The Oklahoma City Council voted Tuesday to adopt a version of the state building code that doesn't require installation of automatic fire sprinklers in new housing construction.
The Oklahoma City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to adopt modified building codes that don't require automatic fire sprinklers in new housing construction.
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Tuesday's other business
• Ward 8 Councilman Pat Ryan will succeed Ward 1 Councilman Gary Marrs as the council's representative on the MAPS 3 Citizen Advisory Board. The council's representative attends the board meetings, along with the various subcommittees that focus on the MAPS 3 projects.
• The council voted unanimously to approve MAPS 3 project requirements for improvements to State Fair Park and the four planned senior wellness centers. The State Fair Park improvements are designed to attract and retain lucrative horse and livestock shows hosted at the fairgrounds with more modern facilities. The wellness centers are intended to provide low-cost access for seniors to health, fitness, educational and social activities. Council members said potential partners should take the lead in what services are offered at each one, the location of the building and other aspects of the project.
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The council was presented last month with a choice on the sprinklers when it had to adopt the latest version of state building codes.
The state left it up to individual municipalities on whether to require fire sprinklers.
Developers, Realtors and homebuilders were opposed to requiring fire sprinklers. They contended the added expense was unnecessary.
Ward 1 Councilman Gary Marrs, a former fire chief, expressed strong support last month for the sprinklers because of their role in saving lives, but eventually voted to approve the version of the code that doesn't require them.
Marrs said last month he knew he was in the minority and requiring fire sprinklers wasn't going to happen. He kept his promise to speak his mind only once, rather than at all three meetings the matter was before the council.
“I'm going to cut my losses and move on,” Marrs said last month. He stayed quiet Tuesday.
Debate was nonexistent last week during the measure's public hearing, and again Tuesday before it was approved. The council was solidly on the side of the developers and builders.
A bill is pending in the state Legislature that would prevent cities from being able to require sprinklers.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-council-votes-against-fire-sprinkler-requirement/article/3663351#ixzz1r6GIyP00
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