661 Westhampton Road Denial 2019-07-02City of Northampton
Massachusetts
DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING INSPECTIONS 212 Main Street ● Municipal Building Northampton, MA 01060
Mark A. Tanner, Esq. 57 Center Street
Northampton, MA 01060 re: 661 Westhampton Road Map-Lot 42-044 July 2, 2019 Attorney Tanner,
We received 2 building permit applications for work on the single family house at 661 Westhampton Road. Neither permit application indicated that the house was intended to be a group
residence. I have not done the final building inspection or issued a certificate of occupancy for the house.
After consulting the Massachusetts Board of Building Regulations and Standards and as advised by the Chief of Inspections, it is my determination that the house requires a sprinkler system. I have excerpted relevant sections of the 9th edition of the Massachusetts State Building Code 780 CMR below. I have also included an email from the chief of Inspections. R102.2.1 DDS Facilities. Additional building features required by the Massachusetts Department of
Developmental Services (“DDS”) do not change the classification of residences operated or licensed by
DDS as dwellings subject to 780 CMR.
308.3.4 Five or fewer persons receiving custodial care. A facility with five or fewer persons receiving custodial care shall be classified as Group R-3 or shall comply with the International Residential Code provided an automatic sprinkler system is installed in accordance with section 903.3.1.3.
EXCEPTION: DDS group home facilities of five or fewer persons receiving custodial care. See section 310.5.
310.5 Residential Group R-3. Residential Group R-3 occupancies where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature and not classified as Group R-1, R-2, R-4 or I, including:
1. Buildings that do not contain more than two dwelling units;
2. Boarding houses (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants; 3. Boarding houses (transient) with tenor fewer occupants;
4. Care facilities that provide accommodations for five or fewer persons receiving care;
5. Congregate living facilities (nontransient) with 16 or fewer occupants; 6. Congregate living facilities (transient) with tenor fewer occupants;
7. Lodging houses; and
8. DDS facilities in conformance with the occupant safety requirements of 115 CMR 7.00: Standards for All Services and Supports. Respectfully, Louis Hasbrouck
Building Commissioner City of Northampton (413) 587-1240
cc: BBRS Chief Inspector Robert Anderson, State Inspector Louise Vera, Mayor of Northampton
Louis Hasbrouck <lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov>
RE: DDS facilities
1 message
Anderson, Robert (REG) <robert.anderson@state.ma.us>Tue, Jun 25, 2019 at 8:54 PM
To: "Vera, Louise (REG)" <louise.vera@state.ma.us>
Cc: Louis Hasbrouck <lhasbrouck@northamptonma.gov>, "Kilb, Charles G (REG)" <charles.g.kilb@state.ma.us>
Hi Louise –
The plain read of the ninth edition would indicate that sprinklers are required.
I have copied OPSI Counsel Kilb on this message since he has done some research and may have additional information
to offer.
I hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Robert Anderson
Division of Professional Licensure
Office of Public Safety and Inspections
Chief of Inspections – Building & Engineering
1000 Washington Street, Suite 710
Boston, MA 02118
Office (617) 826-5268
Cell (617) 593-0086
From: Vera, Louise (DPL)
Sent: Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:11 AM
To: Anderson, Robert (DPL)
Cc: Louis Hasbrouck
Subject: Re: DDS facilities
Good morning Chief,
I have had a question put forth to me regarding DDS single-family facilities with five persons or less and whether or not
they need to be sprinklered under the ninth edition. The code is very ambiguous on whether or not sprinklers are
required. Could you offer for the guidance? Thank you, Louise
Louise Vera, CBO
DPL
Office of Public Safety and Inspections
508-254-9211
Sent from my iPhone
On Jun 3, 2019, at 1:04 PM, Anderson, Robert (DPL) <Robert.Anderson@mass.gov> wrote:
Ladies and Gentlemen –
This memorandum dates back to 2011 and is written in respect to a previous edition of the building code
that is no longer in effect.
Please refrain from posting on the MFBO website and\or distributing further as additional guidance will be
offered in the near future regarding the accuracy of the memorandum in consideration of the ninth edition
code language.
Thank you for your assistance.
Sincerely,
Robert Anderson
Division of Professional Licensure
Office of Public Safety and Inspections
Chief of Inspections – Building & Engineering
1000 Washington Street, Suite 710
Boston, MA 02118
Office (617) 826-5268
Cell (617) 593-0086
From: Bailey, Gordon (DPL)
Sent: Monday, June 03, 2019 9:57 AM
To: Reynolds, Adelle (DPL); Majuri, Andrew (DPL); Holmes, David (DPL); DiChiara, Paul (DPL); Bailey,
Gordon (DPL); Leaming, Harold (DPL); Jarvis, John (DPL); Bennett, JohnC (DPL); Vera, Louise (DPL);
LaPointe, Marc (DPL); Novak, Gene (DPL); Putnam, Jeffrey (DPL); Bienvenue, Richard (DPL); Wetmore,
Ron (DPL); Horrocks, William (DPL); Wojciechowicz, John (DPL); Al Leu (aleu@cityofpittsfield.org); Andre
Bliss; anthony@bluelinedesign.com; Arthur Lawler (arthurlawler1@aol.com); bchurch@town.lee.ma.us;
Bengt Granskog (goksnarg@hotmail.com); Bill Girard; bobbartlett101@yahoo.com; Brian Duval
(briduval@nycap.rr.com); buildinginspector@townofgranville.org; Carl Dietz; Charlene Baiardi; Chris Rice;
Dave Roberts; David Jensen; Dick Calisewski (rcalisewski@town.deerfield.ma.us); Don Torrico; Donald
Torrico; dwfitz56@msn.com; Edward Baldwin (buildinginspector@townofstockbridge.com);
EMay@townofgb.org; Eric R. Munson Jr. (emunsonjr@gmail.com); Fydenkevez Joseph
(building@townofsunderland.us); Gary Danko (gdanko53@icloud.com); George Peterson;
gwgarner@roadrunner.com; J.J. Moran; James Cerone (ceronejames@gmail.com); James Hawkins
(jhawkins@FRCOG.org); Jay Steup; Jeff Clemons (jclemons@town.lee.ma.us); Jeromy Richardson
(jeromyarichardson@gmail.com); John Carchedi; John Salvini; Jon Flagg; Jonathan Flagg; Joseph
Latronica (buildinginspector@cummington-ma.gov); jreinhardt@hillengineers.com; Kevin Duquette; Larry
Gould (bldginspotis@gmail.com); Louis Hasbrouck; Mark Bashista; Mark E. Hebert
(mhebert@springfieldcityhall.com); Mark Kruzel; Mark Snow; Matthew Kolmer; Melissa Martin
(mmartin@northadams-ma.gov); Michael Card; osseous@roadrunner.com; Owen E. Wright; Patillo, Tony
(apatillo@comcast.net); Paul Greene (paulgreenesec@gmail.com); Paul Healy (phealy@longmeadow.org);
Paul Tacy (pftacy@yahoo.com); pcampbell@springfieldcityhall.com; Phil Delorey; Ray Ronan - Pittsfield
(rronan@cityofpittsfield.org); Richard Olsson (rolsson@springfieldcityhall.com); Rick Reid
(wreid1@nycap.rr.com); Rob Rosier; Robert Sullivan (sullcon@comcast.net); Robert Valenti
(rvalenti@springfieldcityhall.com); Ron Laurin; Ryan Contenta (RContenta@Williamstown.net); Shawn
Kimberley (shawnkimberley@hotmail.com); Steven Desilets (sdesilets@springfieldcityhall.com);
tcarm46@yahoo.com; Thomas Carmody; Thomas F. Quinlan Jr.; Timothy L. Neyhart
(inspections@hadleyma.org); Timothy X. Sears (timxsears@gmail.com); Tom Hammel; Vern Harrington;
Vincent M. Lively; William Meranti (bmeranti@yahoo.com); William Scott (bscott@agawam.ma.us); William
Spinney (wspinney@cityofPittsfield.org)
Cc: Anderson, Robert (DPL); Sullivan, David (DPL); Walsh, Dan P (DPL)
Subject: DDS facilities
To ALL: I came across the attached document and felt it necessary to share with all of you.
Please feel free to share with others in your Districts/Municipalities.
Thank you for your continued support of our Public Safety mission,
Gordon D. Bailey
State Building Inspector,
Office of Public Safety
And Inspections -
STCC, 1 Armory Square
Building 15, Suite 1
Springfield, Ma. 01102
gordon.bailey@mass.gov
413-822-9469