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§ 95.021 PERMITS REQUIRED.
   In accordance with the detailed requirements of the county, a permit shall be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office, pursuant to the procedure set forth in Chapter 1 of the NCFC, along with the State Amendments, and this chapter. Permits shall be obtained to conduct those activities or operations as set forth in the permit and service fee schedule as approved by the County Board of Commissioners. All permits will be issued on an individual basis, upon demonstration of compliance with the applicable fire code regulations. Required operational, construction, or special use permits, as defined by this chapter or the NCFC, shall be issued before work is started to erect, construct, enlarge, install, alter, repair, move, improve, remove, convert, or demolish any building, structure, or service system. Other permits may be required to be issued in conjunction with the permits. These may include zoning permits, building permits, and/or food service permits. It shall be the responsibility of the applicant to obtain any and all other applicable permits before operating or undertaking the use for which the permit was issued.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
§ 95.022 INFORMATION REQUIRED WITH APPLICATIONS.
   (A)   Generally. An application for a permit shall be filed with the Fire Marshal’s office, on a form provided by the county for that purpose, and shall include the applicant’s answers in full to inquiries set forth in the form, including all data as may be required by the Fire Marshal.
   (B)   Contractor’s license required. When the General Statutes require that general construction, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, fire protection, or gas work be performed by the appropriately licensed individual(s), no permit for the type work shall be issued to an unlicensed person or firm.
   (C)   Drawings and specifications requirements. Drawings and specifications, drawn to scale with sufficient clarity and detail to indicate the nature and character of work, shall accompany the application for a permit. The plans shall be included as a part of the submittals of the design of the overall building, in the event of new construction; and shall be provided as part of the renovation plans, in the event renovation plans are required for the structure. The plans are design plans and specifications, and not shop drawings by the manufacturer or installer. The drawings and specifications shall contain information, in the form of notes or otherwise, as to technical properties of the materials, where they are essential to show compliance with the technical codes. All information, drawings, specifications, and accompanying data shall bear the name and signature of the person responsible for the design. The Fire Marshal’s office may also request copies of the shop drawings of the specific system, as developed by the manufacturer and installer of the system, if it is deemed necessary by the complexity of the proposed specific system.
   (D)   Additional data. The Fire Marshal’s office and/or the Planning and Inspection Department may require details, computations, stress diagrams, professional certification, and other data necessary to describe the construction or installation of a system.
   (E)   Fire-resistive integrity. Drawings and specifications for all buildings shall indicate how required fire-resistive integrity will be maintained, where a penetration of a required fire-resistive wall, floor, or partition will be made for electrical, gas, mechanical, plumbing, or communication conducts, pipes, and systems. The drawings shall indicate in sufficient detail how fire integrity will be maintained.
   (F)   Structural integrity. Drawings and specifications for all buildings shall indicate how structural integrity, including lateral stability, will be maintained where a penetration of a wall or floor or roof takes place, and where each wall, floor, or roof assembly supports service systems.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
§ 95.023 PLAN REVIEW. 
   (A)   Generally. Plan review shall apply to all buildings and occupancies in the State Building Code General Construction, the NCFC and §§ 95.145 through 95.149 of this chapter). The provisions of this
code (NCFC/LCFPPO) shall apply equally to existing as well as new buildings. This review will be for the determination of compliance with this chapter and the NCFC, and shall be completed within a reasonable time of the receipt of plans. If the Fire Marshal’s review of these plans indicates the need for a fire permit, as outlined in this chapter and the NCFC, or if there are corrections to be made to the plans, the building permit shall not be issued until the fire permit has been applied for or until the corrections are made to the plans. This plan review shall not apply to one- and two-family dwellings.
   (B)   Fees. See § 95.060.
   (C)   Fines. See § 95.061.
   (D)   Revocation. The Fire Marshal may revoke a permit upon determination that the permit holder, or any agents or employees of the permit holder, has violated any provision of the NCFC or of this chapter, or any stated condition of the permit. The Fire Marshal shall advise the permit holder, in writing, of the reason for the revocation.
   (E)   Appeals. An applicant for a permit, or a permit holder, as appropriate, may appeal the Fire Marshal’s refusal to issue, or revocation of, a permit, or any interpretation or variation of the NCFC. Appeals shall be in accordance with § 95.134 of this chapter, and in accordance with G.S. §§ 143-140 and 143-141.
   (F)   Nontransferable. Any permits issued shall not be transferable. Permits shall be valid only as specified on the permit for the time period, use, and/or project specified.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
§ 95.024 SPRINKLER/STANDPIPE APPLICATION; REVIEW AND PERMITS.
   (A)   Permit required. A permit will be required to be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office for the installation of a new sprinkler and or standpipe system. A permit will also be required for renovations or modifications to any existing systems when more than 20 new or relocated sprinklers are required to be added or modified.
   (B)   Permit issuance and fee. The permit fee will be based on the service and permit fee schedule. Once the plans are approved, then a permit will be issued to the contractor. The fee for the permit must be paid when the permit is issued. A copy of the permit, along with the approved set of plans, will be returned to the contractor.
   (C)   Application and plans required. Plans, blueprints, and/or hydraulic calculations for the system being installed, along with a permit application, shall be submitted to the Fire Marshal’s office for review and approval prior to the issuance of a permit. No work may commence until a permit has been issued. modification into the shop drawing process. All submittals for review must be signed when
required by code or the North Carolina General Statutes. Plans not signed when required will not be reviewed. The set returned approved to the contractor will be the job copy, and must be kept on the job site at all times. All drawings must be prepared in accordance with NFPA standards. All plans must be drawn to scale, accompanied by required sections, and completely legible. Drawings not legible or without complete information will be returned without review and will require additional submittal. Fire-resistive and structural integrity must also be shown in detail and how it will be maintained.
   (D)   Inspections required. The Fire Marshal’s office must be notified at least 48 hours in advance to schedule any inspections.
      (1)   Inspections required include:
         (a)   Inspection of pressure testing of all piping;
         (b)   Rough-in inspection of any concealed piping;
         (c)   Inspection of any hydrants, yard or county to ensure proper placement to meet code standards; and
         (d)   Final inspection and complete system testing.
      (2)   It will be the responsibility of the contractor to have the necessary personnel present to conduct any tests.
   (E)   Renovations or remodeling work.
      (1)   When more than 20 sprinklers are added or relocated, a set of shop drawings showing the extent of the renovation shall be submitted to the Fire Marshal’s office. These drawings shall be reviewed and approved in the same manner as for a new system. The job copies must be on the job site at all times. All drawings must be prepared in accordance with NFPA 13. All plans must be drawn to scale, accompanied by required sections, and completely legible. Drawings not legible or without complete information will be returned without review and will require additional submittal. Fire-resistive and structural integrity must also be shown in detail and how it will be maintained.
      (2)   The Fire Marshal’s office must be notified at least 48 hours in advance to schedule any inspections, and must be notified if any existing system is to be shut down for any renovations. When less than 20 sprinklers are added or modified, the Fire Marshal’s office must be notified that the work is being scheduled. A follow-up letter must be provided to the Fire Marshal’s office, advising that the work has been completed by a licensed fire sprinkler contractor in accordance with the appropriate state building codes and NFPA standards.
   (F)   Materials test and certification. Once a system has been deemed approved by the Fire Marshal’s office, the contractor will be responsible for issuing a materials test and certification letter to the Fire Marshal’s office. This letter shall state that the system has been installed in accordance with the appropriate NFPA standards, the NCFC, and the State Building Code General Construction, along with the State Amendments to the State Building Code. The letter shall state that the system has been tested, all materials used are approved for their use, and the system is in full operation and meets or exceeds the appropriate NFPA standards and the of state building codes. A letter shall be submitted for any new system or any renovation work or when a permit has been issued.
   (G)   Inspection report and finalization. An inspection report will be completed after each inspection conducted on the sprinkler and/or standpipe system. A copy will be left with the contractor, with the remaining copies of the inspection report filed in the Fire Marshal’s office. Once all the necessary requirements have been met for the sprinkler and/or standpipe system, the inspector may then consider the permit complete and final, and may note as such on the permit. No permit may be considered final until all requirements, including receipt of the permit fee, are completed.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
§ 95.025 FIRE ALARM SYSTEM APPLICATION; REVIEW AND PERMITS.
   (A)   Permit required. A permit will be required to be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office for the installation of a new fire alarm system or renovations to an existing fire alarm system.
   (B)   Permit issuance and fee. The permit fee will be based on the service and permit fee schedule found in the service and permit fee schedule. Once the plans are approved, a permit will be issued to the contractor. The permit fee must be paid when the permit is issued.
   (C)   Applications and plans required. Prior to the issuance of an alarm system permit, plans showing the alarm system installation or renovations, along with a permit application, shall be submitted to the Fire Marshal’s office for approval. The plans shall be included as a part of the submittals of the design of the overall building, in the event of new construction; and shall be provided as part of the renovation plans, in the event renovation plans are required for the structure. The plans are design plans and specifications, and not shop drawings by the manufacturer or installer. These plans shall show the location and types of all devices, alarm panels and equipment, various alarm zones, wiring methods, monitoring, and other such specifications as necessary to ascertain the specific type of system being required by the project. These plans and specifications should be submitted for approval prior to the installation of any equipment or wiring. The Fire Marshal’s office may also request a copy of the shop drawings of the specific alarm system, as developed by the manufacturer and installer of the system, if it is deemed necessary by the complexity of the proposed fire alarm. All systems shall meet NFPA standards and any other applicable NFPA requirements. It must also be shown in detail how fire-resistive and structural integrity will be maintained.
   (D)   Inspections required. It will be the responsibility of the alarm contractor to contact the Fire Marshal’s office at least 48 hours in advance to schedule an inspection. An inspection will be required on all rough-in wiring prior to any concealment by building finishes. A final inspection will be conducted once the entire system is completed and ready for operation. A complete check of all devices, such as pull-stations, smoke detectors, and the like, will be required. All zones in a structure or premises shall be tested. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to have the necessary personnel present to conduct the test. All panels shall clearly identify zones in a manner that will allow fire personnel to quickly identify the area in alarm. A building schematic shall be placed at each panel, electrical rooms, and sprinkler rooms.
   (E)   Materials test and certification. Once the system has been deemed approved by the Fire Official, the contractor will be responsible for issuing a materials test and certification letter to the Fire Marshal’s office. This letter shall state that the system has been installed, in accordance with the appropriate NFPA standards, the NCFC, and the State Building Code General Construction, along with the State Amendments to the State Building Code, has been tested, all materials used are approved for their use, and the system is in full operation. This letter shall also include a certificate of compliance as required by NFPA standards.
   (F)   Inspection report and finalization. An inspection report will be completed after each inspection conducted on the alarm system. A copy will be left with the alarm contractor, with the remaining copies of the inspection report filed in the Fire Marshal’s office. Once all the necessary requirements have been met for the alarm system, the inspector may then consider the permit complete and final, and may note as such on the permit. No permit may be considered final until all requirements, including receipt of the permit fee, are completed.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
§ 95.026 AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM PERMITS.
   (A)   Definition. For the purpose of this section, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
      FIXED FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM. A fire suppression system containing a supply of an extinguishing agent that can be automatically or manually activated to discharge through a distribution system onto or into a protected hazard, equipment, process, and the like. Examples of such systems are as defined in the NCFC.
   (B)   Permit required. A permit must be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office for the installation of a new fire suppression system or for renovations to an existing fire suppression system.
   (C)   Permit issuance and fee. The permit fee will be based on the service and permit fee schedule. Once the plans are approved, then a permit will be issued to the contractor. Once the permit fee is paid, then a copy of the permit, along with the approved plans, will be returned to the contractor.
   (D)   Application and plans required. Prior to the issuance of a fire suppression system permit, plans showing the system installation or renovations, along with a permit application, shall be submitted to the Fire Marshal’s office for approval. These plans shall be shop drawings as developed by the manufacturer or installation company for that particular fire suppression system and shall be developed in complete detail. These plans shall show the location and type of all devices and equipment. The various alarm zones, wiring methods, piping methods, monitoring, and other criteria shall be indicated. All systems shall meet NFPA requirements. It must also be shown in detail how fire-resistive and structural integrity will be maintained.
   (E)   Inspection required. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to contact the Fire Marshal’s office at least 48 hours in advance to schedule an inspection. An inspection will be required on all rough-in wiring or piping prior to any concealment by building finishes. A final inspection will be conducted once the entire system is completed and ready for operation. A check of all devices will be required. Any system utilizing pull-stations or cables with fusible links shall be tested for proper operation for the Fire Official. The contractor shall conduct any tests deemed necessary by the Fire Official to determine the system operator capabilities. It will be the responsibility of the contractor to have the necessary personnel present to conduct the test.
   (F)   Materials test and certification. Once the system has been deemed approved by the Fire Official, the contractor will be responsible for issuing a materials test and certification letter to the Fire Marshal’s office. This letter shall state that the system has been installed in accordance with the appropriate NFPA standards and the NCFC. The letter shall state that the system has been tested, all materials used are approved for their use, and the system is in full operation.
   (G)   Inspection report and finalization. An inspection report will be completed after each inspection conducted on the automatic fire suppression system. A copy will be left with the contractor, with the remaining copies of the inspection report filed at the Fire Marshal’s office. Once all the necessary requirements have been met for the automatic fire suppression system, the inspector may then consider the permit complete and final, and may note as such on the permit. No permit may be considered final until all requirements, including receipt of the permit fee, are completed.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023)
PERMIT TYPES
§ 95.040 GENERALLY.
   (A)   Permits. Permits shall be in accordance with § 105 of the NCFC and this chapter.
   (B)   Permits required. Permits required by this code and this chapter shall be obtained from the Fire Marshal’s office. Permit fees, if any, shall be paid prior to issuance of the permit. Issued permits shall be kept on the premises designated therein at all times, and shall be readily available for inspection by the Fire Official.
   (C)   Types of permits. There shall be three types of permits as follows:
      (1)   Operational permit. A permit that allows the applicant to conduct an operation or a business for which a permit is required by § 105.6 of the NCFC and this chapter for either:
         (a)   A prescribed period; or
         (b)   Until renewed or revoked.
      (2)   Construction permit. A permit that allows the applicant to install or modify systems and equipment for which a permit is required by § 105.6 of the NCFC and this chapter; and
      (3)   Special use permits. Special use permits are for and/or allow special tests, inspections, certain applications, operations, assemblies, to maintain, store, or handle certain materials, special events, and services for which a permit is required by § 105.6 of the NCFC and this chapter.
   (D)   Permits for the same location. When more than one permit is required for the same location, the Fire Official is authorized to consolidate the permits into a single permit, provided that each provision is listed in that permit.
   (E)   Tents. Tents used at funerals are exempt from all fees and do not require any permits.
(Ord. passed - -; Ord. passed 11-6-2023) Penalty, see § 95.999
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