There is hereby adopted by the Town of Mount Airy, for the purpose
of prescribing regulations governing conditions hazardous to life
and property from fire or explosion, the Fire Protection Code, known
as the NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code™, as amended from time to time,
except any such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended
by the Town Code. These standards are as amended and as it may be
amended in the future.
No waste fuel, shavings, wastepaper, trash, leaves, yard waste,
debris or other combustible waste matter shall be burned in the open
within the Town limits.
It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly give a false
alarm or remove any fire or life safety apparatus or equipment belonging
to the Town or the Mt. Airy Volunteer Fire Company from its proper
place except in the case of fire or other public necessity. In addition,
it is unlawful to tamper with or remove life safety apparatus or equipment,
including fire sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, smoke detectors, fire
extinguishers and fire alarm systems with the intention of eliminating
or interfering with its life safety function, except in the case of
fire or other public necessity.
Note: See also Chapter
47, Building Construction and Chapter
85, Property Maintenance, specifically §
85-21.
A. Fire
sprinkler systems shall be installed and maintained in all new one-
and two-family dwellings and manufactured homes in accordance with
NFPA Standard 13D, Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems
in One and Two Family Dwellings and Manufactured Homes, and in all
other new residential occupancies up to and including four stories
in height in accordance with NFPA 13R, Standard for the Installation
of Sprinkler Systems in Residential Occupancies up to and Including
Four Stories in Height, as promulgated by the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), as modified and adopted by the Maryland State
Fire Prevention Code (COMAR 29.06.01), as amended from time to time.
(1) The requirement for sprinkler systems of this §
60-7A shall apply to all new construction but shall not apply to the rebuilding, refurbishment, renovation or alteration of a residence in existence as of January 6, 2003, unless such existing structure is razed and replaced by a new principal structure, or unless the accumulated refurbishment, renovation or alteration affects more than 50% of the structure's total area, in which case the refurbished, renovated, or altered portion of the structure will be required to have sprinklers in accordance with this chapter.
(2) The requirement for sprinkler systems shall not apply to detached,
accessory or uninhabitable structures on residential lots (such as
carports, garages, greenhouses, and sheds), unless the distance from
the principal residence is less than 15 feet and the structure is
of such size and height that the Town Fire Official or State Fire
Marshal recommends installation of sprinkler systems.
(3) Fire sprinkler systems required under this §
60-7A may be connected to the domestic water supply serving the residence, provided the domestic water supply is of adequate pressure, capacity and sizing for the combined domestic and sprinkler system requirements, and proper backflow valves are installed.
B. Commercial
and industrial structures.
(1) Fire sprinkler systems meeting the requirements of NFPA 13, Standard
for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, as amended from time to
time, shall be installed and maintained in all new buildings where
required by the International Building Code. For nonsprinklered buildings,
the maximum area set by the applicable International Building Code
after all modifications have been applied shall be reduced by 50%.
(2) The requirement for fire sprinkler systems shall not apply to the
rebuilding, refurbishment, renovation or alteration of an existing
building unless such existing structure is razed and replaced by a
new principal structure, or unless the accumulated refurbishment,
renovation or alteration affects more than 50% of the structure's
total area, in which case the entire structure will be required to
have fire sprinklers in accordance with this chapter.