Title
Consider/Discuss/Act on an Ordinance Amending Chapter 42 of the McKinney Code of Ordinances to Adopt the 2021 Editions of the International Fire Code as Recommended by the North Central Texas Council of Governments with Local Amendments
Summary
COUNCIL GOAL: Safe and Secure Community
(6D: Pursue and maintain the highest Insurance Service Office (ISO) fire and building protection classification)
MEETING DATE: December 6, 2022
DEPARTMENT: Fire
CONTACT: Danny Kistner, Fire Chief
RECOMMENDED CITY COUNCIL ACTION:
• Staff recommends approval of the proposed ordinance.
ITEM SUMMARY:
• Every three years the International Code Council publishes new codes for the states and local municipalities to consider for adoption. Such codes must be adopted into ordinance to be effective.
• Enforcing the most current fire code is a requirement of maintaining the city’s high ISO rating.
• The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Regional Codes Coordinating Committee (RCCC) and its four Advisory Boards are comprised of local public and private code professionals (public building and fire officials and inspectors, private architects and engineers, and construction and trades professionals) who review the latest editions of the model construction codes and recommend uniform amendments for the North Central Texas region. The City of McKinney has historically adopted NCTCOG’s recommended amendments
• On October 10, 2022, the Building and Standards Commission (BSC) held a public hearing to consider the adoption of the 2021 model codes, including the International Fire Code (IFC), and at that meeting voted unanimously to make a recommendation to City Council for the adoption of the proposed model codes and amendments.
• Under consideration for recommendation to the City Council is the 2021 International Fire Code and its amendments; where on November 1, 2022, this Council adopted the companion I-Codes; including but not limited to the 2021 International Building Code and International Existing Property Maintenance Code.
• Staff proposes an effective date of January 1, 2023, to be consistent with the effective date of the other I-Codes.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
• Currently, the city is utilizing the 2018 Editions of the IFC, with local and NCTCOG amendments.
• In addition to the ICC Significant Changes publication and proposed amendments from the NCTCOG Fire Advisory Board, the McKinney Fire Department provides changes, modifications, or additions to facilitate the needs of the fire department operations division, to clarify code language, or to carry over previously codified practices. Notable changes for the 2021 IFC as presented to the McKinney Development Committee include:
o Adding text that allows for hose lay designs to be increased where the building being served is fully protected with an automatic sprinkler system. Current code limits hose lay to 150 feet. The proposed change would increase this to 200 feet where the building is sprinklered. This will eliminate the necessity for variances and will establishes a maximum allowable hose lay.
o Changing the language to Section 503.1.1 to clarify where developments may use public roads as consideration for design as fire apparatus access roads. The proposed change will allow the use of a public roadway in certain zoning, planned development, or historic areas to be used as fire lanes where the City of McKinney’s Engineering Master Thoroughfare Plan identifies such roadways with a design speed of no greater than 40 miles per hour, maximum o 20’ building set back, and an internal fire lane.
o Adding language in the Fire Code that will require adding or modifying existing Carbon Dioxide systems to meet ordinance for leak detection and notification.
o Keeping the new IFC published exemption to Section D105, Aerial Fire Apparatus Access Roads, which provides an exception to the requirement where “buildings of Type IA, Type IB, or Type IIA construction equipped throughout with an automatic sprinkler system… and having fire fighter access through an enclosed stairway with a Class I standpipe from the lowest level of fire department vehicle access to all roof surfaces.”
o Changing the requirement for all fire sprinkler protected buildings to require a remote Fire Department Connection (FDC). Wall mounted FDCs will be allowed for structures not exceeding 30 ft. in height where the wall mounted FDC fronts a fire lane and is provided a 10 ft. wide clear path from the fire lane to the FDC. Exceptions for warehouses, big box stores, and high-hazard H occupancies will still require remote FDCs regardless of building height given the unique hazards of these occupancies.
• The Building and Standards Commission considered and accepted the summary of the Significant Changes on October 10, 2022.
• The adoption of the proposed code ordinance will bring the City of McKinney to a Code update cycle of approximately three years respective of the recommendations by the International Code Council and in line with the Codes adopted by area municipalities.
FINANCIAL SUMMARY: N/A
BOARD OR COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
• On October 10, 2022, The Building and Standards Commission considered the 2021 Model Code (including the IFC) adoption ordinance and amendments and voted unanimously to approve a recommendation for the City Council to adopt the presented changes, as written.