OR 91-524 Adopts Uniform Fire Code AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS
ORDINANCE NO. 91524
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS, ADOPTING THE UNIFORM FIRE
CODE, 1991 EDITION, PRESCRIBING REGULATIONS GOVERNING CONDITIONS HAZARDOUS
TO LIFE AND PROPERTY FROM FIRE OR EXPLOSION IN THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS;
PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF PERMITS AND COI.I.ECTION OF FEES THEREFOR;
PROVIDING CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO SAID UNIFORM FIRE CODE; REPEALING
ORDINANCE NO. 87372; PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATION OF THIS ORDINANCE NOT TO EXCEED THE SUM OF ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($1,000.00) FOR EACH OFFENSE AND DECLARING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, it is deemed necessary to provide minimum standards to govern conditions
hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion within the City to protect public safety,
health and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COPPELL, TEXAS:
SECTION 1. TITLE
This ordinance shall be known as "THE CITY OF COPP~?-I-I. FIRE CODE."
SECTION 2. ADOPTION OF UNIFORM FIRE CODE
That certain code volume and volume of code standards, copies of which
are on file in the office of the City Secretary, being marked and designated as "Unifom Fire
Code," including Appendix, Chapters I-A, I-B, I-C, II-A, II-B, II-C, II-D, II-E, II-F, Ill-A, Ill-B, Ill-C,
Ill-D, IV-A, W-B, V-A, VI-A, VI-B, VI-C and VI-D, VI-E, and VI-F, 1991 Edition, and the "Unifom
Fire Code Standards," 1991 Edition, published by the Westem Fire Chiefs Association and the
Intemational Conference of Building Officials and the National Fire Protection Association
Standard 14, 1986 Edition, be and the same is hereby adopted as the Fire Code of the City of
CoppeD, Texas, to govem conditions hazardous to life and property from fire or explosion
within the City, providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor; except as
portions are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended, a copy of said volmes being attached
hereto as Exhibit 'W' and "B" and "C" and made a part hereof the same as if fully set out at
length herein.
ADOPTING UNIFORM FIRE CODE - Page 1
SECTION 3. SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS TO UNIFORM FIRE CODE
The Uniform Fire Code adopted by this ordinance and attached hereto as
Exhibit "B" is amended as follows:
A. Section 10.204.FIRE LANES. a. when part of a private road, parking lot,
driveway, or equivalent is selected as a fire lane by the Fire Chief, or his designated
representative, it shall be marked along the perimeter with conspicuous markings in accordance
with the specification shown on Exhibit 15-1. The markings shall have the words 'FIRE LANE -
NO PARKING" painted:
1. In four inch high letters - white in color;
2. at 15 foot intervals;
3. on a contrasting background stripe - red in color, six
inches wide
b. shall be free of all obstructions which pose a tl~eat of interference
to Fire Department, fire fighting or rescue activities;
1. shall be constructed in accordance with the specifications
set out in Exhibits 15-3 and 15-4 and shall be surfaced
with a material substantial to support any Fire Department
veMcle;
2. shall be maintained so that it remains structurally
unaffected during inclement weather.
3. The operator of premises shall maintain, free of
obstruction, all fire lanes on his premises.
4. No person may mark, post, or otherwise identify a non-fire
lane, private vehicular passageway:
a. as a fire lane; or
b. in such a manner as tends to create confusion as to
whether the passageway is a fire lane.
c. No person may park non-emergency vehicles in a
fire lane.
d. An unauthorized vehicle in a fire lane is:
1. subject to removal by the operator of the
premises, with the expense of removal and
ADOPTING UNIFORM FIRE CODE - Page 2
storage to be borne by the registered owner
of the vehicle;
2. subject to citation, as well as removal, by
the Fire Chief, his authorized representative,
or a police officer;
3. prima faeie evidence that the person in
whose name the vehicle ks registered ks the
person who parked the vehicle in the fire
lane,
c. Btidges. When a btidge ks required to be used as access
under this section, it shall be constructed and maintained
in accordance with the applicable sections of the Building
Code and shall use designed live loading sufficient to carry
the imposed loads of fire apparatus.
d. Grade. The gradient for a fire apparatus access road shall
not exceed the maximum approved by the Chief or his
designated representative.
B. Section 10.507 (a) General An automatic fire-extingnisking system shall
be installed in the occupancies and locations as set forth in this section. Regardless of the
occupancy, any building or structure more than three (3) stoties or more in height; or any
structure with a gross square footage greater than 10,000 square feet shall be equipped with
an automatic fire extinguishing system.
The system shall be installed on all floors of the building; upon completion, the installer shall
furnish the office of the Fire Chief with a copy of "as built" plans for the system and a letter
stating the name of the company installing the system, date of completion, a statement that the
system has been installed to meet the requirements of the ordinance, and the notarized
signature of the installer.
C. Section 14.104 (f) Group I Occupancies. 1. Genexal. Group I
Occupancies shall be provided with a manual and automatic fire alarm system to read as
follows:
4. Systom ini~tion. When actuated, alarm initiating devices shall
activate an alarm signal which ks audible throughout the building.
F. Xc~.IrrlON:
1. Visual alarm-signaling devices are allowed to
substitute for audible devices in patient use areas.
2. Smoke detectors required by this Article in patient
ADOPTING UNIFORM FIRE CODE - Page 3
sleeping rooms are permitted to be arranged to
alarm at a constantly artended location only and
are not required to accomplish general audible
alarm indication.
5. Patient room smoke detectors. Approved smoke
detectors shall be installed in patient sleeping
rooms in hospitals and nursing homes. Such
smoke detectors shall be connected to an approved
alarm control unit. When actuated, smoke
detectors shall:
(i) Cause a visual display in the corridor
adjacent to the door to the room in which
the detector is located, and
(ii)Cause an audible and a visual signal at the
respective nurses' station and at a
constan~y artended location.
SECTION 4. SPECIFIC AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION
ASSOCIATION STANDARD 14, 1986 Edition.
Chapter 8 Tests and Inspection. 8-1.5. Before it is restored
to service and before water is turned into it, a standpipe system which has been out of service
for a period longer than one (1) year shall be tested with air at a pressure not exceeding 25
psi (1.7 bars) to determine its tightness. The standpipe system shall also be hydrostatically
tested at 50 psi (3.4 bars) above the normal pressure.
SECTION 5. REPEAI.ING CLAUSE
Ordinance No. 87372 is hereby specifically repealed. However, the repeal
of the existing ordinance by this ordinance shall not affect or prevent the prosecution or the
punishment of any person for any act done or committed prior to the effective date of this
ordinance in violation of any ordinance hereby repealed; and prosecution for such offenses may
be instituted and causes presently pending proceeded with in all respects as if such prior
ordinance or ordinances had not been repealed.
SECTION 6. SEVERABBATY CLAUSE
If any article, paragraph or subdivision, clause or provision of this
ordinance shall be adjudged invalid or held unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the
validity of this ordinance as a whole or any part or provision thereof, other than the part so
decided to be invalid or unconstitutional.
ADOPTING UNIFORM FIRE CODE - Page 4
SECTION 7. PENALTY CLAUSE
Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of Lhis
ordinance shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished
by a penalty of fine not to exceed the sum of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) for each
offense, and each and every day such offense is continued shall constitute a new and separate
offense.
SECTION 8. EFFECTIVE DATE
This ordinance shall take effect immediately from and after the publication
of ks caption, as the law in such cases provides.
DULY PASSED by the City Council of the City of Coppell, Texas, this the
10th day of September , 1991.
APPROVED
Mark Wolfe
MAYOR
ATTEST:
Dorothy Timmons
CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Lawrence W. Jackson
CITY ATTORNEY
ADOPTING UNIFORM FIRE CODE - Page 5
LANE NO PARKINg" FI"~ LANE NO PARKING
i ONINUVd ON 3NVl ~Ul-~: 9NIMUVd ON 3NWl 3U.~'
1. "FIRELANE NO PARKING" TO BE PAINTED ENTIRE LENGTH OF DEDICATED ' '
FIRE LANE.
2. WHERE PRACTICAL, ALL FlEE LANE MARKINGS SHALL BE REQUIRED TO BE
PLACED ON THE BURB.
3. WHERE THE ABOVE FlEE LANE MARKINGS ARE DETERMINED TO BE
INADEQUATE, BY THE FIRE CHIEF OR HIS DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE, IN
CONTROLLING TRAFFIC, THE PROPERTY OWNER WILL BE REQUIRED TO
POST FlEE LANE SIGNS IN ADDITION TO OTHER FIRE LANE MARKINGS IN
ACCORDANCE WITH EXHIBIT 15-2.
4. WHEN RESTRIPING, ADDITIONS TO THE EXISTING FlEE LANES ARE NOT
ALLOWED WITHOUT PR1OR APPROVAL OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
EXHIBIT 15-1
FIR/
LANE ,.,~,~.
PARKING .
2" I~"TAL PIPE
SIGNS SHALL BE LOCATED A MAXIMUM OF (36 INCHES) AND A MINIMUM OF (18 INCHES)
BACK FROM THE CURB OR STREET PAVING.
SPACING DISTANCE BETWEEN SIGNS SHALL BE APPROVED BY THE FIRE CHIEI~ OR HIS
DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE
EXHIBIT 15-2
CONSTRUCTION SPECIFICATIONS FOR FIRE LANES
1. Construction - Fire lanes shall be constructed of an all-weather driving surface
having a capability to suppart a 40,000 pound vehicle.
2. Width - Fire lanes shall be a minimum of 24 feet in width.
3. Height - A minimum of 14 feet of clear height shall be available above all fire
lanes.
4. Dead-ends - Dead-end fire lanes shall not exceed 150 feet.
5. Turn-arounds - When it is not possible to connect ~ fire lane at both ends to a
dedicated street, approved turn-around installations shall be provided. For
approved fire lane turn-arounds, see "l]lnstration 1,"
6. Turn radius - All fire lane turns shall have a minimum 30-foot inside radius and a
24 foot width.
7. Markings - Markings approved by the Fire Chief or his authorized representative
shall be posted in accordance with Exhibit 15-1.
EXHIBIT 15-3
ILLUSTRATION ] - PERMISSIBLE FIRE LANE TURN AROUNDS
Note. 600 feet maximum distance allowed for turn around
EXHIBIT 15-4