1738_00001ORDINANCE NO.1738
ANORDINANCEAMENDINGCMAPTER 16.48 OF THEMOSESLAKEMUNICI-PAL CODEENTITLED"FIREHYDRANTS"
THECITYCOUNCILOF THE CITY OF MOSES LAKE,WASHINGTON DO ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.Chapter 16.48 of the Moses Lake Municipal Code entitled "Fire Hydrants"is amended asfollows:
16.48.010 Statement of Policy:This chapter is enacted to establish guidelines for the installation andmaintenanceofthecity's fire hydrant and water main system.
16.48.020 Definitions:Definitions as used in thischapter,unless additionalmeaningclearlyappearsfromthecontent,shall have themeaning subscribed:
A."Dead-end mains"means water mains,excepting hydrantleads or stub outs,thatare notbeingfedfrombothendsatthetimeofinstallation.
B."Fire ilow"means the measure of sustained flow of available water for firefighting at aspecificbuildingorwithinaspecificareaattwentypoundspersquareinchresidual
pressure.
C."Flush-type hydrant"means any fire hydrant installed entirely below grade.
D."Municipality"or "quasi-municipality"means any county,city,town,water district,watercompany,or othergovernmentalsubdivisionof the state.
E."NFPA"is the National Fire Protection Association.
F."Water authority"means the city water department,water district,or water companydistributingwatertofirehydrantswithinthecorporatelimitsofthecity.
16.48.030 Fire Hydrants Required:
O A.Allbuildings constructed within thecity shall be served by hydonts instatiedin accordancewiththerequirementsöfthischapter,in addition,existing hydrants not conformingwiththerequirementsofthischaptershall,when replaced,he brought into conformance.
B.Commercialbuildings with a ground floor area of over twentythousand(20,000)squarefeetoragroupofbuildingswitharequiredfireflowofmorethanthreethousand(3,000)gallons per minute shall require hydrants propedy located around the premises.Otherbuildingsmayhavehydrantslocatedonlyononeside.Hydrants shall be on circulatingmainsunlessappmualforadead-end main is obtained from thecity.(Exception:Hydrantleadsoffcirculatingmains,thelength of whichmustbe approved by the city.)
C.The number ofhydrante requiredshallbe determined on anaverage ofone for every threehundredfeet(300')computed on an imaginary perimetpr thatis parallel toand fiftyfeet(50')from a buildingor group of buildings.The numberoffirehydrants required shall beincreasedbyone(1)for multi-story buildings.
D.The Assistant FireChief shall determine thelocation for hydrants based on utilitytopogra-phy and building location.Hydrants shall be a minimumof fiftyfeet (50')from the building,exceptwhen it is impractical due totopographyor property line.
16.48.040 New Installation Requirements:AIIhydrants and water mains newly installed or replaced shallmeetthefollowingrequirements:
A.In areas already platted operational hydrants and water mains may be required to beinstalledinaccordancewiththischapterpriortothebeginningofbuildingconstruction.
8.Two (2)copies ofdetailed plans or drawings,accurately indicating thelocation ofall valvesandhydrantstohainstalled,shell be submitted to the Municipál Services Director withutilitydrawingsatleastten(10)working days prior to thebeginning ofany construction.
C.Allconstructionshall conformto thecity street andutility standards in effect at the timeofconstruction.A street obstruction permit must be obtained before construction com-mences.
D.The water authority and the Fire Department shall be notified in writingwhen the hy-drant(s)and water mains will be availablefor use and when theyare placed în service.
E.Allhydrants shall be subjectto periodic testingand inspection bytheFire Department.
ORD.1738/Page 2
F.The installation offlush-typehydrants is prohibited withoutprior and written approval ofthe
Assistant Fire Chief.
G.Hydrants shall stand plumb and be set tothefinished grade.The bottom of the lowest
outlet shall be no less thaneighteen inches (18")above thefinished grade.There shall
be thirty-sixinches (36')of clear area about the hydrant for operationof a hydrant wrench
on theoutlets and on thecontrolvalve.The pumper port shallface the street Where the
street cannot be clearlydefined or recognized the port shall face the most likely route of
approach and location of thefire truckwhile pumping,as determined bytheAssistant Fire
Chief.OH.Hydrants shall be accessible to Fire Department pumpers overroads capable of supporting
such apparatus.
I.Hydrants shall not be obstructed by any structure or vegetation,or have the visibility
impaired for a distance offiftyfeet (50')via the routeof travelto such hydrant.
J.Hydrants located inareas subjecttoregular private,commercial,or industrial vehicletraffic
shall be protected bycurbs,space separation,grade level changes,guard posts,or other
means as approved by the Assistant Fire Chief.
K.Maximum spacing of public fire hydrants shall be six hundred feet (600')in mobilehome
subdivisions and one and two family zoned areas and three hundred feet (300)in
commercial,industrial,and apartment areas.These distances shall be reduced by one
hundred feet (100')for dead end streets.Churches,schools,and buildings classified
under theUniform Building Code within theoccupancy groupsA,B,E,H,I,M,and S shall
be considered commercial.Hydrantsshall be locatedat street intersections,exceptwhen
necessary to meet spacing.Then hydrants may be located between intersections.
Additional hydrantsmay be requiredfor buildings exceeding fivethousand (5,000)square
feet in residential areas.The square foot requirementpertains to total square feet.
L.When any portion ofa building is in excess of one hundred fifty feet (160')from a street
or fire apparatus access road with appropriatelyspaced fire hydrants,as measured by an
approved routearound the exterior ofthebuilding,on-sitefire hydrants and mains capable
of supplyingthe requiredfire flow shall be provided,except:
1.When a commercial buildingis withintwohundred fifty feet (250')of a fire hydrant
supplying the requiredflow.
2.Whena one (1)or two(2)family residence is within four hundred feet (400')ofa fire
hydrant.
M.Unoccupied detached accessory use buildings,such as shops,garages,and storage sheds
shall be provided with fire hydrants withinsix hundred (600),unless all of the following
conditionsare met:
1.An accessory use building is six hundred (600)square feet or less in size.
2.Whenan accessory use building is separated from other structures by a minimumof
thirtyfeet (30').
3.When all portionsoftheexterioroftheaccessory building are within one hundred fifty
feet (150')of a fire apparatus access road.
N.With the approvalofthe Assistant Fire Chiefthe numberofrequired fire hydrants maybe
reduced by one (1)when the building is protected by an approved NFPA compliant
sprinkler system not otherwise required.
16.48.050 Fire Flow Criteria:Required fire flows determined by the Assistant Fire Chief shall be based
on the criteria set forth in the Guide for Determination of Required Fire Flow,most recent
edition published by the Insurance Services Office.
16.48.060 BuildinqConstruction Classification:The followingguides,publishedby the insurance Services
Officeand the Uniform Building Code (asadopted by the city),shall be used in calculatingfire
flow:
Insurance Services Guide Uniform Building Code
Fire Resistive I-Il FR
Ordinary III 1 HR &III N
Heavy Timber IV HT
Noncombustible Il 1 HR &II N
Wood Frame V 1 HR &VN
ORD.1738/Page 3
16.48.070,Timinq of Installation:Required fire hydrants shall be installed,tested,and made service-able prior tohaving combustibleconstruction materialson site.
16.48.080 Variance Conditions:Uponwrittenrequest theAssistant Fire Chiefmay approve minorvariationsfromthelocationalstandardsforfirehydrantswhenitisshownthat:
A.Strictcompliancewould require an unreasonable hydrant location;
B.The variance would not unreasonably diminish fire protection to the area.O C.The variance would result in a better strategic location for fire department operations.
16.48.090 Service to Residential Lots:As a conditionforfinalplat approval,all subdivisionsshall beprovidedwithwatermainsandfirehydrants,consistent with Community Street and UtilityStandards.
16.48.100 Enforcement Authoritv:Enforcementresponsibilityshall belong solelytothe city.
16.48.120 Penalties:A violation of anysection or provisionof thischapter is a C-4civilinfraction asprovidedinChapter1.08 ofthis code.Each day upon which a violation occurs or continuesconstitutesaseparateoffense.
Section 2.This ordinance shall takeeffect and be in force five(5)days after its passage and publica-tionof its summary as providedby law.
Adopted by the CityCounciland signed by its Mayor on October8,1996.
inance Director
ED AS T O
ity Attorney
PUBLISH:10/11/96
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