ORDINANCE NO. 3319

AN ORDINANCE ADOPTING THE 2000 EDITION OF THE

INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE;

AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS IN THE ADOPTED CODES;

AMENDING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT OR INCONSISTENT HEREWITH; AND PROVIDING A PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF ANY PROVISION

OF SAID CODES

BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION:

The specified sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Grand Junction are hereby amended as follows:

SECTION 1.

Sec. 18-56. Adoption of International Fire Code

 For the purpose of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life and property from fire, explosion, and chemical release, International Fire Code, (hereinafter "International Code" or "International Fire Code"), promulgated by the International Code Council, 5203 Leesburg Pike, Suite 708, Falls Church, Virginia, including appendices chapters B, C, D, E, F, and G, 2000 edition, except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended by Section 18-58 of this Ordinance are hereby adopted. Not less than one (1) copy of the International Fire Code are filed in the office of the City Clerk. From the date on which this ordinance shall take effect, the provisions of the International Code shall be controlling within the limits of the City of Grand Junction, Colorado.

Sec. 18-57 Establishment and Duties of Division of Fire Prevention

A.  The International Code shall be enforced by the Division of Fire Prevention in the Fire Department of the City of Grand Junction which has been previously established and which shall be operated under the supervision of the Chief of said Fire Department.

B.  The Fire Marshal in charge of the Division of Fire Prevention in the Fire Department of the City of Grand Junction shall be appointed by the Chief of the Fire Department.

C.  The Chief of the Fire Department may detail such members of the Fire Department as inspectors as he shall from time to time deem necessary. The Chief of the Fire Department shall recommend to the City Manager the employment of technical inspectors as necessary.

Sec. 18-58. Definitions

 (a) Wherever the word "jurisdiction" is used in the International Fire Code, it shall be held to mean the City of Grand Junction, Colorado.

 (b) Wherever the term "corporation counsel" is used in the International Fire Code, it shall be held to mean the city attorney for the City.

 (c) Wherever the term "City manager" is used, it shall mean the City Manager or any employee of the City designated by the City Manager, such as but not limited to the Fire Chief, the Fire Marshal or the Finance Director of the City.

 (d) Wherever an officer of the City, such as "City Manager" or "Fire Chief," is mentioned or designated herein, such officer may delegate, informally or in writing, the duties and responsibilities to a designee who shall have the full power and authority of the named or designated officer.

Sec. 18-59. Amendments to the International Fire Code

 The International Fire Code is amended and changed in the following respects:

 Section 105.6. 105.6 Add an additional paragraph to read: "An operational permit is not required for the following activities as set forth in the following titles under Section 105.6:

   105.6.1 Aerosol products

   105.6.2 Amusement Buildings

   105.6.3 Aviation facilities

   105.6.4 Carnivals and fairs

   105.6.5 Battery systems

   105.6.6 Cellulose nitrate film

   105.6.7 Combustible dust-producing operations

   105.6.8 Combustible fibers

   105.6.9 Compressed gases

   105.6.10 Covered mall buildings

   105.6.11 Cryogenic fluids

   105.6.12 Cutting and welding

   105.6.13 Dry cleaning plants

   105.6.14 Exhibits and trade shows

   105.6.16 Fire hydrants and valves

   105.6.17 Flammable and combustible liquids

   105.6.18 Floor finishing

   105.6.19 Fruit and crop ripening

   105.6.20 Fumigation and thermal insecticidal fogging

   105.6.21 Hazardous materials

   105.6.22 HPM facilities

   105.6.24 Hot work operations

   105.6.25 Industrial ovens

   105.6.26 Lumber yards and woodworking plants

   105.6.27 Liquid-or gas-fueled vehicles or equipment in assembly buildings

   105.6.28 LP-gas

   105.6.29 Magnesium

   105.6.30 Miscellaneous combustible storage

   105.6.32 Open flames and candles

   105.6.33 Organic coatings

   105.6.34 Places of assembly

   105.6.35 Private fire hydrants

   105.6.37 Pyroxylin plastics

   105.6.38 Refrigeration equipment

   105.6.39 Repair garages and service stations

   105.6.40 Rooftop heliports

   105.6.42 Storage of scrap tires and tire byproducts

   105.6.43 Temporary membrane structures, tents, and canopies

   105.6.44 Tire-rebuilding plants

   105.6.45 Waste handling

   105.6.46 Wood products

Amend section 503.2.1 by the addition of two additional subsections, numbered 503.2.1.1 and 503.2.1.2, at the end thereof to read:

"503.2.1.1. Fire apparatus access roads may, notwithstanding the foregoing paragraphs, have an unobstructed width of not less than sixteen feet if constructed as a loop, ("fire loop lane"), as indicated in the diagram shown below and if all of the following conditions are met:

1.  Not more than seven single family residences obtain access from the fire loop lane;

2.  The sixteen foot wide fire loop lane shall consist of an all-weather clear surface;

3.  No curve on any portion of the flow line of the fire loop lane shall have an inside radius of less than thirty-three feet (33') and an outside radius of less than forty-eight feet (48’). "Flow line" means the area between the curbs or equivalent if curbs are not present;

4.  No portion of the fire loop lane shall extend more than two hundred and fifty feet (250') from the abutting street right-of-way;

5.  A minimum of four parking spaces shall be constructed at the end of the fire loop lane, as indicated on the diagram;

6.  The fire loop lane and parking stalls, as indicated on the diagram, are dedicated to and maintained by the City;

7.  Two-way traffic is allowed;

8.  “No parking” signs and markings, as required by the City, are installed and maintained so that no parking is allowed between the curbs on any traveled portion of the fire loop lane;

9.  Corner lots that front the fire loop lane and the abutting street shall be required to only obtain access from the fire loop lane;

10.  No garage or carport built on a lot obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall be constructed, any portion of which is closer than thirty feet (30’) from any portion of the fire loop lane;

11.  Each residence obtaining access from the fire loop lane shall provide and maintain four parking spaces between the garage or carport and the fire loop lane; and

12.  The fire loop lane shall only connect to a street where on-street parking exists now and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans.

   Maximum of 7 lots

                  Other Possible Layouts

     ’

Max.  

250’    

      Park

[End of 503.2.1.1]

Section 503.2.1.2 The new section 503.2.1.2 shall read:

Fire code standards for a shared driveway:

1.  A shared driveway shall be owned and maintained by the owners of the parcels or lots which abut the shared driveway;

2.  Not more than four single family lots shall abut or touch any portion of the shared driveway and no more than four single family units may access a shared driveway;

3.  A shared driveway shall be least sixteen feet (16’) wide and not longer than one hundred and fifty feet (150’);

4.  No parking is allowed on the shared driveway;

5.  Each lot abutting a shared driveway must provide four (4) on-site parking spaces.

6.  Each lot abutting a shared driveway must access off the shared driveway unless approved by Director of Community Development or Planning Commission, depending upon which entity is approving the plan; and

7.  A shared driveway may be used only where it intersects a street where on-street parking exists and is expected to remain, according to the City Engineer, based on such factors as the City capital program and any adopted street plans.

Example Layout for a Shared Driveway

Section 2505 Outdoor Storage of Tires. Section 2505 is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

   Section 2505.1. No person shall store more than 500 tires on any parcel, tract or lot of land.

   Section 2505.2. Tires shall be arranged as required in sections 2505.3 through 2505.7.

   Section 2505.3. Maximum pile or stack height shall not exceed six (6) feet.

   Section 2505.4. Pile or stack width and length shall not exceed eight (8) feet.

   Section 2505.5. Twenty (20) feet of clearance shall be maintained between piles or stacks.

   Section 2505.6. Piles or stacks shall not be placed closer than twenty (20) feet to any structure; and

   Section 2505.7. Piles or stacks shall be stored so as to provide ready access by the Fire Department in the event of a fire.

 Section 311.1.1. The language of section 311.1.1 is deleted and replaced with:

Abandoned premises. Buildings, structures and premises for which an owner cannot be identified or located by dispatch of a certificate of mailing to the last known or registered address, which persistently or repeatedly become unprotected or unsecured, which have been occupied by unauthorized persons or for illegal purposes, or which present a danger of structural collapse or fire spread to adjacent properties shall be considered abandoned, declared unsafe and abated by demolition or rehabilitation in accordance with the International Property Maintenance Code, 2000 Edition, and the International Building Code, 2000 Edition.

 Section 311.3. Section 311.3 shall be amended by addition of the following:

   Section 311.3.1. In case of failure of any owner or lessee of such building(s) to remove all accumulations of hazardous materials, abate said building, and secure the premises, in a manner approved by the Fire Chief, and upon the election by the Fire Chief to remove said waste or rubbish and/or to secure or remove/install barricading of building(s), the Fire Chief is authorized to give notice by certified mail addressed to the last known address of the owner of such building, which shall require the removal of such waste or rubbish, or otherwise require the securing of said building(s) or removal of the problem causing the public nuisance, within sixty (60) days of the date of the notice. In the event such work is not done within the sixty (60) days, the City Manager may then proceed to have the work done as soon as practicable. The costs of such work shall be collected by the City Manager in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Code for the Abatement of Dangerous Buildings. The charge shall be the actual costs for labor, equipment, and materials plus ten (10) percent for administration, supervision and inspection. The Fire Chief may cause any building to be barricaded or secured immediately after a fire has been extinguished. Any and all barricading or securing shall be at the owner's expense.

   311.3.2 The City Manager, as soon as may be practicable after such charge is made, shall send by mail, addressed to the last known address of the owner of such property, a notice of such assessment. The notice shall contain a description of the lots or parcels of land, the name of the owner or owners, and the amount of the assessment, together with a brief description of said assessment.

   311.3.3. It shall be the duty of the owner to pay such assessment within twenty (20) days after the mailing of such notice, and in case of his failure to do so, he shall be liable personally for the amount of the assessment and the same shall be a lien upon the respective lots or parcels of land from the time of such assessment. In case the owner shall fail to pay such assessment within twenty (20) days after notice has been mailed to him, as provided by this article, then it shall be the duty of the City Manager to certify the amount of the assessment to the County Treasurer or other officer of the County having custody of the tax list, for the current year, to be collected in the same manner as other taxes are collected, with ten (10) percent penalty thereon to defray the cost of collection. All of the laws of the State of Colorado for the assessment and collection of general taxes, including the laws for the sale of property for taxes and the redemption thereof, shall apply to and have full effect for the collection of all such assessments.

   311.3.4. The fact that assessments have been made against property as provided in this article for removal of waste and rubbish, abatement and/or barricading or securing of said building(s) shall not prevent the owner, agent or lessee from being punished by fine or imprisonment under the provisions of Section 1-9 of the Code of Ordinances of the City, but such fine or penalty may be imposed on those found guilty of violating any provision hereof in all cases, whether an assessment has or has not been made in accordance with the provisions hereof.

   (7)  Section 503.1. Section 503.1 is amended by addition of the following:

   The Fire Chief may by guided by the City of Grand Junction Traffic Engineering Design Standards and by Appendix D of this code for more detailed design requirements and alternative designs.

   (8)  Section 1007.3.3.6 Monitoring. Section 1007.3.3.6 is amended by addition of the following:

   Section 1007.3.3.8. False alarms. Whenever the activation of any fire alarm is due to a malfunction of the alarm or alarm system and that alarm or alarm system has had a malfunction within the same calendar year quarter, or more than six times during any calendar year, the owner and/or operator of the alarm or alarm system shall pay a false alarm fee to offset some of the costs involved in the dispatching and responding of fire equipment to the location of the alarm.

   Section 1007.3.3.8.1. It is the responsibility of the owner or operator of an alarm system to prevent the improper use of the system, such as the intentional activating of a false alarm or the intentional activation of a smoke or heat detector to produce a false alarm. After three such activations within the same quarter of a calendar year, or more than six during any calendar year, from the same alarm system, the fee schedule for false alarms shall become effective.

   Section 1007.3.3.8.2. Whenever the Fire Chief cannot determine how a false alarm was activated and three such unexplained alarms occur within a calendar year quarter, or alarm(s) exceeding six during any calendar year, the fee schedule for false alarms shall become effective with the fourth and seventh and subsequent alarm(s) respectively.

   Section 1007.3.3.8.3. A fee, in accordance with the fee schedule established by resolution of the City Council and on file with the City Clerk, shall be charged for false alarms.

   Section 1007.3.3.8.3.1. A new alarm system shall be allowed thirty (30) days to become stabilized before charges will accrue for false alarms.

(9)  Section B103 Section B103 is amended by addition of the following subsection:

B103.4 3.1 Alternative Methods. In areas which are mostly developed where not more than two buildable lots are created (at the same time) after the effective date hereof, and the existing water lines and fire flow are inadequate in the area, the Fire Chief may allow a residential structure to be built if sprinklered and if he determines that water upgrades would be impracticable. In such event, the Fire Chief shall record a memorandum indicating the fire protection measure used and the facts concerning the inadequate water lines.

   (10)  Section C102 Section C102 is amended by addition of the following:

Section C102.2 Water supply lines. Hydrants shall be on a looped (receiving water from more than one direction) water supply line of at least six inches (6") in diameter.

 Exceptions:

1. One or two-family residential developments may have hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line where there are 30 or fewer dwelling units. Up to 60 dwelling units may have hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line when all units are protected by an approved residential fire sprinkler system. In any case, the Fire Chief may require such developments provide for water line connections to adjacent properties to ensure the overall water distribution system meets recognized standards.

2. Multiple-family residential developments having up to 100 dwelling units may be protected by fire hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line. Up to 200 dwelling units may be protected by fire hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line when all units are protected by an approved residential fire sprinkler system. In no case shall such developments be supplied by a dead-end line exceeding 1000 feet in length. The Fire Chief may require such developments provide for water line connections to adjacent properties to ensure the overall water distribution system meets recognized standards.

3. For commercial and industrial developments, any building not exceeding three stories or 30 feet in height may be protected by fire hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line.

4. For commercial and industrial developments, buildings or facilities having a gross building area up to 62,000 square feet may be protected by fire hydrants supplied by a dead-end water line. The gross building area may be increased to 124,000 square feet without a looped water line when all buildings are equipped with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system. In no case shall such developments be supplied by a dead-end line exceeding 1000 feet in length. The Fire Chief may require such developments to provide for water line connections to adjacent properties to ensure the overall water distribution system meets recognized standards.

5. The Fire Chief may allow a new development, that would otherwise be required to provide a looped water line for required fire hydrants, to have a dead-end line as long as the development provides a means to connect to a looped system as future development occurs. The time period and conditions under which this exception is allowed shall be as determined by the Chief.

6. The Fire Chief may allow fire hydrants to be supplied by other than a looped water line when the permittee can demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the Fire Chief, that a looped system is not practicable. In such event, the Fire Chief shall make his findings in writing and shall copy such findings to the Public Works Director and the Director of Community Development. In such cases, additional fire protection may be required as determined by the chief.

(11) Section D107.1. D107.1, exception 1: Delete the language of exception 1 and replace with:

1. Where there are 60 or fewer dwelling units on a single public or private access way and all dwelling units are protected by approved residential sprinkler systems, access from two directions shall not be required.

SECTION 4. Validity

 Any and all sections or parts of sections of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Grand Junction, Colorado, as amended, in conflict herewith, are hereby repealed.

SECTION 5. Penalty Provision.

 Section 1-9 of the Code of Ordinance of the City of Grand Junction, Colorado shall apply as though fully set forth in each code and provision adopted in this ordinance.

Introduced this 1st day of November, 2000.

Passed on second reading this 6th day of December, 2000.

               City of Grand Junction

                                 /s/ Gene Kinsey      

               President of the Council

Attest:

/s/ Stephanie Nye      

City Clerk