329B

Index of Sections



SECTION 329B SPECIFIC USE PROVISIONS
Code Plain English

329B.1 Room and Space Dimensions

329B.1.1 General.

Room dimensions and floor areas of Designated Residential Area in an individual JLWQ used for living, sleeping, eating, and cooking (habitable space) shall meet, as a minimum, the requirements of Section 310.6 and the provisions for Efficiency Dwelling Units pursuant to Section 310.7 and requirements herein. Dimensions of areas other than the designated residential area within an individual F-7 Occupancy space shall be as for an F-1 Occupancy. In addition to other requirements comply with Section 322B.2.

329B.1 Room and Space Dimensions

329B.1.1 General.

A reading of Section 310.7, the "efficiency dwelling unit" provision in the UBC, in the context of work/live suggests that the designated residential portion of a unit could be as little as 220 square feet–leaving out bathroom and closet, which can be considered work space– for a maximum of two residents. This conforms exactly to 1/3 of the minimum unit size, which is 660 square feet.

329B.1.2 Sleeping Mezzanine Space Dimensions.

A sleeping mezzanine, which is permitted only in an individual JLWQ shall have space dimensions as provided herein.

 

329B.1.2 Sleeping Mezzanines.


"Sleeping Mezzanines" are an invention of the Oakland Live/Work Building Code. They can be accessed by ladders, they can have a lower ceiling–5’-8" if flat or 4’-0" minimum if they have a sloping ceiling with a minimum slope of 4" vertical to 12" horizontal–and a maximum area of 120 square feet. There are minimum dimensions, amount of open area, and railing requirements which are detailed in the body text . (Section 329B1.2)

329B.1.2.1 Headroom.

The minimum sleeping mezzanine headroom shall be a headroom "envelope" clearance to the ceiling or any projections from the ceiling that has a height of 4' with an increasing height of 4" vertical to 12" horizontal or steeper running towards the access to the loft. A horizontal ceiling shall be a minimum of 5'-8" above the sleeping mezzanine floor. See Figures A-3B-1A & 1B.

329B.1.2.2 Floor Area.

The area dimensions of a sleeping mezzanine may be 5' minimum deep by 7' minimum long or 7' minimum deep by 5' minimum long with a maximum area of 120 square feet. At least fifty percent (50%) of the sleeping loft area perimeter shall be open to the common atmosphere of the space in which it is located unless mechanical ventilation or operable window pursuant to Section 1203.2 is provided. The floor area of a sleeping mezzanine shall not exceed the allowable floor area for mezzanines pursuant to Section 329B.2. See Figures A-3B-1A & 1B.

329B.1.3 Built-in Sleeping Bunk Space Dimensions.

A built-in sleeping bunk, which is permitted only in an individual JLWQ shall have space dimensions as provided herein.

329B.1.2.2 Built-in Sleeping Bunks.


"Built-in sleeping bunks" are also an invention of the Oakland Live/Work Building Code. They can be accessed by ladders, they can have a lower ceiling– 3’-6" if flat or 3’-0" minimum if they have a sloping ceiling with a minimum slope of 4" vertical to 12" horizontal––and a maximum area of 60 square feet. There are minimum dimensions, amount of open area and railing requirements which are detailed in the body text. (Section 329B1.2)

329B.1.3.1 Headroom.

The minimum built-in sleeping bunk headroom clearance shall be a headroom "envelope" clearance to the ceiling or any projections from the ceiling with a height of 3' and with an increasing height of 4" vertical to 12" horizontal or steeper running towards the access to the built-in sleeping bunk. The minimum clearance for a flat ceiling shall be 42 inches above the built-in sleeping bunk floor. See Figures A-3B-2A & 2B.

329B.1.3.2 Floor Area.

A built-in sleeping bunk shall meet the area dimensions requirements for a sleeping mezzanine pursuant to Section 329B.1.2.2. However, the area of the built-in sleeping bunk may not exceed 60 square feet. See Figures A-3B-2A & 2B.

329B.2 Mezzanines in Individual JLWQ.

329B.2.1 General.

Mezzanines shall conform to other requirements of this code or as herein provided.

329B.2.2 Mezzanine Ceiling Height.

The ceiling height of a sloping ceiling above a mezzanine may be measured in accordance with Section 310.6.1.

329B.2.2 Mezzanine Ceiling Height.

True mezzanines, defined as intermediate floors placed within a room, are often used in live/work space, and have specific requirements, such as area (normally 1/3 of the room into which they are open), and degree of open-ness. They also normally are required to have 7’ 0" clear height above and below them at all points. This provision allows sloping ceilings above mezzanines such as are normally allowed in rooms in residences. It is important because were this exception not made, some lofts and so-called mezzanines would actually be a story, and could cause the building to exceed the allowable or desirable number of stories. True mezzanines must have proper code-complying staircases; sleeping mezzanines and built-in sleeping bunks can be ladder accessed. See Section _____.

329B.2.3 Mezzanine Area in Individual JLWQ.

329B.2.3.1 The area of a mezzanine within an F-7 Occupancy JLWQ may be one third of the gross footprint area of the individual JLWQ if the building is fire-sprinklered throughout.

329B.2.3 Mezzanine Area in Individual JLWQ.


Several other provisions have been adopted to relax mezzanine size requirements in existing JLWQ sprinklered buildings. The first permits a mezzanine to be 1/3 of the area of the entire JLWQ as opposed to the room into which it opens.

329B.2.3.2

The area of a mezzanine within an individual JLWQ may be one half of the gross area of the individual JLWQ if the building is fire-sprinklered throughout and fire-sprinklers are not otherwise required, including the requirement for fire-sprinklers due to inadequate fire flow in the water supply serving the building. The total area of the mezzanines within and outside the individual JLWQ on any floor or story of the building shall not exceed one-third of the area of the floor or story.

329B.2.3.3

If the area and type of construction of an existing building and/or the use of area separation walls pursuant to Section 504.6 will not permit additional number of stories for the building, the area of the mezzanine of an individual JLWQ may be one half of the gross footprint area of the individual JLWQ without being classified as an additional story when the building is fire-sprinklered throughout and all of the following conditions exist:

  1. the individual JLWQ has a layer of 5/8" Type 'X' gypsum board applied to the existing ceiling and wall on the unit's side of common ceiling or wall with another unit and also with any corridor;
  2. the existing building's interior exit path (corridor, etc.) serving the individual JLWQ has been constructed as for an extent of stairway enclosure appropriate to the configuration of the building, including requirements for smokeproof enclosure as applicable, pursuant to Section 1009.4. When a stairway enclosure is not required, the interior exit path shall be constructed as for an exit passageway pursuant to Section 1011. Unless otherwise required, other JLWQ in the building not using the requirements of this section need not be provided with fire-resistive protection on their side of the corridor or exit passageway; and
  3. glazed openings are allowed between the unit and the building's interior exit path (corridor, etc.) if they are double glazed wire glass in steel frames of no more than 15 square feet per unit fronting on the exit path outside of the JLWQ (corridor, etc.).

See Figure A-3B-4.

329B.2.3.2

Under a number of rigorous conditions (see body text), mezzanines may be 50% of the gross footprint of the unit. To summarize, these conditions are:

  1. The building must be sprinklered,
  2. Extra layers of 5/8" sheet rock must be applied to demising and corridor walls of the unit,
  3. Any corridor serving the unit is constructed "as for an extent of stairway enclosure"
  4. Glazed openings into the corridor are limited, and
  5. The conversion qualifies as a JLWQ.

329B.3 Yards and Courts.

Yards and courts with required windows for natural light and ventilation shall be provided pursuant to Section 2103.4

329B.4 Eaves.

Eaves over required windows for natural light and ventilation shall be pursuant to Section 1204.

329B.5 Smoke Detectors.

Smoke detectors shall be provided in individual spaces that shall conform as applicable for new construction and R occupancy to Sections 310.9.1.1, 310.9.1.3, and as appropriate either 310.9.1.4 or 310.9.1.5.

329B.5 Smoke Detectors.

All units shall have smoke detectors as per a residential apartment unit.

329B.6 Heating.

329B.6.1 General.

The designated residential area of a JLWQ shall conform to the requirements of Section 310.11 or with the prescriptive requirements as provided herein. Space heating equipment shall be configured or located so the heated air will be directly circulated to the designated residential portion of the individual JLWQ.

329B.6 Heating.

329B.6.1 General.

The state of California has very specific and rather stringent energy conservation standards, usually called "Title 24." If you honestly can state that your existing building contains a functioning heater of any size, the work you are doing is considered to be an alteration of heated space rather than creation of new conditional space; you therefore do not need to touch the envelope of the building, i.e. windows, walls, roof, doors for purposes of energy conservation. On the other hand, if your design complies entirely with the "prescriptive heating requirements" as specified in section 329B.6, the space in question is considered "unconditioned," which means it does not require Title 24 energy calculations. more

329B.6.2 Prescriptive Requirements for Separate Work and Residential Area.

329B.6.2.1 Thermal Separation.

When the work area of an individual JLWQ is separated from the designated residential area by an insulated wall of minimum nominal R-13 resistivity the work area need not be heated.

329B.6.2.2 Prescriptive Insulation and Heating Equipment Size.

Prescriptive heating equipment to heat the designated residential area shall be the nearest higher nominal size based on a maximum of 35 BTU/square foot with an additional 1 BTU/square foot for each additional foot in height of the space more than 10 feet high. The designated residential area that is prescriptively heated shall be enclosed with a minimum nominal insulated R-13 wall, R-19 floor and R-19 ceiling. The space meeting these prescriptive requirements is considered as meeting the heating requirements of this section and need not be considered as conditioned space. Energy conservation requirements for conditioned space pursuant to Section 340 shall be met when heating is by an electrical energy source, space heating equipment size is larger than the prescriptive equipment size, or minimum prescriptive insulation is not provided.

329B.6.3 Prescriptive Requirements for Open Work and Designated Residential Area.

329B.6.3.1 No Thermal Separation.

When the work area of an individual JLWQ is open to the designated residential area it shall be heated.

329B.6.3.2 Prescriptive Insulation and Heating Equipment Size for Open Work and Designated Residential Area.

Prescriptive heating equipment to heat the designated residential area shall be the nearest higher nominal size based on a maximum of 35 BTU/square foot plus 15 BTU/square foot of the area that is not designated residential area with an additional 1 BTU/square foot for each additional foot in height of the space more than 10 feet high. The area that is prescriptively heated shall be enclosed with a minimum nominal insulated R-13 wall, R-19 floor and R-19 ceiling. The space meeting these prescriptive requirements is considered as meeting the heating requirements of this section and need not be considered as conditioned space. Energy conservation requirements for conditioned space pursuant to Section 340 shall be met when heating is by an electrical energy source, equipment size is larger than the prescriptive equipment size, or minimum prescriptive insulation is not provided.


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