Fruitvale, British Columbia
· No. 749
· adopted 2006-10-03
· summary & facts
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THE CORPORATION OF THE VILLAGE OF FRUITVALE
BY-LAW NO. 749
A BY-LAW TO PROVIDE ACCEPTABLE STANDARDS
OF FIRE SAFETY AND PREVENTION IN THE VILLAGE OF FRUITVALE
WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Village of Fruitvale deems it important to protect
persons from injury and loss of property due to fire; and,
WHEREAS Council deems it desirable to regulate burning and the use or storage of flammable, hazardous
or explosive products; and
WHEREAS Council deems It desirable to prevent and abate public nuisances caused by burning;
NOW THEREFORE, Council, in open meet assembled, ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
SHORT TITLE
1.
This by-law may be cited as the "Fire Safety and Prevention By-law No. 749, 2006".
DEFINITIONS
2.
In this by-law:
"Act" means the British Columbia Fire Services Act;
"Air Contaminant" means a substance that is emitted into the air and that:
- injures or is capable of injuring the health and safety of a person;
- interferes or is capable of interfering with visibility;
- interferes or is capable of interfering with the normal conduct of business;
- causes or is capable of causing material discomfort to a person.
"Building" means a structure that is used or intended to be used for supporting or sheltering
persons or property;
"Building Inspector" means the Building Inspector of the Village of Fruitvale duly appointed
from time to time by Council, or any person appointed by the Regional District of Kootenay
Boundary as Building Inspector and appointed as agents of the Village of Fruitvale;
"By-law Enforcement Officer" means any person appointed by the Council as By-law
Enforcement Officer;
"Code" means the British Columbia Fire Code;
"Controlled Fire" means fires which are permitted under the provisions of this by-law;
"Council" means the Council of the Village of Fruitvale;
"Domestic Fireplace or Stove" means a fireplace, woodstove or other similar device which
discharges to the air and is contained within, and used exclusively by a person occupying a
residential dwelling:
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"Fire Service" means the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Services;
"Fire Service Officer" means any person designated by the Regional Fire Chief to apply,
enforce or carry out duties as required by this by-law;
"Firecracker" means an explosive device that explodes instantaneously when ignited and does
not produce a visible effect after the explosion;
"Fireworks" means a manufactured explosive device regulated by the BC Fireworks Act;
"Garden Wastes" means plant material cultivated in a domestic garden or grown in residential
property and includes trees, grass, vegetable matter, but does not include manufactured wood
products;
"Hazardous Materials" means any explosive, flammable, toxic, noxious or other harmful or
hazardous materials regulated by the Hazardous Goods Act of Canada;
"Land Clearing" means the removal of trees and other plant material to prepare property for
subdivision or building purposes;
"Open Burning" means the burning of material which results in the projects of the combustion
being emitted directly to the air and which is not contained within a domestic fireplace or stove
or a solid fuel burning appliance and not carried out within a building;
"Owner" means an owner, tenant, lessee, occupier or agent who has the right of access and
control of a building or premises to which this by-law applies;
"Permit" means permission to carry out an act as regulated by this by-law'
"Residential Dwelling" means a building containing one or more habitable rooms used for
residential purposes;
"Smoke Alarm" means a combined smoke detector and audible alarm device designed to sound
an alarm within the room or suite in which it is located upon detection of smoke within the room
or suite;
"Solid Fuel Burning Appliance" means a device designated for combustion using a solid fuel so
that useable heat is derived for the interior of a building and includes woodstoves, pellet stoves,
fireplaces and combination fuel furnaces;
"Uncontrolled Fire" means accidental or maliciously set fires which will endanger life, property
or burn out of control or develop into a conflagration if they are not extinguished or controlled;
ADOPTION OF REGULATIONS
3.
(1)
The Fire Code under the Fire Services Act is adopted as part of this by-law.
(2)
No person shall construct, use or occupy a building in the Village contrary to the Fire
Code.
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GENERAL FIRE SAFETY PROVISIONS
4.
(1)
Any person burning a fire permitted under this by-law or handling flammable or
combustible materials shall use caution and observe appropriate safety
regulations and
guidelines as may be applicable or required by permit.
(2)
Any owner of a building or premise where a fire occurs or any witness to such a fire
shall furnish at the request of the Fire Service any known information relating to the fire
or to the building or premise in or on which the fire occurred.
5.
(1)
When an uncontrolled fire occurs in any location, any person noticing such fire shall
immediately notify the Fire Service.
(2)
No person shall issue or post any regulation order, written or verbal, which would in any
manner inhibit or delay notification to the Fire Service of an uncontrolled fire.
(3)
The installation or operation of an automatic dialing device to notify the Fire Service of
a fire by means of a recorded message is prohibited.
6.
(1)
The owner of a fixed fire extinguishing or fire warning system shall notify the Fire
Service at any time such system is inoperable or out of service, and again when the
system is restored.
7.
(1)
The owner of an unoccupied building shall secure the building to prohibit unauthorized
entry.
8.
(1)
An owner of a building where explosive agents, radio-active materials or hazardous
materials may be encountered by the Fire Service shall:
(a)
identify the materials or hazards by markings or placards in a manner
prescribed by the Fire Service; and
(b)
advise the Fire Service in writing of the nature of the hazardous materials and
the methods used in their safe handling; and
(c)
remove the materials or hazards from the building when ordered to do so by the
Fire Service.
RIGHT OF ENTRY
9.
(1)
Officers, employees or agents of the Village of Fruitvale may enter any building or
premise at any reasonable time, in order to ascertain whether the provisions of this by-
law are being complied with, and no person shall obstruct the entrance of such persons
into the building or premise.
10.
(1)
If a fire has just occurred or very recently occurred in a building or at a premise,
immediate inspection by the Fire Service is deemed reasonable, no matter what
time of
day, in order to permit the Fire Service to determine that the fire has been
extinguished
and is not likely to rekindle.
(2)
In the circumstances in subsection (1), the Fire Service may enter and inspect any
building or premises adjacent to a building or premise where a fire has recently occurred
in order to determine whether a fire has spread or is in danger of spreading to the
building or premise.
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By-law No. 749
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11.
(1)
The Fire Service may enter any building or premise at any reasonable time in order to
inspect and ascertain whether or not:
(a)
the building or premise is in a condition which may cause or contribute to a fire
which may endanger life or property;
(b)
the occupancy or use of the building or premise may endanger life or property;
(c)
combustible or explosive materials are being kept or flammable conditions exist
which may endanger life or property.
OPEN BURNING
12.
(1)
No person shall engage in open burning of any type of materials at any time during the
year.
13.
(1)
Intermittent campfires or ceremonial fires are permitted if done safely and in a contained
area.
14.
(1)
In the event that the Ministry of Forests issues a campfire and/or ceremonial fire ban
within the Arrow-Boundary Forest Region, the Village of Fruitvale would comply with
this ban.
SMOKE EMISSIONS
15.
(1)
No person shall use or operate a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning
appliance in such a manner as to create an air contaminant.
(2)
A By-law Enforcement Officer, Fire Service Officer or Building Inspector may order use
of a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance be reduced,
stopped or
otherwise dealt with if such use is in violation of section 15(1).
16.
(1)
All domestic fireplaces or stoves and solid fuel burning appliances must be installed to
their manufacturer's specifications and the BC Building Code.
(2)
All owners of a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance must follow
the manufacturer's specifications when using or operating the unit.
(3)
All owners of a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance shall clean
the unit's chimney on a regular basis to reduce the possibility of fire.
17.
(1)
No material specifically defined as "waste" in the Waste Management Act shall be
burned in a domestic fireplace or stove or a solid fuel burning appliance.
(2)
Only seasoned wood shall be burned in a fireplace or stove or solid fuel burning
appliance if wood is being used as a fuel.
SMOKE ALARMS
18
(1)
Smoke alarms shall be installed in any existing building in accordance with the BC
Building Code when a building permit is issued for any renovation to such building.
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(2)
All smoke alarms installed in new buildings shall be connected to and powered by the
building's electrical system and be operational at all times.
(3)
The owner of a building shall maintain smoke alarms in the building in good working
order at all times and the owner shall inspect the smoke alarms on a regular basis to
ensure they are operational.
(4)
The owner shall keep a record of when the smoke alarm system was inspected and when
maintenance of the system was carried out and provide such records to the persons
responsible for enforcement of the provisions of this by-law upon request.
FIREWORKS
19.
(1)
No person shall sell or offer for sale any firecrackers within the Village.
(2)
No person shall discharge, fire or set off, or cause to be discharged, fired or set off, any
firecrackers within the Village.
20.
(1)
No person shall sell or offer for sale any fireworks within the Village.
(2)
No personal shall discharge or conduct a display of fireworks with the Village.
(3)
Notwithstanding section 20(2), a person may conduct a display of fireworks on special
occasions provided that:
(a)
a permit is obtained from the Fire Services; and
(b)
the display is conducted by qualified persons who have the appropriate
certification from the Ministry of Transport and permits from any regulatory
jurisdiction, as required; and
(c)
the persons conducting the display are responsible for cleanup of the discharge
area after the event.
BUSINESS LICENSES
21.
(1)
Prior to the issuance of a Business License or the transfer of a Business License, the
building to be occupied by the business for which the license will be issued, shall be in
compliance with the BC Fire Code.
PENALTIES
22.
(1)
A person who contravenes the provisions of this by-law commits an offence and is liable
to the maximum penalty prescribed by the Offence Act.
REPEAL
23.
(1)
The Village of Fruitvale Fire Safety and Prevention By-law No. 610, 1998 is hereby
repealed.
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(2)
The Village of Fruitvale Fire Safety and Prevention Amendment By-law No. 673, 2001
is hereby repealed.
READ a first time this 7th
day of
March
, 2006.
READ a second time this 7th
day of
March
, 2006.
READ a third time this 5th
day of
September
, 2006.
RECONSIDERED, finally passed and adopted this 3rd
day of
October
, 2006.
_____________________________________ _____________________________________
MAYOR ADMINISTRATOR
CERTIFIED a true copy of By-law No. 749, entitled "Fire Safety and Prevention By-law No. 749, 2006".
Dated this
4th
day of
October
, 2006.
____________________________________
ADMINISTRATOR