Fire code changes in the works

The committee was formed as part of the Planning Commission to update the town code after the Labor Day weekend fire destroyed property on Main Street.

Discussions at Monday’s meeting deviated from the committee’s original intent to clean up and simplify the town code, which hadn’t been revised since the 1930s.

Originally, the committee wanted the revised code to refer to the most recent editions of the state code and eliminate sections that are covered by the State Fire Marshal to cut down on repetition and automatically update itself.

Mayor Frank Johnson suggested keeping in some of the sections that are enforced by other agencies, such as the section on false alarms, because it could be easier to enforce at the town level if it’s in the town’s code.

Johnson also submitted a list of topics that the committee could consider including in the revised code recommendations, including the lock box program where building keys are placed in containers that the fire company can access when responding to an emergency.

The revisions the committee drafts will likely recommend no outdoor burning be allowed with the exception of grilling.

‘‘It’s too dense,” said Monika Weierbach, town administrator.

Barney Quinn, town engineer, suggested requiring sprinkler installation in any new building, addition or renovation of more than 50 percent or a change in use.

Mike Maring, of Carroll County Permits, said some require maintenance, but they are not often checked and the committee members indicated that they might want to look into requiring basic maintenance checks at the town level, possibly as part of an existing permitting process.

The town could also require that firewalls in buildings, such as townhouses, go all the way to the roof to separate residences and help in containing a fire.

The committee plans to follow up on the suggestions from the staff members and research what other jurisdictions have in place as far as incentives to encourage people to install sprinklers.

Maring said the town should be cautious as it moves forward in what it will require for sprinkler systems or other fire system updates in older buildings to avoid getting to the point where people will be more likely to bulldoze and build new because of the costs to retrofit historic buildings.

When the committee has finalized a draft of the recommended changes to the fire code, it will be taken to the Planning Commission, which will make recommendations to the Town Council.