Agenda

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City Council Regular Meeting

Meeting Date:

03/23/2021

BACKGROUND

Over the past two years, three (3) workshops were held with local Fire Chiefs and Fire Marshals, with the objectives to create comprehensive and consistent amendments to the model fire code; to improve safety of our communities, and to improve interoperability.
* New Braunfels and San Antonio have also adopted the 2018 Fire Code.
Participating communities in Fire Code development workshops included;

Balcones Heights
Castle Hills
Shavano Park
Leon Valley
Universal City
Schertz
Live Oak
Kerrville
Guadalupe County

GOAL

Fire Dept staff has determined a need to revise current building and fire codes with regard to fire, building, fuel/gas and electrical requirements. The revisions proposed are intended to ensure the proper construction and life safety of structures built in the City and to follow compliance with the requirements of the Insurance Service Office Inc.as well as Texas Fire Chiefs Best Practices.

COMMUNITY BENEFIT

It is the City’s desire to protect the safety and welfare of the community through regulation of certain construction activities within the City.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED ACTION

Fire Department staff researched and meet with several surrounding cities on the codes they are operating under and have recently adopted. The purpose of the IFC is for construction and occupancy safety as well as sets minimum safety standards for occupancies. Additionally, the IFC covers life safety for both the occupants and responders. With the adopted amendments to the IFC 2018 the City will be in line with surrounding cities for building construction and life safety. Amendments were sent to City Legal staff for review and approval.

A workshop was held at the January 5, 2021 City Council meeting for discussion and comments related to the IFC amendments. Fire Department staff attended construction industry meetings that were held on February 4 and 11, 2021.
Presentations for the Buildings and Standards Commission were held on February 4, and March 1, 2021.

Schertz Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30, Fire Prevention and Protection amendments include:

Amending Article IV Fireworks Code – Section 30-64 Fireworks Prohibited
- Amended section to follow with State laws.
Amending V Fire Prevention Code
- Amended Section 30-81 Fire Prevention Code to adopt International Fire Code 2018 and pertinent appendices.
- Amended Section 30-82 Amendments to adopt proposed amendments to the International Fire Code 2018
Amending Article VI Life Safety Code
- Amended to adopt most 2018 edition of National Fire Protection Association Standard 101 – Life Safety Code.

FISCAL IMPACT

None

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the public hearing be conducted and that the first reading of Ordinance 21-C-9 amending the Schertz Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30, Fire Prevention and Protection by amending existing International Codes and adopting new International Codes and adopting the revised Schertz Code of Ordinances, Chapter 30, Fire Prevention and Protection be approved.
The Buildings and Standards Commission reviewed the changes proposed at their regular meeting of March 1, 2021 and offered a recommendation of approval.

Attachments
Fire Code Ordinance 21_C_09
2012 to 2018 Redline