§ 7-37. Fire flow requirements.

(1)

Intent. The intent of this section is to ensure an adequate water supply for fire suppression by establishing minimum flow rates required to control and extinguish fires that may occur within prescribed occupancy classifications. The requirements of this section shall be applicable to public and private water systems, including individual properties and land development projects.

(2)

Required fire flow.

(a)

The "required fire flow" is the rate of flow needed for firefighting purposes to confine a major fire to the buildings within a block or other contiguous grouping. The determination of this flow depends upon the size, construction, occupancy and exposure of buildings within and surrounding the block or group of buildings, and upon the existence of automatic sprinkler protection. The determination of required fire flow in each case shall be made by the fire chief, or a designee, according to the criteria established by this section and by the Guide for Determination of Required Fire Flow, published by the Insurance Services Office, ISO Edition 08-2005, and as it may from time to time be amended, which are adopted and incorporated herein by reference.

(b)

The minimum required fire flow in the various zoning district classifications shall be as listed in table I at the end of this section. Where conditions indicate that consideration must be given to possible simultaneous fires, as determined by the fire chief utilizing the criteria established or adopted herein, an additional 1,000 to 8,000 gallons per minute shall be required. However, the maximum fire flow requirement for any system shall be 12,000 gallons per minute. The required minimum duration for fire flow for private fire protection systems not serviced by the city shall be as listed in table II at the end of this section. All required fire flow rates shall be in addition to the water flow rates necessary to supply the needs of normal flow demands.

(3)

Normal flow demands. Flow demands for design systems shall be calculated on the basis of full ultimate development as known or projected. The average daily flow for domestic use shall be calculated pursuant to normal flow demand criteria as detailed in the city utilities services department standards manual.

(4)

Fire hydrants and fire flow requirements; exemptions and qualifications; interim criteria.

(a)

All new buildings and all existing buildings being altered to increase the area, height, or occupancy shall have available the required number of fire hydrants as specified in table III at the end of this section connected to a public water supply which meets the fire flow requirements specified in tables I and II at the end of this section, except as follows:

(b)

All duplex and single-family detached homes not requiring water main extensions for domestic purposes. For purposes of this subsection, "water main extension" shall mean the extension of a water supply system by installation and construction of a new water main, 6 inches in diameter or larger, as required by the public utility.

(c)

Additions to existing buildings and accessory buildings not exceeding 25 percent of the square footage of existing structure, but in no event greater than 5,000 square feet.

(d)

Neighborhood shopping centers with buildings totaling an area of less than 100,000 square feet with no building under 1 roof of more than 10,000 square feet, with no building exceeding 2 stories in height, and with at least 25-foot separations between buildings, shall meet fire flow requirements of at least 1,250 gallons per minute.

(e)

Individual industrial or commercial buildings or structures not part of a neighborhood shopping center or industrial park, less than 5,000 square feet in area, and with low or ordinary hazard content shall meet a fire flow requirement of at least 750 gallons per minute.

(f)

If the rate of fire flow required under the terms of this section is not available from the public utility at the time of application for a building permit, and none of the exemptions or qualifications in (a) through (c) above apply, then the following interim criteria shall govern the issuance of building permits:

1.

Properties classified as having low hazard contents, and not exceeding 2 stories in height, will be required to provide a minimum of 50 percent of the flow rate described in table I for its zoning district at the end of this section.

2.

Properties classified as having ordinary hazard contents, and not exceeding 2 stories in height, will be required to provide a minimum of 70 percent of the flow rate described in table I for its zoning district at the end of this section.

3.

Properties classified as having low or ordinary hazard contents, and having more than 2 stories but not exceeding 5 stories in height, will be required to provide a minimum of 75 percent of the flow rate described in table I for its zoning district at the end of this section.

4.

Properties classified as having high hazard contents will be required to provide 100 percent of the flow rate described in table I for its zoning district at the end of this section.

5.

All properties in excess of 5 stories in height will be required to provide 100 percent of the flow rate described in table I for its zoning district.

6.

As used herein, "low hazard contents," "ordinary hazard contents" and "high hazard contents" shall be defined as set forth in Florida Fire Prevention Code NFPA 101 Section 6-2.2, which section is adopted and incorporated herein by reference.

7.

In all cases of new construction where less than the flow rate described in table I at the end of this section is permitted pursuant to the provisions of (d) above, engineering and construction of new facilities to meet the total fire flow requirements as described in table I will be provided so that at the time the public utility is capable of providing full fire flow, the properties receiving the flow will be capable of utilizing the full fire flow provided by the utility.

8.

In all cases wherein the interim criteria of (d) above are utilized, no less than a 500-gallon-per-minute fire flow shall be permitted for any type of improved property, and all fire flow tests will be calculated with a minimum of 20 psi residual pressure remaining in the water main.

(5)

Supplemental flow systems. If the minimum fire flow requirements set out in this section cannot be met by the water supply utility, then the applicant for a building permit shall be required to supplement those flows through an on-site, or readily available, system meeting the minimum fire flow requirements of this section and meeting with the approval of the fire rescue services department.

(6)

Extensions of time; bond. If the required fire flow is not available to allow an applicant to obtain a certificate of occupancy, but it is determined by the fire rescue services department that system improvements are in process and are imminent so that the applicant will be able to meet the fire flow requirements, then the fire rescue services department may extend the time to meet the requirements of this section for an initial interim period not to exceed 90 days and may authorize a temporary certificate of occupancy based thereon. A bond sufficient to assure completion of the required system improvements in order to meet the fire flow requirements shall be posted by the applicant with the city manager. The amount of the bond shall be determined by the fire rescue services department and shall be equivalent to 200 percent of the cost to complete the fire flow improvements.

(7)

Fire hydrants and fire hydrant branches.

(a)

The location, number and sizes of the fire hydrants, and fire hydrant branches, shall be designated by the fire rescue services department in accordance with table III at the end of this section.

(b)

Fire hydrants of the approved municipal design and system pattern shall be provided along all primary roadways and fire lanes throughout any proposed project. When such development fronts on 1 or more existing public street(s), fire hydrants shall be located along the public street(s) as well as throughout the entire project. Spacing shall be measured along the actual route fire apparatus will travel.

(c)

Unobstructed access to fire hydrants, or on-site private systems, shall be provided and maintained to accommodate firefighting apparatus.

(8)

Distribution systems. The supply mains shall be of adequate size and have properly arranged connections to the arterial mains, which shall extend throughout the system and have numerous connections to the secondary feeders that supply the minor distribution.

(9)

Main sizes. Main sizes and system patterns shall be subject to approval of all applicable agencies pursuant to fire and normal flow demand criteria. Design standards shall be in conformance with current editions of the city utilities services department standards manual.

(10)

Pressure. Sufficient pressures shall be provided within the system to maintain 20 psi residual pressure while providing required fire flows. In those cases where system supply design and hydrant locations are capable of meeting full domestic, commercial and fire flow demands, residual pressures of 10 psi will be permitted.

(11)

Violations. It shall be a violation for any person to:

(a)

Use or operate any fire hydrant or other valve on any fire system, which is intended for use by the city, for any purpose, unless a fire hydrant use permit has been issued by the city to such person and such person complies with the appropriate provisions of chapter 17, Code of Ordinances.

(b)

Remove, tamper with or otherwise disturb any fire hydrant or firefighting appliance except for the purpose of: extinguishing fires, firefighting training or making necessary repairs, without first obtaining written approval by the fire rescue services department.

TABLE I. REQUIRED FIRE FLOWS BY ZONING CLASSIFICATION

Zoning Districts	Requirement
Group 1: R-1-F, R-1-G, AR, RS,	The system shall deliver not less than 500 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual on the system. Each fire hydrant shall deliver not less than 500 gallons per minute.
Group 2: R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C, R-1-D, R-1-E, NCBD, PUD*, RE1, RE2	The system shall deliver not less than 1,000 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual on the system. Each fire hydrant shall deliver not less than 750 gallons per minute.
Group 3: R-2, R-3, B-1, RM	The system shall deliver not less than 1,500 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual on the system. Each fire hydrant shall deliver not less than 750 gallons per minute.
Group 4: R-B-1, R-3-A, R-3-B, R-3-C, R-4, B-2, B-3, B-4, C-1, LIRP, M-1, MC, REC, PT, PL, CG, CN, CS, AG	The system shall deliver not less than 2,000 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual on the system. Each fire hydrant shall deliver not less than 750 gallons per minute.
Group 5: R-3-D, R-3-E, R-3-F, R-5, R-5-A, M-2, M-3, W-I, POI, LB, PUD*, PCD*, PID*, IG/S1, DDRI, SE, RID/DDRI, VC, LIRP-5, PM0.25	The system shall deliver not less than 3,000 gallons per minute at 20 psi residual on the system. Each fire hydrant shall deliver not less than 1,000 gallons per minute.

 

* Provided, however, from and after November 28, 2017, no parcel of land shall be rezoned to this zoning district.

TABLE II. REQUIRED DURATION FOR FIRE FLOW

Required Fire Flow (gallons per minute)	Required Duration (hours)
10,000 and greater	10.00
9,500	9
9,000	9
8,500	8
8,000	8
7,500	7
7,000	7
6,500	6
6,000	6
5,500	5
5,000	5
4,500	4
4,000	4
3,500	3
3,000	3
2,500 and less	2

 

TABLE III. FIRE HYDRANT SPACING

	Districts	Hydrant Spacing (feet)
1.00	Multifamily structures 2 or more stories in height	300.00
2.00	Commercial, industrial, and similar structures regardless of height	300.00
3.00	Areas with multilaned, divided highways (hydrants shall be provided along both sides of such roads with the location of curb cuts and median cuts considered)	400.00
4.00	Residential districts, single-family and duplex areas with dead-end streets	500.00
5.00	Residential districts, single-family and duplex areas with complete internal circulation	600.00
6.00	Residential districts, cluster developments 1 story in height	400.00

 

(Ord. No. 5430, § 2, 12-12-17)