Norman A Hoyt
REGISTERED
I am in a huge predicament. I added on to my 11000 sq ft Automotive Repair Facility a piece that is on the upper level (the main building is set into a hill so the upper level is ground level on one side) and consists of a 6 bay shop of 1848 sq ft and a classroom of 395 sq ft.
I trusted the builder to do the right permitting and get it through the State and he trusted the architect he uses to do that. The architect (a couple of months later than he should have) turned it in to state as a training facility accessory to the Auto Repair business. The Building Commissioner disagrees and says it is a separate use educational facility. Here are the specifics: I am a High School Career Center teacher, I have 15 students for 2.5 hours in the morning and 15 for 2.5 hours in the afternoon. Half of the time we spend in the classroom and the other half we spend in the shop. The area we are in is on the same level as a mezzanine that is part of the shop but it is a second level as compared to the main area of the shop. The classroom is definitely under the 10% rule but the shop area is over the 10% accessory use, however, we do work on vehicles for the repair facility so the shop could be considered a part of the repair facility.
According to the architect if it is separate use educational it will need to have 2 bathrooms (not enough room for these) and a 2 hour barrier from the main business (quite the challenge to do now) and will also have to be wheel chair accessible everywhere (currently the classroom is 2 steps up from the 6 bays).
Your insights are appreciated...have the commissioner, the fire marshal and who knows who coming Monday morning at 10AM...the entire program is at stake and it is the most important thing I have done in my life. The need for career training at this level and in the actual business environment is at an all time high and we are proving that it works and is a huge value to schools, parents, kids, and the automotive repair community.
I trusted the builder to do the right permitting and get it through the State and he trusted the architect he uses to do that. The architect (a couple of months later than he should have) turned it in to state as a training facility accessory to the Auto Repair business. The Building Commissioner disagrees and says it is a separate use educational facility. Here are the specifics: I am a High School Career Center teacher, I have 15 students for 2.5 hours in the morning and 15 for 2.5 hours in the afternoon. Half of the time we spend in the classroom and the other half we spend in the shop. The area we are in is on the same level as a mezzanine that is part of the shop but it is a second level as compared to the main area of the shop. The classroom is definitely under the 10% rule but the shop area is over the 10% accessory use, however, we do work on vehicles for the repair facility so the shop could be considered a part of the repair facility.
According to the architect if it is separate use educational it will need to have 2 bathrooms (not enough room for these) and a 2 hour barrier from the main business (quite the challenge to do now) and will also have to be wheel chair accessible everywhere (currently the classroom is 2 steps up from the 6 bays).
Your insights are appreciated...have the commissioner, the fire marshal and who knows who coming Monday morning at 10AM...the entire program is at stake and it is the most important thing I have done in my life. The need for career training at this level and in the actual business environment is at an all time high and we are proving that it works and is a huge value to schools, parents, kids, and the automotive repair community.
