Not sure if this is HOT exactly.

[Joe]

Just wanted to pass along some space planning information that was presented to me by some county fire officials this week. It seems that the mathematical formulas being used to determine occupancies for states that base the number largely upon sheer square footage. Here are some numbers he passed on to me.

Waiting area traffic (lobby)
3 sqft per person

Unrestricted traffic (dance floor)
7 sqft per person

Restricted traffic (bar area)
15 sqft per person

Hope this information is helpful for someone now or in the future.

[David]

Here's the formula for my market for a Nightclub and Bar type of business. These numbers are for a new building that we are currently looking at building. The total square footage of the structure is 16,728 s.f.


Occupancy load one person for every fifteen square feet. Bathroom requirements one water closet for every forty people. 16728 sq. ft. / 15 sq. ft. = 1115 people. 1115 / 40 = 28 toilets. One parking space for every 100 sg. ft. of gross building space. 400 sq. ft. per parking space. Building 82’x102’ = 8364 sq. ft. per floor x 2 = 16728 sq. ft. 16728 sq. ft. / 100 = 168 spaces. 168 x 400 sq. ft. =67200 sq. ft. for parking + 8364 sq. ft., building footprint = 75564 sq. ft. Lot size 2 acres (43560 sq. ft. per acre) = 87120 sq. ft. 87120 – 75564 = 11556. 87120 x 10% for landscaping = 8712 sq. ft. Building 75564 sq. ft. + Landscaping 10% 8712 sq.ft. = 84276 sq.ft. needed for the total project. 87120 – 84276 = 2844 sq. ft .balance left over for the patio area.

If you run in to problems with Occupancy Load, you can take out the areas that people can't occupy. Like the area under counters, bars etc.