Anaheim Municipal Code Ch. 16.09 Life Safety Requirements for Existing High-Rise Buildings

For the purposes of this chapter, the following words, terms and phrases are defined as follows:

A. "Building Official" is the appointed head of the Building Division of the City of Anaheim Planning Department, or his authorized representative.

B. "Fire Chief" is the Chief Officer of the City of Anaheim Fire Department or his authorized representative.

C. "High-rise building" is a building which contains floors used for human occupancy which are located more than fifty-five feet above the lowest level of approved Fire Department vehicle access, which is a road or area designated by the Fire Department where fire units set up operations adjacent to the high-rise building.

D. "Life-safety system" shall include automatic sprinkler systems, local fire alarm systems, and automatic shut down of all ventilating, heating and air conditioning equipment. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an acceptable level of safety to persons occupying existing high-rise buildings by requiring those buildings to be retrofit with a life-safety system, as required in construction of new buildings. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all high-rise buildings in the City of Anaheim for which a building permit is issued prior to January 1, 1974. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part), March 7, 1989.)

The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced by the Fire Chief of the City of Anaheim. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

The following life-safety systems are required in each high-rise building subject to this chapter:

A. An approved automatic fire sprinkler system pursuant to the currently adopted edition of the Uniform Building Code, Standard 38-1 shall be installed. In addition, floor control valves will be required on every floor, and the sprinkler system must be monitored by an approved central, proprietary or remote station service.

B. All heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems shall be equipped with an automatic device or devices to prevent recirculation of smoke, as required by Section 1807 of the Uniform Building Code, 1985 edition.

C. All fire alarm systems shall be connected to an approved central station, or to an alternative approved by the Fire Chief. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

The Fire Chief shall be authorized to allow deviations from the requirements set forth in this chapter as follows:

A. The Fire Chief may allow the use of alternate methods or materials if such alternate methods or materials will provide levels of safety equal to or greater than those specifically set forth in Section 16.09.050.

B. The Fire Chief may waive specific individual requirements of this code if the owner of the high-rise building demonstrates that such requirements are not physically possible or practicable. The financial cost of compliance shall not be the sole basis for waiving any requirement.

C. The Fire Chief may grant extensions of time where the owner of the high-rise building demonstrates that compliance within the time periods specified in this chapter is not physically practical or poses an undue hardship. Extensions shall not be granted to any building owner who cannot demonstrate intent and effort to comply. (Ord. 4998 § 2 (part); March 7, 1989.)

Whenever the Fire Chief refuses to allow deviations from the requirements set forth in this chapter as authorized by Section 16.09.060, the owner of the high-rise building may appeal from such decision to the City Council within ten days from the date of the decision being appealed. A decision shall be considered as having been appealed within the aforesaid ten days if a written Notice of Appeal is filed with the City Clerk of the City of Anaheim within said ten day period. The Notice of Appeal shall:

(a) Specify the substance and particulars of the decision being appealed;

(b) Show the date of the decision;

(c) Be signed by the appellant or his/her duly authorized agent; and

(d) Indicate the mailing address of the appellant.

Whenever a Notice of Appeal is filed with the City Clerk, the City Clerk shall set the matter for hearing at the earliest reasonable time and shall notify the Fire Chief and the appellant, at least three days prior to the time set for the hearing, of the place, date and time the City Council shall hear and consider the appeal. Notice shall be given to the appellant by mailing said notice to the address shown on the Notice of Appeal. All decisions of the City Council shall be final. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

A. Any permits required by the Uniform Building Code and the Anaheim Municipal Code prior to installation of life-safety systems required by this chapter shall be obtained by the owner of the high-rise building.

B. Sixty days prior to submitting plans for a building permit, the owner and the owner's design team shall meet with the Fire Chief and the Building Official to preview plans to determine the adequacy of the life-safety systems for the building. The life-safety systems shall be indicated on the plans for the building, which plans shall be filed in the records of the Building Department. The Building Official and the Fire Chief may require the owner to provide sufficient documentation to demonstrate, based upon engineering analysis, that the systems meet the intent of nationally recognized standards. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

Within one year after the adoption date of this chapter, the owner of each high-rise building subject to this chapter shall submit plans to the Building Official and the Fire Chief indicating the owner's intended method of complying with the requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)

The owner of each high-rise building subject to this chapter shall comply with all requirements of this chapter not specifically waived or deferred by the Fire Chief by January 1, 1992. (Ord. 4998 § 1 (part); March 7, 1989.)