Egress from Grade Level Court

[Schmitzie]

Hey all -

I've got a building on a steep hill that has an outdoor courtyard above the grade of the ROW that is surrounded on three sides by 3 story Type I-A podium with 5 stories III-A above. The courtyard is about 3049 SF with building entrances (primarily accessed by occupants as an amenity) from corridors and units, and two additional site stairs that connect directly to the ROW.

My question: Is an accessible route to the adjacent street required from the ROW? If the purpose of the courtyard is an amenity to the residents, then I assume there would not be a requirement for access from the public realm. I do provide the additional site stairs as a means of exiting from the courtyard, but does one of these egress components also need to be accessible, as in providing a ramp?

Our code official is stating that they want to see a ramped egress component to the street below, about 10ft below the level of the courtyard.

Not sure if this is classified as a Court or Yard per section 1205, or if exit discharge per 1028 is the way to go.

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

Hey all -

I've got a building on a steep hill that has an outdoor courtyard above the grade of the ROW that is surrounded on three sides by 3 story Type I-A podium with 5 stories III-A above. The courtyard is about 3049 SF with building entrances (primarily accessed by occupants as an amenity) from corridors and units, and two additional site stairs that connect directly to the ROW.

My question: Is an accessible route to the adjacent street required from the ROW? If the purpose of the courtyard is an amenity to the residents, then I assume there would not be a requirement for access from the public realm. I do provide the additional site stairs as a means of exiting from the courtyard, but does one of these egress components also need to be accessible, as in providing a ramp?

Our code official is stating that they want to see a ramped egress component to the street below, about 10ft below the level of the courtyard.

Not sure if this is classified as a Court or Yard per section 1205, or if exit discharge per 1028 is the way to go.

Is the courtyard a part of the primary entrance to the podium buildings?
Is this facility covered by the FHA or ADA or AHJ?
Generally you are required to have an accessible route from the public ROW to the facility that connects to the common elements and the entrance. The steep terrain may make it impracticable to have a ramp, not sure without seeing a site plan.

 

[Jean Tessmer-HI]

Exit ways are suppose to open to an area of refuge if you cannot provide access route away from the building.

 

[mtlogcabin]

Your accessible egress can be back through the building. Are you using the court for exiting?
1004.7 Outdoor areas.
Yards, patios, occupied roofs, courts and similar outdoor areas accessible to and usable by the building occupants shall be provided with means of egress as required by this chapter. The occupant load of such outdoor areas shall be assigned by the building official in accordance with the anticipated use. Where outdoor areas are to be used by persons in addition to the occupants of the building, and the path of egress travel from the outdoor areas passes through the building, means of egress requirements for the building shall be based on the sum of the occupant loads of the building plus the outdoor areas.

1009.1 Accessible means of egress required.
Accessible means of egress shall comply with this section. Accessible spaces shall be provided with not less than one accessible means of egress. Where more than one means of egress is required by Section 1006.2 or 1006.3 from any accessible space, each accessible portion of the space shall be served by not less than two accessible means of egress.

Or maybe it could qualify as an exterior area for rescued assistance

1009.2 Continuity and components.
Each required accessible means of egress shall be continuous to a public way and shall consist of one or more of the following components:

10. Exterior areas for assisted rescue complying with Section 1009.7 serving exits at the level of exit discharge.