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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD 89-64 ORDINANCE NO. d —lo ENTITLED AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING A NEW FIRE PREVENTION CODE WITH AMENDMENTS DEALING WITH FIRE ALARMS, FIRE HYDRANTS, FLAMMABLE LIQUID TRUCKS, CHRISTMAS TREES, ACCESS TO FIRE HYDRANTS AND STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS; PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY; PROVIDING FOR REPEAL AND PROVIDING A PENALTY. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF BEAUMONT: Section 1 . Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Beaumont is hereby amended to repeal Section 10-20 and adopt a new Section 10-20 to read as follows: Section 10-20(a) : The Standard Fire Prevention Code, 1988 edition, as published by the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc is hereby adopted as the Fire Prevention Code of the City of Beaumont, a copy of which code is on file in the City Clerk' s Office of the City of Beaumont. Section 10-20(b) : The Fire Prevention Code adopted herein is amended as follows: 1 ) Sections 603.7.1 through 603.7.4, inclusive of the Standard Fire Code, are hereby repealed to be replaced by the following: "Fire alarms shall be installed in the following buildings: Group A: In all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000) square feet. Group B: In all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000) square feet. Group E: All buildings. Group I: (Unrestrained) In all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000) square feet. (Restrained) All buildings Group H: All buildings. 0 1 Group M: In all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000 ) square feet. Group R: In all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000 ) square feet (except single family dwellings or dwelling units within an apartment house, condominium or townhouse having exterior entrances to each unit) . Group S: Storage in all buildings exceeding two thousand (2,000 ) square feet. 2) The following provision concerning fire hydrants should be added to Section 603 of the Standard Fire Code: SEC. 13-13.104 FIRE HYDRANTS 1. All sites being build upon shall have adequate fire hydrants, water lines, and fire access drives in accordance with the type of construction. It shall be the responsibility of the developer to provide such fire hydrants, water lines, and fire access drives as follows: A. Water lines to be of proper material as specified by City Standards, their sizes and fittings shall meet minimum requirements as specified by the City of Beaumont Water Utilities Department. Fire hydrants shall have openings and fittings to fit the City-of Beaumont,Fire Department equipment. B. All fire hydrants shall be placed accessible for use so fire trucks with mid-mount steamer connection can be driven over an all-weather surface road or drive to within ten (10') feet of the fire hydrant. C. Fire hydrant shall be placed not less than two (2') feet nor more than four (4') from the line edge of street or drive, with a 3-foot radius clearance. D. The center of the steamer connection of the fire hydrant shall be not less than twelve (12") inches nor more than twenty-four (24") inches above the natural ground level or concrete grade level. E. Deadend water mains which supply fire hydrants shall be permitted only by the Fire Chief and Director of Water Utilities, after a study of the plans for the development and a determination that water mains cannot be looped. F. During construction, water lines, hydrants and all-weather access drives shall be installed and usable for fire protection in such a manner that distances to buildings specified in 2-B and 2-C below are not exceeded by more than 50% at any point when construction has progressed above foundation level. After initial occupancy no allowance from the distances specified in 2-B and 2-C below will be permitted. 2. Fire hydrants to be located; IL l A. Single family dwelling sites; (1) Fire hydrants shall be located along the curb or edge line of a street, public road or private drive where each dwelling is within 350' feet of a fire hydrant. (This will result in a normal spacing of fire hydrants 700 feet or less-measured along the curb or edge line of a street, public road or private drive.) B. Multi-family dwelling sites; (Apartments, townhomes, cluster housing, condominiums, hotels, motels, highrise apartments or any multi-family dwellings.) (1) Fire hydrants shall be located along the curb or edge line of a street, public road or private drive where each building is within 300 feet of a fire hydrant. (This will result in a normal spacing of fire hydrants 600 feet or less measured along the curb or edge line of a street, public road or private drive.) C. Commercial and industrial sites; (1) Fire hydrants shall be located along the curb or edge line of a street, public road, private drive or parking lots where each building or every portion of a building is within 250 feet-of a fire hydrant- (This will result in a normal spacing of fire hydrants 500 feet or less measured along the curb or edge line of a street, public road, private drive or parking lot. 3. Approval: The complete layout of fire hydrants, and water lines shall be submitted to the Fire Chief for approval before installation. 4. Obstruction of fire hydrants: A. No person may stop, park or leave standing any non-emergency vehicle, whether attended or unattended, within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. B. An unat J zed vehicle obstructing a fire hydrant (1) su,,,�ct to removal with the expense of removal and storage to be borne by tht2 registered owner of the vehicle. (2) subject to citation, as well as removal by the Fire Marshal or a Peace Officer. (3) prima facie evidence that the person in whose name the vehicle is registered is guilty of a violation of the parking provisions of Subsection (A) of this Section. C. No person may obstruct in whole or part any fire hydrant within the City limits of Beaumont with or by lumber, boxes, merchandise or any material or substance of any kind, character or description. D. No person may obstruct in whole or part any fire hydrant within the City �- limits of Beaumont by flowers, shrubs or plants of any description. 3 ) Chapter 9 of the Standard Fire Code shall be amended to add the following provisions: SEC. 13-'.5.1002 OPERATIONS The operator of a vehicle transporting flammable or combustible liquids shall: L— (1) bond cargo tanks to fill pipes when loading with: (A) a bond wire which: (i) is connected before opening the dome cover; and (ii) remains connected to the fill pipe during the filling operations; (B) a dome cover which is securely closed before the bond wire is dis- connected from the cargo tank; (2) limit his delivery of liquid into a tank to that tank's unfilled capacity; (3) remain within arms reach of the flow control valve during delivery; (4) notify the fire department of any fuel spill exceeding 18 inches in any dimension or of a continuing nature; and (5) during the delivery of flammable or combustible liquids, utilize any vapor recovery equipment with which the vehicle is equipped. 4) Chapter 5 of the Standard Fire Code shall be amended to add the following provisions: SEC. 13-27.216 CHRISTMAS TREES (a) The operator of a non-residential occupancy other than a hospital, nursing home, convalescent home, or other similar institution may flameproof a natural Christmas tree by keeping the trunk base in water if the tree remains on the premises no longer than 15 days. (b) Natural Christmas trees are not allowed in hospitals, nursing homes, con- valescent homes, or similar institutions under any circumstances regardless of any attempts to flameproof the tree by immersion of the base in water or any other treatment. 5) Section 602.6 of the Standard Fire Code be, and the same is hereby, repealed and shall be replaced by the following provisions: SEC. 13-13.106 CONTROL ACCESS TO BE PROVIDED BY OPERATOR OF PREMISES The operator of premises where a building exists or is under construction shall provide the building with: (1) horizontal access, each road of which: (A) may be public'or private; (B) has a width of at least 20 feet; (C) has an overhead clearance of at least 14 feet; (D) intersects with a dedicated street; (E) if longer than 100 feet: (i) intersects with a dedicated street at each end; (ii) ends in a traffic circle having a diameter of at least 50 feet; (F) the Fire Chief or his designated representative shall designate fire lanes on private streets, private property, or where deemed necessary, for access by the fire department vehicles. When part or all of a private street, private property or where deemed necessary the fire lane shall be marked along the perimeter with conspicuous signs which shall be constructed as follows: WHITE BACKGROUND RED 9" DIAMETER SYMBOL DENOTING NO PARKING 3" RED LETTERS STATING FIRE LANE As an alternative to signs, where the premises have F I R E = curbs, have the words "FIRE LANE-NO PARKING", painted: (1) in four-inch wits letters; LANE (2) 25-foot intervals; and (3) on a red background. (1) signs shall be placed at no more than 25 feet intervals (G) is free of all obstructions which pose a substantial threat of inter- ference to fire department fire-fighting or rescue activities; (H) is surfaced with a material substantial enough to support fire depart- ment vehicle; and (I) remains structurally unaffected during inclement weather. SEC. 13-13.107 FIRE LANES (a) The operator of premises shall maintain, free of obstruction, all fire lanes on his premises. (b) No person may mark, post, or otherwise identify a non-fire lane private vehicular passageway: (1) as a fire lane; or (2) in such a manner as tends to create confusion as to whether the passageway is a fire lane. (c) No person may stop, park, or leave standing any non-emergency vehicle, whether attended or unattended, in a fire lane. (d) An unauthorized vehicle on a fire lane is: (1) subject to removal by the operator of the premises, with the expense of removal and storage to be borne by the registered owner of the vehicle; (2) subject to citation, as well as removal, by the fire marshal or a } police officer; and (3) prima facie evidence that the person in whose name the vehicle is registered is guilty of a violation of the parking provisions of Subsection (c) of this section. 6) Section 902. 1 of the Standard Fire Code be, and the same is hereby, repealed and shall be replaced by the following provisions: SEC . 13-15. 201 UNAUTHORIZED STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS PROHIBITED No person may install or use a flammable or combustible liquid storage tank aboveground within the fire district or within the city limits of Beaumont, except within the limits of the following described tracts of land as listed in Sec. 10-21 of the Code of Ordinances . Section 2. That if any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or the application of same to a particular set of persons or circumstances, should for any reason be held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect the remaining portions of this ordinance, and to such end the various portions and provisions of this ordinance are declared to be severable. Section 3. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are repealed to the extent of the conflict only. Section 4. It shall be unlawful to violate any provision of the Fire Code of the City of Beaumont. Any person, firm or entity who is found guilty of a violation of any provision of the Fire Code of the City of Beaumont shall be fined an amount not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00 ) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1 ,000.00) each day a violation shall constitute a separate violation. PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL of the City of Beaumont this the 22 day of August , 1989. Mayor -