Chapter 15.105
SUPPLEMENTAL FIRE CODE REGULATIONS
Sections:
15.105.010 Administration of fire code.
15.105.020 Rule of construction.
15.105.030 Appeals.
15.105.040 Citations.
15.105.050 Emergency abatement.
15.105.060 Legal action.
15.105.070 Investigations.
15.105.080 Permit required.
15.105.090 Fire apparatus roads.
15.105.100 Fire hydrant requirements.
15.105.110 Fire extinguishing equipment.
15.105.120 Fire alarm equipment.
15.105.130 Sprinkler system requirements.
15.105.140 Sprinkler system design.
15.105.150 Limits established by law.
15.105.160 Locations where above-ground tanks are prohibited.
15.105.170 Maximum capacity within established limits.
15.105.180 Fire flow requirements.
15.105.190 Minimum required fire flow and flow duration for buildings.
15.105.010 Administration of fire code.
The administration of the fire code including any adopted supplemental regulations shall be under the auspices of the building official for the city of Battle Ground or appropriate designee or as designated through a contract approved by the city council. Further, all references to days contained within this code shall be deemed to mean calendar days. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.020 Rule of construction.
Although not referring directly to the fire code, each and every section of this chapter shall be considered and construed as a part thereof. Although not referring directly to this chapter, each and every section or part of the fire code shall be considered and construed as a part thereof. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.030 Appeals.
A. In order to determine the suitability of alternate materials and type of construction to provide for reasonable interpretations of the provisions of this code, the building official and/or fire marshal shall be the appropriate appeal body.
B. Appeals shall be presented in writing to the building official for the city of Battle Ground in accordance with the appeal procedures specified in BGMC 17.200.140. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.040 Citations.
A. The building official or authorized agent is authorized to post property for the purpose of fire investigation and protection of persons from entering hazardous locations. It is unlawful to enter or tamper with a fire scene after the fire scene has been posted by the building official or authorized agent. Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this code is subject to code enforcement procedures specified in BGMC Title 20.
B. The penalty provided hereinabove shall be in addition to or as an alternative to any other judicial or administrative remedy provided for by law, including those remedies set out in BGMC Title 20.
C. Upon being specifically deputized for such purpose by the Battle Ground police department and with the written authorization of the building official an authorized agent may issue and serve criminal citations pursuant to this section. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.050 Emergency abatement.
A. Notwithstanding any other section of this code or the fire code, the building official or authorized agent shall be authorized to cause the immediate summary abatement of any dangerous or hazardous condition which constitutes a fire hazard or which poses an immediate prospect of irreparable harm to life and property; provided, that the building official or authorized agent shall pursuant to BGMC Title 20 (code enforcement) make reasonable efforts to notify the owner or occupant of the abatement orally or in writing before the condition has been abated.
B. The costs to the city of such summary abatement shall be and become a charge against the owner of the real property on which the hazardous or dangerous condition was located and a lien against such real property to be enforced in accordance with applicable law; provided, that no charge or lien shall occur unless within ten days following summary abatement the planning director or authorized agent mails written notice thereof to the record owner of such real property at his last known address as shown by the records in the office of the treasurer of Clark County. Such notice shall specify the condition summarily abated, the costs of such abatement, which are charged against the owner and real property, and the method of appeal. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.060 Legal action.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the building official or authorized agent shall be authorized to initiate any legal action in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce the provisions of this chapter, including seeking mandatory or prohibitory injunctions and damages. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.070 Investigations.
A. The building official or authorized agent shall investigate and control the investigation of the cause, origin and circumstances of fires occurring in the jurisdiction involving loss of life or injury to person or destruction or damage to property, and if it appears to the building official or authorized agent in making the investigation that such fire is of suspicious origin, he shall then seize all physical evidence in accordance with the law relating to the cause of the fire and shall pursue the investigation to its conclusion. The building official or authorized agent shall make a written report to the chief of the respective fire district on request of all facts and findings relative to each investigation, and should it appear during any investigation that a fire is of suspicious origin, the building official or authorized agent is authorized to notify the chief of the respective fire district and the city of Battle Ground chief of police or designee.
B. The building official or authorized agent is authorized to investigate the cause, origin and circumstances of unauthorized releases of hazardous materials.
C. The building official or authorized agent may engage the chief of police for assistance in its investigations. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.080 Permit required.
A. The purpose of a fire code permit as required by BGMC Titles 15, 16 or 17 is to identify those activities, operations, practices or functions that in and of themselves are sufficiently hazardous to create a distinct fire or life safety hazard warranting special inspection, attention or consideration by the building official or authorized agent. Regardless of whether or not a specific activity, operation, practice or function was legally or illegally in existence or occurring prior to the adoption of this code, a permit shall be obtained from the building official or authorized agent prior to engaging in or continuing the following activities, operations, practices or functions.
1. Subsections a.1 through w.1 of 1997 UFC Section 105.8 are adopted and incorporated by reference. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.090 Fire apparatus roads.
A. A fire apparatus road is any roadway, public or private that provides required fire apparatus access.
B. Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be provided with a surface so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities as determined by the Battle Ground city engineer or designee.
C. The required width of a fire apparatus access road shall not be obstructed in any manner, including parked vehicles. Minimum required widths and clearances identified in the Uniform Fire Code and/or established by the planning director following consultation with the fire marshal or designee shall be maintained at all times.
D. Entrances to roads, trails or other access ways that have been closed with gates and barriers in accordance with subsections E through I of this section shall not be obstructed by parked vehicles.
E. All gates constructed one year prior to the adoption of the ordinance codified in this section shall meet the requirements of this code per the determination of the building official or authorized agent.
F. All gates hereafter constructed shall meet the requirements of this code per the determination of the building official or authorized agent.
G. Plans for gates that obstruct fire apparatus access roads shall be submitted to and approved by the building official or authorized agent prior to their installation.
H. Manually operated gates shall be easily opened by a single individual without the use of any special equipment, knowledge, effort or operation. Locking devices on manually operated gates shall either be of a type and common key as approved by the building official or shall be provided with a security box in accordance with Section 902.2.4.1.4 containing a key capable of opening the locking device.
I. Power assisted, power operated or card-locked gates shall be provided with mechanisms that, in the event of a power failure, open the gate to its fully opened position. Alternatively, back-up power supply capable of operating the gate under normal circumstances and use for a period of not less then twenty-four hours shall be provided. Once the back-up power supply has been exhausted, or in the event of a simultaneous failure of both the primary and back-up power sources, the gate locking or latching mechanisms shall be opened or released.
J. All power assisted, power operated or card-locked gates shall be provided with an override mechanism that allows immediate access through the gate. The override mechanism may consist of a key, an override switch or other mechanism approved by the fire marshal. Such overriding mechanism shall be located in a security box in accordance with subsections J and K of this section. Once activated, the override mechanism shall immediately open the gate to its fully open position and maintain the gate in this position until the gate is returned to its normal operating condition by deactivation of the override mechanism.
K. Security key boxes required by this section shall be of a type and a common key as approved by the fire marshal. Such boxes shall be located immediately adjacent to the gate in a location that is readily visible and accessible from either side of the gate.
L. Unless specifically exempted by the local fire district chief or designee, all buildings except those containing Group R Division 3 one- and two-family dwellings, Group U, Group S Division 3 parking garages, Group S Division 4, Group S Division 5 helistops and individual guest rooms or dwellings in Group R Division 1 occupancies, hereinafter constructed shall be provided with a security key box commonly keyed and located on the building as approved by the applicable fire district chief or designee. Access keys for the locks on the building, fire alarm control panel (if applicable), and sprinkler system control valves shall be separately identified and placed in the security box. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.100 Fire hydrant requirements.
A. The location, number, and type of fire hydrants connected to a water supply capable of delivering the required fire flow shall be provided on the public street or on the site of the premises or both to be protected in accordance with this section.
B. Fire hydrants shall be accessible to the fire department apparatus by roads meeting the requirements of BGMC 15.105.090.
C. The number of fire hydrants required shall be one fire hydrant for the first one thousand gallons and one hydrant for each subsequent one thousand gallons per minute of required fire flow or portion thereof. Except for Group R Division 3 occupancies or when otherwise exempted by the fire marshal, a property that is protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system shall be provided with a minimum of two fire hydrants.
D. The location of fire hydrants provided on public or private streets or on-site premises shall be approved by the building official or authorized agent. Lateral spacing between hydrants shall be measured along approved fire apparatus access routes.
E. Detailed plans or drawings accurately indicating the location of water mains, valves and fire hydrants shall be submitted to the Battle Ground engineering department or designee for review and approval prior to installation. Approved plans and drawings shall prior to release by the city be submitted on compact disc or other acceptable form compatible with AutoCAD 14.
F. Unless exempted by the building official or authorized agent, a fire hydrant shall be located within one hundred feet of all required and approved fire department connections.
G. Fire hydrants serving buildings or portions of buildings or other premises, facilities or uses other than one- and two-family dwellings and Group U occupancies shall have a maximum lateral spacing not to exceed three hundred feet as a condition of subdivision approval, planned unit development approval, building permit approval, site plan review approval or change in use approval, except that where the building, facility or premises is protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system or other automatic fire suppression system as approved by the building official or authorized agent, the spacing requirements may be modified if in the opinion of the building official or authorized agent the level of fire protection is not reduced.
H. Fire hydrants serving one- or two-family dwellings shall have a maximum lateral spacing of seven hundred feet with no lot or parcel in excess of five hundred feet from a fire hydrant as a condition of approval for residential subdivision or short subdivision, except that where the buildings are protected by an approved automatic sprinkler system, the spacing requirements may be modified if in the opinion of the building official or authorized agent the level of fire protection is not reduced.
I. All fire hydrants, public or private, must remain accessible for fire department use at all times.
J. On-site fire hydrants and water supplies on adjacent property shall not be considered available unless fire apparatus access roads, provided in accordance with BGMC 15.105.090 connect the properties and easements are established to prevent their obstruction.
K. Fire hydrants located on the opposite side of roadways, defined as arterials by the city of Battle Ground transportation plan, shall not be considered in the fire hydrant placement requirements, unless specifically approved by the building official or authorized agent.
L. Fire hydrants shall conform to the minimum standards outlined in the city of Battle Ground standard construction details.
M. Fire hydrants shall be provided with appropriate “Storz” type adapters for the pumper connection, unless this provision is waived by the building official or authorized agent.
N. Water mains shall be installed in accordance with the requirements of the Battle Ground public works department and applicable standards from the city’s standard construction details. When the required fire flow exceeds two thousand five hundred gallons per minute, a minimum of three fire hydrants supplied by a looped water main shall be required.
O. Posts, fences, vehicles, growth, trash, storage and other materials or things shall not be placed or kept near fire hydrants, fire department inlet connections, fire protection system control valves or standpipes in a manner that would prevent such equipment or fire hydrants from being immediately discernible. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire protection equipment or hydrants.
P. A six-foot clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of fire hydrants except as otherwise required or approved by the fire marshal. Vehicles shall not be parked within fifteen feet of a fire hydrant or fire department connection or fire protection system control valves. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.110 Fire extinguishing equipment.
Class II standpipe hose stations, Class I and Class III standpipe outlets and portable fire extinguishers shall not be concealed, obstructed or impaired. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.120 Fire alarm equipment.
A. Alarm initiating devices, alarm signaling devices and annunciators shall not be concealed, obstructed or impaired.
B. An approved manual, automatic or manual and automatic fire alarm system shall be provided when required by this subsection. An automatic fire alarm system shall be installed in every building in excess of five thousand square feet hereinafter constructed, except those portions of Group A Division 4 occupancies that are open to the air, Group S Division 4, Group S Division 5 helistops, Group U and Group R Division 3 other than congregate care occupancies. Where the building is provided with an approved automatic fire extinguishing system, the requirements of this subsection may be omitted.
C. All buildings required to have a fire alarm system by this code shall be:
1. Electronically monitored by an approved central, proprietary or remote station service or, when approved by the fire marshal, by a local alarm which will give an audible signal at a constantly attended location.
2. Provided with a security key box in accordance with BGMC 15.105.090 and commonly keyed as approved by the appropriate fire district chief. Such security key boxes shall contain keys to the building and the fire alarm control panel and shall have the cover of the box connected to a separate zone on the fire alarm panel such that the alarm is activated at any time the cover of the key box is opened.
D. In the event of a temporary failure of an alarm system or an excessive number of accidental alarm activations, the building official or authorized agent is authorized to require the building owner or occupant to provide standby personnel until the system is restored.
E. All installed fire alarm systems regardless of whether or not the installation was or was not required by this or any other code shall be maintained and operated in a manner as to assure to the greatest extent possible that accidental alarm activations will be avoided.
F. For the purpose of this section, an accidental alarm activation shall be defined as the accidental creation and/or transmission of an alarm signal, or system trouble signal when an emergency condition does not exist.
G. The building official or authorized agent may assess a civil penalty of two hundred dollars plus the costs incurred by the responding fire district against the owner or lessee of a property for each subsequent accidental fire alarm activation beyond four in any twelve-month period received by the Clark Regional Communications Agency (CRCA) for any single location.
H. The building official or authorized agent is authorized to seek the recovery of penalties in accordance with any method allowed by law. Penalties recovered on behalf of fire districts shall be paid to the appropriate fire district.
I. The building official or authorized agent may waive all or a portion of the assessed penalty upon application in writing from the affected party if the owner or lessee can provide documentation that a technician qualified to accomplish such work has remedied the cause of the accidental fire alarm activation. Rendering an alarm activation device inoperable shall not be considered a remedy to the cause of the activations. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.130 Sprinkler system requirements.
A. An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed in buildings according to the requirements of the International Building Code and the International Fire Code.
B. In all buildings containing a total floor area, above or below grade, exceeding twelve thousand square feet, and in all buildings which are more than twenty-seven feet in height above or below the lowest level of vehicle access, except that this subsection shall not apply to agricultural, single-family or duplex residential buildings, or to buildings or portions of buildings used only for open parking garages as defined and regulated.
C. Automatic fire extinguishing systems may be omitted from areas over swimming pools, tennis courts and other such areas when authorized by the building official or authorized agent and the fire marshal consistent with the standards of this amendatory chapter.
D. Each portion of a building separated from other portions by one or more fire walls may be considered a separate building if such fire walls are constructed of concrete or masonry in accordance with the requirements of Chapter 7 of the International Building Code. (Ord. 09-08 § 10, 2009: Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.140 Sprinkler system design.
Sprinkler system design shall be in accordance with this section. Sprinkler system indicating valves for sprinkler systems installed in other than one- or two-family dwellings and small systems consisting of fewer than one hundred heads shall be wall or post-indicating valves unless the control valves are located in a room with direct access to the exterior of the building within five feet of the sprinkler riser. Where direct access to the building exterior is provided in lieu of wall or post-indicating valves, the exterior of the access door shall be clearly labeled with a sign (or other approved means) consisting of letters not less than six inches in height with a three-quarter-inch stroke on a contrasting background stating “sprinkler control valves.” Such access door shall normally be locked but shall be opened from the outside by placing keys to the locking mechanism in a security box meeting the requirements of BGMC 15.105.090. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.150 Limits established by law.
The manufacture or storage of explosives or explosive materials shall be prohibited except as authorized by BGMC Title 17. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.160 Locations where above-ground tanks are prohibited.
The storage of Class 1 and Class 2 liquids in aboveground tanks outside of buildings is prohibited except as permitted by BGMC Title 17. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.170 Maximum capacity within established limits.
The storage of LP-Gas, where the aggregate water capacity at any one installation exceeds two thousand gallons, is prohibited outside of those areas where the storage of Class 1 and Class 2 liquids is authorized by BGMC Title 17. (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.180 Fire flow requirements.
A. Fire flow requirements shall be determined by the building official in consultation with the appropriate technical agencies. The procedure for determining fire flow requirements for buildings or portions of buildings hereafter constructed shall be in accordance with this appendix. Appendix III-A does not apply to structures other than buildings or to residential construction on lots that received subdivision or short subdivision preliminary or final approval prior to September 1, 1979.
B. Definitions. For the purpose of Appendix III-A, certain terms are defined as follows:
1. “Fire area” is the floor area, in square feet, used to determine the required fire flow.
2. “Fire flow” is the flow rate of a water supply, measured at twenty psi (137.9 kPa) residual pressure that is available for fire fighting.
3. “Adequate public water system” is a water system that meets Washington State requirements of a public water system and provides minimum fire flow as required by the fire marshal.
C. Modifications—Increases. Fire flow may be modified upward by the fire marshal where conditions indicate an unusual susceptibility to group fires or conflagrations. An upward modification shall not be more than twice that required for the building under consideration.
D. Fire Area.
1. The fire area shall be the total floor area of all floor areas within the exterior walls, and under the horizontal projections of the roof of a building, except as modified in this section.
2. Portions of buildings that are separated by one or more four-hour area separation walls constructed in accordance with the building code, without openings and provided with a thirty-inch (seven hundred sixty-two millimeters) parapet are allowed to be constructed as separate fire areas.
3. The fire area of buildings constructed of Type I and Type II-A construction shall be the area of the three largest successive floors.
E. Fire Flow Requirements for Buildings.
1. Applicants for building permits shall present proof of available fire flow in the form of a letter that states that the purveyor can supply the required amount of fire flow for the required duration.
2. The minimum fire flow and flow duration requirements for one- and two-family dwellings having a fire area in excess of three thousand six hundred square feet (344.5 m2) (excluding private, attached garages) shall not be less than that specified in Table B105.1, except that a reduction in required fire flow of seventy-five percent, as approved by the fire marshal, is allowed when the building is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system.
3. As a requirement of residential subdivision or short subdivision, the minimum fire flow requirements for one- and two-family dwellings within an urban growth boundary shall be one thousand gallons (three thousand seven hundred eighty-five liters) per minute supplied for sixty minutes’ duration.
F. When water mains are extended from an existing public water system capable of supplying all or a portion of the required fire flow, fire hydrants shall be installed throughout the development site in accordance with Chapter 9 of the fire code.
G. Where the public water system is incapable of supplying a minimum of one hundred gallons (three hundred seventy-nine liters) per minute for thirty minutes duration, fire hydrants may be omitted subject to the provisions of subsection H of this section.
H. Satellite water systems capable of supplying all or a portion of the required fire flow for the required duration may be approved. Such systems shall be provided with fire hydrants and mains in accordance with Chapter 9 of the fire code.
1. Where a satellite water system is incapable of supplying a minimum of one hundred gallons (three hundred seventy-nine liters) per minute for thirty minutes’ duration, fire hydrants may be omitted subject to the provisions of subsection J of this section.
2. When satellite water systems are developed on an interim basis they shall be connected to the surrounding or extending public water system immediately upon the system’s availability.
I. Fire flow requirements may be satisfied or reduced according to Appendix B. Where fire flow is not provided in the full amount by a public water system, the side and rear setbacks for all buildings shall be increased to thirty feet.
J. Where an extended public or satellite water system is incapable of supplying at least one hundred gallons per minute for thirty minutes’ duration, fire hydrants may be omitted; provided, that an agreement acceptable to the fire marshal exists whereby the fire hydrants will be installed at such time as the system is capable of supplying fire flow in excess of one hundred gallons per minute.
K. The minimum fire flow and flow duration for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings shall be as specified in Appendix B except that a reduction in fire flow of up to seventy-five percent, as approved by the fire marshal, is allowed when the building is provided with an approved automatic sprinkler system. The resulting fire flow shall not be less than one thousand five hundred gallons per minute (Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 03-012 § 2 (part), 2003: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)
15.105.190 Minimum required fire flow and flow duration for buildings.
A. The minimum required fire flow and flow duration for buildings is identified in the following table:
Table B105.1
|
Type IA |
Type IIA |
Type IV |
Type IIB |
Type VB |
Fire Flow (GPM) |
Duration (Hours) |
|
Up to 22,700 |
Up to 12,700 |
Up to 8,200 |
Up to 5,900 |
Up to 3,600 |
1,500 |
2 |
|
22,701 to 30,200 |
12,701 to 17,000 |
8,201 to 10,900 |
5,901 to 7,900 |
3,601 to 4,800 |
1,750 |
2 |
|
(Remainder of table as stated in International Fire Code) |
||||||
(Ord. 04-009 § 2 (part), 2004: Ord. 00-025 § 3 (part), 2000)