[HISTORY: Adopted by the Common Council of
the City of Waterloo 10-19-1987 by Ord. No. 87-6 as §§ 5.10,
5.11, 5.12, 5.20 and 9.14 of the 1987 Code. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
A.
Fire Chief to be Fire Inspector. The Fire Chief shall
hold the office of Fire Inspector with power to appoint one or more
Deputy Fire Inspectors, who shall perform the same duties and have
the same powers as the Fire Inspector.
B.
Inspection duties. The Fire Inspectors shall inspect,
semiannually, all public buildings and places of employment, as defined
in § 101.01(11), Wis. Stats., within the City limits for
the purpose of noting and causing to be corrected any conditions liable
to cause fires. Repairs or alterations necessary to remove the hazardous
condition shall be made within a reasonable time at the expense of
the owner. The Inspector shall also investigate the storage and handling
of explosives and inflammable liquids within the City.
C.
Procedure. Fire inspection procedures and forms shall
be developed in accordance with § 101.14, Wis. Stats., and
applicable codes of the National Fire Prevention Association.
D.
Written record of inspections. The Chief shall keep
a written record card of each property inspected which shall conform
to the requirements of the State Department of Commerce and shall
make the semiannual report of inspections required by said Department.
E.
Correction of fire hazards. When any inspection by
the Fire Chief or his deputies reveals a fire hazard, the Chief or
his deputies may serve a notice, in writing, upon the owner of the
property giving said owner a reasonable time in which to remove the
hazard. If the fire hazard is not removed within the time allowed
it shall be deemed a nuisance, and the Fire Chief or his deputy may
have the same removed by the City, and the cost of such removal shall
be recovered in an action by the City against the owner of the property
and may also be entered on the tax roll as a special charge against
the property.
F.
Entering on premises. No person shall deny the Fire
Inspector or his deputies free access to any property within the City
at any reasonable time for the purpose of making fire inspections.
No person shall hinder or obstruct the Fire Inspector in the performance
of his duty or refuse to observe any lawful direction given by him.
A.
The following chapters of the Wisconsin Administrative
Code, Rules of the Department of Commerce, are hereby adopted by reference
and made a part of this Code:
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COMM 2
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Fee Schedule
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COMM 7
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Explosive Materials
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COMM 10
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Flammable and Combustible Liquids
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COMM 14
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Fire Prevention
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COMM 32
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Public Employee Safety and Health
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COMM 40
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Gas Systems
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COMM 61 to 65
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Commercial Building Code
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B.
A copy of the above codes is on file in the office
of the Fire Chief.
See Chapter 215, Hazardous Substances, of this Code.
[Amended 7-11-2019 by Ord. No. 2019-06]
A.
Outdoor burning prohibited. No person shall cause, allow or permit outdoor burning of refuse, garbage, plant life, leaves or other combustible material within the City, except as permitted under Subsection C.
B.
Incinerators prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate and maintain or cause to be operated and maintained any incinerator within the City, except as permitted under Subsection C.
C.
Exceptions:
(1)
Outdoor burning in connection with the preparation of food.
(2)
The burning of refuse in a properly designed, operated and maintained
incinerator, duly licensed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural
Resources to be effective for the purpose of air pollution control,
or outdoor burning by the City of Waterloo pursuant to a permit by
the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
(3)
Small outdoor flames for welding, acetylene torches, safety flares,
heating tar or similar applications.
(4)
Any outdoor burning for which a person has obtained a permit from
the Waterloo Fire Department.
(5)
A fire set for the purpose of training public or private fire-fighting
personnel.
(6)
A fire set or required by a public officer for the abatement of nuisances
and which is necessary in carrying out public health functions.
D.
Permit required.
(1)
The Waterloo Fire Department shall issue a permit for outdoor fires
(apply at Waterloo City Hall):
(2)
No permit shall be issued within one year of the date of the prior
revocation of an outdoor fire permit previously obtained by the applicant.
(3)
This permit shall expire on December 31 of the year issued.
(4)
This permit does not allow for the installation of a heating source
for any building.
(5)
There shall be no annual permit fee.
E.
Responsibility of permit holder. The permit holder shall have the
following responsibilities:
(1)
To adhere to all health and fire prevention codes.
(2)
To have adult (18 years of age or older) supervisory personnel present
at the site of the outdoor burning.
(3)
To comply with the following conditions, which shall be set forth
on the permit issued to the applicant:
(a)
Any fire deemed to be a public health nuisance by the Fire Chief
or his or her designee shall be extinguished.
(b)
This permit shall apply to all manufactured burning rings, fireplaces,
fire pits, chimneys or like devices.
(c)
No manufactured device shall be placed on any combustible surface.
(d)
The fire must be completely extinguished before the fire location
may be left unsupervised.
(e)
The fire shall be no larger than four feet in diameter, subject
to the exceptions listed below.
(f)
No flammable liquids shall be used to start or support the burning.
(g)
Only virgin wood and charcoal fuel will be allowed to be burned.
"Virgin wood" means wood and other wood products, such as bark, but
not to include sawdust, which have had no chemical treatments or finishes
applied.
(h)
Under no circumstances shall plastics, trash, garbage, oils,
hydrocarbon fuels, furniture, fabrics, leaves, yard waste, synthetic
materials of any kind, pressure-treated wood or wood that has been
finished with paints, varnishes, laminates or a similar finish be
burned.
(i)
The fire shall be located at least 10 feet from property lines
and at least 20 feet from any building or structure. This does not
apply to manufactured devices.
(j)
A functional extinguishing aid must be present, such as a fire
extinguisher, garden hose, etc.
(4)
Exceptions. A bonfire exceeding the size restrictions set forth in Subsection E(3)(e) will be permitted for churches, organized schools, and civic organizations and only if application for site review has been made and approved by the Waterloo Fire Department. Such bonfire shall be no more than 10 feet in diameter or 10 feet by 10 feet square and no more than six feet high and must comply with all other provisions of the permit.
F.
Emergency provisions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
section, the Fire Chief, in times of extreme dryness or drought, deficiency
in the water supply or by reason of any other emergency, is authorized
to prohibit the setting of any fires upon any lands within the City
by providing published notice of the declared emergency and the scope
of the declaration in the local newspaper on the date that the emergency
is declared to begin and by providing published notice broadcast through
local radio or cable television.
[Added 11-7-2019 by Ord.
No. 2019-07[1]]
A.
Definition. The term "Knox-Box®" shall
be defined as a lock box from the Knox Company which allows emergency
responders to gain access to secured buildings and perimeters without
forceful entry.
B.
Buildings subject to this section.
(1)
The following structures shall be equipped with a Knox-Box® at or near the main entrance or such other location
approved by the Fire Chief or designee:
(a)
Commercial or industrial structures protected by an automatic
alarm system or automatic suppression system, or such structures that
are secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency.
(b)
Multifamily residential structures with Four or more units that
have restricted access through locked doors or have a common corridor
for access to the living units.
(c)
Governmental structures as required by the Fire Department.
(d)
Nursing care facilities.
(e)
All public and private educational facilities.
(2)
All newly constructed structures subject to this section shall have
the Knox-Box® installed and operational
prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit.
C.
Buildings requiring a Knox-Box® shall
be subject to numbering or lettering. All buildings over 5,000 square
feet and with more than two doors must number or letter their doors
(and windows when required by the Fire Chief or his/her designee).
Numbering/Lettering must be no less than eight inches in size, reflective
and a contrasting color to the door. Numbers/Letters shall be placed
on each door starting at the main entrance and progressing around
the building clockwise. Numbers/Letters must be at least five feet
above ground level. Where double doors or a grouping of doors exists
close together, they may be numbered as one.
D.
Contents.
(1)
The owner or operator of a structure required to have a Knox-Box® shall, at all times, keep keys in the box that
will allow for access to the following:
(2)
Each key shall be legibly labeled to indicate the lock that it opens
in such a manner as is approved by the Fire Chief or his/her designee.
(3)
A floor plan of the rooms within the building may be required at
the discretion of the Fire Chief or his/her designee.
E.
Compliance. After the effective date of this section, all newly constructed buildings, not yet occupied, or buildings currently under construction and all buildings or businesses applying for an occupancy permit shall comply. Existing buildings that are not in compliance on the effective date of this section shall comply with requirements of this section within 16 months of this effective date of this section. Any person who owns or operates a structure subject to this section shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Subsection H of this section for any violation of this section.
F.
Rules and regulations. The Fire Chief or his/her designee shall be
authorized to implement rules and regulations for the use of the lock
box system.
G.
Brand. The "Knox" brand will be the only lock box permitted by the
City of Waterloo.
H.
Penalties. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this chapter,
any person who shall violate any provision of this section or any
order, rule or regulation made hereunder shall be subject to a forfeiture
as provided.
