§ 3.12.160. Construction requirements.

Every grandstand shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the following requirements:

A.

Stresses. The maximum permissible stresses shall be those set forth in the building code for the various materials used.

B.

Loads. Every grandstand shall be designed and constructed to support safely a live load of 150 pounds for each seat thereon and a live load of 100 pounds per square foot of projected area of floor for those portions thereof which do not support seats.

C.

Lateral Force. Every grandstand shall be designed and constructed to resist a lateral load of 12 pounds per lineal foot applied perpendicular to each seat board, and 24 pounds per lineal foot applied parallel to each seat board.

All secondary members of primary frame elements designed to resist lateral forces shall be diagonally inclined. No assembly or sub-assembly calculated to resist such stresses shall contain secondary vertical or horizontal members only.

D.

Seat Boards. Where seats consist of benches or similar constructions, the seat boards shall be designed for a live load of 175 pounds for each seat thereon.

E.

Width of Seat Boards. All seat boards shall be not less than 10 inches nominal in width and shall be securely fastened in place.

F.

Floor Boards. Unless floor boards are cleated together so that they will act as a unit in load carrying, each separate board shall be capable of supporting a live load of 100 pounds per lineal foot of its length.

G.

Lumber. No lumber used in the construction of any grandstand shall be of a quality or grade which is lower than No. 1 Douglas Fir—Larch as specified in Chapter 25 of the Pasadena building code. All such lumber shall be identified by the grade mark issued by an approved agency as defined by the building code.

H.

Nails. All nails used in the construction shall be 8d common or larger. Box nails may be used but shall not be considered as sustaining loads greater than those allowed for common nails of the same diameter. Finish and other small headed nails shall not be used and all nails shall be driven in completely.

I.

Bolts. Bolts shall be steel machine or carriage bolts and shall be supplied with washers as specified in Chapter 25 of the building code.

J.

Steel. Steel members shall be designed as required in Chapter 27 of the building code. No connection designed to transmit stress by means of friction shall be considered as transmitting any calculated stress.

K.

Structural Wood. Structural members of wood shall be designed as required in Chapter 25 of the building code.

L.

Foundation Lumber. Lumber used as foundations shall be not less than 2 inches nominal in thickness nor less than 6 inches nominal in width.

M.

Soil Pressure. Where foundations rest on the ground the soil pressure shall not exceed 1,000 pounds per square foot. Where foundations rest on pavement or well compacted gravel the building and development services administrator may allow higher soil pressure.

N.

Floor Heights. The floor of every grandstand, for which admission is charged, shall at its lowest row of seats, be not less than 4 feet above the adjacent sidewalk or ground level; provided however, grandstands located with the forward edge of the first seat board within 24 inches of the honor line are not subject to a minimum height.

O.

Floors. The floor of every grandstand shall be constructed so that each row of seats is not less than 7 inches higher than the next row in front thereof. The space between rows of seats shall be solidly floored.

P.

Chairs. Where chairs are used for seats on any grandstand the spacing, center to center along the row, shall be not less than 16 inches. The spacing, back to back, shall be not less than 30 inches. All chairs shall be securely fastened in place so that they cannot be readily moved or overturned.

Q.

Benches. Where benches or other continuous seats are used on any grandstand each 18 inches thereof shall be considered to be a seat. The spacing, back to back, shall be not less than 24 inches where the seats are not provided with backs and 30 inches where the seats are provided with backs. No such seat shall be less than 10 inches nominal in width. All such seats shall be securely fastened in place so that they cannot be readily moved or overturned. All such continuous seats shall have the individual seats clearly marked thereon.

R.

Width of Aisles. Every aisle on a grandstand shall be not less than 42 inches in clear width, except that where divided aisles are used for the purpose of providing access to a recessed stairway, the minimum clear width of each such aisle shall be not less than 30 inches.

S.

Spacing of Aisles. For every grandstand containing 26 rows or less, aisles shall be so spaced that there are not more than 20 seats between any seat and an aisle. For every grandstand containing more than 26 rows, aisles shall be so spaced that the number of seats between any seat and an aisle shall be reduced below 20 seats at the rate of one seat for each additional two rows in excess of 26 rows. Every grandstand shall have at least one aisle, provided that where the total seating capacity does not exceed 50, no aisle shall be required.

T.

Aisle Exits. Every aisle shall run in a direction approximately at right angles to the rows of seats. Each aisle shall be provided with a separate exit from the grandstand or it shall be connected to an exit by a cross aisle of the same width. Where a cross aisle serves more than 1 aisle, its width shall be equal to the sum of the widths of all of the aisles which it serves or a maximum width of 5 feet. No exit shall have a width less than the sum of the widths of all of the aisles which it serves with a maximum width of 5 feet. Each aisle shall be attended by 1 usher for each 150 seats served by such aisle.

U.

Stairways and Ramps. Stairways and ramps shall have a maximum rise and a minimum run as required by the building code, except those within the seating areas which serve as aisles at right angles to the rows of seats where the rise shall not exceed 8 inches. When an aisle terminates at an elevation more than 8 inches above grade, the aisle shall be provided with a stairway or ramp whose width is not less than the width of the aisle. Stairways or ramps shall be provided with a landing at the top and bottom. Landings shall be approximately level and shall have a dimension measured in the direction of travel equal to the width of the stairway or ramp. Stairways and ramps shall be provided with handrails as required by the building code.

V.

Guardrails. Perimeter guardrails or enclosing walls or fencing shall be provided for all portions of elevated seating facilities which are more than 30 inches above grade or floor. Construction of guardrails shall comply with Section 1711 of the building code. Guardrails shall be 42 inches above the rear of a seat board or 42 inches above the rear of steps in an aisle when the guardrail is parallel and adjacent to the aisle. Guardrails at the front of the front row of seats, which are not located at the end of an aisle and where there is no cross aisle, may have a height of 26 inches and need not meet the 6-inch maximum spacing specified in Section 1711 of the building code; however, a midrail shall be installed. The open vertical space between footboards and seats shall not exceed 9 inches when footboards are more than 30 inches above grade. The open sides of stairways and ramps shall be provided with guardrails complying with Section 1711 of the building code. The height of stairway guardrails may be as required for stairway handrails.

Guardrails shall be designed and constructed to withstand a horizontal load of 50 points per lineal foot applied to at the top rail and acting at right angles thereto.

W.

Wood Joints. All joints and connections shall be designed to transmit the loads to which they are or reasonably may be subjected. No nailed joint shall have less than 3 nails. Where a split, crack or check runs through a nail or bolt hole such nail or bolt shall not be counted as carrying any load.

(Ord. 6218 § 1 (part), 1987; Ord. 5202 § 2, 1975: Ord. 5126 §§ 5, 6, 7, 1973; Ord. 4717 § 7, 1965; Ord. 4530 § 15, 1960)