Williams Municipal Code Ch. 15.28 Civil Defense Shelters

All buildings and structures which are designed primarily as civil defense shelters are exempt from the pro-visions of the building code of the city, except as such provisions may be adopted by the civil defense shelter board.

(Ord. 122 § 1, 1962)

As used in this chapter, the following words shall have the following meanings:

A. "Civil defense shelter" means any building or structure which is designed to be used primarily for the purpose of providing protection to the occupants thereof from the effects of blasts, fire, heat and radiological fallout resulting from a disaster.

B. "Disaster" means actual or threatened enemy attack, sabotage, extraordinary fire, flood, storm, epidemic, riot, earthquake, or other similar public calamity.

(Ord. 122 § 2, 1962)

There is established a civil defense shelter board, to be appointed by the city council. The board shall consist of three members, one of whom shall be the director of civil defense and disaster of the city.

(Ord. 122 § 3, 1962).

The civil defense shelter board is empowered to:

A. Establish minimum civil defense standards for all civil defense shelters, regardless of area;

B. Establish minimum standards for the structural design of civil defense shelters.

(Ord. 122 § 4, 1962).

Any person affected by a decision of the civil defense shelter board may appeal such decision to the city council. Such appeal shall be filed according to the rules and regulations adopted by the council.

(Ord. 122 § 5, 1962).

The following provisions are established as minimum standards for all civil defense shelters:

A. Shelters shall not be used for living quarters, except during a disaster as defined in this chapter.

B. Sanitary facilities shall not be connected to sewers.

C. All doors shall be openable from the inside, without the use of a key, tool, or special knowledge or effort.

D. No light source depleting the oxygen content of air in the shelter may be used.

E. All shelters that do not project more than two feet above the surrounding grade level shall be exempt from the zoning provisions of Title 17 of this code.

F. All shelters shall be posted with a durable sign showing capacity of the shelter as determined by the Civil Defense Shelter Board.

(Ord. 122 § 6, 1962).

Before commencing work on the construction of any civil defense shelter, a building permit authorizing the work shall be obtained from the building inspector of the city. No building permit fees or plan-checking fees shall be charged for civil defense shelters.

(Ord. 122 § 7, 1962).

Upon presentation of proper credentials, representatives of the offices of the director of civil defense and disaster, building inspector and the fire department may enter, between the hours of eight a.m. and six p.m., any building, structure or premises in the city, for the purpose of inspecting any civil defense shelter erected, constructed or maintained under the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 122 § 9, 1962).

It is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to erect, construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, demolish, equip, use or occupy or maintain any building or structure which is designed primarily as a civil defense shelter, or cause or permit the same to be done, without fully complying with the provisions of this chapter.

(Ord. 122 § 8, 1962).