BCAB #1504 - Fire Separation of Repair Garage, Sentence 3.3.5.5.(1)

Last updated on March 24, 2016

March 15, 2000

BCAB #1504

Re: Fire Separation of Repair Garage, Sentence 3.3.5.5.(1)

Project Description

The project in question is a facility for servicing truck mounted cranes. The project consists of a one storey wood frame modular office building adjacent to a prefabricated steel warehouse type structure. There is a three foot gap between the buildings and one connecting doorway.

Reason for Appeal

The project has been classified as a repair garage and Sentence 3.3.5.5.(1) requires a repair garage and any ancillary spaces serving it, including waiting rooms, reception rooms, tool and parts storage areas and supervisory office space, to be separated from other occupancies by a two hour fire separation.

Appellant's Position

The appellant contends that the office portion of the facility containing the general office, manager’s office, office storage room, lunchroom and washrooms is ancillary to the repair garage. As ancillary space it should not be required to be fire separated from the repair garage.

Building Official's Position

The building official maintains that the general office, office storage room and washroom are not ancillary to the repair garage and must be separated from it by a two hour fire separation.

Appeal Board Decision #1501

It is the determination of the Board that all the uses in the office portion of the project are similar to the examples in Sentence 3.3.5.5.(1) and should be considered ancillary the principle use of the building as a repair garage.

George R. Humphrey, Chair