City of St. Peters, MO Fire Prevention

[R.O. 2007 § 220.070; Ord. No. 4730 §§ 1—2, 1-26-2007; Ord. No. 4827 § 1, 7-26-2007; Ord. No. 5017 § 1, 6-12-2008; Ord. No. 5605 §§ 1—2, 6-23-2011; Ord. No. 5735 § 1, 4-12-2012; Ord. No. 6931, 3-8-2018]

The Code adopted in Section 507.010 is amended as follows:

101.1 Delete.
103.1 Delete.
105.1.2 Types of Permits. There shall be four (4) types of permits as follows:
	1).	Operational permit. An operational permit allows the applicant to conduct an operation or a business for which a permit is required by Section 105.6 as adopted in Section 507.010 of the Municipal Code and amended in Section 507.040 of the Municipal Code for either:
		1.1.	A prescribed period.
		1.2.	Until renewed or revoked.
	2).	Construction permit. A construction permit allows the applicant to install or modify systems and equipment for which a permit is required by Section 105.7.
	3).	Display permit. Display permit shall be required for fireworks displays within the scope of Chapter 56 of the Fire Code adopted in Section 507.010 of the Municipal Code.
	4).	Blasting permit. Blasting permit is required for the use of any quantity of explosive, explosive material, fireworks, or pyrotechnic special effects within the scope of Chapter 56 of the Fire Code adopted in Section 507.010 of the Municipal Code.
105.6.1 — Delete.
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105.6.16 — Fire Hydrants and Valves, See Section 705.100 of the Municipal Code.
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108.1 Means of Appeal of Chapter 507 of the Municipal Code. A person shall have the right to appeal a decision of the Code Official to the Board of Appeals as established in Chapter 505 of the Municipal Code of the City of St. Peters. An application for appeal shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this code of the rules legally adopted shall be based on a claim that the true intent of this code or the rules legally adopted hereunder has been incorrectly interpreted, the provisions of this code do not fully apply, or an equally good or better form of construction is proposed. The application shall be filed on a form obtained from the Code Official within twenty (20) days after the notice was served.
108.2 — Delete.
108.3 — Delete.
109.4 Violations, penalties. Any person who shall violate a provision of this code or shall fail to comply with any requirements thereof or who shall erect, construct, alter or repair a building or structure in violation of an approved construction document or direct of the Code Official, or of a permit or certificate issued under the provisions of this code, shall be guilty of an offense. Each day that a violation continues after due notice has been served shall constitute a separate offense. Refer to Section 507.060 of Chapter 507 of the Municipal Code of the City of St. Peters.
111.4 Failure to comply, Violation, Penalties. Any person who shall continue any work in or about the structure after having been served with a stop work order, except such work that person is directed to perform to remove a violation or unsafe condition, shall be guilty of an offense. Section 507.060 of Chapter 507 of the Municipal Code of the City of St. Peters.
113.2 Schedule of permit fees. (See Appendix A of this Title).

507.2.3 Minimum size of water mains serving fire hydrants. All water mains serving fire hydrants shall meet or exceed the following minimum standards:
	1).	Single-family and two-family structures shall have water mains not less than eight (8) inches in diameter.
	2).	All other structures and building within the scope of this Section shall be served by water mains having fire hydrants thereon, which water mains shall be not less than eight (8) inches in diameter.
	3).	Notwithstanding the provisions of Subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection, single leads to fire hydrants may be served with a water main not less than eight (8) inches in diameter.
507.2.4 Fire Hydrant Supply Control Valve. Fire hydrants located off of mains eight (8) inches in diameter or larger shall be supplied with a control valve between the main and hydrant. Fire hydrants located off of mains six (6) inches in diameter, and if such mains are more than one thousand two hundred (1,200) feet in length without control valves in the main, shall also be provided with a control valve between the main and the hydrant.
507.3 Fire flow. Fire flow requirements for buildings or portions of buildings and facilities shall be determined by an approved method, or in accordance with Appendix B, as amended.
507.5 Fire hydrant systems. Fire hydrant systems shall comply with Sections 507.5.1 through 507.5.9.
507.5.1 Plats. All preliminary plats and improvement plans submitted to the City of St. Peters shall designate thereon the location of all proposed fire hydrants and the size of the water main to which such fire hydrants shall be attached.
A)	Residential zoning districts. Maximum spacing of fire hydrants shall not be more than six hundred (600) feet from another fire hydrant. No parcel or lot street frontage shall be distant more than five hundred (500) feet from a fire hydrant. Such distances shall be measured along centerline of roads.
B)	Other zoning district. Maximum spacing of fire hydrants shall not be more than one thousand (1,000) feet from another fire hydrant. Such distances shall be measured along centerline of roads.
507.5.1.1 Where required for protection of building. No portion of the facility or building hereafter constructed or moved into is more than four hundred (400) feet (122 m) from a hydrant on a fire apparatus access road, as measured around the exterior of the facility or building, on-site fire hydrants and mains shall be provided where required by the Code Official.
Exceptions:
	1)	For Group R-3 and Group U occupancies, the distance requirement shall be six hundred (600) feet (183 m).
	2)	For buildings equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1 or 903.3.1.2, the distance requirement shall be six hundred (600) feet (183 m).
507.5.7 Tampering with fire hydrant. It shall be unlawful and constitute the commission of an ordinance violation for any person to use or operate a fire hydrant for any purpose other than the suppression of a fire without a valid fire hydrant permit issued by the City of St. Peters Water Department. This provision shall not apply to employees of the City of St. Peters, firemen or employees of the public utility supplying water to the fire hydrant while in the performance of their duties as such firemen or employees.
507.5.8 Fire hydrant standards. All fire hydrants installed in the City of St. Peters shall be of breakaway design, frost free with drain, left hand open design and have National Standard threads. Fire hydrants shall have a minimum bottom valve size of at least five (5) inches, one (1) four and one-half (4 1/2) inch pumper nozzle, two (2) two and one-half (2 1/2) inch nozzles and six-inch barrel.
507.5.9	Fire hydrant capacity and classification.
	A)	Delete.
	B)	Color coding of fire hydrants:
		All fire hydrants shall be flow tested to determine the maximum flow that each hydrant can produce without dropping the system pressures below 20 PSIG. If a throttling mechanism is used, it shall then be set at the maximum flow that will not drop system pressures below 20 PSIG. Depending upon the results of the flow test, the bonnet and nozzle caps of each hydrant should be painted the appropriate color to indicate its flow class in accordance with local fire authority requirement or NFPA standards.

5601.2 Permit required. Permits shall be required as set forth in Section 105.1.2 and regulated in accordance with this Section.
	5601.2.3.1 Blasting permit restrictions. Storage of explosive or explosive materials limited to daily usage amount. No overnight storage of these items shall be allowed on site.
	5601.2.4.1 Blasting indemnity bond required. Before any permit referred to in this Section is issued to do blasting, the applicant for such permit shall file evidence of sufficient comprehensive general liability insurance to indemnify the City and its inhabitants against any damages arising from blasting; said liability insurance shall be provided by a responsible company licensed to do business in the State of Missouri and shall have minimum coverage of five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) per person, one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per occurrence, five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000.00) property damage, with an umbrella coverage of two million dollars ($2,000,000.00). The insurance certificate, including a rider specifically covering the insured for doing blasting (blasting collapse and underground), shall be required with the permit application. In specific cases where blasting is being proposed within one thousand (1,000) feet of any dam, an additional rider with an endorsement of increased limits for a specific job shall be required at the sole discretion of the Building Commissioner.
5607.1.1 Blasting permit requirements.
	1)	No person shall perform any blasting within the City limits without first obtaining a permit from the Building Commissioner. Said permit shall be in addition to any such permit received pursuant to Section 507.050 of the Municipal Code. Such permit shall be subject to all of the provisions of this Section and a fee as stated in Appendix A of Title V: Building and Construction, of the Municipal Code of the City of St. Peters.
	2)	Persons applying for a permit shall submit the following information: Location of proposed blasts, purpose of blasting, amount and type of explosives to be used, locations of nearest structures, certificate of insurance and duration of the blasting activities.
	3)	The Building Commissioner is authorized to deny a permit request if it is determined from the data provided that the issuance of a permit would result in a high probability of uncontrolled structure damage.
	4)	In the event a permit request is denied by the Building Commission, the applicant, may within two (2) weeks following the denial, file an appeal to the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen.
5607.1.2 Permit time limits. All permits issued pursuant to the requirements of this Section shall be issued for a term not to exceed one (1) year, unless the Building Commissioner determines that the purpose for which the permit is to be issued cannot be fulfilled in a term less than one (1) year. In such instance, the Building Commissioner shall specify the duration of the permit which the Building Commissioner has determined to be sufficient to fulfill the purpose for which the permit is issued.
5607.1.3 Permit renewals. Any valid permit issued pursuant to this Section shall carry with it the right of successive renewal upon expiration. The holder of a permit may apply for renewal by notifying the Building Commissioner of any changes to the permit application and such renewal shall be issued provided the applicant seeking renewal has met the requirements and conditions of this code.
5607.1.4 Use of explosives.
	A.	For all blasting operations, the maximum peak particle velocity of any one (1) of three (3) mutually perpendicular components of ground motion in the vertical and horizontal directions shall not exceed five-tenths (0.50) inch per second for a blast below 10 Hertz; or one (1.0) inch per second for a blast from 10 to 30 Hertz; or one and one-half (1.5) inch per seconds for a blast about 30 Hertz.
	B)	An air blast shall not exceed one hundred twenty (120) decibels at 2 Hertz-flat response and above.
	C)	Maximum peak particle velocity shall not apply at the following locations:
		1.	At structures owned by the person conducting the blasting activity and not leased to another party.
		2.	At structures owned by the person conducting the blasting activity and leased to another party, if a written waiver by the lessee is submitted to the Building Commissioner prior to blasting.
	D)	Flyrock, including blasted material traveling along the ground, shall not be cast from the permit area.
	E)	Access to an area possibly subject to flyrock from blasting shall be regulated to protect the public. Access to the area shall be controlled to prevent the presence of unauthorized personnel during blasting until an authorized representative of the person conducting the blasting activity has reasonably determined:
		1.	That no unusual circumstances, such as imminent slides or undetonated charges, exist; and
		2.	That access to and travel in or through the area can be safely resumed.
	F)	All blasting shall be conducted so as to prevent injury to persons and damage to public or private property outside the permit area.
	G)	Before firing any blast, all means of access to the danger zone (the extent of which shall be determined by the blaster, but in no case to be closer to the explosion than the blaster himself/herself or three hundred (300) feet, whichever is more) shall be effectively guarded to exclude all unauthorized personnel. The blaster shall then sound a warning of sufficient intensity and duration to be distinctly audible to all person within the danger zone and all such persons shall retire beyond the danger zone. The danger zone shall then be examined by the blaster to make certain that all persons have moved to a place of safety. No blast shall be fired while any person is in the danger zone.
	H)	When the point of explosion is within three hundred (300) feet of a roadway, the blaster shall, just prior to the blast, designate a sufficient number of employees of the operator, each carrying a red warning flag, to stop all vehicular and pedestrian traffic on each possible route of travel within three hundred fifty (350) feet of the point of explosion until the blast has been fired.
	I)	No person shall return to the danger zone until permitted to do so by the blaster as announced by audible or visual signal.
	J)	Immediately following the blast the area shall be examined by the blaster for evidence of misfired charges.
	K)	A complete record shall be kept by the blaster showing the number of holes, the amount of explosive used per hole, amount of explosive used per delay, length of delay, all misfires and method of disposal of misfires.
5607.1.5 Records of blasting operations.
	A)	A summary of the records for each blast, including seismograph reports, shall be submitted to the Building Commissioner at weekly intervals for blasts occurring during the previous week. The record shall contain the following data for each blast:
		1.	Name of permittee conducting the blast;
		2.	Location, date and time of the blast;
		3.	Testing locations;
		4.	Direction and distance in feet from the blast to the monitoring devices;
		5.	The number of holes drilled;
		6.	The maximum weight of explosives in pounds used in the blast;
		7.	Maximum weight of explosives in pounds used per delay;
		8.	Length of delay;
		9.	The total weight of explosives in pounds used in the blast;
		10.	Peak particle velocity at the testing location;
		11.	Name of company and the person taking the seismograph reading;
		12.	Affidavit of company monitoring the blast certifying the accuracy and truth of the reading obtained from the seismograph.
	B)	Monitoring shall be performed by a qualified person retained by the City and compensated by permittee, who is responsible for submittal of the data directly to the City. Tabulated data, provided for in Section 5607.1.6(A), shall be submitted to the City at weekly intervals. The person shall be responsible for notifying the City within one (1) hour of any blast exceeding the permitted values. Work shall be stopped and the City notified immediately if any blast exceeds two (2) ips.
	C)	The Building Commissioner may suspend blast monitoring after the data from five (5) blasts is submitted if, at his/her determination, monitoring is not necessary to protect the public and when no individual blast exceeded one (1) ips. All blasts over one (1) ips must be continuously monitored. The Building Commissioner may re-impose the monitoring requirements at his/her sole discretion. The suspension of monitoring does not relieve the permittee from any other requirements of this Section. The permittee shall still be required to supply the data specified in Section 5607.1.6(A).
5607.1.6 Notification requirements.
	1)	Abutter notification: The applicant shall notify all landowners and owners of public water and sewer facilities within one thousand (1,000) feet of the proposed blasting operation. Notice shall be sent by United States Postal Service (USPS) certified mail at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the intended date of the commencement of the blasting operations. Notice shall also be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the intended date of the commencement of the blasting operations.
		A)	Abutter notice contents: The abutter notice shall include the blasting schedule, a description of the blasting signals to be used during operation, an address and telephone number where property owners may request further information and additional notification, information about the no cost preblast survey required below, and the offer to provide further information; upon written request by the affected part, with copy of such request to the City of St. Peters.
		B)	Newspaper notice contents: The newspaper notice shall include the blasting schedule, a description of the blasting signals to be used during operation, an address and telephone number where property owners may request further information and additional notification.
	2)	Fire district notification: After first receiving a blasting permit, any person intending to conduct blasting operations shall first notify the fire district in the blasting area that a blasting operation is planned. Such notification shall be received at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the planned detonation, and shall give the time of the planned detonation and location where the blasting is to be done. The notification may be given orally over the telephone; however, the burden of proof as to whether the notification was in fact received rests with the person responsible for the blasting operation.
5607.1.7 Pre-blast survey requirements. Prior to blasting, and in conjunction with abutter notification, the applicant shall agree to compensate the qualified person retained by the City to perform pre-blast surveys on all structures within one thousand (1,000) feet of the blasting area. The survey shall include video documentation of any pre-existing conditions of the inside and outside of each structure. At least three (3) documented attempts via the United States Postal Service shall be made; the first via first class mail, with the second and third attempts via certified mail, return receipt requested, prior to the abutter being deemed non-responsive.
5607.1.8 Application requirements.
	A)	Each application for a blasting permit under the provisions of this Section shall be accompanied by a fee as stated in Appendix A of this Title.
	B)	The permit application shall be submitted in a manner satisfactory to the Building Commissions and shall contain:
		1)	The name and address of the permit applicant;
		2)	If the applicant is a corporation, the State of incorporation;
		3)	A statement of whether the applicant, or any person controlled by or under common control with the applicant has ever held a blasting permit in any State of political subdivision which in the five-year period prior to the date of submission of the application has been suspended or revoked;
		4)	A description of the purpose for which the blasting permit is to be used:
		5)	A legal description of the land which the applicant has the right to enter and commence blasting and a copy of those documents upon which the applicant bases its legal right to enter and commence blasting on the area affected;
		6)	Accurate maps, generally to a scale of one (1) inch to two hundred (200) feet, clearly showing:
			a.	The land to be affected by the blasting during the period of the permit, including all boundaries of the land to be affected; and
			b.	Locations of all structures and pipelines within the permit area, in all directions for a distance of one thousand (1,000) feet.
		7)	A restoration statement to be approved by the Building Commissioner that includes an estimated schedule for the restoration of the permit area to its original state and topography or to a state and topography agreed upon by the Building Commissioner and permittee.
5607.1.9 Right of inspection.
	A)	The Building Commissioner or any police officer may, at any reasonable time, inspect premises, buildings and installations used by a permittee for storage of explosives or blasting agents or any premises on which blasting operations are being conducted for the purpose of determining whether the provisions of this Section are being complied with.
	B)	The Building Commissioner or any police officer may, during normal business hours, enter and inspect any documents and records required to be kept by any permittee, and to inspect the premises where any explosive materials are kept or stored by such person.
5607.1.10 Transfer, assignment or sale of rights granted under permit. No transfer, assignment or sale of the rights granted under any permit issued pursuant to this Section shall be made without prior written approval of the Building Commissioner.
5607.1.11 Penalties. Any permittee who violates any permit condition or who violate any other provision of this Section may be assessed a penalty and/or have his/her permit revoked and future permits refused. Such penalty shall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) and/or thirty (30) days imprisonment for each violation. Each blast may be deemed a separate violation for purposes of penalty assessments. In determining the amount of the penalty, consideration shall be given to the permittee's history of previous violations, the seriousness of the violation, including any harm to the environment, any property damage; or any harm to the health or safety of the public.
5607.1.12 Suspension or revocation of permit — hearing — notice. Anything to the contrary contained in this Fire Code notwithstanding:
	A)	The Building Commissioner shall have the power to suspend or revoke any permit granted under the terms and conditions of this Section for any of the following causes:
		1)	Any fraud, misrepresentation or false statement contained in the application for permit or on blast records; and
		2)	Any violation of this Section.
	B)	The Mayor and Board of Aldermen shall have the power to:
		1)	Hear appeals from any decision of the Building Commissioner;
		2)	Issue subpoenas and all necessary processes;
		3)	Require the production of papers;
		4)	Administer oaths;
		5)	Take testimony; and
		6)	Make findings thereon.
		The Mayor and Board of Aldermen shall conduct a hearing prior to considering the appeal of any revocation or suspension by the Building Commissioner.
	C)	A notice of the suspension or revocation of a permit shall be given by the Building Commissioner to the permittee, in writing, setting forth specific reasons for the suspension or revocation of the permit. Such notice shall be mailed, by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the permittee at their last known address. Permittee shall have thirty (30) days from the date of mailing of such notice to appeal the decision of the Building Commissioner to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen shall notify permittee of the hearing thereon at least ten (10) calendar days prior to the date set for such hearing. As an alternative, all notices hereunder may be delivered to the permittee by personal service. All decisions of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen shall be final.
	D)	Upon the revocation or suspension of a permit, no refund of any portion of the permit fee will be made to the permittee, and the permittee shall cease all blasting operations immediately.

APPENDIX A — BOARD OF APPEALS

Refer to Chapter 410 of Title IV of the Municipal Code of the City of St. Peters, Missouri.

APPENDIX B — FIRE-FLOW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUILDINGS

SECTION B103 MODIFICATIONS

B103.1 — Delete.

B103.2 — Delete.

B103.3 — Delete.

APPENDIX C — FIRE HYDRANT LOCATIONS AND DISTRIBUTION

APPENDIX D — Delete.

APPENDIX E — Delete.

APPENDIX F — Delete.

APPENDIX G — Delete.

APPENDIX H — Delete.

APPENDIX I — Delete.

APPENDIX J — Delete.

APPENDIX K — Delete.

APPENDIX L — Delete.

APPENDIX M — Delete.