HomeMy WebLinkAboutMarriott residence inns comment letterKen A. O’Bryan
O’Bryan Partnership
P.O. box 2773
620 Main St. Unit 8
Frisco, CO 80443
Via: Email
Dear Sir,
Thank you for taking the time to meet with me in regard to the Marriott
Residence Inn project.
After a cursory review of the project, please note the following items and submittal requirements that are of critical importance in order for the project to
move forward to the next phase of planning.
A fire protection engineer of record is required for both design and acceptance testing of all life safety systems. I believe that BCER
has been contracted to satisfy this requirement.
A Life Safety report is required to be provided to Vail Fire & Emergency Services prior to issuance of a building permit. This report
shall be prepared by the fire protection engineer of record. Elements of this report shall encompass building and fire code issues which may include, but are not limited to, the following:
occupancy classifications, egress components and pathways, construction type, fire protection and smoke management systems.
Engineered fire protection and fire alarm drawings are
required to be submitted concurrently with building permit submittals. Drawings are required to be submitted electronically. Drawings shall be prepared by and bear the stamp of the
fire protection engineer of record. Shop drawings shall be submitted by the respective contractors, and are not required to be submitted at time of building permit submittals. Shop
drawings shall bear a review stamp of the fire protection engineer of record. The installation of fire protection and fire alarm systems shall be conducted under separate permitting.
These permits are to be applied for and issued to the specific fire protection and fire alarm system installation contractors.
Fire department access as shown on the site plan for this project does not meet fire code requirements. Specifically, the north side of the building poses significant challenge in regard
to apparatus placement and staging.
Chapter 9, Section 901.4.4 Additional fire protection systems states the following: In occupancies of a hazardous nature, where special hazards
exist in addition to the normal hazards of the occupancy, or where the fire code official determines that access for fire apparatus is unduly difficult, the fire code official shall
have the authority to require additional safeguards. Such safeguards include, but shall not be limited to, the following: automatic fire detection systems, fire alarm systems, automatic
fire extinguishing systems, standpipe systems, or portable or fixed extinguishers. Fire protection equipment required under this section shall be installed in accordance with this code
and the applicable referenced standards.
The previously noted code language was derived from the International Fire Code, 2012 ed. (adopted and in effect January 1st 2013).
In projects
where access and staging areas have been determined to be unavailable, Vail Fire & Emergency Services has mandated that a performance based approach be utilized when considering site
limitations. Requirements typically include pressurization of stair enclosures and elevator hoistways as well as an engineered based mechanical ventilation system utilizing the stair
enclosures.
These systems are required to be designed by the fire protection engineer of record, and the design of these systems shall include a rational analysis determining the minimum
requirements of said systems.
Design team and fire protection engineer of record shall consult Marriott Module 14 Fire Protection Standards which may be relevant to this project.
Module 14 requirements that conflict with, or exceed NFPA standards shall be identified by the design team, the fire protection engineer of record, and appropriate Marriott Module 14
committees. Requirements or conflicts shall be identified and included in the life safety report.
A flow test will be needed to determine available water supply for needed fire flow
and sprinkler system requirements. If it is determined that available water supply is inadequate, a fire pump shall be required to ensure adequate fire sprinkler system requirements.
Thank you for time and attention to these items. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have or need further discussion.
Sincerely,
Michael Vaughan,
Fire Marshal, Vail Fire
& Emergency Services.
cc: Martin Haeberle, Chief Building Official, Town of Vail
Steve Rondinelli, AIA, Rondinelli Life Safety