Action | General Revision |
Stage | Proposed |
Comment Period | Ended on 1/31/2003 |
3 comments
Virgina (and most states) allows Certified Interior Designers to prepare construction documents for permit for interior construction. Certified Interior Designers are, by statute, professionals. Certified Interior Designers, by regulation, have seals and are required to stamp construction documents. There are many practicing Certified Interior Designers that prepare interior construction documents as a part of the full service of Interior Design offered to the public.
The proposed definition of Registered Design Professional recognizes only Architects and Professional Engineers. The council developing the International Building Code conducted hundreds of meeting all over the country and decided to accepted a broad definition of Registered Design Professional and did not limit it to Licensed Architect and Professional Engineer for this very reason.
I have practiced commercial Interior Design for over 30 years. I prepare construction documents for permit for many localities in Virginia. It is already very confusing to clerks and inspectors at the permit counter. Typically, they may turn the drawings away. Then I have to call back to explain that we are allowed to submit these drawings as these are not structural documents and do not involve a change of use. Then they are accepted, reviewed and approved for construction.
Certified Landscape Architects also submit drawings for permit. They too are excluded from the narrow definition. This is our livelyhood and we offer these services as a part of our full design services to the public. This narrow definition may limit the work we now provide to Architects and Engineers. This will not only restrict trade and limit the choices for the public but also put many Certified Interior Designers out of business.
Thank you for your consideration. I would be glad to meet and discuss this further.
Barbara G. Goodwin, Certified Interior Designer # 0412-000001
804-752-2523
The proposed VUSBC includes the deletion of Section 707.14.1. This section outlines requirements for the separatin and rating of elevator lobbies when the corridors are required to be rated. The section also clarifies that a minimum of one exit is required from an elevator lobby.
Persons I spoke with that worked on this section recalled that the primary discussions with why the section was to be deleted dealt with not wanting to be more stringent than the current VUSBC. Basically, not feeling that the elevator lobby separation was necessary. They did not recall discussions regarding the single exit clarification.
I propose that the last sentence in Section 707.14.1 be retained to provide clarification that a minimum of one exit be povided from elevator lobbies.