The following information is required to be included with a commercial building’s construction plans. The information is not included with City of Gastonia Building Services checklist because the different jurisdictions may require different information. Not every project will require the same amount and type of information, however, the more information that is provided with the plans, the less likelihood that additional information will be needed during the plan review process, which could cause a delay in the plan review process. If some of the information is not needed or unavailable, it is important that you call and discuss the circumstances before submitting your commercial building plans. If the project includes fire hydrants, underground water mains, or underground water line (run-in) for the automatic sprinkler system it is important that you also contact the City of Gastonia Public Utilities Department for additional information they may require. They can be reached at (704)866-6043.
Fire Hydrants and Underground Water Supply Lines
1. Proposed location of on-site fire hydrants.
2. Location of existing fire hydrants within 400 feet travel distance (as fire apparatus would lay hose) of the building.
3. Location of the underground water line (run-in) for automatic sprinkler system. Include point of connection from the City’s water main to where the sprinkler system riser will be located.
Automatic Sprinkler System
1. Location of the fire department connection for the automatic sprinkler or standpipe system.
2. If the design professional is submitting information about the design of the automatic sprinkler system (other than Appendix B information) then contact Gastonia Fire Marshal’s Office for requirements.
Hazardous Materials
1. Provide a summary sheet of hazardous materials that will be handled, stored, or used in the building. Information on the summary sheet shall include the name, quantities, and hazard classification of the different materials. Must also include the Material Safety Data Sheet for each material.
2. The location and square footage of the area(s) in the building where the hazardous materials will be located.
High-piled Combustible Storage
1. All high-piled combustible storage areas must be identified. This includes the storage of combustible materials greater than 12 feet in height, or the storage of plastic, rubber, idle pallets, or similar products greater than 6 feet in height.
2. The location and square footage of the high-piled storage area(s), classification of the commodities to be stored, storage height of the commodities, and method of storage must be shown on the plans. F
Fire Alarm and Detection System
1. If fire alarm and detection plans are being submitted with the building’s construction plans then at a minimum they shall include the system layout, device locations, wiring riser diagram, and system description. System description shall include a summary of the type of system to be installed, detailed operating sequence of the system, and a general detail of the different products to be installed.
Plans for Grading Permits
1. The information that is needed to be included on plans being submitted for a grading permit is dependent upon several factors and therefore it is recommended that you contact the plans reviewer for the Gastonia Fire Marshal’s Office before submitting the plans. Some examples of the factors are if the submitted plans for the grading permit are for erosion control only. Another example is when a set of construction plans submitted for building permits have been disapproved and you then decide to switch over to a grading permit so you can begin the site work while revising the construction plans for a building permit.
