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Existing 1940's (+/-) Quonsat Huts & Required # of Restrooms

A

Alias

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Okay, building in town with three rental spaces, zoned C-1. Building has 4 quonsat hut structures on top of masonry walls and a second story. This was formerly a grocery store many many years ago. It has since been subdivided into three tenant spaces, no permits of course. Probably URMs also.

The local Humane Society just recently bought the building. I am on the Board of the local Humane Society and I have done my homework on rules and regulations for a kennel/cattery/thrift store. The purchase was done against my warnings that the building is zoned as C-1 and a kennel/cattery is not in this zoning classification and that the third 'store' is not a store due to the lack of a restroom.

Two rental stores have access to the existing two restrooms and the third store has no restroom in the space. They want to rent this space without a restroom. I informed them that the third store is not a store due to lack of a restroom. Answer I got was that the tenant would have a key to access to their restroom via a circuitous route through the storage area of the building or from the exterior of the building.

Am I wrong in saying that the third space needs to have a restroom? Can they hand someone a key and have them enter the opposite side of the building to access a restroom? Can the tenant access existing restroom through back storage area?

I just can't wait for when they start removing some of the interior walls........or adding mechanical ventilation in the cat room........or working on the heating system.........:banghd
 
You know they can't Sue. Change of use, look at either EBC or Chapter 34, whichever is applicable in your Jurisdiction.
 
Alias said:
Am I wrong in saying that the third space needs to have a restroom? Can they hand someone a key and have them enter the opposite side of the building to access a restroom? Can the tenant access existing restroom through back storage area?
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2902.4 of the IBC addresses access to required public toilet facilites. Access through storage rooms is prohibited.
 
Answer I got was that the tenant would have a key to access to their restroom via a circuitous route through the storage area of the building or from the exterior of the building.
Click to expand...
Construct a corridor and solve the problem
 
I can't wait until they hire an architect - but I will probably have to since all those issues are things an architect could solve.
 
brudgers said:
I can't wait until they hire an architect - but I will probably have to since all those issues are things an architect could solve.
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No architect or designer, they think that can just go in and start demoing walls, etc., without a permit or a plan. I see my tenure on their board as short.............especially when I tag 'em.
 
mtlogcabin said:
Construct a corridor and solve the problem
Click to expand...
No way to do it without causing other problems. They want to turn the back storage room into the cattery. It is unfinished, and it actually still has the conveyor to upstairs and the track with the meat hooks from loading dock to coolers back there.
 
Papio Bldg Dept said:
2902.4 of the IBC addresses access to required public toilet facilites. Access through storage rooms is prohibited.
Click to expand...
Well, CA didn't adopt this section. Drat.....thanks anyway.
 
Kinda sucks to be you Sue.. you're in a difficult position.

Meat hooks for cats sounds perfectly logical to me. (the whole herding cats thing)

However, subdividing for a tenant without a bathroom is probably problematic unless you can find a way to have a common restroom scenario. (Although I don't know you'll find a code section prohibiting a circuitous route other than accessibility)
 
peach said:
Kinda sucks to be you Sue.. you're in a difficult position.Meat hooks for cats sounds perfectly logical to me. (the whole herding cats thing)

However, subdividing for a tenant without a bathroom is probably problematic unless you can find a way to have a common restroom scenario. (Although I don't know you'll find a code section prohibiting a circuitous route other than accessibility)
Click to expand...
Peach, you are so right! I am drafting my letter of resignation for the local Humane Society as they are unwilling to listen to what I am telling them. At the advice of two councilpeople, I am washing my hands and prepping for a battle. The building is not zoned correctly (C-1), there is no mechanical ventilation, they are going to be doing a TI - removing/moving interior walls, etc. etc. etc. and no one is talking to a designer (CA state law for commercial). Add to that that the entire place is an ADA lawsuit looking for a sue happy lawyer!

So, I will be waiting in the wings with my red tag. *sigh*
 
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