What furnishings are allowed in an elevator lobby? 3006.3

[Yikes]

IBC / CBC 3006.3 items 1 and/or 2 require an elevator lobby to separate the elevator shaft "from each floor".

• An enclosed elevator lobby shall be provided at each floor to separate the elevator hoistway shaft enclosure doors from each floor by fire partitions in accordance with Section 708.

I have a building design that has a conventional elevator lobby on every upper floor, with fire doors doors separating it from the corridor.
The elevator lobby is large, about 200 SF. The owner would like to have lobby seating and some built-in planters in the elevator lobby. The lobby has an exterior wall with openings, so it's like a pleasant outdoor terrace while you wait for the elevator.

The plan checker is focused on the phrase "separated from each floor", and is wondering if the furnishings constitute some type of floor function that requires yet another lobby-within-a-lobby so separate the furnishings area from the elevator shaft.

I've looked around and can't initially find anything that either describes or prohibits furnishings or other items in an elevator lobby. What's your opinion?

Worse, I can't find an appropriate definition of an elevator lobby. CBC 202 has a definition of lobby, but it relates to bein "at the entrance of a building". Clearly that doesn't work "at each floor" of the building - - it only works at the floor that has the building entrance.

• LOBBY. [SFM, HCD 1 & HCD 2] An area not defined as a waiting room at the entrance of a building through which persons must pass.

 

[ICE]

The lobby has an exterior wall with openings, so it's like a pleasant outdoor terrace while you wait for the elevator.

How is it an enclosed lobby with an exterior wall that is open to the exterior? Where is furniture mentioned in code with relation to an elevator lobby? Is there any mention of what is allowed in an elevator lobby? Vending machines, light fixtures, artwork? There used to be ashtrays but smoking indoors has been outlawed for years now. The plan checker wants to redefine the lobby to something else based on furnishings that he shouldn’t be aware of. As an inspector I woiuld not question the furniture in any space. There could be a Harley Davidson parked in the lobby and I wouldn’t think twice. A Ducati on the other hand…this America after all.

 

[Paul Sweet]

I believe the requirement for an elevator lobby is to prevent smoke coming out of the shaft from spreading to the entire floor. It is not an exit, so items that are allowed in a corridor should be OK, although California might have different interpretations.

 

[Genduct]

IBC / CBC 3006.3 items 1 and/or 2 require an elevator lobby to separate the elevator shaft "from each floor".

• An enclosed elevator lobby shall be provided at each floor to separate the elevator hoistway shaft enclosure doors from each floor by fire partitions in accordance with Section 708.

I have a building design that has a conventional elevator lobby on every upper floor, with fire doors doors separating it from the corridor.
The elevator lobby is large, about 200 SF. The owner would like to have lobby seating and some built-in planters in the elevator lobby. The lobby has an exterior wall with openings, so it's like a pleasant outdoor terrace while you wait for the elevator.

The plan checker is focused on the phrase "separated from each floor", and is wondering if the furnishings constitute some type of floor function that requires yet another lobby-within-a-lobby so separate the furnishings area from the elevator shaft.

I've looked around and can't initially find anything that either describes or prohibits furnishings or other items in an elevator lobby. What's your opinion?

Worse, I can't find an appropriate definition of an elevator lobby. CBC 202 has a definition of lobby, but it relates to bein "at the entrance of a building". Clearly that doesn't work "at each floor" of the building - - it only works at the floor that has the building entrance.

• LOBBY. [SFM, HCD 1 & HCD 2] An area not defined as a waiting room at the entrance of a building through which persons must pass.

The Term Lobby seems to envision a short term WAITING (STANDING) AREA for your elevator and Not an Area that would have some furniture for informal, more than short term occupants.
Whoever used the term Waiting ROOM as an alternate idea may have defined the difference in USE and therefore the risk of a space that needs to remain unencumbered by Obstacles