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13-78-010 Definitions.
13-78-020 Buildings categorized by height.
13-78-030 Mixed-occupancy high-rise buildings.
13-78-040 Creation and filing of plan.
13-78-050 Required designated personnel.
13-78-060 Required designated personnel – On- site presence.
13-78-070 Required designated personnel – Duties.
13-78-080 Minimum plan requirements.
13-78-090 Safety drills.
13-78-100 Distribution of information.
13-78-110 Enforcement, rules and regulations, and penalties.
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall be defined as follows:
(a) “Emergency preparedness certificate” or “certificate” is a certificate issued by the fire department upon receipt of: (1) adequate proof that the applicant for the certificate is able and qualified to assume the duties required; and (2) proof of payment to the department of finance of a fee adequate to cover administrative costs. Such certificate shall be valid for one year from the date of issuance, and shall be renewable annually.
(b) “Emergency” is the existence of a condition or the occurrence of an event within, upon or near a high- rise building, which poses a direct and immediate threat to occupant life and necessitates the deployment of fire department resources for purposes of its mitigation. “Emergency” does not include a medical emergency affecting a single individual.
(c) “High-rise building” or “building” is any new or existing structure over eighty (80) feet above grade, which is also of occupancy classification A (residential), C (assembly), D (open air assembly unit), E (business), F (mercantile), or G (industrial), as further defined in Chapter 13-56 of this Code.
“Non-residential high-rise building” or “non- residential building” is a high-rise building of occupancy classification C, D, E, F or G.
“Residential high-rise building” or “residential building” is a high-rise building of occupancy classification A.
(d) “Occupant” is any person present within a high-rise building. “Occupant” shall include building staff, tenants and visitors.
“Regular occupant” is every occupant except for occasional visitors who are not present in the building on a regular basis and whose presence in the building cannot be predicted.
(e) “Owner” includes the owner, manager, agent or other person in charge, possession or control of a high-rise building. Where an owner is in charge, possession or control of only a portion of a building, the requirements of this Chapter applicable to owners shall apply only to that portion.
(f) “Plan” is a written emergency evacuation plan for occupant emergency evacuation and drill, prepared and maintained in compliance with this Chapter.
(Added Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71184, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-16-11, p. 13798, Art. I, § 10)
High-rise buildings subject to this chapter shall be categorized as follows, according to building height above grade:
Category 1 – Over 780 feet
Category 2 – Over 540 feet, up to and including 780 feet
Category 3 – Over 275 feet, up to and including 540 feet
Category 4 – 80 feet and over, up to and including 275 feet
(Added Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71183, § 1)
With respect to a high-rise building that has both residential and non-residential occupancy, the residential portion(s) of such building shall be governed by those provisions of this chapter applicable to residential high-rise buildings, and the non-residential portion(s) of such building shall be governed by those provisions of this chapter applicable to non-residential high-rise buildings.
(Added Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71184, § 1)
(a) Every high-rise building shall have a plan in place. The owner shall be responsible for creating, implementing, maintaining and updating a plan for that building. The owner shall review the plan annually and as a result of such annual review, shall amend or update the plan as necessary to ensure that it is accurate and complete. The plan shall be made available upon request to personnel of the department of buildings, the office of emergency management and communications, the fire department, and the department of police. Upon any change of ownership or management of a high-rise building, the previous owner shall provide all copies of the plan required by this chapter to the new owner.
(b) The owner of each Category 1 and Category 2 building, and the owner of each Category 3 and Category 4 building which is also of occupancy classification C (assembly) or D (open air assembly unit), shall be responsible for filing a copy of that building's Plan with the city's office of emergency management and communications. The owner of each Category 3 and Category 4 building which is also of occupancy classification A (residential), E (business), F (mercantile), or G (industrial) is encouraged, but not required, to file a copy of that building's plan with the city's office of emergency management and communications. Any plan filed with the city's office of emergency management and communications shall be in such form(s) and format(s) as that office requires.
(c) For all high-rise buildings with a plan on file with the city's office of emergency management and communications, in the event the plan is amended or updated as a result of an annual review or more frequently on an owner's initiative, a copy of the amended or updated plan must be filed with the city's office of emergency management and communications.
(d) Consistent with applicable law, the city shall treat all plans submitted as confidential, and shall provide the owner with a copy of any appeal, received by the office of emergency management and communications, of the office of emergency management and communications' notice of denial provided to a third party seeking inspection and copies of that owner's plan.
(e) If a high-rise building has two or more owners, the owners may create, implement, maintain and amend and update a single plan for that building on a collective basis or through the delegation of one owner for such purposes, or such owners may create, implement, maintain and amend and update separate plans covering their respective portions of the building.
(Added Coun. J. 10-31-01, p. 71184, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 12-4-02, p. 99026, § 8.10)
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