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CHAPTER 63 - LOT DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS

Printable Version

63.530 ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES

The purpose of this Section is to ensure that all premises shall be readily accessible for emergency service vehicles, particularly fire-fighting equipment.

63.531

Emergency Access Required: All developments which do not have frontage on a public street shall provide access for fire vehicles and emergency apparatus from a public street as follows:  

1. A dead-end access exceeding one hundred-fifty (150) feet in length shall be provided with a turning radius or area as approved by the fire chief.
2. Except as provided by “C” below, a fire lane shall be required to provide access to any portion of any structure which is more than:
   1. one hundred and fifty (150) feet from the nearest street right-of-way when the structure is thirty (30) feet or less in height; or
   2. fifty (50) feet from the nearest street right-of-way when the structure exceeds thirty (30) feet in height.
3. When fire vehicles and emergency apparatus are provided access to any portion of a structure more than the distance from a street right-of-way specified in the subsection above, by means of either bufferyard area or adjoining property, the requirements of (2) may be waived by the fire chief.
4. In addition to the situations above which require a fire lane, a fire lane to provide access to any part of a building may also be required if the zoning administrator determines that the distance of a structure from the nearest hydrant, the configuration of structures on a site, or other special characteristics of the site otherwise inhibit rapid, effective fire extinguishment.  
5. The Zoning Administrator in consultation with the fire chief, may determine that the public health and safety require fire lanes in addition to private fire protection facilities required by the Building Code for any structure classified as a high hazard use; any structure to be occupied by uses which involve extreme risks of fire, smoke, explosion, or toxic gas; or structures to be used as places of assembly for large congregations of people.

63.532

Fire Lane or Fire Apparatus Access Road Standards: Refer to the Rochester Fire Code in Chapter 55 of the Rochester Code of Ordinances  for the standards and requirements.

63.533

Alternatives to Fire Access Lanes: In lieu of meeting the standards specified above, a developer may substitute alternative means (including but not limited to fire resistant roofs, fire separation walls, space separation, and automatic fire extinguishing systems) to mitigate risks from fires.  Such alternative means shall suffice to meet the requirements of this section, provided that the fire chief of the City concurs.

63.534

Damage to Utilities in Fire Lanes:  The City of Rochester shall not be liable for damage to underground utilities beneath fire access lanes caused by fire fighting equipment.





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