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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 9643 ORDINANCE NO. ~~~ AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CHAPTER 15, "FIRE CODE," OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH ( 1 964) , AS AMENDED, BY PROVIDING FOR INSPECTION OF ALL NEW INSTALLATIONS OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS REQUIRED BY THE BUILDING AND FIRE CODES; INSTI- TUTING A SCHEDULE OF FEES TO BE CHARGED FOR THE PERMITTING OF SUCH INSTALLATIONS; PROVIDING A SEVER ABILITY CLAUSE; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF PRIOR ORDINANCES AND REPEALING ALL OR DINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE; PROVIDING A PENALTY; PROVIDING FOR ENGROSSMENT AND ENROLLMENT OF THIS ORDINANCE; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICATION IN PAMPHLET FORM; PROVIDING FOR PUBLICA- TION IN THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS: SECTION 1. That Section 4.101 (47), (48), (49) and (50) of Section 15-3 of Chapter 15 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1964), as amended, be and are hereby deleted and that Section 4.101 (51) be and hereby is renumbered as Section 4.101 (47). SECTION 2. That Sections 4.102(d) and (e) of Section 15-3 of Chapter 15 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1964), as amended, be and are hereby amended by deleting Section 4.102(e) and substituting the following language for Section 4.102(d) in lieu thereof, to wit: "Section 4.102(d). "A fee of Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) shall be charged for permits required by Section 4.101 or permit renewal." SECTION 3. That Appendix Division VII of Section 15-3 of chapter 15 of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1964), as amended, be and is hereby amended by adding new Appendix VII-B to wit: "Appendix VII-B, Installation Certificates to Install Fire Protection Systems. "1. Definitions Fire Protection System for the purpose of this Appendix shall include the following: Fire Alarm System: A system of electrical and/or mechanical devices connected to a central control panel which are designed for the purpose of signaling the presence of a fire when automatically or manually actuated. Each control panel and all components on the system side of the control panel shall be con- sidered to be a separate system. Fire Sprinkler System: A system of underground and/or ' aboveground piping which conveys water with or with- out other agents to dispersal openings or devices to extinguish, control or contain fire and to provide protection from exposure to fire or the products of combustion. Each required alarm valve or flow detect- ing device and all components on the system side of the alarm valve or flow detecting device shall be considered to be a separate system. Fire Standpipe System: A wet or dry system of piping, valves, outlets and related equipment designed to provide water at specified pressures and installed exclusively for the fighting of fires. When serving sprinklers, a standpipe shall be considered as a sprinkler system component. Special Agent System: A system of electrical and/or mechanical devices which are designed to extinguish a fire by discharging a chemical agent other than water. Such systems shall include but not be limited to halon and carbon dioxide systems. Each control panel and all components on the system side of the control panel shall be considered to be a separate system. Systems required by the Mechanical Code shall be in accordance with that Code and need not comply with this Appendix. -2- (e) Any of the provisions set forth in this Appendix have been violated." t SECTION 4. This ordinance shall be cumulative of all provisions of ordi- nances and of the Code of the City of Fort Worth, Texas (1964), as amended, except where the provisions of this ordinance are in direct conflict with the provisions of such ordinances and such Code, in which event conflicting provisions of such ordinances and such Code are hereby repealed. SECTION 5. It is hereby declared to be the intention of the City Council that the sections, paragraphs, sentences, clauses and phrases of this ordinance are severable, and, if any phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section of this ordinance shall be declared unconstitu- tional by the valid judgment or decree of any court of competent jurisdiction, such unconstitutionality shall not affect any of the remaining phrases, clauses, sentences, paragraphs and sections of this ordinance, since the same would have been enacted by the City Council without the incorporation in this ordinance of any such unconstitutional phrase, clause, sentence, paragraph or section. SECTION 6. All rights and remedies of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, are expressly saved as to any and all violations of the provisions of the Fire Code or any other ordinances affecting fire safety which have accrued at the time of the effective date of this ordinance; -9- and, as to such accrued violations and all pending litigation, both civil and criminal, whether pending in court or not, under such ordinances, same shall not be affected by this ordinance but may be prosecuted until final disposition by the courts. SECTION 7. The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth, Texas is hereby authorized to publish this ordinance in pamphlet form for general distribution among the public, and the operative provisions of this ordinance as so published shall be admissible in evidence in all courts without further proof than the production thereof, as pro- vided in Chapter XXV, Section 3, of the Charter of the City of Fort Worth, Texas. i SECTION 8. Any person, firm or corporation who violates, disobeys, omits, neglects or refuses to comply with or who resists the enforcement of any of the provisions of this ordinance shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each offense. Each day that a violation is permitted to exist shall constitute a separate offense. SECTION 9. The City Secretary of the City of Fort Worth is hereby directed to engross and enroll this ordinance by copying the caption, penalty clause and effective date in the minutes of the City Council and by filing the ordinance in the ordinance records of the City. SECTION 10. The Secretary of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, is hereby directed to publish the caption, penalty clause and effective date -10- of this ordinance for two (2) days in the official newspaper of the City of Fort Worth, Texas, as authorized by Article 1176b-1, Revised Civil Statutes of Texas., SECTION 11. This ordinance shall be in full force and effect thirty (30) days after its passage and publication as required by law, and it is so ordained. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: City Attorney Date: ~ ~ 3 ' ~ ~° ADOPTED: EFFECTIVE: -11- Atrium Smoke Control System: A system of electrical or mechanical devices which are designed for the purpose of removing smoke from atriums as required by Section 1715 of the Building Code. Fire Protection System Contractor shall be any con- tractor who installs fire protection system(s) and shall be licensed in accordance with the following provisions and shall have filed copies of such licenses with the Bureau of Fire Prevention: Fire Alarm System: Texas state licenses for sales, service and installation of fire alarm systems; and fire alarm superintendent. Fire Sprinkler System: Texas state licenses for sales, service and installation of fire sprinkler systems; and responsible managing employee. Fire Standpipe System: Same as sprinkler if sprink- lers are served from the same piping; otherwise, license for plumbing in City of Fort Worth or licensed fire sprinkler contractor. Special Agent Systems: Texas state licenses for sales, service and installation of fire extinguishing systems, fire extinguisher technician; sales, service and installation of fire alarm systems; and fire alarm superintendent. Installation Certificate is an authorization by the Fire Prevention Bureau for a Fire Protection Equipment Contractor to install or tenant finish a Fire Protection System. Installations shall include the initial placement of or relocation of any components of a Fire Protection System into areas which are not protected. Maintain shall include servicing or replacement with similar devices of existing components of a Fire Protection System in the same location. Tenant Finish shall include the relocation of exist- ing devices or addition of new devices which are necessary to maintain an existing level of protection in an area. Addition of devices into previously un- protected areas shall be considered as installation. -3- "2. Installation Certificate Required. "It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corpo- ration to perform installation or tenant finish of any Fire Protection System without first having obtained an installation certificate from the Bureau of Fire Prevention. Installation certificates shall only be issued to Fire Protection System Contrac- tors. Installation certificates shall not be required for maintenance. EXCEPTIONS: 1) Installation certificates shall not be required for installation or tenant finish of fire protection systems when: a) not more than ten (10) sprinkler heads are installed or relocated, or b) not more than five (5) alarm ini- tiating devices are installed or relocated, or c) special agent systems are self- contained and do not require auxiliary controls or piping to operate. 2) Installation certificates for systems other than fire sprinkler systems may be issued to persons other than fire protection system contractors when approved by the Chief. The installers shall be required to possess valid licenses from the State Fire marshal to demonstrate their competence to install a fire protection system. "3. Conditions of Installation Certificates. A. An installation certificate shall constitute permission to install or tenant finish a Fire Protection System in accordance with approved plans and specifications except that such per- mission shall not be construed as authority to violate, cancel or set aside any of the provi- sions of this Code. -4- B. An installation certificate issued under this Appendix shall continue until revoked or until the installation or tenant finish of the fire protection system is completed and approved. An installation certificate issued for initial installation shall not be transferable to tenant finish work in the same area. Additionally, installation certificates shall not be transfer- able to any other location or fire protection system contractor. C. The Chief is authorized to withhold issuance of an installation certificate to an authorized installer or contractor if: 1) the installer or contractor has failed to make reasonable progress on work for which an installation certificate previously has been issued; 2) a fire protection system contractor has failed, after notice, to correct any defec- tive condition resulting from improper in- stallation; or 3) a fire protection system contractor has failed to pay all prior fees assessed in accordance with this Appendix. "4. Application for Installation Certificate. "Application for a fire protection system in- stallation certificate shall be made to the Bureau of Fire Prevention. The applicant shall be required to present the name and street address of the job site and the information necessary for fee calculation. At the time of application, plans need not be submitted to acquire an installation certificate. "5. Inspection and Testing Fees. A. Upon application for an installation certifi- cate, the applicant shall be required to pay all inspection fees associated with the installation or tenant finish work as specified in this section or agree to have such fees posted in a prearranged billing account with the Bureau of Fire Prevention to be billed monthly. Account balances shall be required to be paid within 21 days of the billing date. -5- Fire alarm systems with more than five (5) auto- matic detection devices, fire sprinkler systems and special agent systems: $40.00 for each system on the first story, plus $20.00 for each story in excess of one $25.00 for tenant finish work Fire alarm systems with five (5) or less auto- matic detection devices: 50$ of figure above. "6 Fire Standpipe Systems: $150.00 for installation or bi-annual testing. Atrium smoke control systems: $250.00 B. Fees specified in subparagraph A, above, will be doubled if a contractor starts installation or tenant finish work without a valid installation certificate. C. An additional test fee of $50.00 shall be charged to the fire protection system contractor for failure to correct system deficiencies for which the fire protection system contractor is responsible which have been cited on a Construc- tion Plans Evaluation Report (FD 890) or a Fire Protection System Test Report (FD 880) by the subsequent resubmittal or inspection date listed thereon. Plan Review, Inspection and Approval. A. Plans. All fire protection systems requiring an instal- lation certificate shall be installed in accor- dance with approved plans. Any variances from approved plans shall require approval by the Chief. Not less than two (2) sets of plans and specifications shall be submitted; however, not more than one set of approved drawings shall be returned.. Submittals for fire alarm systems shall be in accordance with Appendix III-C, Section 5. Submittals for sprinkler systems shall be in accordance with Uniform Building Code Standard 38-1, Section 1-9.2, as amended. -6- EXCEPTION: Plans shall not be required for fire sprinkler system installation and tenant finish work of less than 20 heads. B. Inspections. It shall be the responsibility of the contractor installing fire protection systems to notify the Bureau of Fire Prevention not less than 48 hours prior to required inspections. All systems shall be checked by the contractor prior to requesting an inspection. Systems are required to be in- spected as follows: Fire Alarm Systems Final Inspection upon completion of installation or tenant finish work: All end-of-line supervi- sion resistors must be exposed prior to inspec- tion. Fire Sprinkler System Inspection of Underground Piping: All joints are required to be exposed. Rough-in Inspection: Prior to concealment of piping, all above-ground pipe shall be in- spected. Piping inspections shall not be re- quested for less than the entire work area of any one floor. Final Inspection upon completion of installation or tenant finish work (when work is completed and a certificate of occupancy is to be re- quested for any area): All system components including tamper and flow monitoring are re- quired to be completed. Special Agent Systems Final Inspection upon completion of installa- tion: All end-of-line supervision resistors to be exposed prior to inspection, full discharge concentration and function testing will be per- formed. Atrium Smoke Control Final Inspection upon completion of installa- tion: All end-of-line supervision resistors to be exposed prior to inspection, full operational testing of all components and a smoke test will be performed. -7- C. Approval. upon correction of all deficiencies noted in the construction plans evaluations and system test reports and submittal of required State Fire Marshal's Certification certificates to the Bureau of Fire Prevention, a system test report shall be issued indicating approval of the system. In buildings where fire protection systems are required, such approval shall be required prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy. "7. Retention of Installation Certificates. "Installation certificates shall at all times be conspicuously posted on premises designated therein and at all times be subject to inspection by an officer of the Fire Department. "8. Installation Certificates for the Same Location.. "Whenever more than one type fire protection system is to be installed at the same location, each type of system shall require a separate installation certificate. Where a development involves multiple buildings, each free-standing structure shall require a separate installation certificate. "9. Revocation of Installation Certificates. "Any installation certificate for work on a fire protection system issued under this Code may be sus- pended or revoked when it is determined by the Chief that: (a) It is used by a company other than the company to whom it was issued. (b) It is used for a location other than that for which it was issued. (c) The installation certificate holder fails, re- fuses or neglects to comply with any order or notice duly served upon him under the provisions of this Code within the time provided therein. (d) There has been any false statement or misrepre- sentation as to a material fact in the applica- tion or plans on which the permit or application was based. -8- ~+nsreR~fll, / /#CGOUNTINCi 2 7RANSP0RTATt0N~PUBLIG .WOR!( l4 H eTLR ADrvtINI57RATi6N t ~~~~~ ~~~ ~®IL11/~tL~IV ~1./®~~ lvlV 0 lV (L~'LW ~~® U IV FARE ADMINISI RATI DEN ELt)p M EN I.3 DATE REFERENCE NUMBER suB~E(BRDINANCE PROVIDING FOR INSPECTION PAGE 6/3/86 OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEMS ,of 1 G-6688 ._ i RECOMMENDATION It is- recommended that the City Council adopt the proposed ordinance outlining procedural requirements for the proper installation and inspection of fire pro- tection systems and establishing a fee structuring for inspection. BACKGROUND On January 3, 1985, (M&C G-6179 and M&C G-6188), the City Council adopted Ordi- nance Nos. 9280 and 9281 concerning the City of Fort Worth Building and Fire Codes. With many new structures now incorporating fire protection systems in their design, the Fire Department and Development Department have entered into a cooperative agreement to ensure proper installation. The proposed ordinance establishes procedures for testing and approval of the system. The Building Construction and Fire Prevention Board of Appeals held a public hearing on the proposed ordinance on April 25, 1986. The Board of Appeals recom- mends that the ordinance be effective 30 days following the date of adoption. Fees have been established to offset the cost of this program. Financing This program will require no additional financing and is expected to generate in excess of $30,000 of revenue within the first year from fee charges. APPRQVED BY BT kcq C1TY COUNCIL ~ ~~ e~~ 9 Cite S®cretazy of t~s City of i:'oxt Wort, Ttxc>t SUBMITTED FOR Ili ~~~ ~ CITY MANAGER'S DISPOSITION BY COUNCIL: PROCESSED BY , .G/ OFFICE BY ^ APPROVED ORIGINATING - C OTHER (DESCRIBE) DEPARTMENT HEAD Chief MCM~llen CITY SECRETARY FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION T Matthews 6841 A~Qpted Qrdinaoce No. DATE CONTACT