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By-law No. 2009-086
"A By-law to Provide for the Designation of Private
Roadways as Fire Routes and to Prohibit the Parking or
Leaving of Vehicles on Private Roadways Designated as
Fire Route"
Originally Passed and Enacted May 25, 2009
Amended By By-law:
Passed On:
2014-094
May 26, 2014
Consolidated Version
Revised and Verified July 7, 2014
Consolidated for Convenience Only
This is a consolidation copy of a City of Owen Sound By-law for convenience and information.
While every effort is made to ensure the accuracies of these by-laws, they are not official
versions or legal documents. The original by-laws should be consulted for all interpretations
and applications on this subject. For more information or original signed copies of by-laws
please contact the City Clerk's Department.
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
A BY-LAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE DESIGNATION OF
PRIVATE ROADWAYS AS FIRE ROUTES AND TO
PROHIBIT
THE
PARKING
OR
LEAVING
OF
VEHICLES ON PRIVATE ROADWAYS DESIGNATED
AS FIRE ROUTE
THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF OWEN SOUND
WHEREAS the Council of The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound
deems it desirable to designate fire routes in the City of Owen Sound
NOW THEREFORE THE COUNCIL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY
OF OWEN SOUND HEREBY ENACTS AS FOLLOWS:
1.
SHORT TITLE
1.1
This By-law may be cited as the City of Owen Sound Fire Route By-
law.
2.
DEFINITIONS
2.1
Authorized Signs means any sign conforming to Schedule 'C' of this
By-law and placed or erected on a fire route or designated fire route
as defined herein under the authority of this By-law.
2.2
Authorized Emergency Vehicle means Fire and Emergency
Services Department vehicles, Police vehicles, Ambulances, and any
other vehicle that may be required for control of any emergency at
properties designated with Fire Routes.
2.3
Chief Building Official means the Chief Building Official appointed
by By-law of The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound or their
designate.
2.4
Chief Fire Official means the Chief of the Fire and Emergency
Services Department for The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound
or their designate.
2.5
City shall mean The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound.
2.6
Designated Fire Route means a fire route located on any of the
lands set out in the City's Schedule of Fire Routes upon which are
erected authorized signs.
2.7
Enforcing Officer
means
the
Chief
Fire
Official, a
By-law
Enforcement Officer or a Special By-law Enforcement Officer
appointed by the City to enforce the provisions of By-laws, or a Police
Officer as appointed under the Police Services Act.
2.8
Fire Route means a public or private roadway or any part thereof
providing vehicular access to or from a building or structure and
designated as a fire route and shall include any part of a parking lot
designated by visible markings or markers as a fire route
2.9
Owner means the registered owner of the land and includes a lessee,
mortgagee in possession, and the person in charge of the property,
acting as authorized agent of the owner.
2.10
Park or Parking means the standing of a vehicle, whether occupied
or not.
2.11
Schedule of Fire Routes means the Fire Routes approved by City
Council for inclusion in the Fire Route By-law and retained by the City
Clerk.
3
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
3.
FIRE ROUTES
3.1
The owner of any lands within the City of Owen Sound shall, for every
building hereafter erected on the lands, provide the access routes for
Fire and Emergency Services Department vehicles and personnel
required by the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code.
3.2
Where Fire Routes are provided pursuant to section 3.1 every owner
shall:
3.2.1
Erect authorized signs upon such routes in locations approved by the
Chief Building Official and the Chief Fire Official; and
3.2.2
Maintain authorized signs in good condition; and
3.2.3
Maintain the fire route free from snow, ice or other obstruction which
would impede the passage over and along the fire route by
Emergency Services Department vehicles.
3.3
The owner of any lands set out in the Schedule of Fire Routes hereof
upon which any building has been erected for which no designated
fire route has been provided shall provide the same upon the existing
private roadway by erecting authorized signs upon such roadways in
location approved by the Chief Building Official and the Chief Fire
Official.
4.
APPLICATION FOR FIRE ROUTE
4.1
The owner of any lands upon which any building or other structure
has been erected may apply at any time to the Council of The
Corporation of the City of Owen Sound for a By-law to include the
lands within the City's Schedule of Fire Routes.
4.2
The application shall be in accordance with the provisions of Section
4.5 hereof and shall be in the form as set out on Schedule 'B'.
4.3
No lands shall be included within the City's Schedule of Fire Routes
pursuant to Section 3.1 without the affirmative recommendation of
the Chief Building Official and the Chief Fire Official.
4.4
Where lands are included in the City's Schedule of Fire Routes
pursuant to Section 4.1, the owner shall provide a designated fire
route upon existing private roadways by erecting authorized signs
upon such roadways in locations approved by the Chief Building
Official and the Chief Fire Official.
4.5
Any owner required to provide a designated fire route under this By-
law shall file in duplicate, with the Chief Building Official and the Chief
Fire Official, site plans that include:
4.5.1
The location of every building or structure on site; and,
4.5.2
The location of all pedestrian walks, parking areas, parking aisles and
driveways on the site; and,
4.5.3
The location of all water hydrants; and,
4.5.4
The proposed location of the Fire Routes or Routes; and,
4.5.5
Proof of being in compliance with the specifications set forth on
Schedule 'A'.
4.6
Every fire route upon lands set out in the City Schedule of Fire Routes
shall be constructed and maintained in accordance with the plans filed
with and approved by the Chief Building Official and the Chief Fire
Official.
4
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
5.
NOTICE
5.1
Before passing a By-law to include any lands within the City's
Schedule of Fire Routes, the City shall issue a notice of the proposed
By-law by prepaid mail to every owner as shown on the last revised
assessment rolls on whose lands the fire route is proposed.
5.2
The City shall hear any person or their agent who claims that their
lands or premises will be adversely affected by the By-law and who
applies to be heard within 30 days of the notice being sent.
5.3
Any person may waive their right to be heard by the City by
delivering a waiver in writing to the Chief Building Official or the Chief
Fire Official after which the person's lands may be included within the
City's Schedule of Fire Routes without further notice.
6.
SIGNS
6.1
Fire Route signage shall be installed in accordance with the
requirements of Schedule 'C'.
6.2
No person shall erect a sign indicating a Fire Route other than in
accordance with the provisions of this By-law.
6.3
No person shall, without the authority of the Chief Building Official
and the Chief Fire Official, erect, alter, move, remove or deface, or in
any other manner interfere with any sign placed, erected or
maintained under the authority of this By-law.
Amended by By-law 2014-094
7.
Repealed
8.
Repealed
9.0
SEVERABILITY
9.1
The terms and provisions of this By-law shall be severable and should
any term or provision be found by a court of competent jurisdiction to
be legally unenforceable, inoperative or invalid, the reminder of the By-
law shall continue to be in full force and effect.
10.
BY-LAWS REPEALED
10.1
By-law number 2007-070 is hereby repealed upon receipt of approval of
short form wording from the Regional Senior Justice.
10.2
This By-law shall come into full force and effect upon the final passing
thereof.
FINALLY PASSED AND ENACTED this 25th day of May, 2009.
Signature on file
Mayor
Signature on file
Clerk
5
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
SCHEDULE 'A' TO BY-LAW 2009-086
FIRE ROUTE SPECIFICATIONS
All fire access routes to be provided for any building where a fire access route is
required shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the requirements of
the Ontario Building Code. The Building and Emergency Services Departments shall
be consulted prior to the design and construction of a fire access route.
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION
1.
A portion of a roadway or yard provided as a required access route for
Fire Department use shall:
1.1
Be located so that the principal entrance and every access opening are
located not less than 3 m and not more than 15 m from the closest
portion of the access route required for Fire Department use, measured
horizontally from the face of the building; and
1.2
Be connected with a public thoroughfare; and
1.3
Have turnaround facilities for any dead-end portion of the access route
more than 90 m long; and
1.4
Have a clear width not less than 6 m, unless it can be shown that lesser
widths are satisfactory; and
1.5
Have a centreline radius of not less than 12 m; and
1.6
Have an overhead clearance of not less than 5 m; and
1.7
Have a change of gradient not more than 1 in 12.5 over a minimum
distance of 15 m; and
1.8
Be designed to support the expected loads imposed by fire fighting
equipment and be surfaced with concrete, asphalt or other material
designed to permit accessibility under all climatic conditions.
2.
Access routes shall be provided to a building so that:
2.1
For a building with a Fire Department connection, a Fire Department
pumper vehicle can be located adjacent to the hydrants(s); or
2.2
For a building not provided with a Fire Department connection, a Fire
Department pumper vehicle can be located so that the length of the
access from a hydrant to the vehicle plus the unobstructed path of travel
for the fire fighter from the vehicle to the building is not more than 90
m, and
2.3
The unobstructed path of travel for the fire fighter from the vehicle to
the building is not more than 45 m.
3.
The unobstructed path of travel for the fire fighter required by Section 2
of Schedule 'A' from the vehicle to the building shall be measured from
the vehicle to the Fire Department connection provided for the building,
except that if no Fire Department connection is provided, the path of
travel shall be measured to the principal entrance to the building.
4.
Where a Fire Route is required pursuant to the provisions of this By-law,
and it would be impracticable or impossible to provide a Fire Route
pursuant to these specifications, the Chief Building Official or the Chief
Fire Official shall have the full authority to permit suitable alternate
construction and design of the Fire Route as in their sole discretion they
deem appropriate.
6
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
SCHEDULE 'B' TO BY-LAW 2009-086
APPLICATION FOR DESIGNATION OF A FIRE ROUTE
I, the undersigned, owner of property known as ______________________________
which is located _____________________________ request the designation of the
area which is labelled or otherwise shown on the attached plan of the above noted
property as a Fire Route.
I agree to abide by the provisions of the City of Owen Sound Fire Route By-law. I
also agree to perform sufficient maintenance and snow clearing to assure that
Authorized Emergency Vehicles have unimpeded access over this Fire Route.
______________________________
Signature
______________________________
Title
______________________________
Date
7
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
WAIVER
OWEN SOUND FIRE ROUTE BY-LAW 2009-086
TO THE CITY OF OWEN SOUND CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL OR CHIEF FIRE OFFICIAL:
In accordance with the provisions of Section 4.3 of the City of Owen Sound Fire By-
law, I hereby acknowledge that I have been served Notice of the City of Owen
Sound's intention to establish a Fire Route(s) on my lands, or part thereof. I hereby
waive the right to be heard by Council and authorize the City to include my lands set
out in the City's Schedule of Fire Routes.
____________________
Authorized Signature
____________________
Date
8
BY-LAW NO. 2009-086
SCHEDULE 'C' TO BY-LAW 2009-086
FIRE ROUTE SIGNING STANDARDS
All Fire Routes shall be identified by signing conforming to the following standards:
1.
Erection and maintenance of signing shall be the responsibility of the owner of
the property on which the Fire Route has been designated. All signs are to be
maintained in good condition by the said owner.
2.
All signing used to indicate Fire Routes located on public or private property
shall be printed on a 30 cm by 45 cm sign blank and shall display a format as
illustrated below, subject to paragraph 3 of Schedule 'C'.
3.
A Fire Route sign shall be placed at each limit of a Fire Route. These signs shall
display single headed arrows pointing in the direction which is affected by the
Fire Route. Throughout the zone, Fire Route signs displaying double headed
arrows shall be installed at intermediate points no further apart than 30 m or
less as may be required by the Chief Building Official or Chief Fire Official.
4.
Signs shall be installed on a sign post anchored securely to the ground or a
platform capable of holding the sign erect during all weather conditions, the
maximum height of such sign shall be not greater than 3 m and the minimum
height of such sign to be no less than 2 m above grade.
5.
Each sign shall be erected on the boulevard so that no part of the sign is closer
than 30 cm to the adjacent curb nor further than 3 m from the curb. Where
there are no curbs, no part of the sign shall be closer than 1 m nor further than
3 m from the edge of the adjacent pavement of travelled road.