Seavue Doors.pdf121 5th AVENUE NORTH - EDMONDS, WA 98020 - (425) 771 -0220 - FAX (42.5) 771-0221
www.edmofidswa.gov
DEVEL.OPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT
September 4, 2013
Mr. Jerome Freundlich
Seavue Association of Apartment Owners
1130 5"' Ave. South
Edmonds, WA 98020
Mr. Freundlich,
DAVE EARLING
MAYO
We have received your request to remove (6) area separation doors within your condominium
building at 1130 5"' Ave. South. In response to your request, Fire Marshal John Westfall and I
have performed considerable research that included review of original permit drawings and other
archive documents, review of previous and current building codes, review of "as -built" drawings
under the current building permit, a site visit, plus numerous conversations with Mr. Jay Grant,
who is a resident of the building as well as the applicant for the current permit.
The evidence found calls into question the viability of the existing area separation walls, which
seem to be lacking proper construction and/or maintenance in several aspects, such as: :
a. The associated doors are improperly positioned in the corridors and do not stack one
above the other from floor level to floor level, as required by the building code.
b. The door frames are labeled as 20 -minute as opposed to the required 90 -minute fire
rating.
c. Some of the doors are well out of alignment within their frames, presenting gaps
between the door and frame.
d. The walls themselves do not appear to be continuous within the concealed wall and
ceiling framing.
e. The lowest floor level does not contain of any fire doors across the corridor. By
building code definition, area separation walls are to be continuous from the
foundation to the roof, including roof parapets that do not exist.
In light of the apparent deficient nature of the current construction, it would seem that the doors
in question, being located within an incomplete wall assembly would not, on their own, provide
the level of fire resistance expected from an area separation wall. There is also evidence from
existing records to support the concept that instead of two, only one area separation wall was
ultimately required by the City. Short of performing an exhaustive investigation, the remedies
proposed appear to present an acceptable level of fire protection. Comments regarding the alarin
system from Fire Marshal Westfall are as follows:
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IFC 104.8 Modifications and IFC 104.9 Alternative materials and methods.
The level of coverage required for this fire alarm system exceeds that required by IFC
4603.6.6 for existing R-2 (multifamily) buildings. The level of coverage exceeds that
required upon building design and acceptance. The level of coverage will substantially
improve the performance and purpose over the existing fire alarm, providing location
information to responding fire department resources. The level of coverage will instill
confidence in the new system to provide early warning of fire incidents to the occupants.
LEVEL OF COVERAGE FOR FIRE ALARM:
Provide automatic and manual fire alarm system throughout the building. Install new
addressable FACP and annunciators at East and North main entries.
Provide new smoke detectors in corridors, common living areas, at FACP, and for door
holders installed in accordance with IBC Chapter 7 and NFPA 80.
Provide accessible notification in common areas.
Provide and/or evaluate existing heat detection in garages and storage units. Addressing
of devices is essential to improved coverage.
Establish and maintain off-site monitoring for fire alarm system.
Your proposed plan to mitigate the building's deficiencies through the alterations under the
current permit and the installation of a new fire alarm system throughout the building aims to
improve the level of safety of the building and its occupants, and in my opinion meets the intent
of the building code. Your request is hereby approved.
Sincerely,'
Leif Bjoack, Building Official
City of Edmonds
(425) 771-0220 x 1380
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Cc: Fire Marshal
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