Egress Court at Exterior Dining Area

[ccanney]

Hello,
I am currently dealing with a egress issue at a restaurant space involving an exterior dining patio. We have an existing building that has access to an exterior patio that is bounded on three sides by existing buildings. The 4th side is open to a public way. We have been working to maintain an occupant load at the exterior dining patio to less than 50 so as to only require one exit from the patio space. (based on the configuration of the patio it is not possible to get exit separation required if two exits are needed) The issue at hand is that an egress stair from a second level roof top dining area needs to empty into the exterior patio. This would I believe require the patio to be classified as an egress court and push the total occupant load to well over 50.

My real question is whether an egress court requires two exits when serving over 50 occupants and if exterior dining use can function within an egress court. I am not finding anything definitive in CBC section 1028.4 regarding egress courts.

Please see link to a mark up of courtyard plan. The width from the building to the property line is 19'-6".

 

[ccanney]

Sorry, link did not attach.

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

 

[cda]

My thinking is if the dining area is below 50

Even dumping people into it would not require a second exit

 

[ccanney]

Thanks CDA. Would you have any code sections that can be used to justify this interpretation?

 

[RLGA]

Section 1004.2.3 (2018 IBC): "Adjacent stories. Other than for egress components designed for convergence in accordance with Section 1005.6, the occupant load from separate stories shall not be added."

When the occupants of the exterior dining patio have egressed, then the area ceases to be an occupied outdoor area per Section 1004.7 and becomes an egress court per Section 1028.4 for occupants discharging from the story above.

 

[ccanney]

Thank you RLGA,
This is most helpful.

 

[ADAguy]

Odd that they would not take into consideration the transitioning people from the 2nd floor as requiring a wider width doorway?

 

[cda]

Odd that they would not take into consideration the transitioning people from the 2nd floor as requiring a wider width doorway?

As RGLA said

The first group should be gone,,, by the time the second group shows up

That is the theory

 

[RLGA]

Odd that they would not take into consideration the transitioning people from the 2nd floor as requiring a wider width doorway?

The width of the means of egress must be based on the largest occupant load to use the means of egress. A 32-inch opening is the minimum width required for a doorway, which has a capacity of 160 to 213 occupants depending on the sprinklering situation. If the second story has an occupant load less than 320, there is no need to take into consideration the widening of the doorway.