Certain terms and words used in this article are defined as
follows:
Director of public works.
Includes any duly authorized deputy or assistant of the director
of the department of public works of the city.
Liquefied petroleum gas.
Includes any material which is composed predominantly of
any of the following hydrocarbons or mixtures of them: propane, propylene,
butanes (normal butane or isobutane), and butylenes.
Premises.
The grounds, as well as all buildings and appurtenances pertaining
thereto, and any adjacent premises, if directly or indirectly under
the control of the same person.
Railroad commission.
The railroad commission of the state or any regularly authorized
deputy or agent thereof.
Vehicle.
Automobiles, trucks, trailers, and all appurtenances pertaining
thereof.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-81)
This article shall be construed to be supplemental to the laws
of the state and of the regulations of the railroad commission of
the state applying to liquefied petroleum gas as now or hereafter
existent or promulgated in conformity with the laws of the state.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-82)
(a) It
shall be unlawful for any person, corporation, association, or other
entity to store, keep, or transport to any dwelling or adjoining garage
or storage house any combustible liquid or flammable liquid in any
container except a metal container and which conforms to the state
law and the National Board of Fire Underwriters and the American Insurance
Association for design and construction, and which container shall
be labeled as a container for and containing such material or materials.
(b) It
shall be unlawful to store any such combustible or flammable liquid
in excess of five gallons in any dwelling or other place of human
habitation; or in excess of ten gallons outside of any building; provided,
however, that a permit may be granted by the city to permit exceptions
for good and basic reasons, and if such exceptions are granted, the
same shall be upon a permit issued by the city. This subsection does
not apply to the following:
(1) The storage or use of flammable liquids in the fuel tank of a motor
vehicle, aircraft, motorboat, mobile power plant or mobile heating
plant.
(2) The storage or use of paints, oils, varnishes or similar flammable
mixtures when such liquids are stored for maintenance, painting or
similar purposes for a period of not more than thirty days; this prohibition
shall not apply to the renovation of a dwelling or a building continuously
done.
(3) Storage of flammable liquids of low viscosity used for heating or
commercial purposes of less than twenty-five gallons in a building,
or of less than sixty gallons outside. A permit shall be required
for amounts in excess of the gallons herein stated.
(4) For the manufacture, processing, blending or refining of flammable
liquids.
(5) For the storage of flammable liquids in stationary tanks.
(c) The
fire marshal is by this section granted permission to make inspection
of any premises within the city to ascertain the probable dangerous
storing of combustible and inflammable material all in accordance
with other provisions of this section and to protect the citizenry
and welfare of the citizens of the city.
(d) The violation of any part or parcel of this section shall be punishable by a fine as provided in section
1.01.009.
(Ordinance 354 adopted 8/28/79)
No person shall install or repair any tank, container or equipment
for the storing or consumption of liquefied petroleum gas, or install
any piping for the distribution or use of liquefied petroleum gas
on any premises within the city, until such person shall have secured
a work permit as required by the city and be the holder of a state
license.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-84)
Piping, pipe fittings, appliances and other equipment designed
or intended for the distribution and utilization of liquefied petroleum
gas for industrial and similar uses other than for domestic and small
commercial use shall not be installed, repaired, extended or altered
until a detailed set of plans and specifications for such use and
equipment has been filed in the office of the director of public works
and approved by him.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-85)
In order that the danger of escaping combustible gas may be
minimized and to facilitate the quick detection of gas leaks, all
liquefied petroleum gas shall be effectively odorized so as to indicate
positively by a distinctive odor the presence of gas down to concentrations
in air of as much as one-half of one percent by volume.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-86)
(a) Tanks
and containers shall not be placed in service or filled upon the premises
of the ultimate user, or, when placed underground, tanks shall not
be covered over, until the work of installation has been inspected
and approved by the director of public works.
(b) Piping,
pipe fittings, appliances and other equipment for the distribution
and utilization of liquefied petroleum gas shall not be placed in
service or used until after same have been tested, inspected and approved
by the director of public works.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-87)
All vehicles used for the transportation or removal of liquefied
petroleum gas over the streets, alleys or public thoroughfares of
the city shall be designed, constructed and operated in accordance
with the published regulations for the design, construction and operation
of automobile tank trucks and tank trailers for the transportation
of liquefied petroleum gas, adopted by the National Board of Fire
Underwriters and the National Fire Protection Association, which regulations
are on file in the office of the city secretary and may be examined
and inspected by the public at all reasonable times.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-88)
No vehicle containing liquefied petroleum gas shall be parked or stored on the streets, alleys, public thoroughfares or at any other point except on premises owned or leased by the owner of said vehicle and approved as permanent tank locations as provided in section
5.06.016 of this article; providing, however, that the vehicle may be parked at the point where the commodity is to be delivered and such delivery is made without undue delay.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-89)
No liquefied petroleum gas shall be transferred from one delivery
vehicle to another on any streets, alleys, public thoroughfares or
at any point other than the premises on which permanent storage tanks
are located, except in case of emergency such transfer may be made
under the supervision of the fire marshal.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-90)
Trucks and trailers transporting liquefied petroleum gas in
bulk shall not be loaded or unloaded within the corporate limits of
the city except on premises that have been approved by the director
of public works and the fire marshal.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-91)
Vehicles for hauling or transporting liquefied petroleum gas
shall not be used or driven within the corporate limits of the city
unless a label of approval has been attached or affixed thereon by
the fire marshal and there is displayed on the sides and rear of the
container tanks the word “butane” in letters having a
height of twelve (12) inches, except that vehicles operating under
license or jurisdiction of the Surface Transportation Board may be
driven through the city without first securing a permit, but such
vehicles shall not distribute or discharge any gas within the city
unless a permit has been obtained from the director of public works.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-92)
It is specifically provided that vehicles using liquefied petroleum
gas for fuel for motive power and self-propulsion, which gas has a
vapor pressure less than one hundred eighty (180) pounds per square
inch at 100 degrees Fahrenheit temperature, are exempt from all other
requirements of this article provided they comply with the following
requirements:
(1) Tanks
or containers for liquefied petroleum gas shall not exceed 30 water
gallon capacity for passenger vehicles and shall not exceed 150 water
gallon capacity for all commercial vehicles, including trucks and
buses, and such tanks shall be provided with complete free air ventilation
downward to avoid accumulation of gas.
(2) Tanks
or containers for liquefied petroleum gas shall be designed and equipped
for 200 pounds per square inch working pressure, and shall comply
fully with the regulations of the railroad commission including the
regulations relative to excess flow valves.
(3) Tanks,
containers, regulators, carburetors and all other equipment to make
a complete system for using liquefied petroleum gas as a fuel shall
be subject to such further regulations as the fire marshal may find
necessary in the interest of public safety.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-93)
Persons having liquefied petroleum gas for sale or for distribution
within the corporate limits of the city shall not fill tanks or containers,
including tanks and containers on vehicles, with a gas having a vapor
pressure which, at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, is greater than the working
pressure of the tank or container being filled, nor shall any such
gas be transferred when the pressure in the originating vessel exceeds
the safety valve setting on the receiving container.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-94)
All tanks, containers and appurtenant equipment installed for
use within the corporate limits for the purpose of providing liquefied
petroleum gas for industrial, commercial and domestic uses shall be
designed, constructed, equipped and installed in a manner as required
by the laws of the state and all special regulations of the railroad
commission as now or hereafter promulgated in conformity with the
laws of the state.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-95)
Containers for storage of liquefied petroleum gas larger than
one thousand (1,000) water gallons capacity shall not be erected,
installed or used unless a special permit authorized by resolution
of the city council has been issued by the director of public works,
with the approval of the fire marshal, after a careful investigation
of the proposed installation, considering possible hazards to life
and contiguous property.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-96)
Underground tanks shall be emptied and purged of all gas before
being dug up or uncovered. The gas from such tanks shall not be discharged
to atmosphere unburned, but must be recovered by compression pumps
or piped a safe distance from the tank and burned as a flare. Tanks
shall be purged of all gas by filling at least one time with water
before they are moved or worked on, and this work shall be done or
supervised only by persons authorized by license or permit to handle
liquefied petroleum gas in the city.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-97)
Adjustments, changes or alterations in the accessories, devices,
regulators and safety devices of liquefied petroleum gas containers
shall not be made except by persons licensed by state law to do such
work.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-98)
No liquefied petroleum gas shall be stored or retained inside
of any structure within the city, except in Surface Transportation
Board containers in sizes of sixteen (16) pounds of gas or less, which
containers may be used inside of buildings by obtaining written permission
from the fire marshal. Surface Transportation Board containers in
sizes of one hundred (100) pounds or less may be used for cutting
metals when used inside buildings and under conditions approved by
the fire marshal.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-99)
Piping, pipe fittings, appliances and other equipment designed
or intended for the distribution and utilization of liquefied petroleum
gas for domestic and small commercial use shall not be installed,
repaired, extended or altered unless it be made to comply with the
following requirements:
(1) All
piping, appliances and equipment shall be installed in full compliance
with the ordinances of the city regulating installations for natural
gas except where otherwise specifically required by this article and
by the regulations of the railroad commission. A master cutoff valve
painted red shall be readily accessible to firefighters in case of
fire.
(2) Liquefied
petroleum gas at pressures in excess of one pound per square inch
shall not be permitted inside buildings without specific approval
of the director of public works and the fire marshal.
(3) All
piping shall be of metal, of a type, quality and strength suitable
for use with liquefied petroleum gas. All pipes shall have welded
joints or threaded joints fitted with approved joint compound, which
is not soluble when used with liquefied petroleum gas, or approved
tubing with compression or flared fittings may be used. All piping
shall be provided to drain in its entirety to a point outside of the
building or structure in which installed. A suitable and approved
tube or liquid trap shall be installed outside the building or structure
in an approved manner, and no other pockets or low places shall exist
in the gas system which might provide a trap for liquid gas. If piping
is to be placed underground, it shall be buried not less than two
feet underground in a trench used for no other purpose.
(4) When
an existing natural gas piping system is to be used for liquefied
petroleum gas, all piping of the existing system shall be removed,
checked and installed in the manner prescribed for new liquefied petroleum
gas installations.
(5) All
appliances used with liquefied petroleum gas shall be designed and
adapted for use with the particular mixture of liquefied petroleum
gas normally supplied to the piping system. Automatic appliances having
a pilot light shall have an approved automatic safety cutoff.
(6) Floor
furnaces shall not be permitted on liquefied petroleum gas systems.
(7) Liquefied
petroleum gas piping, appliances and equipment shall not be permitted
in basements or pits or in any other low place where such gas can
collect to form a dangerous inflammable mixture.
(8) Houses
having continuous foundations shall have suitable vents from under
such house if liquefied petroleum gas piping is installed under said
house.
(9) Rubber
or leather, including rubber hose, shall not be used where in any
manner exposed to the solvent action of liquefied petroleum gas.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-100)
No person shall use liquefied petroleum gas for domestic, commercial
or industrial purposes on premises, any part of which is within one
hundred (100) feet of a natural gas distributing line, except as provided
in section 9-99 [5.06.019].
(1965 Code, sec. 9-101)
Whenever liquefied petroleum gas equipment is found to be defective
or improperly installed, or is being handled or operated in such a
manner as to become a menace to public safety or welfare, the same
may be deemed a nuisance by the director of public works or the fire
marshal by the serving of a written notice upon the owner thereof,
or upon the person having control thereof on the premises, whereupon
the matter covered in such notice shall be immediately remedied or
abated.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-102)
All vehicles, tanks or containers for transporting liquefied
petroleum gas shall be kept in good condition at all times, and, if
found in use when in a hazardous condition or in need of repair, such
use and condition shall constitute prima facie evidence of a violation
of this article.
(1965 Code, sec. 9-103)