HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-07-11MEMORANDUM BUILDING INSPECTIONS
MEMO TO: BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS
FROM: SCOTT WILLIAMS, BUILDING OFFICIAL
SUBJECT: AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7, BUILDINGS AND
CONSTRUCTION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 7-3, GRAPEVINE CODE
OF ORDINANCES
MEETING DATE: JULY 11, 2000
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Building Board of Appeals recommend to Council adoption of
amendments to Chapter 7, Article I, Section 7-3 of the Grapevine Code of Ordinances as
follows:
403.2.2 Modifications. The following modifications of code requirements are permitted:
qIm
10 ON
1. In buildinqs of Type I construction the fire -resistive time periods set forth in Table 6-A
may be reduced by one hour for interior bearinq walls, exterior bearing and nonbearina
walls, roofs and the beams supportinq roofs, provided they do not frame into columns. In
buildinqs of Type II-F.R. construction the fire -resistive time period set forth in Table 6-A
may be reduced by one hour for interior bearinq walls, exterior bearing and nonbearina
walls, but no reduction is allowed for roofs. The fire -resistive time period reduction as
specified herein shall not apply to exterior bearinq and nonbearina walls whose fire -
resistive rating is less than four hours.
Vertical shafts other than stairway enclosures and elevator shafts may be reduced to
one hour when sprinklers are installed within the shafts at alternate floors.
2. Except for corridors in Group B offices and Group R, Division 1 Occupancies and
Partitions separatinq dwellinq units or quest rooms, all interior nonbearina partitions
required to be one -hour fire -resistive construction by Table 6-A may be of
noncombustible construction without a fire -resistive time Deriod.
3. Fire dampers, other than those needed to Drotect floor -ceiling assemblies to maintain
the fire resistance of the assembly, are not required.
4. Emeraencv windows required by Section 310.4 are not required.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Section 403 of the Building Code, typically called the "High Rise" section, provides for
increased fire protection, construction, and life safety measures for buildings with floors
more than 75 feet above the lowest level of Fire Department access.
Along with these measures, the code provides several modifications or "concessions".
These concessions relax some building requirements that are redundant or unnecessary
due to the highly restrictive requirements of high rise construction.
The City has previously amended this section to cover buildings of four (4) or more stories
or with floors above 48 feet (it also includes all hotels and motels). The local amendments
also modified the concessions. These modified concessions were, in some cases more
restrictive and in some cases less restrictive than those in the building code. The Building
Official and Fire Marshal have studied these concessions, and feel that the ordinance
should be amended to delete the current concessions and replace them with those from
the code as published.
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STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF TARRANT
CITY OF GRAPEVINE
The Building Board of Appeals for the City of Grapevine, Texas, met in regular
session, Monday, July 11, 2000, at 6:00 P.M., in the Council Chambers, 200
South Main Street, Grapevine, Texas with the following members present:
Joe Lipscomb
Chairman
Dennis Roberts
Member
Charles Bloomberg
Member
Dennis Nivens
Alternate
constituting a quorum with Members Art Gordon, Russell Kidd and Dan Banse
absent. Also present were City Council Representative Roy Stewart and the
following City Staff:
Scott Williams Building Official
Gerrie Anderson Development Services Assistant
CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Joe Lipscomb called the meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
NEW BUSINESS
BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS CASE BBA00-05 — CONSIDERATION OF
ADOPTION OF REVISIONS TO THE 1994 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE,
CHAPTER 7, ARTICLE 1, SECTION 7-3, RELATIVE TO SECTION 403.2.2.
The first item of business was for the Building Board of Appeals to consider the
adoption of revisions to Chapter 7, Article 1, Section 7-3, of the City of Grapevine
Code of Ordinances relative to Section 403.2.2. of the 1994 Uniform Building
Code.
Mr. Williams explained that the changes would be to the high rise section of the
code for buildings with four or more stories, specifically the changes were to the
"Modifications" section of the high rise provisions. He explained that the current
amendments to the code were inconsistent; some were more restrictive and
some were less restrictive than the current code requirements. He stated that it
was desirable to use the language from the code. Mr. Williams added that the
Fire Department supported the changes. He explained that the current
amendments would be eliminated and the new language would be straight from
the 1994 Uniform Building Code.
Building Board of Appeals
July 11, 2000
After further discussion, Dennis Roberts made a motion to recommend to City
Council the adoption of amendments to Chapter 7, Article 1, Section 7-3, of the
Grapevine Code of Ordinances relative to Section 403.2.2. of the 1994 Uniform
Building Code. Charles Bloomberg seconded the motion which prevailed by the
following vote:
Ayes: Lipscomb, Roberts, Bloomberg, Nivens
Nays: None
Absent: Gordon, Kidd, Banse
MINUTES
Next the Building Board of Appeals considered the minutes of the June 12, 2000,
meeting.
Charles Bloomberg made a motion to approve the minutes of the June 12, 2000,
meeting, as written. Dennis Roberts seconded the motion, which prevailed by
the following vote:
Ayes: Lipscomb, Roberts, Bloomberg, Nivens
Nays: None
Absent: Gordon, Kidd, Banse
ADJOURNMENT
With no further discussion, Dennis Nivens made a motion to adjourn. Dennis
Roberts seconded the motion, which prevailed by the following vote:
Ayes: Lipscomb, Roberts, Bloomberg, Nivens
Nays: None
Absent. Gordon, Kidd, Banse
The meeting was adjourned at 6:15 P.M.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS OF THE
CITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS, ON THE DAY OF
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200)3.1
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SECRETARY
APPROVED:
AHAMAN
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TO: HONORABLE MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: ROGER NELSON, CITY MANAGER
MEETING DATE: JULY 18, 2000
SUBJECT: AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 7, BUILDINGS AND
CONSTRUCTION, ARTICLE I, SECTION 7-3 OF THE
GRAPEVINE CODE OF ORDINANCES
RECOMMENDATION,
Staff recommends Council consider amendments to Chapter 7, Buildings and
Construction, Article I, Section 7-3, of the Grapevine Code of Ordinances relating to
Certificates of Occupancy and emergency communications. (See Attached)
BACKGROUND INFORMATION.
These amendments are presented at the request of the Police Chief. There are currently
several structures within the city that do not allow adequate radio communications from
within. This ordinance would allow the emergency services to require antennas and/or
boosters within existing structures that do not allow adequate communications. The
ordinance would also allow the emergency services to evaluate building plans prior to
construction of new buildings and require antennas/boosters if necessary. Certificates of
Occupancy would not be issued until the building or space is inspected and approved by
the Fire Marshal's office.
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0:/bba\memccsec109. 1jun00 1 April 7, 2006 (8:21 AM)
ORDINANCE NO.
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS AMENDING THE GRAPEVINE
CODE OF ORDINANCES BY AMENDING CHAPTER 7
BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION, ARTICLE I,
SECTION 7-3, IS HEREBY AMENDED BY THE ADDITION
OF SECTION 109.1 RELATIVE TO THE 1994 UNIFORM
BUILDING CODE, PROVIDING AMENDMENTS TO
SAME, REPEALING CONFLICTING ORDINANCES;
PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING A
PENALTY, NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOUSAND
DOLLARS ($2,000.00) FOR EACH SEPARATE OFFENSE
AND A SEPARATE OFFENSE SHALL BE DEEMED
COMMITTED UPON EACH DAY DURING OR ON WHICH
A VIOLATION OCCURS; DECLARING AN EMERGENCY
AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GRAPEVINE,
TEXAS:
Section 1. That Chapter 7, Article I, Section 7-3, is hereby amended by
the addition of Section 109.1 to read as follows:
Section 109.1 Use and Occupancy. No building or structure shall be used or
occupied, and no change in the existing occupancy classification of a building or
structure or portion thereof shall be made until the building official has issued a
certificate of occupancy therefor as provided herein.
Issuance of a certificate of occupancy shall not be construed as an approval of a
violation of the provisions of this code or of other ordinances of the jurisdiction.
Certificates presuming to give authority to violate or cancel the provisions of this
code or other ordinances of the jurisdiction shall not be valid.
Except as otherwise provided, no person shall occuov, maintain, own. erect or
construct anv building or structure or anv part thereof, or cause the same to be
done which fails to support adequate radio coveraqe for Citv emeraencv service
workers. including but not limited to firefighters and police officers. For purposes
of this section, adequate radio coverage shall include all of the following:
• a minimum signal strength of one (1) microvolt (-107 dBm) available in 95% of
the area of each floor of the building when transmitted from the Citv Radio
Communications Svstems:
• a minimum signal strength of one (1) microvolt (-107 dBm) received at the
Citv Radio Communications Svstems when transmitted from 95% of the area
of each floor of the building:
• the frequency range which must be supported from the City Radio.
Communications system shall be 854.9875 to 860.000 and 866.000 to
869.000 MHz, i.e. the base transmitter frequencies. The frec!uencv ranae that
must be supported to the Citv's radio communications system shall be
809.9875 to 815.000 and 821.000 to 824.000 MHz, i.e. the radio field unit
transmit frequencies.
Testinq Procedures
• Initial Tests. Initial tests will be performed by City employees. A Certificate of
Occupancy shall not be issued to any structure if the building fails to comply
with this section.
• Annual Tests. Annual tests will be conducted by the Citv Fire Department in
coniunction with inspection orocedures.
Amplification Svstems Allowed
Buildings and structures which cannot supoort the required level of radio
coverage shall be equipped with any of the following in order to achieve the
required adequate radio coveraoe.... a radiating cable system or an internal
multiple antenna system with or without FCC Npe-accepted signal booster
amplifiers if needed. If anv part of the installed system or systems contains an
electrically powered component. the system shall be capable of operating on an
independent battery and/or aenerator system for a period of at least eic ht (8)
hours without external power inout. The battery system_ shall automaticallv
charge in the presence of an external power input..
In the event that a signal booster is emploved, it shall be fully encased within a
NEMA 4 (or equivalent) dust/waterproof case, and filters that reiect adiacent
cellular frequencies shall be included in addition to the multi-bandoass filters.
Field Testing
Police and Fire personnel, after providina reasonable notice to the owner or his
representative, shall have the riaht to enter onto the propertv to conduct field.
testing to be certain the required level of radio coverage is present.
Certificates of Occuoancv may be denied for new and existing buildings for
failure to comply with these requirements
Modifications
The requirements of the ordinance may be lessened upon a written request of
the owner when unique or unusual circumstances exist within a buildinp. or
structure which make full compliance with the ordinance practicaliv infeasible.
Upon a review of the application by City Staff_, including the Buildina Official, Fire
Chief, Police Chief, and their unanimous determination that said circumstances
exist, to merit a lower standard of compliance without sacrificing, the general.
intent of the ordinance, a written waiver will be issued detailing the aermissible
variances.
EXCEPTION: Group R, Division 3 and Group U Occupancies
Section 2. That all ordinances or any parts thereof in conflict with the
terms of this ordinance shall be and hereby are deemed repealed and of no force
or effect.
Section 3. Any person violating any of the provisions of this ordinance
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be
fined in a sum not to exceed two thousand dollars ($2,000.00) and a separate
offense shall be deemed committed upon each day during or on which a violation
occurs or continues.
Section 4. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phase of this
ordinance shall for any reason be held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect
the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 5. The fact that the present ordinances and regulations of the City
of Grapevine, Texas are inadequate to properly safeguard the health, safety,
morals, peace and general welfare of the inhabitants of the City of Grapevine,
Texas, creates an emergency for the immediate preservation of the public
business, property, health, safety and general welfare of the public which
requires that this ordinance shall become effective from and after the date of its
passage, and it is accordingly so ordained.
PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAPEVINE, TEXAS, on this the day of 2000.
ATTEST:
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
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APPROVED:
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CONSENT AGENDA WORDING:
City Council to consider amendments to Grapevine Code of Ordinances, Chapter
7, Buildings and Construction, Article I, Section 7-3, relative to Section 109.1 of
the 1994 Uniform Building Code.