§ 34-32. On-site protection facilities, fire apparatus access roads, and key boxes.

(a)

Fire chief to require installation as necessary; expense of installation. The fire chief may require that any real estate development include the installation of such on-site fire protection facilities, fire hydrants and access roads as in his judgment are necessary to provide a water supply capable of supplying required fire flows for fire protection and for providing access on land to be developed. The installations shall be at the expense of the owner or developer.

(b)

Approval; specifications; construction. All fire protection facilities and fire hydrants required to be installed hereunder shall be approved by and meet the specifications of the fire department and city water utility as to location, size and type of materials and manner of installation. Construction shall be carried out under the inspection of the fire prevention bureau and the city water utility. All such systems shall be designed and constructed in strict compliance with the city water utilities terms and conditions for water service on file with the state utility regulatory commission or its successor, as may be amended from time to time by the board of public works and safety for the city.

(c)

Fire hydrant location and distribution. Fire hydrants shall be located at least 50 feet from buildings but no further than 100 feet from fire department connections located on buildings equipped with standpipe or automatic fire sprinkler systems. When land is developed in such a manner that all or part of any building or structure thereon is or becomes in excess of 300 feet distance from a fire hydrant, the developer shall provide hydrants on the land as shall be determined necessary by the fire chief. The guidelines listed in Table No. 34-32-A based on fire-flow requirements listed in Table No. 34-32-B, both tables located in the appendices following this chapter, may be used. Distances shall be determined by measuring the footage from the building to the fire hydrant using approved fire apparatus accessways. Existing hydrants located across streets from a project may not be considered as available, unless after review of existing hydrants, surrounding properties and traffic patterns the fire chief determines, in writing, that the location of said hydrants is acceptable. Existing hydrants on adjacent properties shall not be considered available unless fire access roadways extend between properties and easements are established to prevent their obstruction. No fire hydrant shall be located further than eight feet from the edge of an approved fire department access road or the curbline of a public or private street.

(d)

Fire-flow requirements for buildings.

(1)

The fire-flow requirement is the quantity of water in gallons per minute needed to control an anticipated fire in a building or group of buildings. The city water utility shall establish the minimum residual pressure and the flow duration to be used when determining fire-flow.

(2)

The minimum fire-flow requirements for one- and two-family dwellings shall be 1,000 gallons per minute.

(3)

The fire-flow requirements for buildings other than one- and two-family dwellings shall be not less than that specified in Table No. 34-32-B.

(4)

Exception: The required fire-flow may be reduced up to 50 percent when the building is provided with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system, but in no case less than 1,500 gallons per minute.

(5)

In Types I and II-F.R. construction, as defined in the state building code (675 IAC 13-2.4), only the three largest successive floor areas shall be used. Refer to Table No. 34-32-B.

(e)

Maintenance. All on-site fire protection facilities and fire hydrants, whether installed before or after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived, shall at all times be maintained in good working order by the owner thereof. To this end, the fire chief is empowered to mandate that the owner conduct periodic tests and inspections of the facilities by a contractor trained to conduct such tests and inspections. Results of such tests shall be forwarded to the fire chief, and if the fire chief determines that the facilities are not being reasonably maintained as required by this section, he shall order that the owner or lessee of the land make the necessary repairs or changes within ten days or such longer time as in his judgment is reasonable. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail or refuse to comply with any such order.

(f)

Alteration or repair. No on-site fire protection facilities and fire hydrants whether installed before or after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived may be altered or repaired without the written approval of the fire chief and the superintendent of the water utility, provided that such alterations or repairs shall be carried out in conformity with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.

(g)

Fire facilities and hydrant installation. Whenever any on-site fire protection facilities or fire hydrants have been installed as provided in this section either pursuant hereto or prior to the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived, the following provisions shall be applicable:

(1)

Hydrants; parking prohibited. With respect to hydrants located along private accessways where curbs exist, the curbs shall be painted yellow or otherwise appropriately marked by the owner, lessee, or other person in charge of the premises to prohibit parking for a distance of ten feet in either direction from any such hydrant. In such cases where curbs do not exist, there shall be appropriate markings painted on the pavement, or signs erected or both, giving notice that parking is prohibited for a distance of ten feet from any hydrant. When the areas are signed or marked as provided herein, no person shall park or leave standing a vehicle within ten feet of any fire hydrant.

(2)

Obstructions prohibited; minimum clear space to be maintained. No person shall place or keep any post, fence, wall, trees, plantings or any obstruction of any kind near any fire hydrant, fire department connection or fire protection control valve that would prevent such equipment from being immediately discernible or in any other manner deter or hinder the fire department from gaining immediate access to said equipment. A minimum of three feet of clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of the equipment except as otherwise required or approved by the fire chief.

(h)

Fire apparatus access roads. All fire apparatus access roads as hereinafter defined shall be approved by and meet the following specifications of the fire department:

(1)

Where required. Fire apparatus access roads shall be required for every building hereafter constructed when any portion of an exterior wall of the first story is located more than 150 feet from fire department vehicle access.

(2)

Permissible modifications. Clearances or widths required by this section may be increased when in the opinion of the fire chief minimum clearances or widths are not adequate to provide fire apparatus access.

(3)

Surface. Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and maintained to support the imposed loads of fire apparatus and shall be provided with a surface so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities.

(4)

Width. The minimum unobstructed width of a fire apparatus access road shall be not less than 20 feet.

(5)

Vertical clearance. All fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet six inches.

(6)

Turning radius. The turning radius of a fire apparatus access road shall be not less than 20 feet.

(7)

Dead-ends. All dead-end fire apparatus access roads in excess of 150 feet in length shall be provided with provisions for the turning around of fire apparatus. These provisions shall be approved by the fire chief and must comply with the Engineering Standards of the City of Mishawaka regarding culs-de-sac and/or turnabouts.

(8)

Bridges. When a bridge is required to be used as access under this section it shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with applicable codes using designed live loading sufficient to carry the imposed loads of fire apparatus.

(9)

Grade. The gradient for a fire apparatus access road shall not exceed the maximum approved by the fire chief.

(10)

Number of access roads. When a fire apparatus access road exceeds 150 feet in length and serves multiple building complexes, additional fire apparatus access roads may be required if in the opinion of the fire chief a single access road may become blocked, endangering lives and buildings beyond the blockage.

(11)

Signs. Approved signs or other approved notices shall be provided and maintained for fire apparatus access roads to identify such roads and prohibit the obstruction thereof or both.

(12)

Obstruction of access prohibited. No owner or lessee of the land or proprietor, partner, officer, director, manager or agent of any business or other activity carried on upon the land, shall, after receiving notice thereof, permit or otherwise allow and no person shall cause any activity, practice or condition to occur or exist or continue to exist upon the land which shall lessen, obstruct or impair the access required under this section.

(13)

Access; snow clearance. When excessive snowfall warrants the clearance of snow from the sidewalks and parking areas of any business the owner, lessee or other person in charge of the premises shall be required at the same time to remove snow from all access required under this section. Such snow clearance shall not cause any fire hydrant or fire department connection to become obstructed in accordance with subsection (g)(2)of this section.

(14)

Access; parking prohibited. If, in the judgment of the fire chief it is necessary to prohibit vehicular parking along private access roads in order to keep them clear and unobstructed, he may require the owner, lessee or other person in charge of the premises to paint the curbs yellow or install signs or give other appropriate notice to the effect that parking is prohibited by the fire department. It shall thereafter be unlawful for the owner, lessee or other person in charge to fail to install and maintain in good condition the form of notice prescribed. When such areas are marked or signed as provided herein no person shall park or leave standing a vehicle adjacent to any such curb marking or contrary to such sign.

(i)

Fire protection facilities and fire apparatus access roads that are provided during initial stages of construction. When it is deemed that fire protection facilities and fire apparatus access roads are required to be installed as required by this section by the developer, the facilities and roads, as may be required, shall be installed and made serviceable prior to or at the time any combustible construction begins on the land, unless, in the opinion of the fire chief, the nature of circumstances of the facilities and roads make it impractical.

(j)

Key box. When access to or within a structure or an area is unduly difficult because of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary for life-saving or firefighting purposes, the chief may require a key box to be installed in an accessible location. The key box shall be a type approved by the chief and shall contain keys to gain necessary access as required by the chief.

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Table No. 34-32-A
Number and Distribution of Fire Hydrants
Fire Flow Requirement (GPM)	Minimum No. of Hydrants	Average Spacing Between Hydrants (Ft.)	Maximum Distance From Hydrant to Any Point on Street or Roadway Frontage (Ft.)
750—1,750	1	500	250
2,000—2,250	2	450	225
2,500	3	450	225
3,000	3	400	225
3,500—4,000	4	350	210
4,500—5,000	5	300	180
5,500	6	300	180
6,000	6	250	150
6,500—7,000	7	250	150
7,500 or more	8	200	120

 

(Code 1985, ch. 93, app. A)

 

Table 34-32B. Minimum Required Fire Flow and Flow Duration for Buildings
FIRE AREA (square feet)					FIRE FLOW (gallons per minute);sup\sup;	FLOW DURATION (hours)
Type IA and IB a	Type IIA and IIIA a	Type IV and I-A a	Type IIB and IIIB a	Type V-B a
0—22,700	0—12,700	0—8,200	0—5,900	0—3,600	1,500	2
22,701——30,200	12,701—17,000	8,201—10,900	5,901—7,900	3,601—4,800	1,750
30,201——38,700	17,001—21,800	10,901—12,900	7,901—9,800	4,801—6,200	2,000
38,701——48,300	21,801—24,200	12,901—17,400	9,801—12,600	6,201—7,700	2,250
48,301——59,000	24,201—33,200	17,401—21,300	12,601—15,400	7,701—9,400	2,500
59,001—70,900	33,201—39,700	21,301—25,500	15,401—18,400	9,401—11,300	2,750
70,901—83,700	39,701—47,100	25,501—30,100	18,401—21,800	11,301—13,400	3,000	3
83,701—97,700	47,101—54,900	30,101—35,200	21,801—25,900	13,401—15,600	3,250
97,701—112,700	54,901—63,400	35,201—40,600	25,901—29,300	15,601—18,000	3,500
112,701—128,700	63,401—72,400	40,601—46,400	29,301—33,500	18,001—20,600	3,750
128,701—145,900	72,401—82,100	46,401—52,500	33,501—37,900	20,601—23,300	4,000	4
145,901—164,200	82,101—92,400	52,501—59,100	37,901—42,700	23,301—26,300	4,250
164,201—183,400	92,401—103,100	59,101—66,000	42,701—47,700	26,301—29,300	4,500
183,401—203,700	103,101—114,600	66,001—73,300	47,701—53,000	29,301—32,600	4,750
203,701—225,200	114,601—126,700	73,301—81,100	53,001—58,600	32,601—36,000	5,000
225,201—247,700	126,701—139,400	81,101—89,200	58,601—65,400	36,001—39,600	5,250
247,701—271,200	139,401—152,600	89,201—97,700	65,401—70,600	39,601—43,400	5,500
271,201—295,900	152,601—166,500	97,701—106,500	70,601—77,000	43,401—47,400	5,750
295,901—Greater	166,501—Greater	106,501—115,800	77,001—83,700	47,401—51,500	6,000
—	—	115,801—125,500	83,701—90,600	51,501—55,700	6,250
—	—	125,501—135,500	90,601—97,900	55,701—60,200	6,500
—	—	135,501—145,800	97,901—106,800	60,201—64,800	6,750
—	—	145,801—156,700	106,801—113,200	64,801—69,600	7,000
—	—	156,701—167,900	113,201—121,300	69,601—74,600	7,250
—	—	167,901—179,400	121,301—129,600	74,601—79,800	7,500
—	—	179,401—191,400	129,601—138,300	79,801—85,100	7,750
—	—	191,401—Greater	138,301—Greater	85,101—Greater	8,000

 

For SI: 1 square foot = 0.0929 m , 1 gallon per minute = 3.785 L/m, 1 pound per square inch = 6.895 kPa.

^(a) Types of construction are based on the International Building Code.   

^(b) Measured at 20 psi.

(Code 1985, § 93.09, ch. 93 apps. A, B; Ord. No. 3845, 7-5-1994; Ord. No. 4772, 7-21-2003)

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