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Lake Geneva

2013 Wisconsin Act 270 establishes a uniform commercial building code in Wisconsin, while allowing municipalities to grandfather fire detection, prevention, and suppression ordinances that relate to the construction, alteration, or addition to a public building or building that is a place of employment.

Grandfathered Ordinances for Lake Geneva

ARTICLE II. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Sec. 30-32. Buildings requiring installation.

(a) This article requires the installation of an automatic fire sprinkler system in the following buildings:

(2) Industrial;

(3) Government buildings;

(b) A complete approved automatic fire sprinkler protection system shall be provided in all the buildings listed in subsection (a) of this section, except multifamily, as follows:

(1) Fire-resistive buildings. Throughout every building which is either:

a Ten thousand square feet or more in total area;

b. Is over one story in height and exceeds 6,ooo square feet in total area; or

c. Is over two stories in height.

(2) Nonfire-resistive buildings. Throughout every building which is either:

a Five thousand square feet or more in total area; or

b. Is over two stories in height.

Sec. 30-33. Accessory buildings and special principal building areas.

Approved automatic sprinkler equipment shalI be installed and maintained in the following accessory buildings and special principal building areas as follows:

(1) Garages. Automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed in garages as follows:

a. Garages within, attached to above or below other occupancies.

b. Garages used as passenger terminals.

(2) Basements and subbasements. In the basements and subbasements of principal and accessory buildings approved automatic sprinkler equipment shall be installed as follows:

b. All subbasements regardless of size.

(4) Daycare centers, including adult day care centers. All buildings in day care centers and adult day care centers, regard less of size, shall have complete sprinkler protection throughout.

(5) Community based residential facilities (CBRF). All buildings in community based residential facilities (CBRF), regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(6) Theaters and assembly buildings. All buildings in theaters and assembly buildings, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(7) Hospitals, nursing, convalescent, old age and other similar Institutional buildings. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in hospitals, nursing, convalescent, old age and other similar institutional buildings, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(8) Schools, colleges and universities. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in schools, colleges and universities, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(9) Dormitories, fraternities and sorority houses. All buildings in dormitories, fraternities and sorority houses, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(10) Hotels, motels and roominghouses. All buildings of nonfire-resistive construction in hotels, motels and roominghouses, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

(11) Commercial, industrial and institutional garages and service centers. Any building with a total area of 3,000 square feet in area or greater in commercial, industrial and institutional garages and service centers, regardless of size, shall have sprinkler protection throughout.

Sec. 30-34. High-hazard occupancies.

(a) Approved automatic fire suppression equipment shall be installed and maintained in the following buildings, regardless of size, in which it is expected there will be high-hazard occupancy, including, but not limited to:

(1) Aircraft hangars.

(2) Dry cleaning establishments using or storing gasoline or other volatile flammable liquids.

(3) Enameling or Japanning operations.

(4) Mills: sugar, starch, cereal, feed, hay flour and grist mills.

(5) Paint and varnish: Manufacturing, storing, handling, spraying, and other related operations.

(6) Paint stripping establishments.

(7) Manufacture and storage of Pyroxylin products.

(8) Smoke houses.

(9) Storage of explosive gages under pressure (15 psi and over 5,400 cubic feet) such as acetylene, hydrogen and natural gas.

(10) Storage of materials with a flashpoint under 200° F., such as celluloid products, kerosene, etc.

(11) Woodworking and other such establishments with combustible dust.

(12) Chemical works and for storage facilities.

(13) Explosive and pyrotechnics manufacturing.

(14) Oil refineries.

(b) This article applies to all new construction after the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived.

Sec. 30-42. Additions or change of use.

All existing public, commercial and industrial buildings 6,ooo square feet or more in size, exterior wall dimensions, shall conform to this article. If life occupancy is present in any such structure, this article will apply regardless of size as follows:

(1) Application of article. This article applies to, but is not limited to, places of employment, schools and municipal, state and federal government structures.

(4) Incremental additions. In the event of incremental periodic additions to an existing structure any such additions from the effective date of the ordinance from which this article is derived shall be added together (gross area) and when any such additions total at least 253 of the gross area of the original structure this article and its requirements shall apply to all additions added from the effective date of this ordinance from which this article is derived.

(5) Change of use. If the use of an existing public, commercial or industrial building is changed to any new use the building shall be made to comply with this article. Hotels, motels and other similar buildings, if converted to condominiums or other private ownership, shall be made to comply with the requirements of this article.

ARTICLE V. FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS

Sec. 30-119. Applicability.

These requirements of this article shall apply to all new buildings within the inspection boundaries of the city fire department.

(1) New buildings should comply with the requirement of this article before the building is occupied or used for any purpose other than its construction.

(2) False alarms provisions shall apply to both new and existing structures.

(3) All cost associated with the installation, operation, transmission, and maintenance of automatic fire alarm systems shall be borne by the building owner and/or occupant.

Sec. 30-120. Amendments.

The codes adopted in section 30-118 of this article are hereby amended as follows:

(1) Transmission of alarm signals:

a All alarm signals emanating from automatic fire alarm systems shall transmit by dedicated circuit.

b. Non-required systems may transmit clear signals via digital communicator with a daily test signal or other means to a UL listed central station. All alarm signals received by the central station must be relayed to the city fire department alarm center via public switched telephone network at (414) 248-4434 or at said number as established from time to time. A copy of the current UL listing for central station alarm receiving locations shall be on file at the city fire department Alarm installation company shall provide for current UL listing for central stations. Note: After September 25. i999, the area code will change to (262).

c. Systems that transmit alarm via recorder or digital voices shall be prohibited. No fire alarm system shall be programmed to directly dial 911 or other emergency and/or non-emergency number of the city fire department

(4) Zoning of fire alarm systems: Shall be, per NFPA 72, 1-5-7.

(5) Additional specific system requirements:

a. All fire alarm control panels shall be capable of silencing the audio notification signal without re-setting the panel. The silencing switch shall be a single switch requiring no keys, access codes or special knowledge. The re-set switch shall be a single switch requiring no keys, access codes or special knowledge. A key may be used to actuate a remote annunciator panel to silence a system.

c. All smoke detectors should have indicting lights that illuminate when the detector activates. When smoke detectors are installed in any location not visible from the floor area, remote indicating lights shall be provided in a location approved by the city fire department.

d. The installation of safety guards over alarm initiating devices may be required when such devices are subject to damage or frequent malicious activation.

e. All sprinkler system control valves and associated control functions shall be equipped with electric supervision including pump power, pump run and room temperature etc. Supervised functions shall transmit a separate and distinct supervisory alarm. said alarm should automatically restore when the supervised function is restored to the normal position and indicates restoration at the remote alarm monitoring station.

f. Alarm system indicating panels shall be placed so that fire fighting personnel do not have to pass through or into the structure any further than the main entrance to view or operate the alarm panel.

(6) Vacant buildings. The alarm system shall remain in operation at all times.