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Home My WebLink AboutAdmin Mod 2 Revision Marc�.Espinosa David B.Robinson,P.E. Richard D.Matthies,P.E. ENGINEERING,INC. Stephen C.Rondinelli,AIA [,;u,r,�,srr�rr,,,,,,�r s��r��z,;,,� Robert M."Mike"Cordero,P.E. August 9, 2009 Martin A. Haeberle, C.B.O. Chief Building Official Town of Vail 75 South Frontage Road Vail, Colorado 81657 970.479.2142 (o) 970.376.3672(c) MHaeberle @ va�'1 gov,c om RE: Solaris Project at 143 East Meadow Drive,Vail, Colorado Modification to Item#2- October 23,2006 Administrative Modification Request This is a written request to modify the currently approved October 23, 2006 Administrative Modification as directed by Dan Feeney(Solaris). Mr. Feeney has discussed with you the currently approved one hour rated wall separating Residential Units 409,416, 508, 515 and 614. In keeping with the administrative modification the design of these dwelling units shows the exit access doorways to the corridor without the required 1/3 remoteness distance between them. There is a wall that divides the dwelling unit areas roughly in half. This wall is being constructed as a 1-hour fire partition and was to have an automatic- closing, 20-minute rated,non-locking door(to allow for egress from either side). The door was to be on a magnetic hold-open device connected to the dwelling unit and fire alarm system smoke detectors providing the alternate exit access route from each "half' of the dwelling unit. The requirement for a second exit remotely separated by 1/3 of the diagonal distance for the units referenced above was required by the 2003 IBC. Based on the occupant load factor of 200 square feet per occupant the square footage of the units resulted more than 10 occupants and therefore required a second exit. In the 2009 IBC,the occupant load factor remains the same but an exception to IBC Section 1015.1.1 has been added. This exception states that; "In Group R-2 and R-3 occupancies one means of e ress is permitted within and from individual clwelling units with a maximum occupant loacl of 20 where the dwellcn unit is ec7uipped throuQhout with an aaitomatic sprinkler s stem " This results in an occupant load of 20 in the residential dwelling unit being provided with a single exit in lieu of two exits as currently designed. Based on this new code provision Residential Units 409,416, 508, 515 and 614 would not require a second exit and therefore would not need to comply with the administrative modification. The design team and contractor are continuing with the installation of the second exit,but will delete the one hour fire rating on the wal] separating the referenced units. For reference purposes the excerpt of Item#2 from the October 23, 2006 Administrative Modification is provided below in italics: Solaris Project Page 2 Vail, Colorado August 9, 2009 Modification to Item#2—October 23, 2006 Administrative Modification Request ITEM#2, PROVIDING TWO REMOTE MEANS OF EGRESS FROM THE NORTHEAST AND NORTHWEST CORNER GROUP R-2 DWELLING UNITS 2003 IBC Requirements Exception 2, Section 1014.2.1 of the 2003 IBC requires a separation distance (remoteness)of the two exit cloors or exit access doorways to be not less than 1/3 the length of the maximum diagonal dimension of the area served. This exception is allowed when the builcling has a NFPA 13 or 13R fire sprinkler system. The Solaris building will have a NFPA 13�re sprinkler system. The Group R-2 dwelling units labeled "F" located on the Northwest corner and "N"on the Northeast corner of the Condo 2 Level and the Condo 3 Level have over 2,000 square feet of gross floor area and an occupant load of greater than 10. Section 1014.1 requires at least two exit access�oorways from these dwelling units. This condition occurs on the Condo 2 Level in Units 2-F&2-N and the Condo 3 Level in Units 3-F&3-N. This condition does not exist on any other floor levels. Unit 1-N(Condo 1 Level)has an exterior exit door renzote from its corriclor exit access doorway. Units Penthouse-F and Penthouse-N (Condo 4 Level and Condo 5 Level)have an open stainvay in the units that can be designed to have a 1/3 remoteness distance from their corridor exit access doorway. Obiective of Establishin�an Equivalencv in this Renort The 1/3 remoteness requirement is intended to provide occupants with an alternate exit access route in case one exit access route is unavailable clue to a fire or some other event. The objective of this alternative design approach is to provide two alternative exit access paths that would be 1/3 remote from each other and at least one of these exit access paths would be available in a fire event. Method of ObtaininQ an Epuivalencv The original design of these dwelling units shows the exit access doorways to the corridor without the required 1/3 remoteness distance between them. There is a wall that divides the clwelling unit areas roughly in half. If this wall could be constructed as a 1-hour fire partition with an aaitomatic-closing, 20-minute rated, non-lockinQ door(to allow for egress from either side) on a magnetic hold-open device connectecl to the dwelling unit and fire alarna system srnoke detectors, this exit access cloor could be located along this wall that is 1/3 remote from the corridor exit access door. This would provide the alternate exit access route from each "half�" of the dwelling unit. Since a fire is acnlikely to occur in both "halves" of the dwelling unit at the same time, the intent of having an alternative rernote exit access path available in the event of a fire is met with this design. Conclusion The approach described above to provide 1/3-remoteness for an alternate exit access fot-the dwelling units described should not be thought of as being similar to a horizontal exit. A horizontal exit would provide an area-of-refuge for occupants to remain and a 2-hour rated C:�DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\SCR�L,OCAL SETTINGS\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\CONTENT.OUTLOOK\6KP6D4MJ�MODIFICATION TO SOLARIS VAIL ADMIN MOD ITEM#2 10 23 06.DOC 5420 WARD ROAD,SUITE 200,ARVADA,COLORADO 80002-1 83 8�TELEPHONE: 303-422-7400•FAx: 303-422-7900 Solaris Project Page 3 Vail, Colorado August 9, 2009 Modification to Item#2—October 23, 2006 Administrative Modification Request "exit", and this design does not do this. T12e rlesign is intended to provide an alternative path arouncl an exit access route that is blocke�l in tlze event of a fire for the ifnmediate egress from the builcling. Tl2us the design provicles an alternative "exit access" route, not a protected "exit". Since the intent of Section 1014.21 is to provide two remotely locatecl exit access routes, the design teafn believes this approach provides an eqccivalent solution to this requirement. Please contact me at 303-422-7400, Ext. 283 should you have any questions , �r��n��this r� �,� ;:� <,� ;`�� .n., % �,�,�,..,.,,,L �j�, ��`i � � r .- Prepared by: .. �� ;a �O BCER ENGINEERING,INC. t.AY " � , � 3 �� jc �� Stephen Rondinelli, AIA. I � �D A Director of Fire Protection and Life Safety Town of Vail Acceptance by: Martin Haeberle, Chief Building Official Date Vail, Colorado Mike McGee, Deputy Chief Date Vail, Colorado CC: Chief Mike McGee, Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal Town of Vail, Fire and Emergency Services 42 West Meadow Drive Vail, Colorado 81657 mmc�ee@vail ov.com C:�DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\SCR�L.00AL SETTINGS\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\CONTENT.OUTLOOK\6KP6D4M.I�MODIFICATION TO SOLARIS VAIL ADMIN MOD ITEM#2 10 23 06.DOC 5420 WARD ROAD,SUITE 200,ARVADA,COLORADO 80002-1 83 8�TELEPHONE: 303-422-7400•FAx: 303-422-7900