Apartment Building Balconies

In November, 2011 the Fire and Building Services Commission granted a variance for case 11-11-35 Campus Apartments, allowing the addition of small balconies to an existing unsprinklered R-2 apartment building without triggering the sprinkler requirement for R-2 occupancies under the current building code.

Under consideration is an interpretation of 675 IAC 12-4-12(b) that would obviate the need for variances for certain limited balcony additions.  The balconies would need to be limited to 100 s.f.  Further discussions are expected with regard to publishing either a non-rule policy or a formal interpretation.