Fire Escape/Deck Fiasco

Desperately seeking some wisdom from the ever-clever Brownstoner community, and sorry in advance for the longish post. About 8 months ago we bought a small townhouse (3 story, legal 3 family). In an effort to avoid fees and long delays — ha — we are keeping the CofO unchanged, but are intending to use as a 2 family with duplex for ourselves and a garden rental (with plans to take over the whole space in about 5 years). We were under the impression that this was a fairly common occurrence and only slightly devious… Nice plans were drawn up and submitted to DoB and after 1 month we got word that some rather minor modifications were needed, mostly reasonable and all due to our workaround… We waited 1 more month for next available appointment where everything was straightened out to satisfaction BUT we were then informed that because we are adding a deck off parlor floor, then we are technically changing the fire escape and there is a now a “new” requirement that the fire department examine and approve the plan before getting kicked back to DoB… So plans were sent to FD and 1 month later we heard back that our deck plan is not OK due to spiral stairs and also because the ladder dropping from top floor onto deck could be blocked by patio furniture etc. Submitted new plans on the next day showing straight stairs and a somewhat ridiculous 3rd railing & gate to separate the ladder and stairs from the “deck” area. Now it has been another month and still no word from FD. I know these things can take time but this is seeming suspiciously slow — several calls to FD examiner have not been clarifying or particularly encouraging; our architect feels that they may yet reject the plans when they do get around to responding. FYI the new deck is actually an additional fire exit. The existing structure is unchanged (front and rear doors for garden; stoop and rear ladder up for parlor; stoop and rear ladder up for top floor; roof hatch from internal ladder). So at present our choices seem to be to continue waiting with fingers crossed, or to alter the original application with NO deck. Expeditor thinks this will get same day approval and then at least we get interior work started while we continue to wait for approval on a new deck-only amendment. Any thoughts would be much appreciated. I’m trying to be calm about this whole experience but it is quite maddening! I really don’t want to be the guy who made every wrong decision at every possible point along the way… Am I too late?