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Ordinance
No. ______-2004
CHAPTER
4 OF THE CARROLL VALLEY BOROUGH CODE OF ORDINANCES IS
HEREBY AMENDED BY ADDING A PART II ENTITLED A FIREFLOW
REQUIREMETNS AND RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLERS, TOGETHER WITH
ALL SECTIONS AND SUBSECTIONS
WHEREAS,
on May 11, 2004, the Borough of Carroll Valley adopted
the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code when it enacted
Ordinance No. 01-2004 which was effective immediately;
WHEREAS,
the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as adopted
by the Borough of Carroll Valley, includes the International
Fire Code, 2003 edition;
WHEREAS,
there is a need for the Borough to address the requirement
for fire protection and water supplies as required by
§508 of the 2003 International Fire Code (§508.3);
WHEREAS,
Section 508.3 of the 2003 International Fire Code provides
that fireflow requirements shall be determined by an
approved method;
WHEREAS,
the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code, as adopted,
addresses fireflow requirements only for areas designated
under provisions of the Urban/Wildland Interface Code;
WHEREAS,
Appendix B of the International Fire Code addresses
fireflow requirements for other situations and said
Appendix must be specifically adopted and incorporated
into the Construction Code Ordinance by a municipality;
WHEREAS,
Carroll Valley Borough does not meet the requirements
for designation as an Urban/Wildland Interface area;
WHEREAS,
Section B 103.3 of the 2003 International Fire Code
provides information concerning water supplies for fire
fighting purposes in rural and suburban areas in which
adequate and reliable water supply systems do not exist,
such as in Carroll Valley;
WHEREAS,
pursuant to the 2003 International Fire Code, the appropriate
Code Enforcement Official is authorized to utilize National
Fire Protection Association ("NFPA") Standard
1142, pertaining to water supplies for suburban and
rural fire fighting;
WHEREAS,
Carroll Valley Borough should use the requirements of
NFPA standard 1142, the 2001 edition, to determine the
minimum requirements for water supplies for structural
fire fighting in rural and suburban areas where reliable
water supply systems for fire fighting purposes do not
exist;
WHEREAS,
Chapter 7 of the NFPA Standards provides a method to
calculate minimal water supplies available for fire
fighting purposes and Section 7.4.1 thereof determines
that "the authority having jurisdiction (Carroll
Valley Code Enforcement Official) shall be permitted
to waive the water supply required by the standard when
a structure is protected by an automatic sprinkler system
that fully meets the requirements of NFPA 13, NFPA 13D
or NFPA 13R;
WHEREAS,
the present volunteer fire service that provides fire
protection services to Carroll Valley Borough are performing
as well as the current resources will allow and with
the continued growth and construction of new homes in
Carroll Valley, demand for more services from an already-stressed
volunteer service system will be required and realized;
WHEREAS,
according to the 2000 census, Carroll Valley Borough
experienced the greatest rate of growth for any municipality
in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and that growth
is continuing at a rapid rate;
WHEREAS,
upon ignition, fire intensity grows rapidly and develops
quickly to a point referred to as "flashover",
the critical point for life, safety and fire control.
During time that elapses between ignition and alarm
the fire is uncontrolled and fire extinguishment commences
only after the arrival of fire fighting forces. With
an automatic sprinkler system, the fire danger can be
controlled prior to flashover and prior to the arrival
of fire fighting forces. The average response from the
time the alarm is received until arrival of the fire
fighting forces in Carroll Valley is now well over five
(5) minutes;
WHEREAS,
a requirement to install residential automatic sprinkler
systems in new dwellings emphasizes fire loss management
as opposed to merely reacting to the increased demands
that new growth will impose on our already burdened
volunteer fire service organizations.
NOW,
THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY ENACTED AND ORDAINED, as follows:
§201.
Addition to UCC Enforcement Regulations.
§403.21(a)
of the Uniform Construction Code Administration and
Enforcement Regulations is amended by adding the following:
(15)
Appendix B of the "International Fire Code."
§202.
Changes to the International Residential Code.
These changes are made to the "International Residential
Code" for one (1) and (2) family dwellings, as
adopted by reference by Carroll Valley Ordinance No.:
01-2004;
(A)
§R313 is retitled "FIRE PROTECTION"
(B)
§313.3 is added as follows:
R313.3
Automatic Sprinklers: An automatic sprinkler system
designed
in
accordance with the current edition of the National
Fire Protection Association’s Standard
13D, shall be installed in all one (1) and two
(2) family dwellings and townhouses constructed
after the date of this Ordinance.
(C) §313.4
is added as follows:
R313.4
Waterflow Alarms: Waterflow alarms shall be installed
on all
sprinkler
systems. These alarms shall consist of waterflow
switches and outside alarm bells.
(D) §313.4.1
is added as follows:
R313.4.1:
Outside alarm bells shall be labeled as to their purpose.
§203
Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence
or clause of this Ordinance is held, for any reason
to be invalid, such decision or decisions shall not
affect the validity of the remaining portions of this
Ordinance.
§205
Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective
immediately upon adoption.
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