area itself is Group M (mercantile), while the parking area would qualify as Group S (storage). In places where more than one occupancy may apply, the stricter code is usually enforced. An example of this is a restaurant with seating under 50 which is not addressed in the code as either mercantile or business (this is a technical issue, but could be viewed as either or neither). Code enforcement officials will usually enforce the stricter side of the code. References Safety codes