Chapter 15.40 — ON-SITE FIRE PROTECTION

The following words and phrases, whenever used in this chapter, shall be construed as defined in this section:

A.

"Adequate water supply" means the available flow of water which the fire chief determines is, or reasonably may be, necessary to protect any building or structure on the land to be developed against fire. (See Sections 15.40.050 and 15.40.060.)

B.

"Develop" means to make any improvements or do any work upon land which would require the issuance of a building permit under the building code.

C.

"Facilities" means such water mains, fire hydrants and appurtenances thereto as are necessary for fire protection.

D.

"Fire chief" means the fire chief of the city or any other official in the fire department duly appointed by him to administer the provisions of this chapter.

E.

"Judgment" means the judgment of the fire chief or his appointee as provided in this chapter, based upon sound fire prevention and engineering principles, which judgment shall be conclusive.

F.

"Land" means any lot, parcel, acreage or building site, or any other land or portion thereof embraced within a common plan of development whether improved or unimproved.

G.

"Reasonable working distance" means the distance from the available water supply and shall be deemed not to exceed three hundred feet, except where, in the judgment of the fire chief, the application of such rule under the circumstances would be harsh or impracticable.

(Prior code § 5-30)

A.

When any land is proposed to be developed in such a manner that all or a substantial part of any building or structure thereon will be in excess of the reasonable working distance from an adequate water supply for fire protection facilities upon the land as is determined necessary under this chapter, the fire chief may prescribe that the development include the installation of such on-site fire protection facilities as in his judgment are necessary to provide an adequate water supply on the land to be developed. The installation shall be at the expense of the owner or developer.

B.

All facilities required to be installed under this chapter shall be approved by and meet the specifications of the fire chief as to location, size and type of materials and manner of installation.

C.

Construction shall be carried out under the inspection of the department of public works. All inspection costs shall be paid by the owner or developer.

D.

This section shall not apply to "U" occupancies as classified by the building code.

(Ord. 1759 § 3 (part), 2005: prior code § 5-31)

A.

Every application for a building permit and its accompanying plans shall be reviewed by the division of building inspection to determine whether any of the following facts exist:

The proposed development will consist of one or more buildings, or additions thereto whose total floor area including that of any existing buildings, will exceed twenty-five thousand square feet;

The proposed development will consist of one or more buildings, or additions thereto, any one of which exceeds either two stories or thirty feet in height;

The proposed development will consist of one or more buildings, or additions thereto, wherein any part of any building is situated more than two hundred feet from the public street to which such building has its principal access, measured along the route of such access;

The proposed development is such that there is reasonable cause to believe that all or a substantial part of any building or structure thereon will be or become in excess of the reasonable working distance from an adequate supply of water for protection as defined in this chapter.

B.

If any fact set out in subsection A of this section exists, the division of building inspection shall submit the plans for the proposed development to the fire chief for his review.

(Prior code § 5-32)

When any plans are submitted under Section 15.40.030, the fire chief shall review the same and determine whether any building or structure on the land to be developed is or will by virtue of such development become in excess of the reasonable working distance from an adequate water supply. If upon such review it is determined either that the fire protection facilities mentioned in this chapter are not required or that they are adequately provided for in the plans, the fire chief shall endorse his approval thereon. If adequate provision for such facilities is not made the fire chief shall either disapprove the plans and indicate to the division of building inspection in writing wherein they are deficient (in which case any revised plans shall be resubmitted to the fire chief) or approve the plans subject to conditions.

(Prior code § 5-33)

A.

The following table shall serve as a guide to determine the flow required to furnish an adequate water supply to individual buildings:

FLOW REQUIRED, IN GALLONS PER MINUTE

B.

The required quantity of water shall be available with provision for a residual pressure in the mains, taking into account ground elevation, of not less than twenty pounds, except where the building is equipped with

automatic sprinklers dependent upon the distribution mains for supply, in which case the required fireflow shall be available, at a residual pressure which will correspond to fifteen pounds on the top line of the sprinklers.

(Prior code § 5-34 (part))

City hydrants shall be taken into account in determining whether an adequate water supply exists with reference to a given building. Other water sources may be counted as contributing to the supply if, in the judgment of the fire chief, the source is dependable, readily accessible, adaptable to use by city equipment and within reasonable working distance of the building or portions thereof, to be served by the source. No source on private land adjoining the land to be developed shall be considered to be readily accessible unless there shall be obtained the irrevocable and unobstructed right to use the same upon such terms as may be approved by the fire chief.

(Prior code § 5-35)

Whenever any hydrant or other appurtenance for use by the fire department is required to be installed under the provisions of this chapter, there shall be included in the development plans and delineated thereon, adequate provision for access to and from every such hydrant and appurtenance by city firefighting equipment. The access shall be in the form of an improved, permanently maintained roadway or of an open paved area, or of any combination thereof designed, constructed and at all times maintained in such a manner that there shall be an accessway kept clear and unobstructed and having sufficient width and height clearance to permit ingress and egress by city firefighting equipment.

(Prior code § 5-36)

No final inspection under the building code as to all or any portion of the development is completed and no certificate of occupancy or temporary certificate of occupancy shall be issued unless and until the installation of the prescribed facilities and accessways has been completed and the final approval thereof by the fire chief and department of public works given as provided in this chapter, and all inspection costs paid. Such final inspection shall be conducted solely to implement the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter and is in no manner an assurance on the part of the city that the facilities are or will continue to be in good working order.

(Prior code § 5-37)

All on-site fire protection facilities, whether installed before or after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, shall at all times be maintained as installed, free of leaks and in good working order by the owner or lessee thereof. To this end the fire chief is empowered in his discretion to conduct periodic tests and inspections of the facilities.

(Prior code § 5-38)

Whenever any on-site fire protection facilities or accessways have been installed, as provided in this chapter, either pursuant to this chapter or prior to the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, the following provisions shall be applicable:

A.

Hydrants. With respect to hydrants located along private accessways where curbs exist, the curbs shall be painted red or otherwise appropriately marked by the owner, lessee or other person in charge of the premises to prohibit parking for a distance of fifteen feet in either direction from any such hydrant. In such cases where curbs do not exist, there shall be appropriate markings painted on the pavement, or signs erected, or both, giving notice that parking is prohibited for a distance of fifteen feet away from any hydrant. When such areas are signed or marked as provided in this subsection, no person shall park or leave standing a vehicle within fifteen feet of any such fire hydrant.

B.

Accessway Obstruction. No owner or lessee of the land or proprietor, partner, officer, director, manager or agent of any business or other activity carried on upon the land shall, after receiving notice thereof, permit or otherwise allow, and no person shall cause any activity, practice or condition to occur or exist or continue to exist upon the land which shall lessen, obstruct or impair the access required to be maintained under Section 15.40.070.

C.

Parking Prohibitions. If in the judgment of the fire chief it is necessary to prohibit vehicular parking along private accessways in order to keep them clear and unobstructed, he may require the owner, lessee or other person in change of the premises to paint the curbs red and/or paint the edge of the roadway red to a width of four inches, upon which is closely marked the words "Fire Lane" in white letters four inches in height and have a three-fourths-inch stroke, at intervals of not less than fifty feet.

At the property owner's expense, the fire chief shall direct the owner, lessee or other person in charge to post at all entrances and/or at the extremities of each fire lane a sign reading "FIRE LANE - NO PARKING AT ANY TIME - VIOLATORS SUBJECT TO TOW AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. Lodi City Code Section 15.40.100c; CVC Section 22500(1), Lodi Police Department, 333-6727." Thereafter, it is unlawful for such owner, lessee or other person in charge to fail to install and maintain in good condition the form of notice so prescribed. When such areas are marked and signed as provided in this subsection, no person shall park or leave standing a vehicle adjacent to any such sign and shall be subject to being towed or removed at the direction of a peace officer.

All required signs shall be twenty-four inches vertically by eighteen inches horizontally. The minimum size lettering on the sign shall be as follows:

Sign Lettering Minimum Height (inches)

The sign face shall be white in color. All lettering or printing shall be red in color, and all two-inch letters shall have a minimum one-fourth-inch stroke, and all one-inch letters shall have a minimum three- sixteenths-inch stroke.

D.

Prosecutions. Chapter 1.08 of this code applies to prosecutions under this section.

(Ord. 1759 § 3 (part), 2005: Ord. 1384 § 1, 1986; prior code § 5-40)

On-site fire protection facilities, whether installed before or after the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter, may be altered or repaired with the written consent of the fire chief; provided, that such alteration or repairs shall be carried out in conformity of Section 15.40.030.

(Ord. 1759 § 3 (part), 2005: prior code § 5-39)