The Department shall assign each building within the scope of this
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to one of the following four categories. If a building does not clearly fall within one of these categories, the Building Official shall assign it to the category he or she determines is the most appropriate. The Building Official’s decision is appealable to the Building Inspection Commission pursuant to Section 77.3(b) of the Administrative Code.
Category One: The Primary Entry or Entries and the Accessible Entrance Route(s) comply with Code requirements. A building qualifies under Category One if any of the following descriptions applies:
(a) A building or portion thereof was constructed or altered under a permit application filed prior to July 1, 1992 and all Primary Entries and Accessible Entrance Routes are in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code.
(b) A building or portion thereof was constructed or altered under a permit application filed on or after July 1, 1992, and prior to January 1, 2002, all Primary Entries and Accessible Entrance Routes are in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code or a later Building Code in effect at the time of any permit application for a tenant improvement or other alteration, and the Department gave final approval of the accessible entry work under the construction permit or any alteration permits.
(c) A building is eligible to use the California Historical Building Code, a permit application was filed on or after January 1, 1995, all Primary Entries and Accessible Entrance Routes are in compliance with the California Historical Building Code in effect at the time of the permit application, and the Department gave final approval of the accessible entry work under the construction permit or any alteration permits.
(d) A building is within the scope of Chapter 4D of the Existing Building Code, which mandates earthquake retrofit of certain existing Wood-Frame Buildings, and the Owner elected pursuant to Section 1107D to comply with the requirements of this Chapter prior to the compliance deadlines in Table 1107D.
(e) A building or portion thereof was altered, or is proposed to be altered, under a permit application filed on or after the effective date of this
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and the Owner elected pursuant to Section 1107D to comply with the requirements of this Chapter prior to the compliance deadlines in Table 1107D.
Category Two: There are no steps to the Primary Entry or Entries and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) do not comply with Code requirements. A building qualifies under Category Two if any of the following descriptions applies:
(a) A building or portion thereof was constructed or altered under a permit application filed prior to July 1, 1992, the building has a Primary Entry or Entries with no steps, and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) are not in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code.
(b) A building or portion thereof was constructed or altered on or after July 1, 1992 and prior to January 1, 2002, the building has a Primary Entry or Entries with no steps, and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) are not in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code or a later Building Code in effect at the time of any permit application for a tenant improvement or other alteration, or the Department did not give final approval of the accessible entry work under the construction permit or any alteration permit.
(c) A building is eligible to use the California Historical Building Code, a permit application was filed on or after January 1, 1995, the Primary Entry or Entries has no steps, and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) are not in compliance with the California Historical Building Code in effect at the time of permit application, or the Department did not give final approval of the accessible entry work under a construction permit or any alteration permit.
Category Three: There is one step to the Primary Entry or Entries and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) do not comply with Code requirements. A building qualifies under Category Three if the building or portion thereof was constructed or altered under a permit application filed prior to July 1, 1992, the Department gave final approval of the work under the permit, the building has a Primary Entry or Entries with one step and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) are not in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code.
Category Four: The building has a Primary Entry or Entries with more than one step and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries and/or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) do not comply with minimum Code requirements. A building qualifies under Category Four if the building or portion thereof was constructed or altered under a permit application filed prior to July 1, 1992, the building has a Primary Entry or Entries with more than one step, and one or more elements of the Primary Entry or Entries or the Accessible Entrance Route(s) are not in compliance with the requirements of the 1998 California Building Code, or the Department did not give final approval of the accessible entry work under the construction permit.