Fire Code Amendment Explanation (added 8/22/2025)*
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Explanation of Proposed Amendments to the 2024 International Fire Code (IFC) Amendment Page 104.7.1.6 Fees 2 105.5.34 Mobile Food Units 3 109.1 Board of Appeals 4 113.4 Violation Penaties 5 114.4 Failure to Comply 6 903.2.13 New & Existing Buildings Unknown Occ or Haz Classifications 7 1103.5.3 Group I-2, Condition 2 8 Ch. 16 Art. III Sec. 16-51 Definitions 9 Ch. 16 Art. III Sec. 16-52 General Sprinkler System Requirements 10 Ch. 16 Art. III Sec. 16-53 Permissible Sprinkler Omissions 11 104.7.6 FEES Original Code Text: [A] 104.7.6 Fees. The fire code official shall keep a record of fees collected and refunded in accordance with Section 108. Recommended Changes: Section 104.7.6 is hereby deleted and replaced with the following: 104.7.6 Fees. The fire chief is authorized to collect fees for all inspections or operational services authorized by the code for the city of Glendale or the Glendale fire code. Permit and inspection fees, and other operational fees of the fire department may be determined by the fire chief or their designee and established by resolution. Reason: The fire code official does not maintain revenue records or refund public monies. The intent of this change is to recognize the fire chief’s authority to set, assess, and collect fees for services provided by the Fire Marshal’s Office. 105.5.34 MOBILE FOOD UNIT Current Amendment Text: Mobile Food Unit. Mobile food units shall not be required to obtain a special permit that is not required for other mobile vending businesses. Mobile food units are required to be inspected by a city or town fire department before operation. Exception: If the mobile food vendor provides evidence that the mobile food unit passed a fire inspection by another city or town fire department in this state within the preceding twelve months. Recommended Change: No change…Update code section number only Reasons: The section number changed from 105.6.30 to 105.5.34. The amendment is otherwise unchanged and remains consistent with State Law. 109.1 BOARD OF APPEALS Current Amendment Text: [A] 109.1 Board of appeals established. In order to hear and decide appeals of orders, decisions or determinations made by the fire code official relative to the application and interpretation of this code, there shall be and is hereby created a board of appeals. The board of appeals shall be appointed by the governing body and shall hold office at its pleasure. The fire code official shall be an ex officio member of said board but shall not have a vote on any matter before the board. The board shall adopt rules of procedure for conducting its business and shall render all decisions and findings in writing to the appellant with a duplicate copy to the fire code official. [A] 109.2 Limitations on authority. An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the intent of this code or the rules legally adopted hereunder have been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this code do not fully apply, or an equivalent method of protection or safety is proposed. The board shall not have authority to waive requirements of this code. [A] 109.3 Qualifications. The board of appeals shall consist of members who are qualified by experience and training to pass on matters pertaining to hazards of fire, explosions, hazardous conditions or fire protection systems, and are not employees of the jurisdiction. Recommended Change: Delete amendment Reasons: The 2024 IFC has included a new section (112 – Means of Appeal) and addresses to intent of this amendment. 113.4 VIOLATION PENALTIES Current Amendment Text: Violation Penalties. Persons who shall violate a provision of this Code or shall fail to comply with any of the requirements thereof or who shall erect, install, alter, repair or do work in violation of the approved construction documents or directive of the fire code official, or of a permit or certificate used under provisions of this Code, shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor and punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor under state law Recommended Changes: No change…Update code section number only Reason: The section number changed from 110.4 to 113.4. The amendment is otherwise unchanged. 114.4 FAILURE TO COMPLY Current Amendment Text: Failure to Comply. Any person who shall continue any work after having been served with a stop work order, except such work as that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be assessed a fee in accordance with the fees established by council resolution for operating without a permit. Recommended Changes: No change…Update code section number only Reason: The section number changed from 112.4 to 114.4. The amendment is otherwise unchanged. 903.2.13 NEW AND EXISTING BUILDINGS WITH UNKNOWN OCCUPANCY OR HAZARD CLASSIFICATION Current Amendment Text: New and Existing Building with Unknown Occupancy or Hazard Classification. Where new or existing buildings are constructed or remodeled with an interior ceiling/deck height exceeding 20 feet (6,096 mm) and the occupancy or hazard classification is unknown, the minimum fire sprinkler design density criteria shall be .495/2000 square feet. Recommended Changes: No change Reason: This amendment was adopted to assist developers by allowing the design and construction of shell buildings with unknown or undeclared occupancy and hazard classifications. This was initially implemented as a white & brown shell building design policy. This has been very helpful to developers and allows projects to move forward without this information. Prior to this practice, developers were unable to submit construction plans without declaring occupancy and hazard classification. 1103.5.3 Proposed Amendment: Current Amendment Text: Group I-2, Condition 2. In addition to the requirements of section 1103.5.2, existing buildings of I-2, Condition 2 occupancy shall be equipped throughout with an approved automatic fire sprinkler system in accordance with section 903.3.1.1. The automatic fire sprinkler system shall be installed within 12 months of written notification. Example Group 2, Conditions 2 occupancies include: Facilities that provide nursing and medical care and could provide emergency care, surgery, obstetrics, or inpatient stabilization units for psychiatric or detoxification, including, but not limited to hospitals. Recommended Changes: No change Reason: This section requires the adopting jurisdiction to establish the date by which a fire sprinkler system must be installed. This amendment only applies to Group I-2, Condition 2 occupancies City Code Chapter 16 Article III: Current Ordinance Text: Sec. 16-51. - Definitions. (a) Terms defined in other codes; where words, terms and phrases not defined in this Code and are defined in other currently adopted Codes, such words, terms and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them in those codes. (b) In addition, the following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Approval: Refers to approval by the fire code official as the result of an official code interpretation or code modification request or pursuant to investigation and tests or by reason of accepted principles or tests by national authorities, technical or scientific organizations. Approved: Acceptable to the fire code official. This Code: Refers to the current adopted International Fire Code, amendments and ordinances. Recommended Changes: No Changes Reason: No Changes Current Ordinance Text: Sec. 16-52 General Sprinkler Systems Requirements. In addition to the requirements of this code, an approved automatic sprinkler system shall be required as follows: (a) Throughout the entire building of all newly constructed commercial and residential structures. Exceptions: 1. Where specifically omitted or otherwise not required in accordance with this code. 2. In one and two-family dwellings and townhomes regulated by the International Residential Code and in accordance with state law. (b) Applicants for annexation shall comply with the 2024 International Existing Building Code (IEBC). Recommended Changes: Change 2018 IEBC to 2024 IEBC Reason: Updated section (b) to reflect the 2024 IEBC, otherwise this ordinance remains unchanged. City Code Chapter 16 Article III: Current Ordinance Text: Sec. 16-53. Permissible Sprinkler Omissions. (a) Sprinkler systems shall be designed based on complete coverage with no unprotected areas. Sprinkler coverage may be omitted from certain areas where the application of water may constitute a serious life or fire hazard. Additionally, sprinkler coverage may be omitted as provided for in NFPA 13, 13R and 13D, and where approved by the Fire Code Official. (b) Unless the use of the facility otherwise requires automatic fire sprinkler protection, automatic fire sprinklers shall not be required in the following areas: 1. Detached non-combustible Group U occupancies that do not exceed 5,000 square feet. 2. Detached non-combustible canopies that do not exceed 5,000 square feet and used for shade purposes. 3. Exterior roofs, overhangs or canopies of type I, II or III construction with no combustible storage beneath and those designed as pedestrian shade. Note: For this section, "detached" is defined as a separate single-story building or structure, without a basement or crawl space and located an approved distance from all structures. (c) In addition to automatic sprinkler system required by this Code, other approved automatic fire protection systems may be installed to protect special hazards. These additional systems shall not substitute for the required automatic sprinkler system without approval of the Fire Code Official. Recommended Changes: Updated section (b)3 by changing OR to AND in the following sentence. “with no combustible storage beneath and those designed as pedestrian shade.” Reason: The word OR was confusing to developers and seemed to suggest that exterior roofs, overhangs, or canopies, other than type I, II, or III construction, designed for pedestrian shade could not take advantage of this section. This change is intended to clarify that pedestrian shade of all construction types may take advantage of this section. The restriction of type I, II, and III construction type is based on use of the area below for activities other than pedestrian shade.