The purpose of this chapter is to establish the minimum requirements
consistent with nationally recognized good practice for providing
a reasonable level of life safety and property protection from hazards
of fire, explosion, or dangerous conditions in new and existing buildings,
structures and premises, and to provide safety to firefighters and
emergency responders during emergency operations.
[Amended 1-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
The International Fire Code, 2018 Edition, including Appendix
B, C, D, I, K and N, is hereby adopted as the Fire Code of Lower Allen
Township.
[Amended 1-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
The Fire Code of Lower Allen Township shall apply to any situation where the requirements of the International Fire Code 2018 are not referenced in any of the International Codes currently adopted by UCC regulations and administered and enforced under the Township's Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code (UCC) program established in Chapter
70 of this Code.
[Amended 1-23-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-01]
The following regulations are hereby enacted to facilitate administration
and enforcement of a national model code within Lower Allen Township.
A. The text of Chapter
1, Scope and Administration, is amended as follows:
(1) Section 101.1, Title, is amended by inserting "Lower Allen Township."
(2) Section 103, Department of Fire Prevention, is deleted in its entirety
and replaced with new Section 103, Fire Prevention Agencies, as follows:
103.1 General. The Department of Public Safety
shall be charged with the task of implementing, administering and
enforcing this code. Police officers and law enforcement officers
within the Department of Public Safety are hereby authorized to institute
appropriate action for violations of Section 104.11.2, Obstruction
of Fire Department operations; Section 307.1.1, Prohibited open burning;
Section 307.3, Extinguishment authority for open burning; and Section
503.4, Obstruction of fire apparatus access roads, including fire
lanes.
103.2 Appointment. The Public Safety Director is
hereby authorized to designate law enforcement officers from within
the Department to serve as Fire Code Official and Deputy Fire Code
Officials for the purpose of administering and enforcing this code
in accordance with this chapter. The Board of Commissioners shall
appoint the Public Safety Director, the law enforcement officers within
that department, and all Public Safety Department police and law enforcement
officers.
(3) Section 105.1.1, Permits required, is amended by replacing the first sentence as follows: "Permits required by this code, not issued by the Building Code Official for matters subject to the UCC and regulated by Chapter
70, shall be issued by the Fire Code Official."
(4) Section 105.6, Required operational permits, is amended by adding
new section 105.6.51, Fire suppression and detection systems, as follows:
"An operational permit is required for all occupancies except those
classified as R-3 in Section 202 of this code, General Definitions,
Occupancy Classification, that are equipped with fire suppression
and/or fire detection systems that must be maintained in accordance
with NFPA 25 or NFPA 72 standards."
(5) Section 109.1, Board of appeals established, is deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Section 109.1, Board of Appeals established, as follows: "For matters not subject to the UCC and regulated by Chapter
70 of this Code, for which a Board of Appeals has been established in accordance with §
70-5, a Board of Appeals for this code is hereby created to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the Fire Code Official relative to the application and interpretation of this code. The Board of Commissioners shall serve as the Fire Code of Lower Allen Township Board of Appeals, shall adopt rules of procedure for conduction its business, and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the Fire Code Official. When deemed necessary to address technical matters, the Board may retain individuals who are qualified by experience and training to advise it on matters pertaining to hazards of fire, explosions, hazardous conditions or fire-protection systems. These technical advisors may not be employees of the Township."
(6) Section 110.4, Violation penalties, is amended by inserting "summary
offense" at [SPECIFY OFFENSE], "$1,000" at [AMOUNT] and "10" at [NUMBER
OF DAYS].
(7) Section 110, Violations, is amended by adding new Section 110.3.5, Penalty for obstruction of fire apparatus, as follows: "When a violation of Section 503.4, Obstruction of fire apparatus access roads, involves a parked vehicle within a fire apparatus access road that is posted with signs or other markings approved by the Fire Code Official that contain the words, NO PARKING-FIRE LANE, an enforcement action shall be initiated by any authorized police officer or law enforcement officer in accordance with Chapter
209, Vehicles and traffic, §
209-8, Violation notice issuance; payment. The penalty shall be a fine of $50; however, failure to comply with provisions of §
209-8A shall subject the person receiving the violations notice to a summary offense proceeding authorized by §
209-8B, and the penalty provisions of this code contained in Section 110.3.5 shall apply."
(8) Section 110.4, Failure to comply, is amended as follows: "condition,
shall be liable to a fine of not more than $1,000."
(9) Section 106.2, Schedule of permit fees, is amended as follows: ".
. .schedule as established by a resolution of the Board of Commissioners."
(10)
Section 307.1.1, Prohibited open burning, is deleted in its
entirety and replaced with a new Section 307.1.1, Prohibited open
burning, as follows: "Open burning that is offensive or objectionable
because of smoke emissions or when atmospheric or local conditions
make such fires hazardous shall be prohibited. Burning of any material
that must be recycled, or disposed at an approved solid waste facility
in accordance with a Township ordinance or state statute is also prohibited."
(11)
Section 307.3, Extinguishment authority, is amended as follows:
"The Fire Code Official and any other person authorized by Section
103.1 to enforce this code is authorized . . .".
(12)
Section 307.4.2, Recreational fires, is deleted in its entirety and replaced as follows: "Recreational fires shall not be conducted within 25 feet of a structure or combustible material unless contained in a noncombustible outdoor fireplace, fire pit or fire ring. Recreational fires in Township parks shall be further restricted by applicable regulations in Chapter
151, Parks and Playgrounds."
(13)
Section 5704.2.9.6.1, Locations where above-ground tanks are
prohibited, is deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Section
5704.2.9.6.1, Locations where aboveground storage tanks are prohibited,
as follows: "Storage of Class I and Class II liquids in aboveground
tanks outside of buildings is prohibited within any zoning district
depicted on the Zoning Map of Lower Allen Township except the C-2,
I-1 and I-3 Districts."
(14)
Section 5706.2.4.4, Locations where above-ground tanks are prohibited,
is deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Section 5706.2.4.4,
Locations where aboveground storage tanks are prohibited, as follows:
"Storage of Class I and Class II liquids in aboveground tanks is prohibited
within any zoning district depicted on the Zoning Map of Lower Allen
Township except the C-2, I-1 and I-3 Districts."
(15)
Section 5806.2, Limitations, is deleted in its entirety and
replaced with a new Section 5806.2, Limitations, as follows:" Storage
of flammable cryogenic fluids in stationary containers is prohibited
within any zoning district depicted on the Zoning Map of Lower Allen
Township except the C-2, I-1 and I-3 Districts."
(16)
Section 6104.2, Maximum capacity within established limits,
is deleted in its entirety and replaced with a new Section 6104.2,
Maximum capacity within established limits, as follows: "The geographic
limits in which the aggregate capacity of any one installation of
liquefied petroleum gas shall not exceed a water capacity of 2,000
gallons (7570 L) for the protection of heavily populated or congested
areas cannot be established by Lower Allen Township because the Propane
and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act (35 P.S. §§ 1329.1
through 1329.19) does not permit municipalities to prohibit or regulate
storage of these materials."