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Every assembly unit shall have frontage upon one or more open spaces consisting of streets not less than 30 feet wide or public alleys or other open spaces not less than ten feet wide which lead directly to a street. Frontage requirements shall be determined according to capacity and shall comply with the requirements established in Table 13-84-030 as set out in this section.
Capacity Frontage | Frontage | ||
Type I Schools | Other Assembly Units | On Street | On Street or Other Open Space |
– | 200 or less | One side | – |
501 or less | 200 to 800 | One side | One side |
501 to 1,000 | More than 800 | One side | Two sides |
1,001 to 2,500 | – | Two sides | One side |
More than 2,500 | – | Three sides | One side |
(Prior code § 54-3)
(a) The main seating level of every theater shall be so located that normal exits from the foyer shall lead to a public street without change in level other than by means of ramps having a slope not exceeding one in 10.
(b) No seating level in rooms used for assembly occupancy and having a capacity of more than 300 persons shall be at a level more than 20 feet above grade except in buildings of Types I-A or I-B construction.
(c) No assembly occupancy shall be located at a level more than 20 feet below grade in buildings of Types I-A or I-B construction, nor more than ten feet below grade in buildings of other types of construction.
(Prior code § 54-4)
(a) The floor construction and enclosing partitions of assembly rooms having a capacity exceeding 300 persons shall be of construction providing fire resistance of not less than two hours.
(b) The floor construction and enclosing partitions of assembly rooms having a capacity not exceeding 300 persons shall be of construction providing fire resistance of not less than one hour.
(c) Partitions, floor constructions and ceiling construction enclosing all public corridors of assembly units shall be of construction providing fire resistance of not less than one hour.
(d) Floor construction over basements of Type III schools shall comply with Section 13-60-200 of this Code.
(Prior code § 54-5)
The terms used in this section are hereby defined as follows:
(a) Stage. “Stage” means the space in a theater or assembly room separated from the auditorium equipped for theatrical or similar performances that provide for the use of curtains, portable or fixed scenery, lights, or mechanical appliances.
Recesses at the front of an auditorium used or designed solely for the mounting of a motion picture screen and its required sound equipment containing no fixed or movable scenery other than curtains of flame- resistive material shall not be deemed to be a stage under the requirements of this section.
(b) Type 1 Stage. “Type 1 stage” means every stage other than a Type 2 stage as defined in paragraph (c).
(c) Type 2 Stage. “Type 2 stage” means a stage complying with each of the following conditions:
(1) The stage shall be located in a school, church, community building, club or similar occupancy in which the use of the stage for theatrical productions is occasional.
(2) The capacity of such assembly rooms shall not exceed 1,000 persons.
(3) The proscenium opening between the stage and the auditorium shall not exceed 32 feet in width nor 22 feet in height.
(4) All stage material, scenery, decorations, drapes and curtains shall be of noncombustible materials.
(d) Stage Block. “Stage block” means that portion of a theater or assembly room containing only the stage or the stage in combination with dressing rooms, storage and property rooms, workshops and other rooms appurtenant to the operation thereof.
(e) Projection Block. “Projection block” means that portion of a theater or assembly room containing a projection room alone or in combination with other rooms appurtenant to the operation thereof.
(f) Dressing Room. “Dressing room” means a room used or intended to be used by a performer or performers for dressing or changing of clothing.
(g) Proscenium. “Proscenium” means the vertical plane of separation between an auditorium and a stage.
(h) Property Room. “Property room” means a room for the storage of any adjunct of a theatrical or similar performance, except scenery, commonly known and described as stage properties.
(i) Stage Workshop. “Stage workshop” means any shop or room in which carpentry, electrical work, painting, or any other work incidental to the preparation, operation, or maintenance of any stage is done.
(j) Storage Room. “Storage room” means a room other than a property room used for storage purposes.
(Prior code § 54-6.1)
Type 1 stages shall comply with the following construction requirements:
(a) Enclosure. The stage block, including the stage and dressing rooms, storage rooms, property rooms, workshops and other rooms appurtenant to the operation thereof, shall be enclosed by walls providing fire resistance of not less than three hours. The floor below the stage block and the floor or roof above the stage block shall be of Type I-A construction.
(b) Protection of Openings.
(1) There shall be no openings in the wall separating the stage from the auditorium except the proscenium opening, one doorway at each side of the proscenium opening at the stage floor level, one doorway at the level of the musicians' pit and, where necessary, a doorway to the organ. Each such doorway shall be not more than 21 square feet in area and shall be protected by an automatic Class A fire door on one side of the wall and a self-closing Class A fire door on the other side of the wall.
(2) The proscenium opening shall be protected by a proscenium curtain or a fire protection system which comply with the requirements of Section 13-84-110.
(3) In the other enclosing walls of the stage block, door openings shall be equipped with approved selfclosing Class D fire doors, and windows shall be approved fire windows. No windows shall be permitted where such walls are located within five feet of a property line other than a street line.
(c) Stage Floor. Trap doors shall be located only in an area not extending beyond the width of the proscenium opening nor within one foot of the proscenium curtain. Trap doors shall be tight-fitting and constructed of solid wood not less than two inches thick and shall be supported by structural members of noncombustible materials. Except within the area where trap doors are permitted for working scenery, traps and appliances, the stage floor shall be of Type I-A construction.
(d) Auxiliary Rooms. Dressing rooms, storage rooms, property rooms, workshops and other rooms appurtenant to the stage shall be of Type I-A or I-B construction and shall be separated from the stage and other parts of the buildings by walls providing fire resistance of not less than one hour. Such rooms and spaces shall be separated from each other by noncombustible partitions providing fire resistance of not less than one hour. No openings connecting such rooms with the stage shall be permitted except the necessary doorways, which shall be protected with self- closing Class C fire doors.
(e) Rigging Lofts. The rigging lofts and fly galleries, including pinrails, shall be of noncombustible materials.
(f) Lighting Troughs. The troughs or frames for footlights and border lights shall be of metal or other noncombustible materials. When disappearing footlights are used, the frame and upper face of the cover may be of hard wood.
(g) Protection of Electrical Equipment. All electrical equipment shall be protected from falling objects and from contact with stage equipment, and shall conform with the electrical requirements of Title 14E
.
(h) Storage Space in Rooms. All shelving, lockers and similar fixtures in dressing rooms, property rooms or storage rooms, shall be constructed of noncombustible materials.
(Prior code § 54-6.2; Amend Coun. J. 11-9-16, p. 36266, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 27)
Type 2 stages shall conform to the following construction requirements.
(a) Enclosure. The stage block, including the stage, and dressing rooms, storage rooms, property rooms, workshops and other rooms appurtenant to the operation thereof, shall be enclosed by walls, floors and roof of noncombustible materials providing fire resistance of not less than one hour.
(b) Stage Floor. Except where trap doors are permitted for the working of scenery, traps and appliances, the stage floor shall be of construction not less fire-resistive than Type I-C. The location of trap doors shall conform to the requirements for Type 1 stages.
(c) Auxiliary Rooms. Dressing rooms, storage rooms, property rooms, workshops and other rooms appurtenant to the stage shall be of construction not less fire-resistive than Type I-C.
(d) Equipment. Rigging lofts, lighting troughs and electrical equipment shall conform to the requirements for Type 1 stages.
(e) All shelving, lockers and similar fixtures in dressing rooms, property rooms or storage rooms shall be constructed by noncombustible materials.
(Prior code § 54-6.3)
Every Type 1 stage shall be provided with a means of natural ventilation so arranged and equipped as to function in case of fire. Such means of ventilation shall consist of not less than one vent nor more than three vents to the outer air meeting the requirements of this section.
(a) Location. The stage openings to stage vents shall be located in the soffit of the ceiling of the stage at points which will effectively ventilate the stage area in the event of fire.
(b) Area. The aggregate area of the stage openings of all stage vents shall be not less than five percent of the floor area of the stage.
(c) Shafts and Vent Openings.
(1) Each stage opening shall be connected by a shaft to vent openings located not less than 15 feet above any roof which is within a horizontal distance of ten feet from any vent opening.
(2) The angle between the axis of the shaft and the vertical shall not exceed 30 degrees.
(3) The cross-sectional area of any shaft and the clear area of any vent opening shall be not less than the area of the stage opening served.
(4) Vent openings shall not be located within ten feet of a lot line nor within 20 feet of any door, window or wall opening on the same lot.
(d) Enclosure of Shafts. All shafts shall be enclosed with construction providing fire resistance of not less than two hours; except that shafts passing through any portion of a building outside the stage block shall be enclosed with construction providing fire resistance of not less than three hours.
(e) Dampers. All stage vents shall also be equipped with damper controls as required by Chapter 18-28.
(f) Tests. Upon completion of the installation, every stage vent and all operating mechanisms and appurtenances shall pass a test conducted by the department of buildings. The test shall demonstrate that each of the devices for operation and control, required under this section, are properly operative.
(Prior code § 54-6.4; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 11-9-16, p. 36266, § 18; Amend Coun. J. 9-6-17, p. 55278, Art. II, § 28)
Every proscenium opening in a Type 1 stage shall be provided with a proscenium fire curtain complying with the requirements of paragraph (a) or with a fire protection system complying with the requirements of paragraph (b).
(a) Proscenium Fire Curtain.
(1) Materials. The curtain shall be of approved metal construction, or of wire-reinforced glass yarn fabric. An existing, approved reinforced asbestos curtain may be used when the proscenium opening does not exceed 28 feet in height.
(2) Performance Requirements. The curtain shall be so designed and constructed that for at least 30 minutes it will prevent all passage of flame and withstand without failure a temperature of not less than 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit and an air pressure normal to its surface of not less than ten pounds per square foot. When closed, the curtain shall be reasonably tight against the passage of smoke.
(3) Construction. The curtain shall overlap the proscenium opening by at least two feet at the top and 18 inches at each side, and shall slide vertically at each side within iron or steel grooves which shall have a minimum depth of 12 inches. No part of any curtain shall be supported by or fastened to combustible material.
(4) The curtain shall be so arranged and maintained that, in case of fire, it will be released automatically and instantly by an approved heat- actuated device, and will descend slowly and safely by its own weight to completely close the proscenium opening within 30 seconds, taking not over five seconds for the bottom five feet. It shall also be equipped with effective devices to permit prompt and immediate closing of the proscenium opening by manual means.
(5) Machinery. All machines and hoisting gear shall be designed in accordance with safe practice. The “American National Safety Code for Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators and Moving Walks”, ANSI A17.1-1971, with its supplement ANSI A17.1b-1973, shall be considered as a guide to safe practice except as otherwise stated in this Code. Travel limit stops and room for over-travel shall be provided.
(b) Fire Protection System.
(1) The fire protection system shall consist of an opaque curtain and a deluge system.
(2) An approved opaque fabric curtain system shall be installed in the proscenium opening, so arranged that it will close both automatically and manually.
(3) A water spray deluge system shall be installed on the stage side of the proscenium opening, arranged to discharge water on the curtain and on the stage floor behind the curtain at a discharge density of not less than three gallons per minute per lineal foot of opening. Operation shall be both automatic and manual. Equipment, materials and installation shall be in conformance with Chapter 15-16. Shutoff valves shall be electrically supervised.
(4) Automatic operation of the stage fire protection system shall be by means of approved combination fixed-temperature and rate-of-rise heat detectors located throughout the stage, as approved by the fire commissioner. Manual operation shall be by means of approved electric releases on the stage and in the projection or lighting control booth. Installation shall conform to the requirements of a standard fire alarm system. In addition, a manual nonelectric release shall be provided for the curtain and for the deluge systems at readily accessible locations in the stage.
(5) Normal ventilation shall be designed to maintain an airflow from the auditorium to the stage.
(c) Abandonment of Proscenium Opening Protection. Where a Type 1 stage in an existing assembly unit has been abandoned for theatrical or similar performances, the building commissioner and the fire commissioner may jointly approve the mounting of a motion picture screen and its required sound equipment providing:
(1) All combustible stage material and equipment and scenery is removed from the stage;
(2) Where stage is provided with automatic sprinkler system, such system shall be maintained in good working condition and under pressure at all times;
(3) Present automatic stage vents to be maintained in good working condition;
(4) Proscenium curtain need not be required if a one-hour fire resistive rating noncombustible separation is provided between the space required to install the screen with its sound equipment and the balance of the stage;
(5) Such a stage shall not again be used as a Type 1 stage, unless it is brought in compliance with the present code;
(6) No portion of such stage shall be used for storage or handling of material; and
(7) The space between the screen and fire wall shall be sprinkled and vented, as called for in Chapter 15-16 of this Code.
(Prior code § 54-6.5; Amend Coun. J. 9-13-89, p. 4604; Amend Coun. J. 2-4-92, p. 12069; Amend Coun. J. 5-18-16, p. 24131, § 38)
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