AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Consider approval of Ordinance 2020-13, on the second of two readings, amending Chapter 38 of the City Code titled Fire Prevention and Protection, of the San Marcos City Code by revising the local amendments recommended in the 2015 edition of the International Fire Code to include provisions relating to mobile food vending operations, gate access, signage, location of fire extinguishers in multi-family structures and requiring buildings in certain zoned areas of the City that have been impacted by a fire event to install fire-sprinkler systems prior to re-occupancy, among other revisions, to enhance public safety in the City; providing for the repeal of any conflicting provisions; and providing an effective date.
Body
Meeting date: April 7, 2020
Department: Fire Department/Fire Prevention Division
Amount & Source of Funding
Funds Required: N/A
Account Number: N/A
Funds Available: N/A
Account Name: N/A
Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action N/A:
City Council Strategic Initiative:
N/A
Choose an item.
Comprehensive Plan Element (s): ☒ Not Applicable
Master Plan: N/A
Background Information:
The City Council passed an ordinance containing several revisions (“local amendments”) to Chapter 38 of the City Code titled Fire Prevention and Protection in May, 2019, after a work session on April 2, 2019. The revisions were based on updates to the 2015 International Fire Code which is the Code currently adopted by the City and the City’s regional public safety partners like neighboring cities and counties. Staff informed Council at that time that the next comprehensive update to the Code will be in 2021 when an updated International Fire Code is expected to be released. Staff explained the benefit of having all regional partners consistently using the same standards for fire prevention in commercial and multi-family structures. These standards are being updated periodically to ensure that new scientific and technological advances are considered to ensure best practices in the area of fire prevention / protection. Periodic proposed amendments to the International Fire Code are consensus developed by fire prevention / protection professionals in the State.
Some of the revisions proposed in this Ordinance were topics discussed during the previous work session. Council expressed interest in requiring that properties zoned R-1, R-2, R-3 and R-4 be required to install proper fire sprinkler equipment before re-occupying after a fire event. Other topics covered by this Ordinance, some of which were discussed earlier, include proper address identification for businesses and multi-family buildings, regulation of mobile food vending units, and requirement of fire sprinklers in all new buildings with a building area of 6,000 square feet or greater and in all existing buildings that are enlarged to be 6,000 square feet or greater. Regulations relating to mobile food vending operations are also included and recommended for approval.
For Council’s second reading of this Ordinance, the amendment made during first reading to strike the words “on a daily basis” and replace them with “at the end of each business day” in Section 6804.2(1) has been included.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
N/A
Alternatives:
Remain under current amendments.
Recommendation:
Recommend adoption of the Fire Code amendments as proposed.