1610.14 DETECTION, ALARM AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS.

   (a)   In any structure that is required by the Ohio Building Code (OBC) to be protected by a manual or automatic fire detection, fire alarm and/or sprinkler system, such system shall be designed and installed so that when activated an alarm will automatically be transmitted to an approved private monitoring agency which meets or exceeds all nationally recognized standards, subject to the following exceptions.

      (1)   Limited area sprinkler systems consisting of ten or fewer sprinkler heads totally; and

      (2)   Range hood and food preparation centers.

   (b)   In addition to the requirements set forth in the Ohio Fire Code and referred to in division (a) of this section and for all new construction, each individual occupancy unit in any multiple occupancy building located in or making up a part of a shopping mall, strip shopping center, office park or complex, industrial park or complex, and/or storage facility or complex shall have a separate, monitored alarm to report both sprinkler and fire activity.

   (c)   With regard to an existing structure, the requirements of division (b) of this section shall not apply unless the structure or any individual unit in a multiple occupancy building is substantially remodeled. “Substantially remodeled”, for purposes of this section shall mean any of the following:

      (1)   Any alteration to the interior of the unit that increases the unit's square footage in excess of its current square footage by 10%; or

      (2)   Any change in occupancy and/or use group as defined in the Ohio Building Code and the Ohio Fire Code or change in occupant, tenant, lessee or the like.

      (3)   Division of the interior space of the building into two or more spaces separated by a fire wall, knee wall, chain link structure or any other means of separation as determined by the Fire Code Official.

   (d)   Maintenance of system shall be the responsibility of the occupant, i.e., the owner or the lessee who or which is alarmed.

   (e)   All required annunciation means shall be readily accessible to responding personnel and shall be located as required by the Fire Code Official to facilitate an efficient response to the fire situation pursuant to NFPA 72.

   (f)   The City shall not be responsible for any maintenance or malfunction of any system.

(Ord. 47-05. Passed 3-14-05; Ord. 52-08. Passed 5-12-08; Ord. 166-08. Passed 12-8-08.)