Atwater Municipal Code Ch. 8.40 Fire Prevention: Automatic Fire Sprinklers

A. Approved automatic sprinkler systems are integrated systems of underground and overhead piping including a water supply of a type such as a gravity tank, fire pump, reservoir or pressure tank of a connection by underground piping, to a City main, and which comply in all respects with the requirements adopted for such systems as described in the NFPA Pamphlet No. 13, as it now exists or as it may from time to time be amended.

B. Approved automatic sprinkler systems shall include a waterflow detecting device, and valves controlling such systems, and shall be supervised by a monitoring device or devices. Waterflow and monitoring devices shall operate on a continuous basis, to provide immediate notification of any activation of such systems to a central station as described in the NFPA Pamphlet No. 71, as it now exists or as it may from time to time be amended. Underground key or hub valves in roadway boxes provided by the City or a public utility need not be monitored. Sprinkler riser rooms and Fire Department connections shall be marked as requested by the Fire Chief.

C. Approved audible devices shall be connected to every automatic sprinkler system. Such sprinkler water-flow alarm devices shall be activated by water flow equivalent to the flow of a single sprinkler of the smallest orifice size installed in the system. Alarm devices shall be provided on the exterior of the building in an approved location. An interior alarm to alert the occupants shall be provided in the interior of the building in a normally occupied location when off-site monitoring is required. Where a fire alarm is installed, actuation of the automatic sprinkler system shall actuate the building fire alarm system. When and where required, an approved manual, automatic or manual and automatic fire alarm system installed in accordance with the provisions of this Code and NFPA 72, as it now exists or as it may from time to time be amended.

D. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Code or the provisions of any other codes of the City of Atwater, approved automatic sprinkler systems shall be installed in those buildings or structures hereinafter constructed, which meet any one of the following criteria:

1. Have a total aggregate floor area of 5,000 square feet or more.

2. Are three stories or more irrespective of height; including basements, cellars and/or mezzanines.

3. Any existing building added to when such additions cause the building to meet or exceed any of the conditions listed above.

4. Any existing building that meets the above criteria (D.1., D.2., or C.3.) and is added to, repaired or remodeled, if the cost of the work is over 50 percent of the current Merced County's assessed value on record, shall have sprinklers installed. Buildings or structures must be separated by a minimum of five feet to be considered separate buildings or structures for the purpose of this section.

E. Exceptions:

1. When applying the provisions of this section each portion of an existing building or structure separated by one or more area separation walls may be considered a separate building or structure; provided, that the area separation walls meet the requirements of Section 504.6 (AREA SEPARATION WALLS) of the current adopted edition of the Uniform Building Code and the individual areas do not exceed the limits specified in subsection 4-3-203.C.3. Area separation walls may not be added to avoid the installation of fire sprinklers in new buildings. Area separation walls may not be added to existing buildings during remodel/addition to avoid the installation of fire sprinklers.

F. The Fire Chief or his designee shall have the power and authority to modify the enforcement of any part of this section. Such modification shall be upon terms and conditions as he shall deem proper, and shall become validated by passage of a resolution from the City Council of the City of Atwater.

(Ord. CS 885, § 1, 8-27-2007; Ord. CS 873, § 1, 12-11-2006)

Editor's note— Ord. 885, § 1, adopted August 27, 2007, changed the title of Section 8.40.010 from "Fire prevention: Automatic fire sprinklers" to "Fire prevention: Automatic fire sprinklers and fire alarm systems." The historical notation has been preserved for reference purposes.