AgdaPkt 2017-03-13 Interview and Joint SA PFA

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The additional intent of not requiring compliance with NFPA 13/NFPA 13R was to make every effort not to displace occupants from their homes during installation of the system. This was a very important priority for the City Council in adopting the program. Due to this approach each sprinkler system is custom designed for every building. In order to do that a representative of the Fire Department, in coordination with a contracted program manager, needs to go to every building and provide direction on the design of each system. This is a very staff-intensive action. As part of the original adoption of the requirements it was recognized that a five year “grace” period would be necessary to allow building owners time to plan and set aside resources to comply with the new requirement. Council adopted the Fire Safety First Pilot Program (“Pilot Program”) on May 18, 2015. The Pilot Program started on July 1, 2015 and continues for a period of five years. The end of the five year Pilot Program coincides with the effective date of the amended ordinance on July 1, 2020. During that five year period it was Council’s direction to have the Pilot Program allow building owners the option of voluntarily complying with the automatic sprinkler requirement before the July 1, 2020 effective date. The five year Pilot Program includes a low interest loan incentive to building owners. ANALYSIS The Pilot Program was scheduled to commence July 1, 2015. Certain aspects of the Pilot Program were not finalized and needed additional attention. At the time these issues were being finalized, a series of staff absences due to injuries and retirements forced a further delay of the start date. The Pilot Program finally started in late October of 2016 and since that time three buildings have enrolled. Based on the loss of almost 1.5 years’ time on the Pilot Program staff is recommending that the Pilot Program be extended for an additional two years, to July 1, 2022, to allow building owners the opportunity to access to the Program’s benefits. Additionally, staff is recommending that the effective date of the ordinance requiring automatic fire sprinkler systems in multi-unit residential buildings of four units or more be extended to July 1, 2022 to coincide with the end of the Pilot Program. ALTERNATIVES 1. Council may choose not to extend effective date of the ordinance to July 1, 2022, resulting in the requirement that all multi-unit residential buildings of four units or more have automatic sprinkler systems by July 1, 2020. 2. Council may choose not to extend the Pilot Program for an additional two years until July 1, 2022. 6.4.A. - Page 2