Chapter 15.06
ADDITIONAL FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS*
Sections:
15.06.020 Application of chapter – Exceptions.
15.06.040 Report of fire protection impacts required.
15.06.055 Fire code – Violation – Penalty – Enforcement.
15.06.080 Plan review required – Fee.
15.06.090 Fire inspections required – Fees.
15.06.100 Partially burned structures.
15.06.120 Disclaimer of liability.
*Prior legislation: Ord. 634.
15.06.010 Definitions.
A. “Fire chief” means the chief of the Snoqualmie fire department, or his designee.
B. “Fire detection system” means a heat and/or smoke detection system monitored by a central and/or remote station conforming to the current requirements of the National Fire Protection Association standards and such other requirements as may be established by the fire chief or his designee.
C. “Fire lane” means the area within any public or private right-of-way or easement, or other public or private property, including but not limited to a portion of a parking area, which has been designated in accordance with this chapter for use by fire trucks and other firefighting or emergency vehicles and/or other equipment to travel or park upon.
D. “Fire sprinkler system” means an integrated system of piping connected to a water supply with sprinklers which will automatically initiate water discharge over a fire, conforming to the current requirements of the National Fire Protection Association standards and such additional requirements as may be established by the fire chief or his designee.
E. “Life safety/rescue access” means an unobstructed access to all floor levels and each roof level of a building on not less than 20 percent of the building perimeter by utilizing a 35-foot ladder, or, in the alternative, at least one stairway enclosure with exit doorways from each floor level and with a door opening onto each roof level which conforms to the requirements of the Uniform Building Code.
F. “Report of fire protection impacts” means a report, prepared by the fire chief or his designee, stating the anticipated effect the proposed construction will have on the city’s ability to provide fire protection services, and suggesting appropriate mitigations for such effects.
G. All words and phrases defined in the editions of the Uniform Fire Code and/or Uniform Building Code adopted by reference in this title shall have such meanings as set forth therein. (Ord. 784 § 4, 1997; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.020 Application of chapter – Exceptions.
A. The requirements of this chapter are intended to supplement and be in addition to the requirements of the Uniform Fire Code.
B. The requirements of SMC 15.06.030, relating to life safety/rescue access, fire detection systems and fire sprinkler systems, shall apply to the following:
1. All new construction;
2. All additions to an existing building;
3. All alterations and/or repairs to be made to an existing building within a 70-month period after the first permit application where the cumulative value of such alterations and/or repairs exceeds 50 percent of assessed valuation at the time of the first permit application.
C. The requirements of SMC 15.06.040, relating to reports of fire protection impacts, and SMC 15.06.060, relating to fire lanes, shall apply to all matters enumerated in the immediately preceding subsection and to the following:
1. Subdivisions and plats;
2. Binding site improvement plans;
3. Rezones;
4. Conditional use permits;
5. Variances, except those relating to one single family residence;
6. Planned unit developments;
7. Mixed use permit applications. (Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.030 Life safety/rescue access, fire detection systems and fire sprinkler systems required – Exceptions.
A. All occupancies to which this chapter applies, except Group U occupancies, shall be required to provide approved life safety/rescue access, and roof access shall not be required for roof levels having a slope greater than four in twelve.
B. 1. All occupancies to which this chapter applies exceeding 3,000 square feet of gross floor area, except Group U or R, Division 3, occupancies, shall be required to provide an approved automatic fire detection system, and occupancies protected through an approved monitored sprinkler system may utilize a fire detection system without heat detectors.
2. A monitored fire detection system shall meet the following requirements:
a. The system shall be supervised and UL approved;
b. The system shall have dual lines;
c. The system shall have a data test signal or be line supervised; and
d. Tape recorders shall not be utilized. (Ord. 859 § 10, 2000; Ord. 851 § 1, 2000; Ord. 784 § 5, 1997; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.040 Report of fire protection impacts required.
A. Prior to the issuance of any permit or approval for the matters enumerated in SMC 15.06.020, the applicant shall obtain, as part of the land use certification process, a report of fire protection impacts from the fire chief, and shall be responsible to the city for the cost of preparing such report.
B. The mitigation measures identified in the report of fire protection impacts shall be incorporated in the conditions of the permit or approval, unless the city administrator determines that such suggested mitigations are excessive or contrary to law. (Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.050 Condominiums.
A. All condominiums declared after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter shall have the following provisions in their recorded declaration of covenants, and a copy of such declaration shall be provided to the fire chief:
1. In the event that any unit should be equipped with a sprinkler system, nothing shall be hung from the sprinklers comprising a part of the system nor shall any such sprinklers be painted, covered or otherwise changed, tampered with or altered.
2. Prior to any alteration, amendment, modification or change of the declaration of covenants affecting provisions relating to the fire sprinkler system, the owners or their agents will submit such proposed alteration, amendment, modification or change to the fire chief for approval, and agree to comply with all applicable sprinkler requirements.
B. The fire chief shall retain the authority under Section 1001.9 of the Uniform Fire Code to impose additional conditions, including but not limited to increased setbacks, usage of fire retardant materials or standpipes, where determined necessary to mitigate the identified fire protection impacts. (Ord. 784 § 6, 1997; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.055 Fire code – Violation – Penalty – Enforcement.
A. Violations Declared Unlawful. All violations of the Uniform Fire Code, including all future amendments thereto, and of the provisions of this chapter, are declared to be unlawful, and subject to the penalties provided in this section.
B. Civil Infraction. Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter or the Uniform Fire Code adopted herein shall constitute a civil infraction. Each day of such violation shall constitute a separate civil infraction.
C. Enforcement by Department of Public Safety Personnel. All violations of the Uniform Fire Code and Section 902.2.4, Obstruction of a Fire Apparatus Road, may be enforced by any regular or reserve police officer of the police division. In addition, the director of public safety, the fire marshal and such other personnel of the fire division or building department as directed by the director of public safety, shall have the authority to issue citations for violations of the Uniform Fire Code on forms provided by the director of public safety for such purpose. (Ord. 860 § 7, 2000; Ord. 784 § 7, 1997; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990; Ord. 624 § 1, 1989).
15.06.060 Fire lanes.
A. The director of public safety or his designee shall establish and designate fire lanes in conformance with this chapter by administrative order, describing the location of each such fire lane, a copy of which administrative order shall be filed with the city administrator.
B. All designated fire lanes shall be clearly marked by the property owner in the following manner:
1. Vertical curbs (six-inch) shall be painted yellow or red on the top and side, extending the length of the designated fire lane.
2. Rolled curbs or surface without curbs shall have a yellow or red six-inch-wide stripe painted extending the length of the designated fire lane. There shall be signage in minimum eight-inch block letters stating “NO PARKING – FIRE LANE” incorporated into the painted striping. Such signage shall be of a color contrasting to the background striping and shall be spaced not more than 50 feet on center. Vertical curbs shall have signage in minimum five-inch block letters stating “NO PARKING – FIRE LANE” incorporated upon the face of the curb. Signage shall be of a color contrasting to the background curb and shall be spaced no more than 50 feet on center.
3. The director of public safety or his designee may approve alternate signage where no special hazard is deemed to exist.
C. The director of public safety or his designee may approve deviations from any of the specifications for signs when practical difficulties exist, but all such deviations and the reasons therefor shall be duly noted into the fire division records.
D. Existing signs may be allowed to remain until there is a need for replacement.
E. Fire lane markings shall be established and maintained as often as needed to clearly identify the designated area as a fire lane, at the sole expense of the property owner.
F. At each entrance to property where fire lanes have been designated, signs shall be posted in a clearly conspicuous location and shall clearly state that vehicles parked in fire lanes may be impounded, and the name, telephone number and address of the towing firm where the vehicle may be redeemed.
G. The owner, manager or person in charge of any property upon which any designated fire lane has been established shall be responsible to prevent the parking of vehicles or other obstructions in such fire lane.
H. Failure to mark or maintain the marking of a designated fire lane as required by this chapter, or obstruction or allowing the obstruction of a designated fire lane, by any person shall constitute a civil infraction.
I. Any vehicle or object obstructing a designated fire lane is declared to be an immediate hazard to public safety and may be abated without notice to the owner by impoundment pursuant to the applicable state law. (Ord. 859 § 11, 2000; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.080 Plan review required – Fee.
A. No building permit shall be issued for any construction to which this chapter applies until the fire marshal has conducted a plan review and approved the plans as complying with the requirements of the International Fire Code and this chapter.
B. The fee for such plan review by the fire marshal shall be 25 percent of the building permit fee, which fee shall be in addition to the plan review fee of the building permit. (Ord. 1126 § 3, 2013; Ord. 859 § 12, 2000; Ord. 784 § 8, 1997; Ord. 726 § 2, 1994; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.090 Fire inspections required – Fees.
A. No business license shall be issued, nor shall any existing business license be renewed, for any business conducted on premises located within the corporate limits of the city, until a fire safety inspection has been conducted by the fire marshal, and a certificate has been issued certifying compliance with all applicable fire safety requirements of the Uniform Fire Code and this chapter.
B. A fee of $50.00 shall be charged for the initial and annual fire safety inspection required by this section. (Ord. 1105 § 2, 2012; Ord. 859 § 13, 2000; Ord. 784 § 9, 1997; Ord. 726 § 3, 1994; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.100 Partially burned structures.
A. Partially burned structures are declared to be a public nuisance and a threat to the public health, safety and welfare.
B. Whenever any building or other structure in the city is partially burned, the owner thereof or person in charge or control thereof shall, within 30 days after the fire, or 10 days after notice from the fire chief or building official, whichever period is later, remove all refuse, debris and partially burned lumber or other materials from the premises. If such building or structure is burned to such an extent that it cannot be repaired in accordance with the provisions of the applicable codes, the owner of the property upon which it is located or the person in charge or control thereof shall within 30 days after the fire or 10 days after notice from the fire chief or building official, whichever is sooner, remove all remaining portions of the building or structure from the property. In the event the owner of the property or person in charge or control thereof fails to make any performance required by this section, the city may at its sole option perform such work and charge the costs thereof to the property owner, and shall have a lien against the property for the amount of such costs.
C. The provisions of this section are not intended to be exclusive, and shall supplement any other available remedy or procedure relating to public nuisances or the abatement of dangerous buildings which may be available. (Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.110 Enforcement.
The provisions of this chapter may be enforced by the director of public safety or his designee; provided, any police officer is authorized and directed to assist in the enforcement of the provisions of subsections H, I and J of SMC 15.06.060, relating to obstruction of fire lanes. (Ord. 859 § 14, 2000; Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).
15.06.120 Disclaimer of liability.
This chapter is adopted in order to protect, within the limits of the funds available to the city for fire protection purposes, the health, safety and welfare of the general public of the city, and not any particular class of individual or organization. No provision of this chapter shall be construed as placing responsibility for the availability or adequacy of fire protection services upon the city, or any officer, agent or employee thereof. The determination of the availability or adequacy of fire protection services shall rest solely with the property owner and/or permit applicant. Procedures established pursuant to this chapter are intended to foster and encourage compliance with fire protection requirements and standards, but shall not be construed as guarantees or assurances that permits granted or work approved complies with all applicable requirements and standards. It is the sole responsibility of the property owner and/or permit applicant to comply with applicable fire protection requirements and standards. (Ord. 640 § 4, 1990).