Use and Occupancy Classifications

• Commercial Alteration / Tenant Build-Outs

• Occupant Loads

Use and Occupancy Classifications with examples:

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Assembly Uses

• A1 – Theatres and concert halls.

• A2 – Restaurants, banquet halls and bars.

• A3 – Gyms, churches, bowling alleys and exhibition halls.

• A4 – Indoor arenas, skating rinks, swimming pools and tennis courts.

• A5 – Amusement parks, grandstands, stadiums and bleachers.

Business Use:

• B – Banks, professional offices, barber shops and beauty shops.

Educational Use:

• E – Schools and day cares.

Factory:

• F1 – Manufacturing, fabricating and assembling products of moderate hazard.

  Example: Bakeries, cabinet shops, dry cleaning, food processing, laundries, printing or publishing, refuse incineration.

• F2 – Manufacturing or fabricating products of low-hazard.

  Example: Ceramic products, brick or masonry, foundries, gypsum, ice.

Hazardous:

• H1 – Detonation hazard.

• H2 – Deflagration or accelerated burning hazard.

• H3 – Readily support combustion or pose a physical threat.

• H4 – Health hazard

• H5 – Hazardous production materials

Institutional:

• I1 – More than 16 persons on a 24 hour basis.

  Example: Assisted living, alcohol and drug centers, group homes, half-way houses, convalescent facilities.

• I2 – More than 5 persons not capable of self-preservation.

  Example: Hospitals, nursing homes, mental hospitals, detoxification facilities.

• I3 – More than 5 persons under restraint or security.

  Example: Adult care facility and children facility.

• I4 – Day Care Facilities for less than 24 hours for more then 5 persons.

  Example: Adult-care facility and children facility.

Mercantile:

• M –Drug store, department stores, markets, motor fuel-dispensing facilities, retail or wholesale stores, sales rooms

Residential:

• R1 – Boarding houses, hotels, motels.

• R2 – Apartments, dormitories, vacation time shares.

• R3 – Child or adult care less than 6 persons, no more than 2 dwellings

• R4 – Care assisted occupancies with 6 to 16 occupants excluding staff.

Storage:

• S1 –Moderate-hazard storage.
  Example: Pare products, wood products, tobacco products, wax candles, bulk storage tires, dry boat storage, motor vehicle repair garages.

• S2 –Low-hazard storage.

  Example: Metal products, aircraft hangar, parking garages, cement in bags, food products, dairy products, meats, mirrors, porcelain and pottery, frozen foods.

Utility and Miscellaneous:

• U – garages, sheds, storage tanks, towers, greenhouses, carports, retaining wall.

Contacts - for questions & further assistance

If you have any questions and want to further discuss the requirements,

• Contact the Plans Examiner’s office at (757) 382-6018, or

• Meet with a Plans Examiner of Development & Permits on the 2nd floor of City Hall from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.