Title
Vote to approve the amendments to the Chatham County Subdivision Regulations; specifically, section 7, Requirements and Minimum Standards for Improvements, Reservations, and Design incorporating all standards of the North Carolina State Fire Code Appendix D
Abstract
Introduction & Background: In response to recent discussions regarding fire safety and prevention within the Riverbend subdivision, the Planning Department, in collaboration with Central Permitting and the Fire Marshal's Office, has prepared proposed amendments to the subdivision regulations. Under the State Fire Code, any major subdivision consisting of one- or two-family dwellings with 100 or more lots must provide two access roads to accommodate fire apparatus.
Appendix D, while required by our Fire Marshal, is not mandatory unless specifically referenced in the regulations. Currently, the Fire Marshal's Office communicates these requirements to developers during the first plat and construction plan phases. The proposed amendments will incorporate these fire apparatus access standards directly into the ordinance, ensuring greater clarity, consistency, and efficiency in the development review process.
Discussion & Analysis: To maintain alignment between the Chatham County subdivision regulations and state standards, language will be added to incorporate Appendix D of the 2018 State Fire Code into the subdivision regulations. Originally, staff suggested incorporating the regulations by reference. However, that method was not sufficient according to the Chatham County Fire Marshall.
The proposed amendments will be in Section 7: Requirements and Minimum Standards for Improvements, Reservations, and Design. Section 7.3 Blocks has been changed to Section 7.3 Fire Apparatus Access Road Standards. All the information from Appendix D was added to the subdivision regulations within sections 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4.
The subdivision regulations used to have different standards for roads based on the...
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