(A) (1) The Fire Code shall regulate and govern the safe guarding of life and property from fire and explosion hazards arising from the storage, handling and use of hazardous substances, materials and devices, and from conditions hazardous to life and property in the occupancy of buildings and premises in the town, providing for issuance of permits and collection of fees.
(2) The most current State Building Code, Fire Code edition of the IFC, International Fire Code, with state’s Office of the State Fire Marshal amendments is hereby adopted by reference as though set forth herein as the Fire Prevention Code for the town. An official copy of the most current code shall be kept on file in the office of the Fire Chief.
(3) The Fire Inspector shall be the Fire Chief or his or her designee who is certified by the state’s Office of Fire Marshal.
(4) A fire inspection is required of all new construction, additions and change of occupancy for commercial, industrial, assemblies or multi-residential premises and must be performed prior to allowing occupancy or opening for business, according to the Fire Inspections Frequency and Schedule in IFC § 106.
(5) Fire Code violations shall be handled by severity of the infraction:
(a) Fifteen to 30 days to make corrections (IFC § 109);
(b) Fine assessed according to current town fee schedule (IFC § 109.3); and
(c) Issuance of stop work order (IFC § 111.4).
(B) The initial fire inspections shall be issued in conjunction with zoning permits and performed by appointment only. Follow up fire inspections shall be performed randomly, or in the event a signed written complaint of a violation is received by the Code Official. The Fire Code Official’s jurisdiction includes the town limits and any other property or premises located within the Town Fire Department’s Rural Taxed Fire District, per G.S. § 160A-413.
(C) (1) The following premises shall be equipped with a key box at or near the main entrance or other location required by the Fire Code Official:
(a) Premises protected by an automatic fire alarm system, automatic fire suppression system and or standpipe system;
(b) Premises equipped with an elevator;
(c) Premises, as determined by the Fire Code Official, which is secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency; and
(d) Premises that are multi-use occupancies.
(2) All newly constructed structures subject to this section shall have the key box installed and operational prior to issuance of an occupancy permit. All structures for which a certificate of occupancy has been issued as the effective date of this section and, subject to this section, shall have a key lock box on a voluntary basis, unless the structure changes ownership or occupant. A change in ownership or occupant shall require the structure to comply with this section.
(3) The Fire Code Official shall designate the type of key lock box system to be implemented and shall have the authority to require all structures to use such system. The Fire Code Official shall approve the key box and installation location prior to installation on any structure.
(4) Key boxes shall contain at a minimum the following keys or access to the following areas:
(a) Locked points of egress;
(b) Mechanical rooms;
(c) Rooms containing fire protection, sprinkler or alarm controls and the associated control keys for these devices;
(d) Elevator control rooms and building elevator keys;
(e) Fenced or secure area both internal and external; and
(f) Any other site specific areas determined by the Fire Code Official. Premises protected by fences, gates and related barriers that are secured by padlock, electronically operated gates or other means, shall be equipped with a key box with the appropriate access to gain entry beyond these measures.
(D) When a building is protected by an automatic sprinkler system or standpipe system and the Fire Department connection(s) are exposed to undue vandalism the Fire Code Official may require that approved Fire Department connection security cap(s) to be installed.
(Prior Code, § 94.01) (Ord. passed - -)