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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1986-1630 - Ordinance - 01/09/1986ORDINANCE NO. 1630 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 6, SECTION 1 OF THE CODE OF ORDINANCES, CITY OF COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS, RELATING TO A CITY FIRE PREVENTION CODE; PROVIDING FOR THE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CODE, AND THE FIXING OF PENALTIES; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLLEGE STATION: That Chapter 6, Section 1, Sub-section A(1) of the Code of Ordinances, City of College Station, Texas is hereby amended to read as follows: "(1) The Standard Fire Prevention Code, specifically the 1985 Edition by the Southern Building Code Congress, wlth local amendments, a copy of which is on file in the office of the City Secretary of the City of College Station, Texas, is hereby adopted and designated as the Fire Prevention Code of the City of College Station. Said Code is adopted to the same extent as though such Code were copied at length herein, sub3ect however to the omissions, additions, supplements, and amendments contazned in this section." II. That Chapter 6, Section 1, Sub-section B of the Code of Ordinances, City of College Station, Texas is hereby amended to read as follows: "B. AMENDMENTS IN THE FIRE PREVENTION CODE The Standard F~re Prevention Code, as referred to above is hereby amended as follows: (1) To Chapter 6, Section 602.3-Fire Barrler, add the following sentence: The fire official or has representative is hereby authorized to establish fire lines during any f~re or emergency and to exclude all persons other than those authorized to assist in extinguishing or lnvestlgat~ng the fire or emergency from entering within this boundry. (2) To Chapter 6, Section 602.6-Access to Buildings by Fire Apparatus, the following amendments are made: (a) 602.6.1 shall be changed to read as follows: 602.6.1 No building of any type constructzon for occupancy shall be constructed in such a manner that any part of the structure is more than one hundred fifty feet (150') from a public street, alleyway or highway, provided, however, that such structure may be erected at a greater distance if the owner or developer designates, constructs and main- tarns a fire lane having a minimum width of twenty feet (20') and a minimum height clearance of fourteen feet (14'), terminating within one hundred f~fty feet (150') of the furtherest polnt of such structures; providing further, however, that no fire lane shall be required for any single family or duplex dwelling. Ordinance No. 1630 page 2 (3) Additional specifications, relating to "FIRE LANES", shall be included, as follows: 602.6.6 When Required (a) No building of any type construction for occupancy shall be constructed in such a manner that any part of the structure is more than one hundred fifty feet (150') from a public street or highway; provided, how- ever, that such structure may be erected at a greater distance if the owner designates, constructs, and main- tains a fire lane or access easement having a minimum width of twenty feet (20') and a minimum height clearance of fourteen feet (14') terminating within one hundred fifty feet (150') of the furtherest point of such structure; providing further, however, that no fire lane shall be required for any single family or duplex dwelling. (b) The Fire Marshal is hereby authorized to establish fire lanes during any fzre, and to exclude all persons other than those authorized to assist ~n extinguishing the fire or the owners or occupants of the burlng property from within such lanes. 602.6.7 Specifications (a) Any fire lane more than one hundred feet (100') in length shall either connect at each end to a dedicated street or be provided w~th a turnaround having a m~nimum radius of eighty feet (80') when measured from curb to curb. All fire lanes shall be maintained and kept in a state of good repair at all times by the owner, manager, or person in charge of the premises, and the City of College Station shall never be responsible for the maintenance thereof. (b) The fire official or his authorized representative is hereby authorized to designate adequate fire lanes and/or turnarounds to any building when deemed necessary for fire department access in the event of f~re ~n such building. 602.6.8 Fire Lane Markzngs (a) The owner, manager or person in charge of any building or property to which f~relanes have been approved by the Fire Official or his authorized representative shall mark and maintain all curbs des~gnclted as fire lanes in the following manner, and stating: curb shall be painted yellow with black lettering stating NO PARKING - FIRE LANE - TOW AWAY ZONE. Such lettering shall be a mtnzmum of four inches (4") ~n hezght. 00 61 Ordinance No. 1630 page 3 From the point the fire lane begins to the point the fire lane ends, including behind all parking spaces which ad3oln a fire lane, shall be marked with one continuous 8" yellow stripe painted on the drive surface behind the parking spaces. All curbing adjoining a fire lane must be painted yellow. Yellow stripes and curbs will contain the wording "NO PARKING FIRE LANE TOW AWAY ZONE", painted in 4" black letters. See "Figure A" to illustrate striping on drive surface behind parking spaces. - I Figure "A" 00/ 61,: Ordinance No. 1630 page 4 (b) In some cases where curb markings are not possible or where signs would in the Fire Official's opinion work more effectively, he can require them in lieu of curb markings. 602.6.9 Fire Lane Signs; Tow-Away Zone Signs The owner, manager, or person in charge of any building to which fire lanes have been approved by the f~re official or his authorized representative shall post and maintain appropriate signs in consplculous places along such fire lanes stating "No Parking - Fire Lane". Such signs shall be twelve inches (12") wide and eighteen inches (18") high, with a companion sign twelve inches (12") wide and six inches (6") high stating "Tow-Away Zone". Any "No Parking - Fire Lane" or "Tow-Away Zone" sign shall be painted on a white background with symbols, letters and border in red. Drawing and samples of such signs may be obtained from the fire department of the City of College Station. Standards for mounting, including but not limited to, the height above the grade at which such signs are to be mounted, shall be as adopted by the fire official of College Station. 602.6.10 Destruction of F~re Lane or Tow-Away Signs It is hereby unlawful for any person, without lawful authority to attempt or in fact alter, destroy, deface, injure, knock down, or remove any sign designating a fire lane or tow-away zone erected under the terms of this code, or to deface a curb marking in any way. 602.6.11 Abandonment or Closing No owner, manager, or person in charge of any premises served by a required fire lane shall abandon or close such fire lane without written permission of the fire official of the City of College Station. 602.6.12 Parking in Fire Lanes Prohibited No person shall park, place, allow, permit, or cause to be parked, placed, or remain unattended, any motor vehicle, tra~ler, boat, or similar obstruction within or upon an area designated as a fire lane and marked by an appropriate sign or curb marking. Any motor vehicle, tra~ler, boat, or similar obstruction found parked or unoccupied within an area designated as a fire lane as required by th~s section is hereby declared a n~usance per se and any such motor vehible, trailer, boat, or similar obstruction parked or unoccupied in such a manner as to obstruct in whole or in part any such fire lane shall be prima facle evidence that the registered owner unlawfully parked, placed, or permitted to be parked or placed such obstruction w~th~n a f~re lane. 00 .61. Ordinance No. 1630 page 5 The records of the State Highway Department or the County Highway License Department showing the name of the person to whom the Texas highway license or boat or trailer license is issued shall constitute prima facle evidence of ownership by the named persons. 602.6.13 Mod%fications The fire official of the fire department shall have power to modify any of the provisions of the code hereby adopted upon application in writing by the owner or lessee, or his duly authorized agent, when there are practical difficulties in the way of carrying out the strict letter of the code; provided that the spirit of the code shall be observed, public safety secured, and substantial 3ustice done. The particulars of such modifications when granted or allowed and the decision of the flre official of the fire depart- ment thereon shall be entered upon the records of the de- partment and a signed copy shall be furnished the appli- cant. 602.6.14 Enforcement; Issuance of Citations; Impoundment of Obstructions The fire official or any member of the fire department designated by the fire official, the chief of police, or any member of the police department designated by the chief of police are hereby authorized to issue parking citations for any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, or similar obstruction found parked or unattended in or upon a designated fire lane and may have such obstruction removed by towing it away. Such vehicle or obstruction may be redeemed by payment of the towage and storage charges at the owner's expense. No parking citations shall be voided nor shall the viola- tor be relieved of any penalty assessed by a judge of the Municlpal Court for any provision by the redemption of the obstruction from the storage facility. 602.6.15 Submission of Plot Plans, Duties of Contractors Prior to the Issuance of a bumlding permit, two (2) plot plans with designated fare lanes shall be submitted to the building ~nspection department for review by the fire officzal of the City of College Station. The fire offzclal then will approve or disapprove the designated fzre lanes and indicate the needed signs and pavement markings. One (1) of these plans shall be retained by the City of College Station and the other returned to the owner for his use. The contractor or person in charge of any construction site for commercial, industrial, mercantile, education, znstitutzonal, assembly, hotel, motel, multzfamlly dwellzng, or mobile home park occupanczes shall provide and malntaln during construction an approved all-weather fire lane, not less than twenty feet (20') in wzdth, as 00 615 Ordinance No. 1630 page 6 (4) shown on approved plot plans. Final paving of such fire lane shall be completed prior to issuance of any certi- ficate of occupancy. 602.6.16 Penalties Any person who shall violate any of the provisions of the Code hereby adopted or fail to comply herewith, or who shall violate or fail to comply with any order made thereunder, or who shall build in violation of any detailed statement of specifications of plans submitted and approved thereunder, or any certificate of permit issued thereunder, and from which no appeal bas been taken, or who shall fail to comply w~th such an order as affirmed or modified by the City of College Station, shall severally for each and every violation and noncom- pliance respectively, be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any violation of this ordinance is punishable by a fine n~t to exceed $1,000 as provided for by Article 4.14 of Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended. In the event Lbat a fine not to exceed $1,000 is creater than the intended jurisdictional limit, then the ~ine imposed shall not exceed $200. The imposition of one (1) penalty for any violation shall not excuse the violation o~ permit it to correct or remedy such violations or defects within a reasonable time; and when not otherwise specified, each ten (10) days that prohibited conditions ~re maintained shall constitute a separate offense. The application of the above penalty shall not be held to prevent the enforced removal of prohibited conditions. To Chapter 6, Section 603.15 Automatic Sprinkler Systems, the following amendments are made: (a) 60~.15.5 shall be changed to read as follows: 60~.15.5 In all structures protected by an automatic sprinkler system, either as a requirement or as an option, an electronic water flow alarm shall be provided as a means of supervising the system. The waterflow shall connect directly to the local Fire Department alarm panels. Only the type alarms specified by the Fire Official shall be excepted; any changes which must be made to update the system shall be at the owners expense. All alarm systems shall be tested and approved by the Fire Official to in- sure proper operation before the system will be considered complete. (b) A new section 603.15.8 shall be included, as follows: 60~.15.8 At no time shall a structure shut off their sprinkler system or the water flow alarms to the fire station. This includes a business going out of business. The owner of said structure shall be responsible to assure that the water is not shut off to the sprinkler system and the phone company does not shut off the water flow alarm. 00/ 61[ Ordinance No. 1630 page 7 (5) To Chapter 6, Section 603.16-Fire Department Connection, the following amendment shall be made: (a) A new section 603.16.3 shall be included, as follows: At no time shall anyone place or park any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, fence, growth, trash or other material or similar obstruction to within five (5) feet or prevent the system connections from being immediately discernible or prevent the Fire Department's use of any sprinkler system or standpIpe system. All such connections shall be clearly marked by the owner w~th a sign placed above the connection stating NO PARKING TOW AWAY ZONE FIRE DEPT. CONNECTION. Such sign shall be at least 12 ~nches by 12 inches with lettering of at least 2 inches, sign shall be white with red lettering. To Chapter 8, Section 802.2-Overcrowding, the following amendment shall be made: (9) (a) 820.2-Overcrowding shall be changed to read as follows: 802.2-Overcrowding. When the Fire Official determlnes that any building or other structure which is overcrowded is in violation of the posted capacity, constitutes an immediate danger to health or welfare of the occupants or the public in general, he shall temporarily order such establishment closed, and may obtain the assistance of other law enforcement agencies to enforce his order. The temporary closure of such a building or structure shall be limited to a perlod of time sufficIent to evacu- ate the building and count the total number of occupants therein, and to reduce the actual number of occupants to constitute compliance with the Building Code and Fire Code. To Chapter 9, Section 910.11-Filling and Discharging Tank Vehicles, the following amendment shall be made: (a) A new section 910.11.10 shall be included, as follows: 910.11.10 At no time while discharging flammable liquids shall the driver or operator be out of $lght and reach of the discharge valves. If at any time wh~le d~scharglng flammable liquids, the driver or operator must leave the vehicle for any reason, he or she shall shut down all valves until his or her return and shall be totally responsible for any and all spillage. (S) To Chapter 20-Fireworks, the following amendments are made: (a) A new section 2002.3-Restricted Use shall be included as follows: ' 2002.3 The presence of any fireworks as defined in Chapter 2 Section 202 of this Code w~thln the jurisdiction of the City of College Station is hereby declared to be a common and public nuisance. 00 61; Ordinance No. 1630 Page 8 (b) Section 2005.1-Removal (under 2005-Seizure of Fireworks) shall be amended to read as follows: (c) 2005.1-Removal. The Fire Official is directed and required to seize and cause to be safely destroyed any fireworks found in violation of this article. A new section 2005.3-Transportation shall be included as follows: 2005.3-Transportation. Any member of the Fire Marshal's Office or other law enforcement officer is empowered to stop the transportation of any firework and detain any person found transporting illegally, or to close any building where any fireworks are found stored illegally, until the Fire Official can be notified in order that such fireworks can be seized and destroyed in accordance with the terms of this Chapter. Not w~thstanding any penal provisions of this article, the City Attorney is authorized to file suit on behalf of the City or the Fire Official, or both for such in]unctive relief as may be necessary to prevent unlawful storage, transportation, keeping or use of fireworks within the 3urisdiction of the City and to aid the Fire Official in the discharge of h~s duties and to particularly prevent any person from lnterferrlng with the seizure and destruction of such fireworks, but it shall not be necessary to obtain any such Injunctive relief as a prerequisite to such seizure and destruction. III. Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause, phrase, or words of th~s ordinance be declared unconstitutional or invalid for any purpose, the remainder of this ordinance shall not be affected thereby. IV. That all ordinances or parts of ordinances, in conflict herewith are superceded to the extent of the conflict only. And, it is ordained that this ordinance shall become effective from and after its passage ~n accordance with the City Charter of the City of College Station. PASSED AND APPROVED THIS 9th ATTE ST: Dian Jones, C~ty Secretary DAY OF January , 1986. 00/ 61c