Loading...
APPENDIX E BULDING CODE , :' ~~~~r-=:T-, rm--=---m--""- _- -- ~~~-~- ,I Iii. J " ,I I, U Ii h.J~ __ II 1":~"3' uit _J__ I -I . !..:.._ ..JEI~}d~ . ---=-:"::"~.:-=c--;:"--- INTER-OFFICE CITY OF HOPKINS MEMO TO City Council DATE March 13 /9 85 FROM Huqh Strawn. Fire Chief SUBJECT Minnesota Uniform Building Code. Appendix E I am attaching a copy of Appendix E for consideration by the City Council. This local option amendment was developed by a multi-discipline committee under the umbrella of the Governor's Council on Fire Prevention and Control. which 1S chaired by myself. Appendix E was written following more than a year of meetings and negotiations involving people from the Building Code Division, architects, fire service, contractors and building owners. It is truly a consensus document. This local option appendix is written to provide individual communities in Minnesota with a tool to help them more effectively manage their fire pro- tection responsibilities. The appendix will require automat1c sprinkler protection in new construction, additions to existing buildings and in struc- tures where the occupancy changes. Please remember, occupancy is defined as use of the bui1ding...not tenant. Thus, if a building changes tenants, but the occupancy or use does not change, this appendix would not apply. The attached Appendix E document refers to Uniform Building Code definitions such as Group A-I. which can be confusing to people not used to working with the Code. I'll translate that for you. so it will have more meaning. Group A occupancies are assembly areas, such as theatres, display halls, exhibition centers, etc. Group B occupancles are commercial and industr1al buildings of various uses. Group E buildings are school buildings. Group H occupancies are buildings that are involved in hazardous uses, such as highly flammable or explosive materials. Group R occupancies are hotels and apartment bU11dings. Many of these occupancies already require installat10n of automatic sprinkler systems as per the Minnesota Uniform Building Code. The State of Minnesota has prov1ded the local communities with a very useful tool in Appendix E by reducing the gross square footage requirement threshold that applies when automatic sprinkler protectlon is required. I strongly feel Appendix E would be of great beneflt to the City of Hopkins. We have had good experience in our commercial and industrial buildings during the past several years. primarily because of automatic sprinkler systems. Through creative enforcement of the Uniform Fire Code our deparmtnet has ach1eved a very h1gh rate of automatic fire protect10n in new construction and occupancy changes south and east of the railroad tracks. MEMO Appendix E Page 2 The new buildings which have automatic sprinklers require far less city manpower resources ln a flre emergency than the build1ng would with out a sprinkler system. Please remember that Knox Lumber was or1ginally pro- posed without a sprinkler system. Can you imagine the amount of city man- power resources that would be needed to fight a fire in an unsprinklered lumber yard? Adoption of Appendix E will allow our community to maintain its volunteer fire department in a strong position to effectively control and contain f1res within this city. The automatic sprinkler system Obvlously begins the extingu1shing process...and usually completes it...before the fire de- partment ever arrives at the address. When the department does arrive it can deal with the emergency utilizing far less manpower, water and fuel. The 3-alarm fire in Hopkins which destroyed Select Sales Inc. would have had a far different outcome if the building had been equipped with an auto- matic sprinkler system. Since there was no such system the fire burned for many hours before being detected by a police officer. Extingu1shment in- volved three fire departments. Interior structural collapse occured and narrowly missed injuring or killing a three-man hose crew working in the building's lunch room. We feel that with a sprinkler system we would have been faced with a small fire in the lunch room that would not have threatened the lives of our volunteers. Our average response time is over 5-minutes. It's often longer during the business day...sometimes 8 to 10 minutes. Automatic sprinklers buy every- one precious time while mitigating the damage to the building and its oc- cupants. In reviewing this request, please keep in mind that we are talking about new construction, an addition to an existing building or change ln occupancy. Also keep in mind that building in automatic sprinkler protection w11l serve the general community very well many years 1n the future by keeping our fires relatively small, reduc1ng losses and controlling direct C1ty suppression costs. AppendlX E - Uniform BU11ding Cod~ 2 MCAR , 1 10020 Optional pm\.lSlons for InStallation of on-premises fire suppressIOn systems A Purpose This rule authonles opllonal provISIons for the installation of on-premises fire suppression systems In ne'o' construcllon It IS Intended to alleViate increasing demands for addlllonal fire suppressIOn resoun;es b~ allOWing a munrClpaht} to adopt the optional prOVISions of thiS rule based on ItS local fire suppression capabilities 8 Munrclpaloptlon The spnnkler system requirements In C ma} be adopted wllhout change b} a munrclpaht} If the> are adopted the requirements are applicable throughout the munrClpalll} for ne~ bUildings. addlllons to buildings. and buildings for which the occupancy claSSification IS changed C ReqUirements Automallc spnnlder systems must be Installed and maintained In operable condlllon 10 bUlldrngs In the occupancy c1asslficallons lasted 10 I -12 ThiS requirement IS 10 addlllon to other mlnamum requirements set 10 the stale bUlldmg code The heIght and area Increases provlocd for In sections 506 and 507 of the Uniform BUlldmg Code. as adopted In the state bUlldmg code ma} be applied I Group A-I occupancies 2 Group A-2 occupancies with an occupant load of 300 or more 3 Group A-2 I occupancies 4 Group 8-1 service stations with 3.000 or more gross sq ft of area. not ancludang canopies 5 Group B-1 parkang sarages "'lth 5.000 or more gross sq ft of ared 6 Group B-2 offices and post-secondary classrooms with 8 500 or more gross sq ft of area or three or more Slones an height 7 Group B-.2. retail. warehouse. or manufactunng areas With 2.000 or more gross sq ft of area o~ three or more stones In height 8. Group E.I and E-2 occupancies with 8.500 or more gross sq fi m area or two or more stones an height. e)(cept for nunor additions that do riot Incrui~ the occupant load or ilinlticantly Increase the fire load 9 Group E.3 occupancies WIth an occupant load of 30 or more 10 Group H--4 OCClJpanCles wuh 3.000 or more gross sq f'l of area II Group R.I apartment houses with 8.500 or more gross sq fi of area or With d~e1l1ng units on three or more floors except that when they are not reqUired by Umform Building Code. sections 1807 or 1907. or other proVISions of the stale buildIng code automatic spnnkler systems Within dwelling unlls In apanment occupancies are conSidered complete ~ hen protection IS prOVided In all habitable rooms BUilding offiCials. In concurrence with their tire chiefs ma} accept systems nOl full} compl}-Ing "'lth Standard 38-1 of the Umform Building Code 12 Group R.I hot~ls and motels With 8.500 or more gross sq ft of area or "'lIh guest rooms on three or more floors As adopted, effectlve Aprl1 25, 1983 Minnesota c1t1es that have adopted Append1x E Little Canada Moundsview Richfield Falcon Heights Maplewood Spring Lake Park Orono Stillwater Coon Rapids St. Peter Lauderdale Bayport Eden Prairie Cities consider1ng Appendlx E Edina Burnsvi 11 e