(a) 
Except for single-family and two-family residences and accessory structures thereto, no building shall be constructed in such a manner that any part of the structure is more than 150 feet from a public street or highway, unless a fire lane is provided as hereinafter set forth. Such fire lane shall be provided by the owner thereof, who shall designate, construct and maintain the fire lane with a hard surface having a minimum width of 20 feet and a minimum height clearance of 14 feet terminating within 150 feet of the most distant point of such structure.
(b) 
Every fire lane more than 150 feet in length shall either connect at each end to a dedicated street or be provided with a turnaround having a minimum diameter of 50 feet.
(c) 
All fire lanes shall be maintained and kept in a state of good repair and plainly visible at all times by the owner, manager or person in charge of the premises, and the city shall never be responsible for the maintenance thereof.
(d) 
No fire lane required by this section or any previous ordinance of the city shall be abandoned, altered or closed without written permission of the fire chief or his authorized representative of the city.
(1976 Code, sec. 14-65; 1998 Code, sec. 54-42; 2013 Code, sec. 22-93)
(a) 
Prior to the issuance of a building permit, two plot plans with designated fire lanes shall be submitted to the building inspection department for review by the fire chief or his authorized representative. The fire chief or his authorized representative then will approve or disapprove the designated fire lanes and indicate the needed signs and pavement markings. One of these plans shall be retained by the city and the other returned to the owner for his use.
(b) 
The contractor or person in charge of any construction site for commercial, industrial, mercantile, educational, institutional, assembly, hotel, motel, multi-family dwelling or mobile home park occupancies shall provide and maintain during construction an approved all-weather fire lane, not less than 20 feet in width, as shown on approved plot plans. Final paving of such fire lane shall be completed prior to issuance of any certificate of occupancy.
(1976 Code, sec. 14-65.1; 1998 Code, sec. 54-43; 2013 Code, sec. 22-94)
The owner, manager or person in charge of premises for which fire lanes have been approved by the fire chief or his authorized representative shall install and maintain appropriate fire lane markings in conspicuous places and plainly visible along such fire lanes.
(1) 
Painted fire lanes, fire lanes and large parking areas shall be designated by continuous lines at least four inches in width on each side of the fire lane starting at the entrance from the street and continued to the exit, including turnarounds if required. Such lines shall be traffic red in color. The words “No Parking” and “Fire Lane” shall be painted in white letters alternately every 15 feet over the red lines.
(2) 
Fire lanes adjacent to curbs shall have the entire curb painted traffic red. Fire lanes adjacent to buildings or fences shall have a five-inch-wide stripe painted and lettered as in subsection (1) of this section.
(3) 
Signs stating “No Parking–Fire Lane” and “Tow-Away Zone” shall be installed at the entrance to fire lanes and any other place reasonably required by the fire chief or his authorized representative. “No Parking–Fire Lane” and “Tow-Away Zone” signs shall be painted on a white background with symbols, letters and border in red. Drawings and samples of such signs may be obtained from the city fire department.
(A) 
Such signs shall be 12 inches wide and 18 inches high, with a companion sign 12 inches wide and six inches high.
(B) 
Signs shall be securely affixed to an approved post and such post shall be a permanent stationary type. The bottom of the signs shall be six feet above the finished grade. No other signs shall be affixed on fire lane posts. Any variation in sign mounting shall require the approval of the fire chief or his authorized representative.
(4) 
It is hereby declared unlawful for any person, without lawful authority, to attempt to or in fact alter, destroy, deface, injure, knock down or remove any sign or other marking designating a fire lane or tow-away zone erected under the terms of this section.
(1976 Code, sec. 14-65.2; 1998 Code, sec. 54-44; 2013 Code, sec. 22-95)
(a) 
No person shall park, place, allow, permit or cause to be parked, placed or remain unattended any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, trash receptacle or similar obstruction within or upon an area designated as a fire lane and marked by an appropriate sign.
(b) 
Any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, trash receptacle or similar obstruction found parked or unoccupied within an area designated as a fire lane as required by this section is hereby declared a nuisance and any such motor vehicle, trailer, trash receptacle or similar obstruction parked or unoccupied in such a manner as to obstruct in whole or in part any such fire lane shall be prima facie evidence that the registered owner unlawfully parked, placed or permitted to be parked or placed such obstruction within a fire lane.
(c) 
The records of the state department of transportation or the department of public safety showing the name of the person to whom the state highway license or boat or trailer license is issued shall constitute prima facie evidence of ownership by the named person.
(d) 
No person other than a police officer or firefighter in the performance of their official duties shall stop or block persons or vehicles within any marked fire lane on the city hall parking lot for any purpose.
(1976 Code, sec. 14-66; 1998 Code, sec. 54-45; Ordinance 904-950124-1400, sec. 1, adopted 5/16/95; 2013 Code, sec. 22-96)
(a) 
The fire chief, any member of the fire department designated by the fire chief, the chief of police, or any member of the police department designated by the chief of police is hereby authorized to cause fire lanes to be maintained free and unobstructed at all times for fire department uses.
(b) 
The fire chief, any member of the fire department designated by the fire chief, the chief of police, or any member of the police department designated by the chief of police is hereby authorized to issue parking citations for any motor vehicle, trailer, boat, trash receptacle or similar obstruction found parked or unattended in or upon a designated fire lane and may have such obstruction removed by towing it at the expense of the owner of such vehicle, trailer, boat or receptacle, to the recognized city auto pound, and it may be impounded until all towing and storage fees are paid.
(1976 Code, sec. 14-66.1; 1998 Code, sec. 54-46; 2013 Code, sec. 22-97)