HomeMy WebLinkAboutBdAppealsMinutes_2014_01_16
Minutes of the Brookings Board of Appeals
Brookings, SD 57006
January 16, 2014
The Brookings Board of Appeals was called to order by Vice Chair David Bertelson on
Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 12:05 PM in conference room #147 located on the first floor of
the City & County Government Center at 520 3rd Street. Members present were Jonathan
Meendering, Mike Clites and David Bertelson. Also present were Building Services
Administrator Greg Miller, Engineering Technician Brandon Long, City Engineer Jackie Lanning
and Deputy Fire Chief Pete Bolzer. Spencer Hawley and George Houtman were absent.
Item #2 – (Meendering/Clites) Motion to approve the minutes from the September 23, 2013,
meeting. All present voted aye. MOTION CARRIED.
(Clites/Meendering) Motion to approve the agenda. All present voted aye. MOTION
CARRIED.
New Business
Item #3 – Approval of changes to the 2009 Building Code in Section 1029
Emergency Escape and Rescue:
Greg Miller described a request that was submitted by Les Rowland of designArc which is
attached. The request was to amend the 2009 Building Code, Section 1029 Emergency Escape
and Rescue, to allow the following exception to this section of the code: “In Group R-1
occupancies, buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance
with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.1.2 and having all sleeping rooms provided with a door to a fire-
resistance –rated corridor having access to two remote exits in opposite directions will not be required
to have emergency escape and rescue opening.” The current building code adopted by City
ordinance, requires at least one exterior emergency escape and rescue opening which opens
directly into a public way, or to a yard or court that opens to a public way.
Background:
The code change was requested in regards to a remodeling project proposed by the Days Inn.
Days Inn is designing a project to construct an indoor pool in the current center courtyard
area. The bedrooms adjacent to the existing courtyard have windows that exit into the
outdoor courtyard. According to the existing building code, the windows would need to exit
into an emergency escape and rescue opening to the outdoors or to an atrium that meets the
exiting requirements if the remodeling project was constructed.
Discussion:
The committee discussed that in the past, the City had removed the two exceptions to Section
1029 of the 2009 International Building Code to match the South Dakota state law regulations.
At that time, the state was requiring hotels and motels to have a second form of emergency
escape and rescue to the outdoors, even if the building was sprinkled throughout. Since then,
the state has adopted the building code to allow exceptions 1 and 2 in Section 1029. The City
discussed having a second egress in all R construction even if the building is sprinkled. The
committee discussed the request and Miller proposed the following exception instead of the
one proposed by designArc:
“In Group R-1 occupancies of other than Type V construction, buildings that are equipped throughout
with an approved automatic sprinkler system in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2”.
This amendment would allow hotels and motels (which is the R-1 category) that are made of
non-combustible materials (Type V is combustible) and sprinkled throughout, to have one
egress out of the sleeping room into the corridor which leads to an exit in either direction.
Residential Group R-1 is defined as residential occupancies containing sleeping units where the
occupants are primarily transient in nature, including boarding houses, hotels and motels.
Clites was concerned about having the egress into the hallway. Meendering and Bolzer
discussed that since the amendment would be allowed in buildings that are non-combustible
construction as well as sprinkled throughout, the chance of a fire hazard is much less. The
committee also discussed that the corridor leads to two exits to the outside and the code has a
minimum travel distance to the exits. The committee agreed to the amendment.
Meeandering/Clites made a motion to adopt the amendment as proposed by
Miller. All present voted aye. Motion passed.
The meeting was adjourned.
Submitted by:
Jackie Lanning, City Engineer