SB 5491 — Allowing for residential buildings of a certain height to be served by a single exit under certain conditions.

S-1333.1S-0742.1 SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5491 State of Washington 68th Legislature 2023 Regular Session By Senate Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs (originally sponsored by Senators Salomon, Shewmake, Frame, Liias, and Stanford)Stanford READRead FIRSTfirst TIMEtime 02/17/23.01/20/23.

Referred to Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs.

and amending RCW 19.27.042;19.27.060.

adding a new section to chapter 19.27 RCW;

and providing an expiration date.

NEW SECTION.

ARCW new19.27.060 sectionand is2018 addedc to302 chapters 19.272 RCWare each amended to read as follows:

(1) The legislativegoverning bodybodies of acounties countyand orcities city,may inamend exercising the authoritycodes providedenumerated underin RCW 19.27.06019.27.031 toas amendamended and adopted by the state building code enumeratedcouncil inas RCWthey 19.27.031(1)(b),apply maywithin adopttheir respective jurisdictions, but the amendments shall not result in a code that allowis forless upthan tothe fiveminimum storiesperformance ofstandards groupand R-2objectives occupancycontained toin bethe servedstate bybuilding acode singleexcept exitas underprovided thein followingsubsection conditions:s (2) and (3) of this section.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, no amendment to a code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031 as amended and adopted by the state building code council that affects single-family or multifamily residential buildings shall be effective unless the amendment is approved by the building code council under RCW 19.27.074(1)(b).

(b) Any county or city amendment to a code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031 which is approved under RCW 19.27.074(1)(b) shall continue p.

1 SB 5491 to be effective after any action is taken under RCW 19.27.074(1)(a) without necessity of reapproval under RCW 19.27.074(1)(b) unless the amendment is declared null and void by the council at the time any action is taken under RCW 19.27.074(1)(a) because such action in any way altered the impact of the amendment.

(2) The legislative body of a county or city, in exercising the authority provided under subsection (1) of this section to amend the code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031(1)(b), may adopt amendments that eliminate any minimum gross floor area requirement for single-family detached dwellings or that provide a minimum gross floor area requirement below the minimum performance standards and objectives contained in the state building code.

(3) The legislative body of a county or city, in exercising the authority provided under subsection (1) of this section to amend the code enumerated in RCW 19.27.031(1)(b), may adopt amendments that allow for up to five stories of group R-2 occupancy to be served by a single exit under the following conditions:

(c) The building does not containhave amore statethan licensedfour facilitydwellings ason definedany infloor; WAC 246-314-010;

(d) The building doesis notconstructed havewith morenot less than fourone-hour dwellingsfire- onresistive anyconstruction floor;and is also equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system in accordance with section 903.3.1.1 of the International Building Code.

(e) The building is constructed with not less than one-hour fire- resistive construction and is also equipped throughout with an p.

1 SSB 5491 automatic sprinkler system in accordance with section 903.3.1.1 of the International Building Code.

(f)(e) There are not more than two single exit stairway conditions on the same property for buildings four stories tall or higher;

(g)(f) An exterior stairway or interior exit stairway is provided.

(h)(g) A corridor separates each dwelling unit entry/exit door from the door to an interior exit stairway, including any related exit passageway, on each floor.

Dwelling unit doors must not open directly intop. an interior exit stairway.

2 SB 5491 into an interior exit stairway.

(i)(h) There are not more than 20 feet of travel to the exit stairway from the entry/exit door of any dwelling unit;

(j)(i) Travel distance measured in accordance with section 1017 of the International Building Code does not exceed 125 feet;

(k)(j) The exit does not terminate in an egress court where the court depth exceeds the court width unless it is possible to exit in either direction to the public way;

(l)(k) Elevators are pressurized in accordance with section 909.21 of the International Building Code or open into elevator lobbies that comply with section 713.14 of the International Building Code.

(m)(i)(l)(i) Other occupancies are permitted in the same building provided they comply with all other requirements of this subsection (1).(3).

Except as provided in (m)(ii)(l)(ii) of this subsection, other occupancies must not communicate with the group R occupancy portion of the building or with the single-exit stairway;

(n)(m) The exit serving the group R occupancy does not discharge through any other occupancy, including an accessory parking garage;

and p.(n) There are no openings within 10 feet of unprotected openings into the stairway other than required exit doors having a one-hour fire-resistance rating.

2(4)(a) SSBA 5491city (o)that Thereintends areto noadopt openingsamendments withinunder 10subsection feet(3) of unprotectedthis openingssection intomust meet the stairwayfollowing othercriteria thanprior requiredto exitadoption: doors having a one-hour fire-resistance rating.

(2)(a) A city that intends to adopt amendments under subsection (1) of this section must meet the following criteria prior to adoption:

(3)p. This section expires July 1, 2026.

Sec.3 SB 5491 (5) Except as permitted or provided otherwise under this section, the state building code shall be applicable to all buildings and structures including those owned by the state or by any governmental subdivision or unit of local government.

2.(((4))) (6) The governing body of each county or city may limit the application of any portion of the state building code to exclude specified classes or types of buildings or structures according to use other than single-family or multifamily residential buildings.

RCWHowever, 19.27.042in andno 1991event cshall 139fruits sor 1vegetables areof eachthe amendedtree toor readvine asstored follows:in buildings or warehouses constitute combustible stock for the purposes of application of the uniform fire code.

(1)A Effectivegoverning Januarybody 1, 1992, the legislative authorities of citiesa andcounty counties may adopt an ordinance or resolutioncity tomay exemptinspect fromfacilities stateused buildingfor codetemporary requirementsstorage buildingsand whoseprocessing character of useagricultural orcommodities. occupancy has been changed in order to provide housing for indigent persons.

The(((5))) ordinance(7) orNo resolutionprovision allowingof the exemptionuniform fire code concerning roadways shall includebe part of the followingstate conditions:building code:

(a)PROVIDED, TheThat exemptionthis issubsection limitedshall not limit the authority of a county or city to existingadopt buildingsstreet, locatedroad, inor thisaccess state;standards.

(b)(((6))) Any(8) codeThe deficienciesprovisions toof the state building code may be exemptedpreempted poseby noany threatcity or county to humanthe life,extent health,that the code provisions relating to the installation or safety;use of sprinklers in jail cells conflict with the secure and humane operation of jails.