Subpart 1.

Section 506.1 Compliance.

IEBC section 506.1 is amended to read as follows:

506.1 Compliance. Changes in the use or occupancy of any building that would place the building in a different division of the same group of occupancy or in a different group of occupancies shall be permitted if such building is made to comply with the requirements of the International Building Code for such division or group of occupancy. Subject to the approval of the building official, the use or occupancy of existing buildings shall be permitted to be changed and the building is allowed to be occupied for purposes in other groups without conforming to all of the requirements of this code for those groups, provided the new or proposed use is equally or less hazardous, based on life and fire risk, than the existing use based on Table 506.1.

Exception: The building need not be made to comply with IBC chapter 16 unless required by section 506.4.

(IEBC subsection 506.1.1 remains unchanged.)

Subp. 2.

Table 506.1 Life safety and fire risk.

IEBC section 506.1 is amended by adding a table to read as follows:

^(a) IRC-1, IRC-2, IRC-3, and IRC-4 occupancy classifications are included only to determine relative hazard level where residential structures are converted to nonresidential uses in a change of occupancy. See part 1300.0070, subpart 12b, for occupancy classifications.

Subp. 3.

Section 506.1.2 Small assembly spaces.

IEBC section 506.1 is amended by adding a subsection to read as follows:

506.1.2 Small assembly spaces. The following rooms and spaces shall not be classified as assembly occupancies:

1. A room or space used for assembly purposes with an occupant load of less than 50 persons and accessory to another occupancy shall be classified as part of that occupancy or as a Group B occupancy.

2. A room or space used for assembly purposes that is less than 750 square feet (70 m²) in area and accessory to another occupancy shall be classified as part of that occupancy or as a Group B occupancy.

Subp. 4.

Section 506.4.1 Live loads.

The exception to IEBC section 506.4.1 is amended to read as follows:

Exception: Structural elements whose demand-capacity ratio considering the change of occupancy is not more than 105 percent of the demand-capacity ratio based on previously approved live loads need not comply with this section. For purposes of this exception, the comparison of demand-capacity ratios and calculation of design gravity loads, forces, and capacities shall account for the cumulative effects of additions and alterations since original construction.