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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20070416 - VIII-C-6HASTINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT MARK J. HOLMES, CHIEF 115 West 5th Street Hastings, Minnesota 55033-1815 Business Office (651) 480-6150 Fax (651)480-6170 V111-C-6 TO: Mayor Hicks and City Council Members FROM: Michael T. Schutt, Assistant Fire Chief/Fire Marshal „ p ~~ DATE: April 16, 2007 ~~ ` SUBJECT: Proposed Fire Alarm Ordinance Description An ordinance establishing a monitored fire alarm system in mixed occupancy buildings when one of the occupancies is a residential. Background In older communities, such as Hastings, many commercial mixed occupancy buildings were constructed where the business was on the ground level and the owner lived upstairs. Over the years, in many of these buildings, the residential portion of the building was transformed into apartments that were rented out. In most buildings, egress and stairwells are unsafe compared to today's standards. In addition, remodeling took place where some tenants exit through intervening buildings. Because of building age, size and lack of access, firefighting and rescue operations can be challenging. Recent major fires in these types of buildings have happened in Stillwater, Prescott, and Lanesboro to name a few. In the 1980's, the City of Hastings adopted an amendment to the State Fire Code known as "Chapter 1306." Chapter 1306 required any commercial building over 2,000 square feet in space to be equipped with a fire sprinkler system. The intent of Chapter 1306 being an amendment to the State Fire Code was to allow for enhanced fire protection in communities with all or predominately all paid-on-call firefighters. In 2002, at the request of several business owners, a `committee' was formed to look at the practicality of Chapter 1306 and its costs to property owners. This committee consisted of city elected officials, city staff, affected building owners and representatives FIRE SUPPRESSION - FIRE EDUCATION - FIRE PREVENTION - AMBULANCE SERVICE Page 2 Mayor Hicks and City Council Members Apri116, 2007 of the Hastings Chamber of Commerce. With public safety a top priority of all involved, it was agreed upon that an altemative more cost effective approach to building owners could be a monitored fire alarm system. With early notification, building occupants, under most conditions, will have ample time to evacuate. Based on having an alternative solution, the City Council repealed Chapter 1306 with the intention of adopting a fire alarm ordinance. Attached is the proposed ordinance. It should be noted, that even with a fire alarm ordinance, many of the current State Fire Codes would still apply, such as an egress window in sleeping rooms and some buildings still requiring fue sprinkler systems based on size, occupancy, and hazard. This proposed fire alarm ordinance would affect approximately 35 buildings, with the majority being downtown. Several meetings have taken place with the affected building owners to update and explain to them the proposed action regarding the fire alarm ordinance. Many favorable and positive comments were received. To assist local property owners in this project, Planning Duector John Hinzman and HRA Director John Grossman have obtained approximately $32,000 in grant dollars to help offset the cost of installing a fire alarm. A condition of these grant dollars is tied to the city having an ordinance requiring fire alarm systems in mixed occupancy buildings. Staff has recommended that a 50/50 match, up to $2000.00 per building, be approved until the funds are depleted. At that point, the total cost would be the responsibility of the building owner. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Fire Chief Mark Holmes at 651-775- 5545 or myself at 651-775-5547 anytime. Both Chief Holmes and I will be in attendance at the April 16, 2007, City Council meeting if you have any questions at that time. Requested Action Staff is recommending the following: 1. Adoption of an ordinance establishing fire alarm systems and installations. 2. Authorization to distribute grant dollars to affected building owners upon completion and acceptance of an approved monitored fire alarm system based on a 50/50 match, up to $2000.00 per building, until the funds are depleted. Attachment Ordinance of the City of Hastings Establishing Fire Alarm Systems and Installations BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Hastings as follows: A. HASTINGS CITY CODE CHAPTER _ -SECOND SERIES OF THE HASTINGS CITY CODE IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS: 1. Purpose. The purpose of this Section shall address the application, installation, performance and maintenance of fire alarm systems in new and existing buildings and structures not required by other codes as adopted by the city. II. Definition. For the purpose of this section, `Fire Alarm System' will have the same definition as contained in Minnesota State Fire Code (MSFC) 2000 Edition [National Fire Protection Association NFPA Standard 72] 111. When Required. A Fire Alarm System shall be installed in the following: a. Any building which has mixed occupancies when one of the occupancies is residential. Exception. 1. A building where all required components of egress are on the level of exit discharge and acceptable occupancy separation exists, which complies with the Minnesota State Fire Code. 2. A building protected throughout by a supervised automatic fire suppression system, as approved by the city Fire Marshal. 3. A home occupation business where the business owner is also the primary resident. b. Any building when required under the International Building Code or the International Fire Code. IV. Permit Required. No person shall install a fire alarm system, as defined in this section, without first obtaining a permit from the City of Hastings. a. Exception. Individual R-3 (one and two family residential dwellings) Occupancies, as stated in the Minnesota State Fire Code. Residential occupancies where the occupants are primarily permanent in nature and there is no mixed-use classification of the building. V. Permit Application. The application for a permit for the installation of a fire alarm system shall be made on a form approved by the City Council to the cities' Department of Building Safety and shall include: a. The name, address, and phone number of the applicant; b. The address of the proposed location for the fire alarm system to be installed; c. The name, address, and phone number of the architect/designer and installer of the proposed fire alarm system; d. Site plan showing location of detection and audio/visual alarm device; e. Floor plan showing alarm control panel and trouble signaling equipment location; f. Manufacturers, model numbers, and listing information for equipment, devices and materials; g. Any other information deemed necessary by the Hastings City Council. VI. Installation. Automatic fire detectors shall be installed in common laundry rooms, boiler and furnace rooms, mechanical and electrical rooms, commercial and retail spaces, storage spaces, trash-collection rooms, workshops, locker rooms and basements. In addition, all components of egress such as corridors, common areas, hallways and stairways shall also be protected by installation of automatic fire detectors. a. All automatic fire detectors shalt be connected to the building fire alarm system and shall sound the fire alarm signal when activated. b. Single station smoke detectors, as required by the International Fire Code, shall be used in dwelling spaces and sleeping rooms. c. Horn/strobe annunciation devices shall be provided in all dwelling spaces, retail spaces, basements and ail egress areas. d. Fire alarm control panels shall be located in an area accessible to fire department personnel. e. Access to building and dwelling spaces shall be provided to fire department personnel by keys installed in an approved key box. f. Fire alarm systems required by this section shall be monitored by an approved central, proprietary or remote station service. g. Maintenance, Repair and Testing. Maintenance, repair and testing shall be conducted and performed as outlined in the Minnesota State Fire Code. VII. Fire Department Key Box. Any building with a fire alarm system, as required by this section, shall be equipped with an approved key box. This key box shall be installed in a location approved by the city Fire Marshal. This key box shall contain keys providing access to all areas of the building. An application to purchase a key box can be obtained through the Hastings Fire Marshal. VIII. Key Holder. The Hastings Fire Department shall maintain a list of key holders. This list shall contain a minimum of three (3) valid key holders that can respond to the building when requested by the fire department. This list of key holders will be shared with the following agencies: Hastings Police Department and the Dakota County Sheriff's Office. This key holder list will not be shared with any other agencies or individuals. Once the fire alarm system is operable, it shall be the responsibility of the building owner to inform the fire department of any key holder changes. IX. Effective Date. a. All new construction structures that meet the intent of this ordinance where building permits were issued on or after May 31, 2007. b. All existing structures that meet the intent of this ordinance effective May 31, 2009. B. VIOLATION A MISDEMEANOR Any person who violates a section, subdivision, paragraph, or provision of this chapter when they perform an act thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, or fails to act when such failure is thereby prohibited or declared unlawful, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished as for a misdemeanor.