090-2000 LTC
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\cLmiami-beach.f1.us
L.T.C. No.90-2000
LETTER TO COMMISSION
April 27, 2000
TO: Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City Commission
FROM: Lawrence A. Levy ~
City Manager
SUBJECT: FIRE SPRINKLERS
Attached for your information is the Fire Department's response to questions regarding the new State
Fire Code and the time frame for compliance. Please accept my apologies for not getting this to you
on a more timely basis.
If you have any questions or need any additional information, please contact me or Assistant City
Manager Mayra Diaz Buttacavoli.
Thank You.
LAL/MDB/FJ/mc
Attachments
F:\CMGR\$ALL\L TC-OOIFIRESPRIL TC
MIAMI BEACH FIRE DEPARTMENT
CHIEF'S OFFICE
Interoffice Memorandum
To:
Lawrence A. Levy
City Manager
Date: April 3, 2000
Via:
From:
Subject: FIRE SPRINKLERS
As requested, the Fire Department has prepared this response as a follow-up to the response to
questions submitted on March 15, 2000:
1. Status of buildings not in compliance:
As of March 9, 2000, no new plans have been submitted to Fire Prevention for approval.
Date of "'Intent to Comply" notice is still September 30,2001. Meetings have occurred with
25% of affected properties. Attached is a list of buildings submitted in April 1999 illustrating
the current status of all affected properties.
2. What will the Fire Department do after the March 15, 2000-deadline?
The meetings are informational in nature, and should result in the buildings understanding that
they must have an approved plan on file, which includes a schedule for completion, prior to
the Sept. 30,200 I deadline.. There is no punitive action for failure to set a meeting prior to
March 15, 2000. Appropriate punitive action (referral to the Special Master) will be
considered after the Sept. 30, 2001 deadline.
3. What is the impact to the City of Miami Beach if the State adapts a 12-year time frame
for compliance?
Affected properties must file an ""Intent to Comply" notice with the local Fire Marshal within
180 days of adoption of the State Code, scheduled for Jan. 1,2001. This could conceivably
move the date up to June 30,2001, but since the deadline of Sept. 30,2001 has been in the
City ordinance for the past four years, the Fire Marshal sees no advantage in moving it up
three months.
4. How does the County affect this, i.e., County Home Rule?
The county intends to continue with the retrofit program. They are approximately 80%
completed. This question must be answered by the Legal Department.
Fire Sprinkler Q & A
April 3, 2000
Page 2
5. When will the new code be approved by the State?
The scheduled date for implementation of the new code is still January 1, 2001 with a
compliance time frame of up to 12 years. There are still several public forums on the code to
be scheduled, however, they are not expected to delay the date of implementation.
6. Who has to approve the new Fire Code?
The State Fire Marshal
7. What is the likelihoodfor approval?
Since there are representatives of the State Fire Marshal's oft Ice on the Technical Advisory
Committee which is writing the code, it is unlikely that it will not be approved.
8. How does the county alfeet the Llty's compliance?
Under the County Home Rule Charter, the City must comply with the County Code. Again,
this question must be answered by Legal.
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