Article II — AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Editor's note— Ord. No. 1633, § 5, adopted August 9, 2011, amended Art. II in its entirety to read as herein set out. Former Art. II, §§ 11-26—11-31, pertained to similar subject matter, and derived from Ord. No. 1167, § 13, adopted Nov. 7, 1995; Ord. No. 1436, § 1, adopted Oct. 21, 2003.

Cross reference— Utilities, ch. 27.

(a)

All buildings, structures, additions to existing structures, or parts thereof, hereafter constructed, erected or moved onto a property, regardless of the existence of separation walls as prescribed in the California Building Code.

(b)

When there is a change of use or occupancy of a building or structure which exceeds 5,000 square feet (465 m 2 ) in gross floor area and which would place the building or structure in a different division of the same group of occupancy or in a different group of occupancies.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11)

Automatic sprinkler system as used in this chapter shall mean an integrated system of underground and overhead piping, including a water supply such as a gravity tank, fire pump, reservoir, pressure tank, or connection by underground piping to a public main, and such system complying in all respects with the requirements of the fire district and appropriate standards issued by the National Fire Protection Association. No automatic sprinkler system required by this article shall be installed without prior approval by the fire district of the plans for the installation, testing and maintenance of the system.

Fire chief as used in this chapter shall mean the chief of the fire district or his or her duly authorized representative.

Fire prevention office as used in this chapter shall mean the office of fire prevention of the fire district.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11)

(a)

Subject to the approval and concurrence of the fire chief and the building official, sprinklers may be omitted where they are considered undesirable because of the nature of the contents of a building or structure. Alternative fire extinguishing systems, as determined by the chief may be required. Sprinklers shall not be omitted from any building, structure or room merely because it is damp, contains electrical equipment, is constructed out of noncombustible materials, or is constructed out of fire-resistive construction.

(b)

Buildings and other structures of 500 square feet (46.5m 2 ) or less in gross floor area.

(c)

Additions to existing buildings or structures of less than 5,000 square feet in gross floor area, when the total gross floor area of the addition(s) over a period of five years does not exceed 50 percent of the total gross floor area of the existing building or structure. (Note: if the addition is required to be fire sprinklered, the automatic fire sprinkler system shall be installed throughout the entire existing building or structure as well as the addition.)

(d)

If the change of use or occupancy of a building or structure places the proposed new use in a less hazardous occupancy group, based on life or fire risk, than the existing use.

(e)

Structures that have an open roof or that are open on three or more sides, such as, but not limited to, patio covers, gazebos, carports, awnings, canopies, or equipment enclosures.

(f)

Public restrooms, snack bars and storage buildings located within city parks, excluding community centers.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11; Ord. No. 1876, § 2(Exh. A), 1-25-22)

Commercial structures protected according to National Fire Protection Association standard 13 with 20 sprinkler heads or less may be supplied by the domestic water system, per the California Fire Code. Automatic sprinklers in dwelling units shall comply with the requirements of standard 13D or 13R of the National Fire Protection Association as applicable as well as the local Fire Prevention Standards of the Fontana Fire Protection District. All other automatic fire sprinkler systems shall comply with standard 13 of the National Fire Protection Association.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11)

The application of sections 11-26, 11-27 and 11-28 shall not prohibit the exercise of the substitution option granted in Chapter 5 of the California Building Code relating to fire resistive construction.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11)

(a)

Every sprinkler system shall have at least one Fire Department Connection (FDC).

Exception. Upon approval of the fire prevention office, the FDC may be omitted.

(b)

Every sprinkler system shall have backflow protection.

(c)

Post indicator valves and riser control valves shall be installed as determined by the fire prevention office upon submission of plans.

(d)

Sprinkler systems shall be designed to a working pressure of no more than 175 psi and tested at a minimum of 200 psi.

(e)

Minimum underground pipe size shall be six inches in diameter.

Exception. Upon approval of the fire prevention office, pipe size and system riser may be of a smaller diameter.

(f)

Every sprinkler system shall be tested in accordance with the applicable NFPA standard, or other standard approved by the fire prevention office.

(g)

Commercial buildings smaller than 5,000 square feet may install a residential NFPA 13R or residential NFPA 13D fire sprinkler system in place of a commercial NFPA 13 fire sprinkler system.

(h)

All commercial buildings with the potential to house vehicles shall install a commercial NFPA 13 fire sprinkler system or other appropriate fire suppression system as may be approved by the fire marshal. Non-commercial buildings with the potential to house vehicles may install a residential NFPA 13R or residential NFPA 13D fire sprinkler system in place of a commercial NFPA 13 fire sprinkler system.

(Ord. No. 1633, § 5, 8-9-11; Ord. No. 1876, § 2(Exh. A), 1-25-22)

Secs. 11-32—11-55. - Reserved.