[HISTORY: Article I adopted by the Commissioners of the Town
of Aberdeen (now Mayor and Council of the City of Aberdeen) as indicated
in article history. Subsequent articles adopted by the Mayor and Council
of the City of Aberdeen as indicated in article histories. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 2-22-1988 by Ord. No. 311 (Ch. 69 of the 1990 Code)]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
- PRIVATELY OWNED FIRE HYDRANT
- Any fire hydrant located within the corporate limits of Aberdeen
not owned by the Mayor and Council.[Amended 4-9-1990 by Ord. No. 358-90]
- RESPONSIBLE PARTY
- The individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation or other entity which owns a privately owned fire hydrant.
Every privately owned fire hydrant shall be maintained in an
operable condition at all times by the responsible party. Leaks and/or
malfunctions shall be promptly repaired and shall be reported immediately
to the Aberdeen Fire Department and the Aberdeen Department of Public
Works.
Every privately owned fire hydrant shall be tested and inspected
at least annually to ensure that the fire hydrant is in good, safe
and operable condition.
A.
The testing shall be performed in accordance with procedures established
by the Aberdeen Department of Public Works, which shall include, at
a minimum, pressure gauging of static and dynamic flow of the fire
hydrant.
B.
The aforementioned testing shall be performed by an established and
reputable firm or by the Aberdeen Department of Public Works.
C.
Sixty days prior to the proposed testing date, a plan shall be submitted
to the Department of Public Works specifying the date of the test,
the manner in which the work will be performed and plans to notify
nearby residents 14 days prior to the test. The Department of Public
Works shall approve or suggest changes to the proposed plan in a timely
manner, which changes shall then be incorporated into the final plan.
D.
Forty-eight hours' advance confirmation of the test shall be
provided to the Department of Public Works.
E.
A certificate indicating compliance with this article and signed
by the agent of the testing organization shall be provided to the
Aberdeen Department of Public Works by July 1 of each calendar year.
Flushing of mains until clear shall be performed periodically
as required by the Department of Public Works.
In the event that a responsible party fails to comply with this
article, the Department of Public Works shall be empowered to enter
upon and test the privately owned fire hydrant and levy upon the responsible
party a charge not to exceed $50 for the performance of said work
and the costs of necessary repairs.
[Amended 4-9-1990 by Ord. No. 358-90]
A violation of this article is deemed to be a municipal infraction.[1] Any person violating any provision of this article shall
be subject to a civil penalty of $200 for each offense, in addition
to the cost to repair the hydrant and the cost of testing. Each twenty-four-hour
period in which a violation exists shall constitute a separate offense.
[Adopted 11-28-2005 by Ord. No. 679-05 (Ch. 46, Art. III of
the 1990 Code)]
A.
The requirement for interior automatic fire sprinkler systems shall
apply to all new one- and two-family residential construction for
any existing lot or proposed new subdivision which has received preliminary
plan approval for which a building permit has not been issued as of
the effective date hereof and shall not apply to the rebuilding, refurbishment,
renovation, or alteration of a residence in existence as of the effective
date of this article unless such existing structure is razed and replaced
by a new principal structure.
B.
For the purposes of this article, mobile and modular homes will be
exempt from the requirements to install interior automatic fire sprinkler
systems until March 31, 2008. After this date, mobile and modular
homes will be required to have interior automatic fire sprinkler systems
added.
[Amended 2-27-2006 by Ord. No. 689-06]
C.
The requirement for interior sprinkler systems shall not apply to
accessory or uninhabitable structures (e.g., detached carports, garages,
greenhouses, and sheds).
D.
Interior automatic fire sprinkler systems shall be installed and
maintained in all new one- and two-family residential construction
in accordance with the most recent version of Standard 13D, Installation
of Sprinkler Systems in One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Manufactured
Homes, as promulgated by the National Fire Protection Association
(NFPA), and as modified and adopted by the Maryland State Fire Prevention
Code, Public Safety Article, Title 9, as amended from time to time.
