32A-124 Notes for BBRS Appeal 2013-07-31Louis Hasbrouck, Building Commissioner
City of Northampton
57 King St BBRS Appeal Hearing
Notes 7/31/13
The project at 57 King St involves a two story addition to the residential portion of a mixed use building.
The M use commercial portion of the existing building is ~ 8000 sf.
The existing R-3 residential unit is ~ 1800 sf, on the 2nd floor above the rear of the commercial space.
The existing building meets current code requirements including required means of egress and alarm system.
The original portion of the existing building was constructed in ~1920.
T he building is of type IIIB construction.
The residential unit is separated from the commercial space.
The project involves renovating the existing residential entryway, replacing an existing attached carport with a two car garage at grade and a deck and habitable room over the new garage.
The new garage is ~430 sf. The new room on the 2nd floor is ~ 270 sf. The new 2nd floor deck is also ~ 270 sf.
The expansion of the footprint is ~ 430 sf.
The existing building does not have a sprinkler system.
I do not know what type of alarm system the existing building has, but I understand that the plans include an alarm system that will meet the current code requirements.
I am confident that final plans for this project will meet all the requirements of the Massachusetts State Building Code.
I concluded, after a code analysis and in consultation with Assistant Chief Duane Nichols of the Northampton Fire Department that the project as presented required an NFPA 13 sprinkler
system be installed in the newly constructed area. I reached this conclusion after reviewing both Chapter 34 section 302.1 (prescriptive method) and section 1001.1 (work area method
for additions, and Chapter 9, table 902.3 (note A).
After consultation with the Assistant Chief Nichols, the project architect Bruce Coldham and consulting Fire Protection Engineer Hal Cutler, I informed Mr. Coldham that I would consider
granting a code modification to allow installation of an NFPA 13R system throughout the whole residential unit in place of an NFPA 13 system only in the new construction. Assistant
Chief Nichols and I believe that an NFPA 13R system throughout the residential unit will provide a greater level of protection than a partial NFPA 13 system.
After further investigations, it was determined that the existing 1 ¼” water line will not provide sufficient water for an NFPA 13R system even if provisions are made to prevent domestic
waterflow upon sprinkler system activation. Mr. Coldham has proposed an NFPA 13D system instead of an NFPA 13R system. I denied that request.