(A) Construction. Fire Department or emergency access roads shall be constructed to city standards and specifications, and shall be subject to approval by the Fire Chief or his or her designee.
(B) Dimensions. Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed width of not less than 20 feet (6,096 mm) and an unobstructed vertical clearance of not less than 13 feet, six inches (4,115 mm).
(C) Emergency lanes. Emergency lanes so marked as fire lanes whether on public property or private property will be free of private vehicles except as allowed by the city police or the City Fire Department. Violation of this law will be enforced by the city police as a parking violation with the appropriate fine schedule. All emergency vehicles where fire, police, EMS or other emergency agencies are exempt from this rule as provided for by state law.
(D) Surface. Fire apparatus access roads shall be designed and constructed to support the imposed live loads of the heaviest piece of fire apparatus available to the servicing Fire Department and shall be provided with an all-weather surface so as to provide all-weather driving capabilities.
(E) Turning radius. The turning radius of a fire apparatus access road shall be at least equal to the minimum required radius for the fire apparatus. These roads shall be designed and constructed to permit turning of the longest piece of fire apparatus available to the City Fire Department.
(F) Dead ends. Dead-end fire apparatus access roads in excess of 150 feet in length shall be designed and constructed so as to allow the turning around of the longest piece of fire apparatus available to the City Fire Department.
(G) Bridges. When a bridge is required to be used as part of a fire apparatus access road, it shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with nationally recognized standards. The bridge shall be designed constructed and maintained for a live load sufficient to carry the imposed loads of fire apparatus. Vehicle load limits shall be posted at both entrances to bridges.
(H) Grade. The gradient for a fire apparatus access road shall not exceed the maximum that the apparatus available to the City Fire Department can accommodate.
(H) Obstruction and control of fire apparatus access. The required width of a fire apparatus access road shall not be obstructed in any manner, including parking of vehicles. Entrances to roads, trails or other access ways which have been closed with gates and barriers in accordance with division (I) below shall not be obstructed by parked vehicles. Additionally, any person parking in or otherwise obstructing a duly marked fire lane so dedicated shall be subject to the same penalties provided for those parking in violation on public streets.
(I) Automatic gates. When a property is accessed through a gate or cross arm by means of a key or swipe card, it shall be equipped with a key switch manufactured by the Knox Company. The switch will be keyed to the City Fire Department Knox key. The location to be installed will be determined by the City Fire Marshal or his or her designee. This section shall apply to both Class 1 structures and Class 2 structures.
(Ord. 2009-10, passed 11-30-2009)