§ 9.08.00. Fire Protection Standards.

9.08.01 Installation and Maintenance of Fire Protection Water Supply Systems and Appliances. All new Buildings or Structures Shall be required to have available by either an existing system or provide a suitable approved fire protection water supply, unless exempted herein. Fire protection water supply systems Shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the fire protection requirements of the Insurance Services Office (National Board of Fire Underwriters), as stated in their Fire Protection Rating Schedule "Needed Fire Flow" Section, NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Standards, and state and local codes, if not in conflict with the following:

(Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96)

9.08.02 Required Fire Flows.

A.

Residential Fire Protection Waterflow Requirements. Every subdivider Shall be required to install the following public and other improvements in accordance with the conditions and specifications as follows, for one and two-family dwellings:

1.

Water Supply for Single and Two-Family Dwellings. In all new subdivisions, expansion of existing subdivisions, planned unit Developments, or master park plans, an adequate water supply system and an adequate water delivery system for fire protection as defined in this Section Shall be provided.

(a)

Water Supply System. For 1- and 2-family dwellings not exceeding 2 stories in height, the following Needed Fire Flows Shall be used.

Distance between Buildings	Needed Fire Flow
≥31	750
11—30′	1,000
10′ or less	1,500

 

There Shall be a minimum of one (1) fire hydrant provided for every one thousand (1,000) gpm required.

2.

Exceptions to Water Supply Requirements.

(a)

In all subdivisions where no public or private water system is available for fire flow and where a water source, such as a canal, pond or lake is available, and the source meets the fifty (50) year draught requirement for ISO fire rating, a "dry hydrant" shall be required. At least one (1) "dry hydrant" shall be within five hundred (500) feet of all the lots in the subdivision and an easement granted for access. All "dry hydrants" shall be approved by the appropriate authority having jurisdiction. An agreement, approved by the County Manager or designee, shall be in place for maintenance of the "dry hydrants".

(b)

In subdivisions with one (1) acre or larger lots where no public or private water system is available, no water shall be required.

(c)

In subdivisions with smaller than one (1) acre lots and where no public or private water system is available for flow, an alternative means of fire protection water supply shall be provided with the County Manager or designee's approval, such as:

1)

Residential fire sprinkler system.

2)

Spacing of homes a minimum of sixty (60) feet apart, minimum of thirty (30) feet from the property lines and, a minimum of thirty (30) feet clear open space on all sides of the structure.

B.

Water Supply for Multiple-Dwelling Complexes as Defined in Florida Building Code. Water supplies for multiple dwelling complexes Shall meet the requirements for Commercial Structures with the following additions, not to exceed three thousand five hundred (3,500) gpm, as per Insurance Services Office:

1.

Sprinkler systems. Multiple-family dwelling three or more stories in height are required to have sprinklers. The water requirement for a fire sprinkler system is in addition to the required fire protection water flow.

C.

Commercial Waterflow Requirements. Fire flows in commercial, institutional, industrial Areas and Apartment or multi-unit complexes, Shall provide a minimum of seven hundred fifty (750) gpm at twenty (20) psi residual pressure. Larger commercial/industrial parks or industrial plants, major shopping centers, schools, and similar uses Shall have a fire flow capacity as determined necessary by the Fire Official.

For Structures with less than a 1000 gpm requirement, the Fire Official may consider such alternatives that may provide for alternate fire protection water supplies. These alternatives may include, but are not limited to, fire sprinkler systems and water storage tanks with approved distribution systems. Such approval Shall consider certain criteria such as:

1.

Type Construction.

2.

Square footage.

3.

Type occupancy.

4.

Hazardous conditions.

5.

Other fire protection measures.

(Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96; Ord. No. 2003-32, § 2, 4-22-03)

9.08.03 System Criteria.

A.

Public Water Systems. Where public water systems are required by other County requirements, systems Shall be capable of providing sufficient flow and pressure for an approved fire hydrant system.

B.

Fire Flow Duration.

1.

Fire flow duration Shall be two (2) hours for Needed Fire Flows up to two thousand five hundred (2,500) gpm, and three (3) hours for Needed Fire Flows in excess of two thousand five hundred (2,500) gpm.

2.

The maximum credited flow from any given hydrant is one thousand (1,000) gpm at and must have a minimum of twenty (20) psi residual. If flow requirements exceed one thousand (1,000) gpm, then additional hydrants will be required.

3.

Fire hydrants installed on well systems and/or pumps must be pressurized at all times. Pumps must auto engage when hydrants are opened.

4.

Locations and numbers of hydrants will be required based on location to Buildings, exposures and at the discretion of the Fire Official in accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards.

C.

Fire Hydrants. Distance from or spacing of fire hydrants Shall be a maximum of five hundred (500) feet from the furthermost point of any Structure, as the Fire Department would lay hose or as otherwise specified by the Fire Department to meet determined water flow requirements for fire protection and/or increase fire protection effectiveness. Fire hydrants Shall be connected to water mains of six-inch minimum size which are of satisfactory loop design in low density Residential subdivisions and a minimum of eight-inch mains in all other areas. Connection to dead end stubs are acceptable, provided that said stubbed water main is not less than eight (8) inches and will provide acceptable flow.

D.

System Size Computation. If system is to be used for domestic and fire flow, the minimum design for water distribution system Shall provide for at least one hundred (100) percent of the combined maximum day demand rate and required fire flow for said rate, with special provisions for peak flows in excess thereof. The allowable minimum service pressure under said design condition Shall not be less than twenty (20) pounds per square inch. Design flows and method of computation Shall be subject to review and approval by the County.

E.

Valve Locations. Valves Shall be provided for all branch connections, loop ends, fire hydrant stubs, or other locations, as required to provide an operable, easily maintained, and repaired water distribution system. Valves are to be placed so that the maximum allowable length of water main required to be shutdown for repair work Shall be five hundred (500) feet in commercial, industrial or high density Residential districts, or one thousand (1,000) feet in other areas.

(Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96; Ord. No. 2003-32, § 3, 4-22-03)

9.08.04 Standard Requirements. Fire Hydrants. Hydrants Shall comply with AWWA Standard C502, "Fire Hydrants for Ordinary Water Works Service", and Shall be equipped with a minimum of one (1) pumper outlet nozzle, four and one-half (4½) inches in diameter and two (2) hose nozzles, two and one-half (2½) inches in diameter. Threads, nozzle caps, operating nuts and color Shall conform to NFPA Standards. Units Shall be traffic type with breakable safety clips or flange, and stem with safety coupling located below barrel break line to preclude valve opening. Hydrants Shall be dry top type. Outlet nozzles Shall be on the same plane, with minimum distance of eighteen (18) inches from center of nozzles to ground line. Valve Shall be compression type with five and one-quarter (5¼) inches minimum opening unless otherwise requested and show inlet connection to be six (6) inches minimum.

A.

Hydrants Shall be installed plumb and in true alignment with the connection pipes to the water main. They Shall be securely braced against the end of the trench (undisturbed soil) with concrete thrust blocks. The gravel or crushed stone for the drain sump, followed by backfilling, Shall be carefully placed and compacted. Installed hydrants Shall be painted red for the final coat.

B.

Hydrant placement is to be a minimum of six-foot and a maximum of nine-foot from the curb or paved Road surface unless otherwise approved. The center of the steamer port Shall be eighteen (18) inches minimum and twenty-four (24) inches maximum above final Grade. Steamer port Shall be correctly positioned for the proper connection.

C.

Fire hydrant marker is a blue device visible during daylight and reflective at night, which is to be approved by the Fire Department as permanently installed on the Road surface. All fire hydrants installed after the effective date of this ordinance Shall be required to have fire hydrant marker(s) installed. Hydrant markers are to be installed by the Developer, owner, or contractor as follows:

1.

As may comply with Department of Transportation regulations.

2.

Areas such as, but not limited to, parking Lots, loading areas, or storage yards, Shall have marker location designated by the Fire Department.

D.

Fire Hydrant Classifications and Colors. Hydrants should be classified in accordance with their rated capacities (at twenty (20) psi residual pressure);

Class AA	Rated capacity of 1500 gpm or greater
Class A	Rated capacity of 1000-1499 gpm
Class B	Rated capacity of 500-999 gpm
Class C	Rated capacity of less than 500 gpm

 

All barrels are to be red. The tops and nozzle caps will be painted with the following capacity indicating color scheme to provide simplicity and consistency with colors used in signal work for safety, danger, and intermediate condition:

Class AA	Light Blue
Class A	Green
Class B	Orange
Class C	Red

 

E.

Water Supply Easements, Dedications, or Rights-of-Way. For any water system created pursuant to this standard, necessary easements, dedications, or rights-of-way Shall be dedicated, conveyed, or deeded to Lake County so that Lake County or its authorized agents Shall have the right to Access for Use for fire protection purposes all parts of the water system. Such dedications or easements Shall also provide for unlimited Use of water when necessary for training, firefighting or other emergency operational purposes.

(Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96)

9.08.05 Municipal Systems. Should any of these requirements conflict with municipal requirements, consideration will be given, after coordinating with municipality involved, to possible alternative measures.

(Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96)

9.08.06 Calculations. Fire flow calculations for all Development other than one and two-family Residential Developments are based on Insurance Services Office Rating Schedule. They are based on the following criteria with certain revisions:

1.

Construction Type.

2.

Occupancy Type.

3.

Square Footage.

4.

Exposure.

A copy of the fire flow calculations and methodology used is available in the Lake County Fire Rescue Administrative Offices, 315 W. Main Street, Tavares, Florida 32778.

(Ord. No. 1995-9, § 1, 5-3-95; Ord. No. 1996-42, § 1, 5-7-96)