HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-OR-10Ordinance 2009-OR-~
An Ordinance Establishing Fire Hydrant
Specifications for Developers and Others
WHEREAS, the Jeffersonville City Council is vested with the
responsibility of adopting ordinances, laws and regulations that are
designed to insure the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of the City
of Jeffersonville, Clark County and the State of Indiana; and
WHEREAS, in 2007 there were 3,430 Americans that lost their lives
as a result of fire; there were 17,675 civilian injuries that occurred as a
result of fire; 118 firefighters were killed while on duty; 84 percent of all
civilian fire deaths took place in residences; Direct property loss due to
fires was estimated at $14.6 billion dollars; and ;Fire killed more
Americans than all natural disasters combined; and
WHEREAS, in order to provide the Jeffersonville Fire Department
and/or any and all other fire professionals assisting, the best opportunity to
fight deadly fires it is important to establish continuity, standards and
requirements for the placement of, maintenance of and standards for fire
hydrants;
WHEREFORE, based upon these needs the Jeffersonville City
Council sets forth the following:
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Section One: Fire Hydrant Specifications:
(a) The following specifications concerning fire hydrants are adopted and established
to govern all future construction, replacement or improvements within the City of
Jeffersonville.
(b) The laying of any size less than 8 inch pipe for fire hydrant use is prohibited.
(c) Hydrants shall be installed a minimum of 300ft to a maximum of 600ft, or closer
when judged by the Jeffersonville Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau.
(d) All hydrants shall have two 2 '/2 inch and one 4 '/2 inch outlets, with 5 inch or
larger valve openings and 6 inch gated connections to the main.
(e) All hydrants shall be of national standard thread.
(f) Hydrants shall comply with the American Water Works Association
specification C 502-85, any revisions thereafter or Underwriters Laboratory
Standards. When it is specifically requested by City Authorities, hydrants in
certain industrial areas must conform to Underwriters Laboratory specifications.
All fire hydrants must be approved by the Jeffersonville Fire Dept. and the local
water authority.
(g) The installation of used fire hydrants is strictly prohibited.
(h) Hydrant design shall include the following Features:
(1) A breakable safety flange and stem that will break cleanly when struck by a
vehicle, to prevent damage to the barrel or main flange.
(2) Permit barrel rotation for proper nozzle facing.
(3) Permit addition of barrel and stem extensions to meet grade line changes.
(4) The stem threads shall be maintained in accordance with AWWA standards.
(5) All hydrants parts are to be so designed that they can be removed from the
hydrant from above the ground to minimize the need for digging or water shut-
off for reasons other than for main valve removal.
(i) All hydrants shall have a trench depth of 4 feet and either a flanged or a
mechanical joint.
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(j) Public Fire Hydrants in the City of Jeffersonville shall be painted yellow and
private hydrants shall be painted red. The tops of the hydrants shall be painted
the following colors to reflect water main size.
(1) Black represents a 4 inch main
(2) Red represents a 6 inch main
(3) Green Represents a 8 inch main
(4) Blue represents a 10 inch or above main
(k) Tampering with fire protection equipment and site. No person shall remove,
operate tamper with or damage or otherwise disturb any apparatus, equipment or
apparatuses belonging to and/or under the supervision and control of the Water
Authority or the Jeffersonville Fire Dept.
(1) Fire hydrants and fire appliances required by the Jeffersonville Fire Dept. shall
not be removed, operated tampered with or otherwise disturbed except for the
purpose of extinguishing fire, training, recharging or making necessary repairs, or
when allowed by the Local Water Authority.
(m) Obstruction, identification and protection of fire hydrants and fire
protection equipment.
(1) Obstruction by but not limited to posts, fences, vehicles growth, bushes, trash,
storage and other materials must be kept to a minimum of 3 feet radius.
(2) A 50 foot road visibility shall be maintained for any fire hydrant except as
otherwise approved by the Jeffersonville Fire Dept.
(3) No person shall use or operate any hydrant or valve within the City of
Jeffersonville without approval from the Local Water Utility, except City of
Jeffersonville Fire Department.
(n) If a fire hydrant is temporarily out of service it shall be the responsibility of the
local water utility to mark that hydrant out of service.
(o) If a fire hydrant is deemed no longer useable it shall be the responsibility of the
local water utility to remove or paint that hydrant black to represent no longer
useable.
(p) Fire hydrants in the City of Jeffersonville shall not be installed at a distance
greater than 15 ft. off of a hard drivable surface.
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(q) All fire hydrants shall be positioned where all outlets are useable by the
Jeffersonville Fire Department and those positions shall be approved by the
Jeffersonville Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau.
Section Two: Submission of water distribution plans by
certain developments and buildings:
(A) No subdivision and/or mobile home court shall be developed without the
developer first submitting the Jeffersonville Fire Dept. Fire Prevention Bureau a
water distribution plan, meeting minimum fire protection standards.
(B) No shopping center, factory, school or apartment complex containing 2500
square feet or more floor area shall be constructed without the developer of the
project first submitting to the Jeffersonville Fire Dept. Fire Prevention Bureau,
for approval a water distribution plan meeting minimum fire protection
standards.
Section Three: Water Supply Distribution for Firefighting:
(a) All subdivisions and/or mobile home courts shall be provided, by the
subdivider with a complete water distribution system. Such residential
property as considered to be one and two-family dwellings. Such water
distribution system shall provide fire hydrants at intervals of not more
than 300 feet on a eight inch or larger main unless a different spacing is
expressly approved by the Plan Commissioners because of special land
use or density consideration.
(b) Rental Fees of fire hydrants and/or water supply systems shall be the
sole responsibility of the subdivider until such a time as the city shall
accept the subdivision.
(c) In determining water supply and fire hydrant requirements the
Jeffersonville Fire Dept. Fire Prevention Bureau shall review the
developers proposed plans of the fire protection facilities and shall submit
recommendations before approval of said plans.
(d) Special exceptions may be made in the best judgment of the Plan
Commissioners with the approval of the Fire Chief.
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(e) The size of water mains involves many variables. The following
guidelines shall be considered as minimum for localized distribution.
(1) Water mains shall not be less than eight inches in diameter. Where deemed
necessary to provide an adequate water supply for fire protection, water mains
of a larger diameter may be required.
(2) The distribution system shall be equipped with a sufficient number of valves so
located that no single accident, breakage, or repairs to the pipe system will
necessitate the shut-down of a length of a pipe greater that 800ft.
(3) Where it is necessary to meter the water supply for fire protection, the meter
shall be of fire protection type and be of at least six inches in size.
(4) In a single family dwelling area where 20ft. or more separation in typical, a
minimum supply of 750 GPM is desirable.
Section Four (4)
Shopping Centers, Commercial Buildings, Industrial Complexes,
Schools And Apartment Complexes:
(A) No shopping center, factory, school, or apartment building complex with more
than 2500 square feet or more floor area shall be approved without necessary
water supply distribution and fire hydrants. Hydrants shall be approximately 50
feet from the building and hydrants shall be so placed as the be accessible to
Fire Department
(B) Hydrant spacing depends on required fire flow. A high contents fire loading
and combustible construction require closer spacing as well as larger water
mains. Size of undivided areas, exposure and protection by sprinklers shall be
required. A hydrant within 300ft. is recommended for each 500 GPM fire flow.
Actual fire flows are calculated from tests to a 20 PSI. residual pressure.
(C) A minimum of 2000 GPM at 20 PSI are required for all schools.
(D) For a typical eight unit, two story frame brick veneer apartment building, 1500
GPM would be of the minimum. If larger than 10,000 square feet floor area or
less than 50 ft clear space between buildings larger flows would be needed. In a
nine to 20 unit typical frame brick veneer unit 2000 GPM, over 20 units 2500
GPM.
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(E) A small commercial or industrial building with average type fire loading
basically unexposed by other properties requires a minimum of 1500 GPM.
Area is a major factor with these type properties and this requirement increases
significantly with size unless automatic sprinklers are provided.
(F) The requirement for a factory is difficult to generalize due to the wide range of
contents, combustibility, minimum of 1500 GPM.
(G) Areas of basements of cellars exceeding 2,500 square feet when used as
workshops or for the manufacture, sale or storage of combustible materials (but
not including garages) shall be protected throughout with approved automatic
fire suppression system.
(H) The above fire flow figures are bases on a residual pressure of 20 PSI and are
and area requirement rather that the amount necessary to flowed from a single
hydrant.
(I) Structures that are required to have sprinkler systems shall have a fire hydrant
that is no further than 150ft. from the area of the standpipe or fire department
hook-up.
Section Five: Penalties for Violations of Ordinance
(A) Any violations of this ordinance shall result in a fine of not less
than One Hundred Dollars ($100) nor more than Two Thousand
Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500);
(B) Violations of this ordinance shall be prosecuted by the
Jeffersonville City Attorney and shall be filed in the Jeffersonville
City Court;
(C) An alleged violator shall have the right to trial before the
Jeffersonville City Judge and the burden of proof shall be "by a
preponderance of the evidence"; and
(D) It shall be presumed that all individuals effected by this ordinance
shall have notice and knowledge of the existence hereof.
Severability Clause:
Should any section, paragraph, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance, or its
application to any person or circumstance, be declared unconstitutional or otherwise
invalid for any reason, or should any portion of this ordinance be preempted by state or
federal law or regulation, such decision or preemption shall not affect the validity of the
remaining portions of this ordinance or its application to other persons or circumstances.
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This Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage
and approval and lawful publication thereof.
Passed this ' '~ day of `7y ~ , 2009.
Mayor Thomas Ga i
Attest:
Pegg Ider, Clerk-Treasurer
Presented by me, Peggy Wilder, as the Clerk and Treasurer to the Mayor
of said City of Jeffersonville, Indiana on this ~~ day of ~n~~, , 200$.
Peg ilder, Clerk
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