(A) Unless exempted by written order of the Chief of the City of Newport Fire/EMS Department, and in order to eliminate forced entries into structures and to avoid costly and time consuming efforts in gaining access to locked structures during times of emergency, the following structures shall be equipped with a key lock box system at or near the main entrance or at any other such location which may be required by the Fire Chief or any other representative of the Department of Fire/EMS:
(1) All newly constructed commercial and industrial structures and places of assembly protected by an automatic fire alarm system or automatic suppression system or any such structure secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency;
(2) All newly constructed multi-family residential structures that have restricted access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living quarters;
(3) All newly constructed health care facilities; and
(4) All existing structures undertaking additions, alterations or repairs which shall cause the same to conform with the then current provisions of any of the building or property maintenance codes adopted by the City.
(B) All structures subject hereto shall be required to install a key lock box system prior to the issuance of any occupancy permit which shall then be functional at all times thereafter.
(C) The Fire Chief shall designate the type of key lock box system to be implemented and shall have the authority to require all structures to use the designated system.
(D) The owner or operator of any structure subject hereto shall, at all times, keep a key in the lock box that will permit access to the structure.
(E) The owner or operator of any structure subject hereto shall notify the Department of Fire/EMS of any changes to the key lock box system.
(F) The Fire Chief shall be authorized to implement rules and regulations governing the use of any key lock box system.
(Ord. O-2007-008, passed 5-21-2007) Penalty, see § 90.99