BY ED COLLINS Special to The News-Sun June 20, 2012 7:48PM
Updated: June 21, 2012 2:45AM
GURNEE — Officials will require that all new single- and two-family homes to be built in the village in the future will be required to have fire sprinklers.
The trustees have debated the controversial action for weeks. It is now required by municipalities that adopt the 2012 edition of the International Residential Code, which homeowner insurance rates are based upon.
A turning point for the Board was when a clarification to the code was included that a shut-off valve, controlled by the homeowner, would be installed to prevent inadvertent releases. The valve would be locked in the open position, but padlocked or zip-tie-controlled allowing the homeowner to be in control.
Back in April, trustees adopted five ordinances based upon the International Codes. However, they turned down the International Code for One and Two-Family Dwellings based upon audience criticisms that it would add up to $10,000 in construction costs, while it was debatable that sprinklers would provide more safety than smoke detector warnings.
Mayor Kristina Kovarik said at Monday night’s Village Board meeting she didn’t believe adopting the sprinkler code would be much of a hardship. Only one new home was built in Gurnee during the past year, and the market remains depressed, she indicated. She pointed out that these homeowners would benefit from lower insurance premiums over the years.
She also pointed out the Gurnee Fire Department and Fire Marshal Tom Keefe both strongly favor the proposal. It was also pointed out that all commercial enterprises have been required by the Code to install fire suppression systems for years.
However several real estate brokers and builders at Monday’s meeting continued to express displeasure at the mandate, hammering away at the additional expense it would add to a new home for what they claim is a marginal benefit.
However, the village has indicated it might consider waiving a portion of the homeowner’s new building permit review fee to ease some of the monetary pain.
