Nikcountryan
Registered User
Short:
The building we are located in supports 2-units; 3125sq/ft each. The two units are separated with a wall extending to the roof and they each have their own main entrance and a rear emergency exit.
My business is considered both A-3 and M. The building itself is considered "separated" however, does this mean I have to have a fire barrier in my own unit to separate my A-3 and M occupancy spaces as well?
Long:
I am in the process of opening a retail shop that includes a game room with tables and booths.
In my half of the building there are two "rooms" where the larger will be used as retail space and the smaller (900sq/ft+) will be a game room. The existing wall was not intended as a fire wall or fire barrier; the wall is being left in place because it makes a nice transition between the two spaces. It has a 8ft by 5ft opening/pass through in which our back counter/counter will be adjacent to and a 6ft wide entry way, no door.
While working with planning at city hall; originally they stated that an additional door at the rear, by the existing emergency exit would be required. This would increase the maximum occupancy from 49 to 299.
City planning called me and added that we would need to install a membrane or fire barrier in the ceiling to the roof if we wanted to extend occupancy to 49.
Side question: If there was not a wall originally separating the two occupancy zones on my side, would I have had to build a wall anyways?
Side question: Do I have to strip the existing wall down to the studs and rebuild it; or just the ceiling barrier?
The building we are located in supports 2-units; 3125sq/ft each. The two units are separated with a wall extending to the roof and they each have their own main entrance and a rear emergency exit.
My business is considered both A-3 and M. The building itself is considered "separated" however, does this mean I have to have a fire barrier in my own unit to separate my A-3 and M occupancy spaces as well?
Long:
I am in the process of opening a retail shop that includes a game room with tables and booths.
In my half of the building there are two "rooms" where the larger will be used as retail space and the smaller (900sq/ft+) will be a game room. The existing wall was not intended as a fire wall or fire barrier; the wall is being left in place because it makes a nice transition between the two spaces. It has a 8ft by 5ft opening/pass through in which our back counter/counter will be adjacent to and a 6ft wide entry way, no door.
While working with planning at city hall; originally they stated that an additional door at the rear, by the existing emergency exit would be required. This would increase the maximum occupancy from 49 to 299.
City planning called me and added that we would need to install a membrane or fire barrier in the ceiling to the roof if we wanted to extend occupancy to 49.
Side question: If there was not a wall originally separating the two occupancy zones on my side, would I have had to build a wall anyways?
Side question: Do I have to strip the existing wall down to the studs and rebuild it; or just the ceiling barrier?
