HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Council Ordinance 1981-25ORDINANCE NO. 81-25
AN ORDINANCE RELATING TO PUBLIC SAFETY
AMENDING SUBSECTION 905.09 OF THE PLYMOUTH
CITY CODE RELATING TO FIRE SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
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THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PLYMOUTH HEREBY ORDAINS:
Section 1. Plymouth City Code, Subsection 905.09 is amended to read:
905.09. Subdivision 1. Fir' Prevention Policy Statement. It is
declared to be the policy of the City of Plymouth to vigorously
promote the safety and welfarc of its citizens. In this context,
the traditional approach to fire service -- suppressing fires once
ignited, rescuing survivors, and too frequently exposing firefighters
to physical danger and death, all at a disproportionately high
community investment of resources in manpower and equipment --
is declared unacceptable for the City of Plymouth. Father, it is
the fire safety policy of the City of Plymouth to efficiently utilize
its resources and maximize life, safety, and citizen welfare by
regia.ring that fire prevention and extinguishing systems be built
into certain new structures. Thus, the effectiveness of the Plymouth
Fire Department is enhanced and extended at a lower cost to the
citizenry, life safety is allocated a priority at least as great as
property protection, and the owner cost of built-in fire protection
is partially or wholly repaid in savings on initial construction
costs and annual fire insurance premiums.
Subdivision 2. Fire Extinguishing Systems Required. Every story,
basement, or cellar in every building hereafter erected in the I-1
(Planned Industrial), B-1 (Office -Limited Business), B-2 (Shopping
Center -Business), and B-3 (Service Business) zoning districts
shall have installed and be equipped with an automatic fire
extinguishing system, which system shall comply with provisions
of the Sprinkler Standard, N.F.P.A. No. 13. Every story, basement,
or cellar in every building exceeding three stories in height here-
after erected in any multi -residential (R-3, R-4) district shall
have installed and be equipped with an automatic fire extinguishing
system which system shall comply with provisions of the Sprinkler
Standard, N.F.P.A. No. 13. The fire extinguishing system shall
be connected to a central station system approved and listed by
Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. and shall remain so connected
and maintained during the life of the building.
Exception: Buildings having a gross floor area less
than 2,000 sq. ft. shall not be required to install a
fire extinguishing system, provided each story of the
building has at least 20 sq. ft. of opening above grade
in each segment of the 50 lineal ft. of exterior wall
on at least one side of the building.
Subdivision 3. Variances (Adjustments). Variances or adjustments
from the requirements of this ordinance shall be considered by
an Appeals Board, as established by the City Council. The Council
shall make the final determination in all variance and adjustment
cases.
The Board of Appeals may recommmend and the City Council may
grant variances from the literal provisions of this ordinance
in instances where their strict enforcement would cause undue
hardship be -ause of circumstances unique and distinctive to the
specific: property or use under consideration. The provisions of
this ordinance, considered in conjunction with the unique and
distinctive circumstances related to the property or uses thereof
must be the proximate cause of the hardship; circumstances caused
by the property owner or the applicant or a predecessor in title
shall not constitute sufficient justification to grant a variance.
A variance may be granted by the City Council after demonstration
by evidence that all of the following qualifications are met:
(a) A particular hardship to the owner would result if the
strict letter of the regulations were carried out;
(b, The conditions upon which the application for a variance
is based are unique to the parcel of land or the use
thereof for which the variance is sought and are not
common, generally,to other property or uses thereof
within the same zoning classification;
(c) The granting of the variance will not be detrimental
to the public welfare of injurious to other property or
improvements in the neighborhood.
Subdivision 4. The Building Official is hereby authorized to
charge a fee for all plan checks and inspection work relating to
fire extinguishing systems in accordance with Chapter X, Section
1015.25.
Section 2. This ordinance shall become effective sixty days following
passage.
Adopted by the City Council the 7th day of December, 1981.
ATTEST:
Cler