CR 97-39 Removal Special Fire Sprinkler Requirements
March 11, 1997
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Council Report 97-39
Removal of Special Fire Sprinkler Requirements
Pro Dosed Action.
Staff recommends approval ofthe following motion: Move to acceDt the first readinl! of Ordinance No
97-799 which deletes section 905.03 from the Hookins City Code. eliminatinl! reauirements for
Automatic fire extinl!uishinl! svstems for new construction south of the railroad ril!ht-ofwavs from
the Fire Station.
Overview.
For nearly twenty years the Hopkins City Code section 905 has included a provision that requires any new
construction, other than one and two family dwellings, to be protected with a fire sprinkler system ifbuilt
on the other side of the railroad tracks from the fire station. The reason for this requirement was to
provide some fire protection in case the fire trucks were detained by a train. Over the years the railroad
tracks crossing 11th Avenue South have been removed giving us fire access similar to the rest of the city
Staff planned to remove this section from the code when we adopt the new "Minnesota Uniform Fire
Code" but this won't be ready until later this year. A new project is scheduled to start this spring,
Raspberry Woods. This project requires a fire sprinkler system under our current code. With the tracks
gone, and our plans to delete this code provision in the near future, it seems appropriate to change the
code now and not force Raspberry Woods to do something today that they would not have to do six
months from now.
Primarv Issues to Consider.
o Is the fire sprinkler provision legal? It was originally because of fire truck access problems caused by
trains. Now, with the railroad tracks removed, it could be a difficult issue to support in court.
o Should Hopkins adopt other fire sprinkler provisions that would be universal throughout the city?
Because the Minnesota Building Code is considered a minimum and maximum code throughout the
state, we cannot exceed it's requirements. The State Building Code does have a sprinkler option
Hopkins could adopt but in it's present form we believe it may be too restrictive for our community.
Changes to this option are currently under consideration by the State. We will bring this option forward
when it becomes available.
SUDoortinl! Information.
o Hopkins City Code section 905.03
o Ordinance No. 97-799
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Fire Marshal
Hopkins City Code
(Rev. 2/93), 905.01
Section 905 - Fire Prevention Code
905.03 Automatic fire extinl!Uishing svstems. An automatic fire sprinkler system or its
equivalent as determined by the Chief shall be installed in all buildings, except one and two
family dwellings and their accessories, as defined in Minnesota Uniform Fire Code Section
9.104 located east and south of the existing Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority
right-of-way that enters Hopkins in the northeast limits with the City of St. Louis Park and exits
from Hopkins in the southwest limits with the City of Minnetonka.
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
ORDINANCE NO. 97-799
REMOVAL OF SPECIAL FIRE SPRINKLER REQUIREMENTS
BE IT ORDAINED By the Council of the City of Hopkins that section
905.03 of the Hopkins City Code be deleted in its entirety,
eliminating requirements for Automatic fire extinguishing systems
for new construction south of the railroad right-of ways from the
Fire station.
First Reading:
March 18th, 1997
Second Reading:
April 1st, 1997
Date of Publication:
April 9th, 1997
April 29th, 1997
Date Ordinance Takes Effect:
Mayor
City Clerk