

[TD]312,000[/TD]

[TD]27,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]S-1[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]1148,000[/TD]

[TD]426,000[/TD]

[TD]217,500[/TD]

[TD]326,000[/TD]

[TD]217,500[/TD]

[TD]425,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]19,000[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]S-2b, c[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]1179,000[/TD]

[TD]539,000[/TD]

[TD]326,000[/TD]

[TD]439,000[/TD]

[TD]326,000[/TD]

[TD]538,500[/TD]

[TD]421,000[/TD]

[TD]213,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Uc[/TD]

[TD]SA[/TD]

[TD]ULUL[/TD]

[TD]535,500[/TD]

[TD]419,000[/TD]

[TD]28,500[/TD]

[TD]314,000[/TD]

[TD]28,500[/TD]

[TD]418,000[/TD]

[TD]29,000[/TD]

[TD]15,500[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

For SI: 1 foot = 304.8 mm, 1 square foot = 0.0929 m2.

A = building area per story, S = stories above grade plane, UL = Unlimited, NP = Not permitted.

a. See the following sections for general exceptions to Table 503:

1. Section 504.2, Allowable building height and story increase due to automatic sprinkler system installation.

2. Section 506.2, Allowable building area increase due to street frontage.

3. Section 506.3, Allowable building area increase due to automatic sprinkler system installation.

4. Section 507, Unlimited area buildings.

b. For open parking structures, see Section 406.3.

c. For private garages, see Section 406.1.

d. See Section 415.5 for limitations.

Thanks

 

[mtlogcabin]

Is it two story by definition

STORY. That portion of a building included between the upper surface of a floor and the upper surface of the floor or roof next above (also see “Basement,” “Building height,” “Grade plane” and “Mezzanine”). It is measured as the vertical distance from top to top of two successive tiers of beams or finished floor surfaces and, for the topmost story, from the top of the floor finish to the top of the ceiling joists or, where there is not a ceiling, to the top of the roof rafters.

STORY ABOVE GRADE PLANE. Any story having its finished floor surface entirely above grade plane, or in which the finished surface of the floor next above is:

1. More than 6 feet (1829 mm) above grade plane; or

2. More than 12 feet (3658 mm) above the finished ground level at any point.

 

[cda]

Guess you would not consider keeping it a "B"????

 

[Mech]

Guess you would not consider keeping it a "B"????

I thought M would be a closer fit - display and sales of merchandise. It could be a B with "service-type transactions."

 

[Msradell]

It seems to me like it really didn't change and should still remain a B. The products they are selling and servicing have changed but it's still the same basic use.

 

[JBI]

Also, why aren't you using the Existing Building Code? You may find that even if it were a change of use (and like the others, I'm not sure that it is...) it may still be compliant under the EBC.

 

[JPohling]

I do not see a change in use at all, just a different product being sold, leased or repaired with the admin spaces to support the functions

 

[Francis Vineyard]

FWIW all of the tool rental places with fuel powered construction equipment that we have to my knowledge are classified as S-1. A two story Group B area is separated from the S-1 with a fire wall; unless it's sprinkled.

 

[JBI]

Francis, Fire walls create separate buildings, fire barriers (can) create fire areas.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Disagree on the S-1 classification as it is not storage.

IEBC

CHANGE OF OCCUPANCY. A change in the purpose or level of activity within a building that involves a change in application of the requirements of this code.

1012.5.1 Height and area for change to higher hazard category.

When a change of occupancy classification is made to a higher hazard category as shown in Table 1012.5, heights and areas of buildings and structures shall comply with the requirements of Chapter 5 of the International Building Code for the new occupancy classification.

1012.5.2 Height and area for change to equal or lesser hazard category.

When a change of occupancy classification is made to an equal or lesser hazard category as shown in Table 1012.5, the height and area of the existing building shall be deemed acceptable.

An M is a higher hazard than a B

I would call it a "B" since that is what the I-Codes classify a motor vehicle showroom then there is no change in occupancy classification

A "M" occupancy is for the sale of goods, a rental business provides a service type transaction not a sale

 

[Francis Vineyard]

JBI thanks for pointing that out.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

mtlogcabin if they only rent out like new equipment (clean, limited fluids) similar to a retail store display and have the service; similar to motor vehicle repair garages outside or at another location I would agree.