[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of Whitemarsh 9-10-2020 by Ord. No. 1003; amended in its entirety 4-14-2022 by Ord. No. 1012. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A certain document, three copies of which are on file in the office of the Fire Marshal of Whitemarsh Township, being marked and designated as the International Fire Code, 2018 Edition, including Appendix Chapters B, C, D, E, and F, as published by the International Code Council, be and is hereby adopted as the Fire Code of Whitemarsh Township, regulating and governing the safeguarding 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 or property in the occupancy of buildings and premises as herein provided; providing for the issuance of permits and collection of fees therefor; and each and all of the regulations, provisions, penalties, conditions and terms of said Fire Code on file in the office of the Fire Marshal are hereby referred to, adopted, and made a part hereof, as if fully set out in full in this chapter, with the additions, insertions, deletions, and changes, if any, prescribed in § 51A-2 of this chapter.
A.
The following sections of the 2018 Edition of the International Fire
Code are hereby revised as follows:
(1)
In Section 101.1, insert: "Whitemarsh Township, Montgomery County."
(2)
Section 103.1, General, is amended to read as follows:
"The Department of Fire Prevention is established within the
jurisdiction and under the direction of the Fire Marshal. The Fire
Marshal/Code Official shall be in charge of the operation of this
Department, and its function shall be the implementation, administration,
and enforcement of the provisions of this code."
(3)
Section 103.2, Appointment, is deleted and replaced by the following
language:
"The Fire Marshal position shall be filled as prescribed in
the Code of the Township of Whitemarsh."
(4)
A new Section 105.1.7, Fees, is added as follows:
"Fees for fire permits shall be in accordance with a schedule
adopted by resolution of the Board of Supervisors."
(5)
Sections 105.6 and 105.7, Required Permits, are amended to read as
follows:
"The Fire Code Official is authorized to issue permits and collect
fees as enumerated in Sections 105.6.1 through 105.6.50 and Sections
105.7.1 through 105.7.25, in accordance with the fee schedule adopted
by resolution of the Board of Supervisors."
(6)
In Section 110.4, insert: "Summary," "not to exceed $1,000" and "30
days."
(7)
Section 202 shall have the following definition added:
FIRE MARSHAL — The Fire Marshal of Whitemarsh Township,
who shall also be the Fire Chief and Fire Official as referred to
in this Code."
(8)
In Section 112.4, insert: "$300," "Not to exceed $1,000."
(9)
Section 503.2.1. is deleted, and the following language substituted:
"Dimensions. Fire apparatus access roads shall have an unobstructed
width of 24 feet, exclusive of shoulders, except for approved security
gates in accordance with Section 504.6, and an unobstructed vertical
clearance of 14 feet. No access driveway shall be located closer than
five feet to a structure."
(10)
A new Section 507.1.1 is added as follows:
"All water mains shall be of sufficient size to provide at least
1,500 gallons per minute for fire hydrants. A loop system shall be
used unless otherwise approved by the Fire Official."
(11)
A new Section 507.5.7 is added as follows:
|
"507.5.7. Fire hydrants; Specifications. Fire hydrants
shall have national standard threads and be approved by the Fire Official.
The following criteria shall be required regarding installation:
| |
|
1.
|
The hard-suction connection shall face the street, access driveway
or fire walkway with the side outlets parallel to the cartway or walkway
edge.
|
|
2.
|
A minimum clearance of 20 inches, measured from the bottom of
the lowest outlet to final grade of ground or pavement, shall be provided.
In no case shall said clearance be more than 26 inches.
|
|
3.
|
Fire hydrants shall be appropriately spaced so as not to exceed
500 feet between hydrants.
|
|
4.
|
Fire hydrants required to be located outside a street right-of-way
shall not be accepted as public fire hydrants by the Township.
|
|
5.
|
. Fire hydrants shall be located within five feet of paved streets,
access driveways or fire walkways."
|
(12)
Sections 603.4 and 604.4.1, are deleted and replaced by the
following language:
|
"603.4. Portable heaters. Portable heaters, vented
or unvented, in any structure, other than a single-family dwelling,
which is used wholly or in part for human habitation, shall be prohibited.
Portable heaters shall include, but not be limited to, heaters having
a barometrically fed fuel control, with a fuel supply tank located
less than 42 inches from the center control, with a fuel supply tank
located less than 42 inches from the center of the burner, using gas,
kerosene, range oil or No. 1 fuel oil for fuel.
|
|
603.4.1. Prohibited locations. Unvented
fuel-fired heating equipment shall not be located in or obtain combustion
air from any of the following rooms or spaces: sleeping rooms, bathrooms,
toilet rooms or storage rooms.
|
|
603.4.1.1. Certain sales prohibited. No person shall sell or offer for sale or install a secondhand,
previously owned, space heater or portable stove which uses gas, kerosene,
range oil or No. 1 fuel oil for fuel.
|
|
603.4.1.2. Limited permissible uses of unvented
kerosene heaters. Unvented kerosene heaters may be used in
an agricultural building or a building under construction. Such heaters
shall meet UL Subject 647 and bear the Underwriters' Laboratories,
Inc., label, so certifying compliance."
|
(13)
Section
1103.5.3, insert: "by January 1, 2024."
(14)
Section 5601.2.4. is amended as follows: "$100,000" shall be
changed to "$5,000,000."
C.
All geographic limits referred to in certain sections of the 2018
International Fire Code are to comply with the Whitemarsh Township
Zoning Code.
The provisions of this chapter are declared to be severable.
If any provision of this chapter is declared by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such determination
shall have no effect on the remaining provisions of this chapter or
on the provisions of the Code of Ordinances of Whitemarsh Township.
