File #: ORD. 2020-077    Version: 1 Name:
Type: Ordinance Status: Adopted
File created: 3/9/2020 In control: City Council
On agenda: 5/11/2020 Final action: 5/11/2020
Title: To amend ch. 13, art. V, div. 3 of the City Code by adding therein new ?? 13-203 and 13-204, to concerning establishing fees for employees of the City's Department of Fire and Emergency Services who conduct Fire Prevention Code inspections on commercial and institutional properties in the City, and to amend Appendix A of the City Code by adding therein new fees for City Code ? 13-203, for the purpose of establishing the fees to be charged for employees of the City's Department of Fire and Emergency Services who conduct Fire Prevention Code inspections on commercial and institutional properties in the City.
Patrons: Mayor Stoney
Attachments: 1. Ord. No. 2020-077
Related files: ORD. 2020-049

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To amend ch. 13, art. V, div. 3 of the City Code by adding therein new §§ 13-203 and 13-204,  to concerning establishing fees for employees of the City’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services who conduct Fire Prevention Code inspections on commercial and institutional properties in the City, and to amend Appendix A of the City Code by adding therein new fees for City Code § 13-203, for the purpose of establishing the fees to be charged for employees of the City’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services who conduct Fire Prevention Code inspections on commercial and institutional properties in the City.

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THE CITY OF RICHMOND HEREBY ORDAINS:

§ 1.                     That Chapter 13, Article  V, Division 3 of the  Code of the City of Richmond (2015)  be and is hereby amended and reordained by adding therein new sections numbered 13-203 and 13-204 as follows:

Sec. 13-204. Definitions.

                     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:

                     

 

Civilian Fire Safety Inspection Program means the type of fire safety inspection program based on the use of an unsworn person or persons designated by the Fire Marshall to (i) inspect commercial and institutional buildings according to the priorities of the Fire Marshall, (ii) provide fire safety education to commercial or institutional building owners, managers, and occupants, and (iii) inquire into third party reports of fire safety equipment deficiencies in commercial or institutional buildings.

Civilian fire safety inspector means the unsworn person or persons designated by the Fire Marshall to conduct fire safety inspections pursuant to the procedures and requirements of the Civilian Fire Safety Inspection Program.

                     Alarm company means and includes any business operated for profit, engaged in the installation, maintenance, alteration, monitoring or servicing of alarm systems or which coordinates a response to such alarm systems. 

                     Alarm permit means a permit issued by the City allowing the operation of an alarm system within the city.

Sec. 13-204. Commercial property Fire Prevention Code inspections.

                      A fee as set forth in Appendix A to this Code shall be assessed by the City, through the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, for each employee who provides

                     Alarm signal means a detectable signal, either audible or visual, generated by an alarm

§ 2.                     That Appendix A of Code of the City of Richmond (2015) be and is hereby amended and reordained by adding therein new fees for section 13-302 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2015) as follows:

Code Section

Description

Fee

 

 

 

13-204

Code enforcement fees, penalties, and discounts for Fire Prevention Code inspections on commercial and institutional properties in the City

 

 

Basic inspection fee

 

 

        Per occupancy

$50.00

 

  Reinspection 1

$50.00

 

        Reinspection 2

$100.00

 

  Reinspection 3-5

$200.00

 

Additional fees - residential

 

 

Apartments / Condos - primary building

 

 

 Three to five units

$0.00

 

        Six to ten units

$25.00

 

  11 to 15 units

$35.00

 

  16 to 20 units

$45.00

 

  21 to 25 units

$60.00

 

        26 to 30 units

$70.00

 

  31 to 35 units

$80.00

 

  36 to 40 units

$90.00

 

        41 to 45 units

$100.00

 

  46 to 50 units

$120.00

 

  51 or more units

$2.50 per unit

 

        Additional building with no internal         common area

$15.00 each

 

  Additional building with internal          common area

 $40.00 each

 

       Motel and dormitories - primary building

 

 

 One to 25 units

$60.00

 

 25 to 50 units

$120.00

 

 51 to 75 units

$175.00

 

 76 to 100 units

$250.00

 

 101 or more units

$2.50 per unit

 

  Additional building with no internal         common area

$15.00 each

 

  Additional building with internal         common area

$40.00 each

 

Additional fees - nonresidential

 

 

 Primary building or area: 0 - 1,000 square feet

$0.00

 

 Primary building or area: 1,001 - 10,000

$10.00 plus $1.00 per 100 square feet > 1000

 

 Primary building or area: 10,001 square feet   or more    

$200.00 plus $.80 per 100 square feet > 10,000

 

         Additional building or area: <10,001 square    feet  or more   

$10.00 plus $1.00 per 100 square feet > 1000

 

         Additional building or area: >10,001 square    feet  or more   

$200.00 plus $.80 per 100 square feet > 10,000

 

Discounts - Business, factory, mercantile, and multifamily occupancies

 

 

 No hazards

30 percent reduction

 

 Fully sprinklered

20 percent reduction

 

 Fully sprinklered and no hazards

50 percent reduction

 

Special Situations (in addition to the fees above)

 

 

        Hazardous occupancy fee

 

 

       All class H occupancies EXCEPT auto repair

$100.00

 

       Assembly occupancy fee

$25.00

 

       Inspection time overage fee, per hour in        quarter hour increments assessed after 2         hours (residential),or 4 hours (non-residential)

$50.00

 

       Illegal occupancy fee

$300.00

 

Exceptions

$250.00

 

       Maximum fee when no hazards are found,         and requiring less than ten minutes inspection     time   

$40.00

 

        Maximum fee for non-residential occupancy   requiring less than 30 minutes inspection time (excludes violation, penalty, interest, reinspection fees)

$500.00

 

         Maximum fee for any non-residential occupancy (excludes violation, penalty, interest, reinspection fees

$2,000.00

 

       Minimum fee regardless of discounts

$30.00

 

Common violations fee

$30.00 for each violation class

 

Fees for unmitigated violations upon reinspection

 

 

        First reinspection

$100.00 per violation class plus $150.00

 

        Second reinspection

$100.00 per violation class plus $300.00

 

        Third and subsequent reinspections

$100.00 per violation class plus $600.00

 

Special use permits, public assembly, fireworks, pyrotechnics, propane, blasting, lasers

 

 

        Public assemblies (festivals, celebrations, special events)

 

 

        In assembly occupancies:

 

 

        Up to 25,000 square feet

$200.00

 

     25,001 to 50,000 square feet   

$300.00

 

     50,001 to 100,000 square feet

$850.00

 

     100,001 to 150,000 square feet

$1,100.00

 

     150,001 to 200,000 square feet

$1,350.00

 

     200,001 to 250,000 square feet

$1,600.00

 

     250,001 or greater

$1,900.00

 

     In non-assembly occupancies:

 

 

     Up to 25,000 square feet

$300.00

 

      25,001 to 50,000 square feet 

$600.00

 

     50,001 to 100,000 square feet

$850.00

 

     100,001 to 150,000 square feet

$1,100.00

 

     150,001 to 200,000 square feet

$1,350.00

 

     200,001 to 250,000 square feet

$1,600.00

 

     250,001 or greater

$1,900.00

 

Outdoor tent and membrane structures (greater than 700 square feet):

 

 

       No walls, enclosures or fencing, four days or less

$200.00

 

       With walls, enclosures or fencing (calculated   by square feet of enclosed area using          non-assembly fee structure)

$200.00

 

       With walls, enclosures or fencing - in a public park (calculated by square feet of enclosed area using assembly fee structure)

$200.00

 

Theatrical weapons or blanks

$200.00

 

Fireworks:

 

 

   General public display, land-based

$300.00

 

   General public display, water-based

$800.00

 

   Wholesale storage and distribution

$200.00

 

   Retail storage or sale, annual, in structure

$200.00

 

   Retail storage or sale, annual, in structure

$250.00

 

Pyrotechnics

$300.00

 

Autos (four or more) in assembly occupancies

$100.00

 

Blasting:

 

 

   Site permit

$500.00

 

   Transportation and storage

$60.00

 

Lasers (requiring permit)

$100.00

 

Additional fees:

 

 

Stand by fee - per inspector, minimum charge of one hour

$100.00

 

Additional plan review (when plans are changed after plan review is complete)

 

 

        During normal business hours, rounded to nearest one-half hour

$50.00

 

          a. Minimum charge

$25.00

 

       After normal business hours, rounded to the nearest one-half hour

$100.00

 

          a. Minimum charge

$50.00

 

Special Inspections (when inspections are requested or required outside of normal working hours to verify compliance with approved plans or permits), minimum charge

$100.00

 

Annual permits     

 

 

       Fire performance art venue - annual (expires  one year from issue)

$150.00

 

       Fire performance art venue - single use (if a second single use venue permit is issued within 12 months the balance of $75 is due and the permit is converted to an annual permit with an expiration date one year from the issue date of the first permit.

$75.00

 

Public assemblies annual permit (expires one year from date of issue):

 

 

      Up to four pre-approved plans

$750.00

 

      Up to ten pre-approved plans

$1,500.00

 

Propane for portable heating devices and cooking equipment, including vending carts (expires December 31st of the year issued) 

$25.00 

 

§ 3.                     This ordinance shall be in force and effect on July 1, 2020.