Commercial Hoods in Church’s Multi-Purpose Kitchen

[Guest]

Hello all,

I am currently reviewing a plan for a new addition to a local church. The addition is a large multi-purpose building that includes a full scale kitchen. For the sake of staying within a budget, the architect has opted to install domestic type appliances, including two wall ovens and two electric ranges. I have requested that a type I hood be supplied per section 507.2 of the 2009 VMC. I also referenced section 507.2.3 Domestic cooking appliances used for commercial purposes. The architect disagrees that a hood is required because he feels the appliances should not be considered commercial cooking appliances because of the church setting.

Upon reviewing the 2009 VMC, I found the definition of a commercial cooking appliance is as follows

COMMERCIAL COOKING APPLIANCES.

Appliances used in a commercial food service establishment for heating or cooking food and which produce grease vapors, steam, fumes, smoke or odors that are required to be removed through a local exhaust ventilation system. Such appliances include deep fat fryers; upright broilers; griddles; broilers; steam-jacketed kettles; hot-top ranges; under-fired broilers (charbroilers); ovens; barbecues; rotisseries; and similar appliances. For the purpose of this definition, a food service establishment shall include any building or a portion thereof used for the preparation and serving of food.

Based on the definition, I have determined that the kitchen is, without a doubt, a food service establishment. The only question is whether or not it is a commercial use. When asked, the architect said that meals would be provided to the members and guests of the congregation and that these meals would be paid for in exchange. This, in my opinion, is commerce.

The following is a link to a SBCTRB decision on a similar topic; however, the big difference is how the use of the appliances are proposed.

Please let me know what you think, I want to be fair and this is obviously a tough(er) interpretation.

Thank you

[Guest]

I’m sorry, the link to the board decision did not attach. Here it is:

http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/AboutDHCD/SBCTR_minutes/RRBD/Baxter%20Bros.%2009-1.pdf

[Author]

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