Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Vestibule Egress Variance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fire marshal cites middle‑school vestibule change; district to seek variance and weigh costs to reinstall doors
Summary
Capital projects staff told the Westwood subcommittee on Oct. 9, 2024, that a Duns Corner Fire District review concluded the removal of a pair of entrance doors at the middle school reduced egress capacity under the marshal's interpretation; staff said they will seek a variance and are calculating the cost to reinstall the doors.
Capital projects staff told the Westwood Public Schools School Building Subcommittee on Oct. 9, 2024, that the Duns Corner Fire District issued a violation concerning the middle‑school vestibule project after the removal of a pair of entrance doors intended to create a secure vestibule.
Staff presented the marshal’s calculation, noting that the marshal used a 7‑square‑feet‑per‑person factor for some occupancy calculations and therefore concluded that, under his reading of code, the building would not meet egress requirements when the cafeteria, auditorium and gymnasium were occupied simultaneously. The marshal told staff he would not support a variance to allow the configuration without the doors.
Capital projects staff said they will pursue a variance before the appropriate board and are also estimating the cost to reinstall the doors if the variance is denied. The meeting materials showed alternate occupant‑load calculations (15 square feet per person in some assemblies versus 7 in concentrated seating) and staff suggested that posting room occupant limits and reinforcing building‑use controls could reduce risk and support an appeal.
Justin Hopkins said the marshal’s jurisdiction is advisory in some respects and noted that owners are still required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act; staff stressed that a district commitment to maintain engineered wood fiber (EWF) for playgrounds — documented by a letter the district will provide — helped secure the governor’s commission’s conditional acceptance of EWF as an accessible surfacing product.
A staff member summarized the practical tradeoffs: "He is making us put the doors back in that we took out." The committee discussed whether posting occupancy limits and tighter scheduling for building use could be part of a negotiated solution while pursuing a variance.
Next steps include meeting with the marshal to clarify the basis for his calculations, refining the variance request with supporting documentation (occupancy signage and building‑use controls), and producing a cost estimate for door reinstallation so the subcommittee can allocate funds if necessary.
