Fremont Municipal Code § 903.2 Fremont Fire Code

903.2.2 Group B. An automatic sprinkler systems shall be provided for Group B occupancies in addition as required in Sections 903.2.2.1 and 903.2.2.2.

903.2.2.1 Ambulatory care facilities. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout Ambulatory care facilities.

903.2.3 Group E. Except as provided for in Sections 903.2.3 for a new public-school campus and 907.2.3 (fire alarm and detection) for modernization of an existing public-school campus building(s), an automatic sprinkler system shall be provided for Group E occupancies.

903.2.4 Group F. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all buildings containing Group F occupancies.

903.2.4.3 Deleted

903.2.5 Group H. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all buildings containing Group H occupancies.

903.2.6 Group I. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings with a Group I fire area.

903.2.6.1 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.6.2 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.7 Group M. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings containing a Group M occupancy.

903.2.7.1 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.7.3 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.8 Group R. An automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3 shall be provided throughout all buildings with a Group R fire area.

903.2.9 Group S-1. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout all buildings containing a Group S-1 occupancy.

903.2.10 Group S-2. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings classified as parking garages in accordance with Section 406.4 of the California Building Code or where located beneath other groups.

903.2.10.1 Commercial Parking Garages. An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings used for the storage of commercial trucks and buses.

903.2.10.2 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.11 Specific building areas and hazards. In all occupancies, an automatic sprinkler system shall be installed for building design or hazards in the locations set forth in Sections 903.2.11.1 through 903.2.11.6.

903.2.11.1 Stories without openings. An automatic sprinkler system shall be installed throughout every story or basement without openings.

903.2.11.1.2 through 903.2.11.1.3 – deleted

903.2.11.2 {CFC text not modified}

903.2.11.3 {CFC text not modified}

Exceptions – deleted

903.2.18 Group U private garages and carports accessory to Group R-3 occupancies. Carports and garages, accessory to Group R-3 occupancies, shall be protected by residential fire sprinklers in accordance with this section. Residential fire sprinklers shall be connected to, and installed in accordance with, an automatic residential fire sprinkler system that complies with Section R313 of the California Residential Code or with NFPA 13-D. Fire sprinklers shall be residential or quick response sprinklers, designed to provide a minimum density of .05 gpm/ft2 over the area of the garage and/or carport, but not to exceed two sprinklers for hydraulic calculation purposes. Garage doors shall not be considered obstructions with respect to sprinkler placement.

Exception: Group U private garages and carports attached to Group R-3 Accessory Dwelling Units.

903.2.22 Additions to Group A, B, E, F, H, I, L, M, R, S, and certain miscellaneous Group U occupancies. For additions to existing Groups A, B, E, F, H, I, L, M, R, S, and U occupancies not exempted in 903.2, an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) shall be required throughout the entire building when one of the following thresholds is exceeded. For purposes of floor area calculations, Group U (attached private garages or similar) occupancies shall be included in the floor area calculation.

1. The combined floor area of the existing building plus the addition exceeds 5,000 square feet.

2. The addition exceeds 2,500 square feet.

3. The addition increases the floor area of the existing building by 50%. The increase in floor area shall be calculated cumulatively from July 1, 1999.

Exception: The existing portion of a one- or two-story building with no basement does not require automatic fire extinguishing systems when the following conditions (a-c) are met:

a. The addition is protected by an AFES.

b. The addition and the existing structure are separated from the remaining spaces based on the non-sprinklered type of construction and occupancy in accordance with the CFC, including any required protection and fire rated openings.

c. An Assembly, Education, Institutional and Multi-Family Residential occupancy installs an underwriter laboratory certified and National Fire Protection Association Standard 72 compliant fire alarm system.

903.2.23 Additions to existing R-3 occupancies. For additions to R-3 occupancies, an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) shall be required throughout the entire building when one of the following thresholds is exceeded. For purposes of floor area calculations, Group U attached private garages, or similar occupancies shall be included in the floor area calculation:

1. The combined floor area of the existing building plus the addition exceeds 5,000 square feet.

2. The addition increases the floor area of the existing structure by 50%.

Exception: The entire residence, including the addition does not require an AFES when the following conditions are met:

a. Additions under 500 sq ft (or under 1000 sq ft with an approved local or hard wired or similarly configured fire alarm system) and cumulative floor area ≤ 5000 sq ft are permitted.

b. No Planning or Building Department variances or exceptions are needed to accommodate the addition.

c. Exception (a) may be used cumulatively for conversion(s) of existing space to habitable space occurring after July 1, 1999, until the addition(s) total more than 50 percent of the original floor area.

903.2.24 Repair/Retrofit. All occupancies except Group U occupancies exempted in 903.2 damaged during a fire or natural disaster shall require an automatic fire-extinguishing system to be installed in the entire structure. Retrofit criteria shall be as follows:

1. All installations of automatic fire extinguishing systems and signaling devices shall comply with the current code.

2. Any occupancy that has been damaged as a result of a fire or natural disaster, except for otherwise noted, shall be retrofitted with an automatic fire extinguishing system to the entire building and structure in accordance with the following (a & b) criteria:

a. When the estimated value of repair is less than 50 percent of the replacement value of the structure, the damaged portion(s) may be restored to their pre-damaged condition.

b. When the estimated value of repair is 50 percent or more of the replacement value of the structure, the entire building shall be retrofitted with an automatic fire extinguishing system.

903.2.25 Retrofit for Essential Services Facilities. When the estimated value of repair contained in the engineering evaluation is more than 30 percent of the replacement value of the structure, the entire building shall be retrofitted with an automatic fire extinguishing system.

903.2.26 Retrofit for Historic Buildings or Structures. The minimum criteria for retrofit of Historic Buildings or Structures shall be included in FMC Section 15.95.070, with due consideration given to the historical rating and nature of the structures. Additional standards and criteria, as noted in the California Code of Regulations and the State of California Historic Building Code, shall apply.

Where conflicts exist between the standards contained herein and the State of California Historic Building Code, the Historic Building Code shall govern.

903.2.27 Alterations to existing R-1, R-2, R-2.1 and R-4 Occupancies: Where the gross floor area of a proposed alteration and the gross floor area of any alterations that have been undertaken in a 10 year time period starting from January 1, 2017 that exceeds 50 percent of the existing gross floor area of the building, an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) shall be required throughout the entire building.

The standard for calculating the size of alteration for determining the threshold for fire sprinkler systems shall be:

1. The square footage of every room being added or altered shall be included in the calculation of total square footage of addition or alteration.

2. The entire square footage of an individual room shall be considered added or altered when at least 50 percent or greater of the linear length of interior wall sheeting or ceiling of any one wall within the room is new, removed, or replaced.

903.3 through 903.3.1.1.1 {CFC text not modified}

903.3.1.1.2 Deleted

903.3.1.1.3 {CFC text not modified}

903.3.1.2 NFPA 13R in Group R Occupancies. Automatic sprinkler system in group R occupancies up to and including 4 stories in height shall be permitted to be installed throughout in accordance with NFPA 13R as amended in Chapter 80 and as follows. The sprinkler system shall include protection in the following areas: garages, carports, bathrooms, concealed spaces, closets, water heater closets, laundry rooms, attic spaces, under walkways, or overhangs, balconies or decks greater than four feet in depth, at each floor under stair landing that is wholly or partially enclosed, and other areas where deemed necessary by the Fire Chief and the Building Official to protect the public health and safety.